Paul Gray (English musician)

Last updated

Paul Gray
Paul Gray - The Damned 2018 (cropped).jpg
Gray in 2018
Background information
Born (1958-08-01) 1 August 1958 (age 65)
OriginEngland
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Bass
Years active1978–present

Paul Murray Granville Gray (born 1 August 1958) is an English bassist notable for playing with the rock bands Eddie and the Hot Rods, The Damned and UFO.

Contents

Biography

Paul Gray was born in Leigh-on-Sea. [1] Inspired by a Hawkwind gig he attended, [1] Gray started learning bass guitar at the age of 13, his playing influenced by bassists such as Steve Currie, Lemmy, John Entwistle, Felix Pappalardi and Roger Glover. [2] [3] He joined Eddie and the Hot Rods as bassist after answering an advert in the Southend Evening Echo . [2] The band had several hit singles and albums in the late 1970s, including "Do Anything You Wanna Do". While working with Eddie and the Hot Rods, he also recorded bass for Larry Wallis, [4] Rob Tyner [5] and Johnny Thunders, [6] as well as filling in as temporary bassist for The Members. [7] In early 1980, following the departure of Graeme Douglas, Gray left Eddie and the Hot Rods and, on the insistence of Captain Sensible and Rat Scabies, [7] joined the punk rock band The Damned, replacing former bassist Algy Ward. [8] Gray contributed to two studio albums, The Black Album and Strawberries , as well as numerous singles and the Friday 13th EP . Frictions in the band led to Gray's departure in February 1983. [9] Shortly afterwards, he joined UFO and remained until their split in 1987. [10]

In 1989, after brief stints with Heavy Load, Fastway [11] and Andrew Ridgeley, Gray rejoined The Damned, ostensibly for a one-off reunion tour of the UK, US, and Japan. [12] This tour reunited Gray with Captain Sensible, and the two worked together on Sensible's solo material, as well as touring together. This Sensible-led group briefly evolved into another reunion of The Damned, with Gray concurrently reforming Eddie & the Hot Rods for one album, Gasoline Days , for which he contributed the song writing, and supported the album with several tours in the UK and Germany. [13] In between these high-profile projects, he also played bass with Canvey Island Allstars, and René Berg, and began producing local bands. [14]

With the onset of severe tinnitus and hyperacusis interrupting his live music activities, [15] Gray became Lead Tutor for Community Music Wales – a charity aimed at helping young bands based in Cardiff – on a variety of national and international projects between 1995 and 2004. [16] In 1997, Gray formed Mischief with Alan Lee Shaw, a studio-based project allowing him to write and record without damaging his hearing further by playing live. [14] In 1998, he appeared alongside Barry Masters of Eddie & the Hot Rods on the Identity Parade round of British comedy panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks . In 2005, he took up the post of Regional Officer, Wales & Southwest England for the British Musicians' Union. [17]

Gray reunited with Captain Sensible in 2013 to form psychedelic rock band The Sensible Gray Cells with drummer Ant Thickett. After the release of debut album A Postcard from Britain, Gray was diagnosed with throat cancer [18] and had to cancel tentative plans to return to playing live music. He has since recovered. On 27 February 2014, Gray joined fellow original Hot Rods Barrie Masters, Steve Nicol, and Graeme Douglas on stage at The Oysterfleet, Canvey Island to play in tribute to the late Dave Higgs, founder member of the band. [19] Gray joined Professor and the Madman in 2017, alongside former Damned drummer Rat Scabies, and featured on their albums Disintegrate Me and Live at the Hundred Club. [20] In September 2017, Gray rejoined The Damned following the departure of Stu West, [21] recording the album Evil Spirits and returning to full-time touring for the first time in nearly 15 years. Gray appeared on stage for the final Eddie and the Hot Rods show in April 2019, alongside founding members Barry Masters, Graeme Douglas and Steve Nicol. [22] In 2020, both The Damned and The Sensible Gray Cells released new material, the latter including Gray's first lead vocal performance on "What's the Point of Andrew?". The Damned's 2020 EP The Rockfield Files included two tracks written by Gray, entitled 'Manipulator' and 'The Spider & the Fly'. [23] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gray opened up Paul Gray Bass Online, a website offering services as a session bassist to recording artists.

