Born as an amalgamation of prog-rock outfits Mandalaband and Gyro, Sad Café are an English pop rock band from Manchester who enjoyed moderate success in the UK during the late 70s and early 80s. Throughout its career, the group went through a revolving lineup of musicians, with Paul Young (vocals) and Ian Wilson (guitar) as the only constant members. Young is also known for his role as co-singer in soft rock act Mike and The Mechanics. Fanx Ta-Ra (1977) and Misplaced Ideals (1978), their first two studio albums, both reached the Top 50 on the UK album charts. A compilation of both LPs (also titled Misplaced Ideals) was released in North America in 1978, and the single “Run Home Girl” reached Number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 the following year. Facades (1979) featured the singles “Every Day Hurts” and “My Oh My,” both of which reached the Top 10 on the UK Singles Chart. After a couple of releases that went largely unnoticed during the 80s, the group disbanded in 1990. They would reunite again in 2000 as a tribute to Paul Young, who died earlier that year. In 2012, Wilson reformed Sad Café and continued touring throughout the 2010s with a new lineup, playing sold-out shows throughout Europe and the UK.
