AS soon as he dons a cowboy hat, Paul Young knows just what he's supposed to be singing.

The '80s chart-topper has been so busy these past few years he sometimes struggles to remember what he's up to next.

Currently occupied with a string of solo concerts, as well as some shows alongside his Tex-Mex band Los Pacaminos, his packed touring schedule has seen some tricky transitions between strumming Mexican cantares and crooning soulful ballads.

However, he explained: "Los Pacaminos wear cowboy hats, so as soon as I put one of those on I know what I'm doing!"

After almost 10 years of touring with the group, fans are set to see Paul, 47, return to some of the classic songs that made him a star.

A reappraisal album of his work due to be released by his old record label Sony has given Paul the chance to revisit some of his most famous tracks, as well as the lesser-known tunes from that era.

He said: "There's some stuff I didn't use, mainly because we had enough songs for the albums at the time. It's nice to go back to it again.

"I know the record company's going to go for the ballads, but there's lots of other good stuff too, including some live music."

The Essential Tour, which will accompany the album, will indulge fans with crowd-pleasing favourites like Wherever I lay My Hat, Every Time You Go Away, Sensa una Donna, Love of the Common People and Don't Dream It's Over.

However, Paul contends he has never deliberately refrained from playing these songs on recent tours.

"I've never been one of those stupid people who doesn't do their old material.

"I know what people have come to hear. I'm sure they won't mind hearing a range of other tracks as well, though."

Paul's perfectionist tendencies have seen a slow-down on the recording front in recent years and, following a very public bust-up with his record company, a certain defensiveness about what constitutes the Paul Young sound.

While Los Pacaminos released a highly-acclaimed album last year, he is still waiting for his ideal collaborator to work on a solo release.

Instead of a new album the star may serve up a Paul Young restaurant to the public, dishing out a range of the eclectic food he has tasted during his time touring all over the world.

He said: "The best part of being a musician is that it took me round the world. I got to hear a lot of different music and try a lot of different cooking.

"I'd love to have a restaurant based on the food I've tasted. There wouldn't be just Italian and French food, but also Mexican -- and not just fajitas and enchiladas."

His early years growing up in the town saw a passionate interest in bands like Free and singers like Stevie Wonder and James Taylor, although not necessarily in musical instruments.

He said: "My parents thought it would be nice if their children all played musical instruments. I started playing the piano a little too early and disliked it.

"It got me off to a bad start but later, when I started listening to pop, I could decipher the bass part and the keyboard. From that point I knew I wanted to be in a band."

Despite this ambition, when Paul left school he served an apprenticeship at Vauxhall Motors.

He said: "My dad told me I had to have something to fall back on. I played bass guitar in local bands until I quit my job in 1976."

A lack of demand for bass players pushed Paul into singing and his name started to become well-known -- first with the London-based Streetband, then with the Q-Tips.

He said: "I was starting to get more offers to take a solo contract and the band wasn't really interested in the songs I was writing."

When the Q-Tips went their separate ways in 1982 Paul signed as a solo artist with Sony and released his accomplished solo debut album No Parlez.

From that album Wherever I Lay My Hat shot straight to the top of the charts and stayed there throughout most of the summer of 1983.

Paul said he'd never expected success on that scale.

"It was such a shock. I'd never looked at the big picture. All I'd wanted was to earn enough to live as a musician."

Unplanned it may have been but, with the release of his second album, Paul achieved worldwide fame and played at Nelson Mandela's tribute concert in 1989.

In 1992 Paul's contract with Sony came to and end and he took some time out to be with his family, including his three children, and explore new styles of music with Los Pacaminos.

He said: "The name doesn't mean anything -- we just made it up to sound Mexican. I think we've done it a little too successfully -- the record shops keep sticking our album in the world music section!"

You can catch Paul Young at The Albert Halls, Bolton, tonight.