Editor: Paul Graham Raven
Paul didn’t encounter much music of note as a youngster, unless you count Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War Of The Worlds, which probably has a lot to do with his other big obsession, namely science fiction literature (- yeah, geek is as geek does; deal with it).
Everything changed in 1990, when he went to school in Stourbridge – home to then-rising bands like Pop Will Eat Itself, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, The Wonderstuff and Fretblanket. This was a bit of a revelation to someone raised on Neil Diamond and Crystal Gayle, and bad floppy haircuts followed close behind a collection of lovingly tattered long-sleeved shirts and hand-painted Doc Martens.
Fast-forward the better part of two decades, and Paul has spent years hanging around with musicians, trying to be a musician, and working in the music industry in a variety of capacities - most of them even more mundane and underpaid than independent journalism.
He’s been a guitarist, cross-dressing backing vocalist (ahem), psychedelic guru, DJ, club promoter, club and band publicist, flyer and poster monkey, cloakroom attendant, and front-of-house manager for a busy and world-renowned venue.
But the one common theme through all those years is his unrelenting love of waffling on about music and bands to anyone who would listen.
Over time, he’s managed to convince a number of people to publish his opinions in written form, and has finally decided that the internet – home of the opinionated and thick-skinned – would be the best place for him to set up his virtual soapbox.
You’re standing right in front of it. Take a seat!
