| Paul's early years involved many moves, initially around Merseyside, although later to Sheffield and then Surrey. From an early age he became obssessed with collecting strange items; rich tea biscuit wrappers (with which he planned to make a pair of trousers), marbles and crisp bags. He also wrote obscure stories, which would later become the basis for his initial forays into lyric writing. His first band was a four piece, Tools Down, in which he sang with his brother and two friends. They made one recording, 'All I Want', which was included on a compilation called 'A Surge Of Sound'. Whilst at college, he met Quentin (soon to be Norman) Cook, and roped him into his next band, The Stomping Pond Frogs. Whilst in this band, Paul wrote one of the Housemartin's future B Sides, 'Swansea'. However the band split as they all went their different ways to university and so on, Paul initially heading for Norway to live with his girlfriend, but returned to England when he decided it was too cold. However he had developed a taste for travelling and visited many European countries in the next few years. In 1983 he finally settled in Hull, buying a small flat in Grafton Street with his friend from college, Trotsky. During the 80s he remained in Hull and formed The Housemartins, who became very successful, releasing two albums and gaining a Christmas No.1 with 'Caravan Of Love'. In 1988, after The Housemartins had split, he began to form a new band. This was to become The Beautiful South. For the past 14 years he has been the mastermind behind the Beautiful South, his eccentric reputation providing bemusement for many a journalist and fan. In 2001 he released a solo album, under the pseudonym 'Biscuit Boy', a reminiscence to his Rich Tea obssession when he was younger. |
