Born in the Rhondda Valley, south Wales, Paul's progress as a musician started with weekly piano lessons from the age of 6. Later, at Porth County Grammar School he took cello lessons, and under the auspices of inspirational bandmaster and educator Ieuan Morgan, played - at various times - euphonium, trombone (badly) and finally drums (reasonably) in the Treorchy Youth, East Glamorgan Youth and Parc and Dare brass bands.
After a brief but enjoyable spell drumming in a gigging covers band, a succesful audition for Director of Music Major Kenney saw Paul - at the tender age of 15½ - joining the army as a Junior Musician, studying percussion, piano, cello, orchestration and composition - initially at Pirbright in Surrey.
3½ years later he emerged from the one year Pupil's Course at Kneller Hall(with a heap of prizes) to finally join the Welsh Guards Band, based in Chelsea, London. In the next few years he participated in everything from concerts, parades, jazz gigs to radio broadcasts, recording sessions and even a memorable 3 month tour of the US.
By the time he decided to leave the band at the tail end of 1975, he'd become a fairly proficient user of a battered Fender Precision, and after a few misguided and miserable weeks attempting to hold down a "proper" day job, he became a professional bass guitarist in January 1976.
Within the next couple of years, Paul had progressed from humble pub and restaurant gigs (with the occasional low-paid demo thrown in) to playing concerts, West End shows and sessions. In 1979 he was approached to join controversial stand up Jim Davidson's recording and touring band. This, in turn, led to many more interesting and enduring contacts within the music business.
Since then, Paul has played for a huge variety of artists - including singers as diverse as Salena Jones, Bono, Madeline Bell, Sir Cliff Richard, The Proclaimers, Russell Watson, Cilla Black and for many memorable TV shows such as 'Auf Weidersehn Pet, 'The Hot Shoe Show' 'Harty' (house band), 'Dead Ringers', 'Challenge Anneka' 'Coogan's Run' and TOTP. West End theatre shows include 'Chess,' 'Time,' 'Tell Me On A Sunday' (Denise Van Outen), 'Smokey Joe's Cafe' and 'A Clockwork Orange' (RSC). Some of his jazz & fusion album/gig/writing and performing credits: Joint Effort, Geoff Castle's Strange Fruit, Lipslide, Barbara Thompson, Sax Appeal, Dave Quincy/Kenny Shaw Band. In addition, since 1980 he's played on hundreds of TV and radio jingles - everything from News of The World to the classic Toys R Uscommercial.
internet bass tracks
If you work from a home studio, you may prefer to commission your bass track(s) via online technology rather than at a commercial studio.
Paul records with Logic Pro 9, using a MacBook Pro and hi-spec iMac, with a sizeable range of bass outboard gear available (should you want it) from DBX, Boss, EBS, Focusrite and Line 6 . Mics by Shure and Neumann.
Instruments: Fender Jazz Bass (1980), Fender Jazz Bass (1990), Fender Jazz Bass (Japanese 1964 reissue), Fender Precision (1979), Yamaha TRB 5, Modulus Graphite 5, MusicMan Sterling, Hofner Violin bass, Sadowsky NYC Vintage 5, Tokai Jazz Sound fretless. Clifton custom electric upright, German double bass c. 1930's.
Prices: Start at 100 GBP per track, but will depend on the compexity of the song/project - you can give Paul as much or as little direction and instruction as you like, or a written chart if you prefer. Final fees will always be agreed and confirmed before recording commences.
