History[edit]

The group released two albums for Capitol Records, Paris and Big Towne, 2061, both in 1976.^[1] Paris toured in support of these albums, playing at arenas and auditoriums with Blue Öyster Cult, Rush, Cheap Trick, Trapeze, Leslie West, Rainbow, Bachman–Turner Overdrive, Thin Lizzy, Head East, Be-Bop Deluxe, Heart, The Outlaws, Nektar and Wishbone Ash.^[2][3][4][5] After the first album, Mooney was replaced by Hunt Sales, who had also played with Rundgren.^[1]


Initially the band's sound was rock-oriented, but later developed towards funk, and represented a departure from Welch's work with Fleetwood Mac.^[1] Cornick then departed the band and was replaced by Sales' brother Tony Fox Sales. A third album was planned, but Hunt Sales fell ill and after they did not achieve commercial success, the group split in 1977.^[1]


Songs from the aborted third Paris album were used for Welch's first solo album, French Kiss, and the deal with Capitol was converted into a solo album deal for Welch.^[6]


After Paris split up, Welch launched a successful solo career, and Sales worked with Iggy Pop and later Tin Machine with David Bowie.^[7] British-born Cornick moved to the US where, after a decade out of the music business, he reformed his band Wild Turkey in the 1990s.^[8]


In 2013, Capitol Records/USM Japan/Universal Music remastered and reissued paper-sleeve album replica (Mini LP) SHM-CD versions of Paris (TYCP-80036) and Big Towne, 2061 (TYCP-80037).