WHAT started as a shared passion to just play a different style of music quickly evolved into visiting small pubs across the UK and building up quite the fanbase.

In November 1992, the Tex-Mex and Americana band Los Pacaminos was born with the simple idea of playing upbeat, foot-tapping music.

However, this isn’t your average pub circuit band, having been founded by 1980s heart-throb Paul Young, but the man himself admits he started the band because he didn’t want to be the centre of attention anymore.

He said: “I was off the road and had nothing to do and I thought instead of doing nothing, I wanted to try a different type of music.

“I just wanted to do it so I could pick up a guitar and play small venues without being the centre of attention and to step away from the pressure of a Paul Young concert, so I wanted something completely new.”

Fast forward 26 years and Los Pacaminos are consistently playing shows and putting out fresh music to an ever-growing fanbase.

For something which started as a passion project for Young, Los Pacaminos has become something much more serious.

“It is a serious project now, well we are very serious about having fun.” Young adds.

The six-piece, which is made up of musicians who have all played with Young at some point in their careers, are all distinguished musicians in their own right.

And for Young, this is part of the beauty of Los Pacaminos is that he is not always the focal point on stage.

He adds: “There are people who come to our shows who are impressed with Jamie (Moses) and Drew (Barfield) and it makes me happy to see the audience enjoy those musicians as much as I do.

“We have built a fanbase now where their favourite member of the Pacaminos is not me.”

But this was not always the case.

In the early days of the Tex-Mex band Young was the selling point, with many a punter disappointed that not enough Paul Young songs were being played.

“When we started out in pubs the landlords could not help themselves and put my name on the poster and crowds would expect Paul Young songs,” added the vocalist.

“We still get that a little bit today which I’m so surprised about.

“But on the flip side there are some who now enjoy Pacaminos shows more than some Paul Young concerts.”

Los Pacaminos will appear at the Whitchurch Longmeadow Sports and Social Club, in Winchester Street, on Saturday, 19 May.

For more information about the gig, ticket costs and to book, visit wegottickets.com/event/426654.