I first met Paul in third year at school at St Ninians’. He was the class entertainer. When the teacher left the room he orchestrated parts of the class to stand up and mimic various sections-brass, woodwind, etc.- of the Syd Lawrence Orchestra who at that time were famous for their covers of Glen Miller tunes, e.g. ‘In the Mood’. Later we shared some of our first cigarettes and songs. I taught him some of the chords I knew (bet he could teach me a few more now!) .He was popular with the girls and helped me get my first date. We’d stay over at each other’s houses and his family were really nice to me, especially after my Mum died the summer I left school. I went to Edinburgh Uni and Paul went to Glasgow, where he met the rest of his band. I heard them in the Bon Accord pub in Glasgow around 1981, they had a big local following. Next time I saw Paul it was backstage at the Usher Hall after ‘Hats’ came out. He was a big star but he was still Paul, easy going, warm, calling me TC. Difference was he sang like some Scottish Sinatra, powerful, resonant, sad, savouring every note and inflection -and his songs! ‘The Downtown Lights’ and later ‘Family Life’ and ‘Mid-Air’-gut-wrenching, lyrical, romantic, sentimental even but never trite or clichéd. We meet up on the rare occasions he performs, and sometimes for coffee. He always remembers my birthday. I can’t walk down Byres road without half expecting to bump into him or see him at the window of some coffee bar. He inspires me to keep on playing in bands and writing songs. I’m so proud he is Scottish and so proud he is my friend. youtu.be/F0wkO0aTtec
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 21:59:45 +0000