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Orchestral manoeuvres
Underachieving pop-puppet twins take control, book an orchestra and zoom to the Getty top.
By Jim Irvin.
Twins’ peak: Barry (left) and Paul Ryan in 1965.
HANDSOME TWINS from Leeds in Mod-friendly suits, Paul and Barry Ryan, the sons of ’50s British TV variety star Marion Ryan (“the Marilyn Monroe of popular song”) broke through in 1965 with songs written by Tom Jones stalwart Les Reed. Too unruly for cabaret but not exactly hip, well-liked for their youthful charm, but seen as slightly gimmicky – a cover of The Paris Sisters’ I Love How You Love Me retooled with bagpipes wasn’t what anyone ordered – their decent pop singles often ended up as turntable or mid-table hits. For example, their rousing pirate radio fave, Keep It Out Of Sight, written by Cat Stevens, should have risen higher than Number 30.