In 2020, Gray formed the side-project Wingmen with guitarists Baz Warne (the Stranglers) and Leigh Heggarty (Ruts DC), and drummer Marty Love (Johnny Moped). The band released their self-titled debut album in 2023. [24] [25]

Discography

With Eddie and the Hot Rods

With Robin Tyner and the Hot Rods

With Larry Wallis

With Johnny Thunders

With The Damned

With Dolly Mixture

With UFO

With Captain Sensible

With Andrew Ridgeley

With Canvey Island Allstars

With René Berg

With Mischief / Wicked Gravity

With The Sensible Gray Cells

With Sir Silence and The Hush

With Rachel Taylor-Beales

With EVO

With Professor and the Madman

With Nick Toczek & Signia Alpha

With Wingmen

With Signia Alpha

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Damned (band)</span> English punk rock band

The Damned are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1976 by lead vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist Captain Sensible and drummer Rat Scabies. They were the first punk band from the United Kingdom to release a single, "New Rose" (1976), release a studio album, Damned Damned Damned (1977) and tour the United States. Nine of the band's singles charted on the UK Singles Chart Top 40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UFO (band)</span> English rock band

UFO are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They became a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the new wave of British heavy metal. The band's current lineup includes vocalist Phil Mogg, lead guitarist Vinnie Moore, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Neil Carter, bass guitarist Rob De Luca, and drummer Andy Parker. They have gone through several line-up changes, leaving Mogg as the only constant member, and had two breaks. The band also featured former Scorpions guitarist and Michael Schenker Group (MSG) founder Michael Schenker, who was a member of UFO from 1973 to 1978 and rejoined the band sporadically between 1993 and 2003, when Moore replaced him. In May 2018, Mogg announced that he would retire from UFO after one last tour as a member of the band in 2019; however, their farewell tour was set to conclude in 2022 before it was cancelled, due to Mogg's health issues.

<i>Damned Damned Damned</i> 1977 studio album by The Damned

Damned Damned Damned is the debut studio album by English punk rock band the Damned. It was released on 18 February 1977 by Stiff Records. Produced by Nick Lowe, Damned Damned Damned was the first full-length album released by a UK punk group.

<i>Strawberries</i> (album) 1982 studio album by The Damned

Strawberries is the fifth studio album by English punk rock band the Damned. It was released in October 1982 by record label Bronze.

Brian James is an English punk rock guitarist, who is best known for being a founding member of The Damned as well as of The Lords of the New Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Captain Sensible</span> British musician (born 1954)

Raymond Ian Burns, known by the stage name Captain Sensible, is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He co-founded the punk rock band the Damned in 1976, originally playing bass before switching to guitar. He is known for his distinctive appearance including a red beret and sunglasses, typically with white frames. Sensible embarked on a solo career during the 1980s, achieving a UK number one hit with his version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Happy Talk" (1982) and further hits with "Wot" (1982) and "Glad It's All Over" (1984). In 2006, Sensible founded the Blah! Party. He continues to perform in the Damned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie and the Hot Rods</span> British pub rock band

Eddie and the Hot Rods are a pub rock band from Essex founded in 1975. They are best known for their 1977 UK top ten hit "Do Anything You Wanna Do", released under the shortened name Rods. The group broke up in 1985, but reformed in 1996. Singer Barrie Masters was the only constant member until his death in 2019. The band continued to tour, fronted by their former bassist, Ian 'Dipster' Dean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Wallis</span> British rock musician (1949–2019)

Larry Wallis was a British rock guitarist, songwriter and producer. He was best known as a member of the Pink Fairies and an early member of Motörhead.

Alasdair Mackie "Algy" Ward was an English punk rock and heavy metal bass guitarist and singer. He began his career in 1977, as a bassist for the Australian proto punk band the Saints. Afterwards, he joined The Damned, before founding Tank in 1980. Tank were part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Rose</span> 1976 single by The Damned

"New Rose" by The Damned was the first single by a British punk rock group, released on 22 October 1976 on Stiff Records, and in 1977 in the Netherlands, Germany and France.

<i>The Black Album</i> (The Damned album) 1980 studio album with live tracks by the Damned

The Black Album is the fourth studio album by English punk rock band the Damned, and the first to feature Paul Gray on bass guitar. It was released on 3 November 1980 by Chiswick as a double album, with "Curtain Call" filling the whole of side 3, and a selection of live tracks recorded at Shepperton Studios at a special concert for Damned fan club members on side 4. The song "13th Floor Vendetta" paid tribute to the film The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971), opening with the lyrics "...the organ plays to midnight on Maldine Square tonight".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baz Warne</span> English musician

Barry "Baz" Warne is the current guitarist and vocalist of The Stranglers.

Moose Harris is a British bass guitarist, who was known as Jason James Harris until June 2001, when he legally changed his name to reflect his former nickname and adopted professional alias of "Moose".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Way</span> British bassist (1950–2020)

Peter Frederick Way was an English bassist. He was the co-founder and original bassist of the rock band UFO from 1968 to 1982; he briefly rejoined the band in 1988–1989 and full-time from 1991 to 2008. He was also a founding member of Waysted and Fastway and notably played with Michael Schenker Group and Ozzy Osbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Zermati</span> French record producer (1945–2020)

Marc Zermati was a French producer and promoter of punk rock music, and businessman.

Professor and the Madman is a four-piece American rock band featuring co-frontmen/songwriters Alfie Agnew and Sean Elliott, drummer Rat Scabies and bassist Paul Gray. Agnew had been in the punk bands Adolescents and D.I. and Elliott had played guitar in D.I. Scabies and Gray were the rhythm section of The Damned, and they appeared together on a pair of The Damned's studio albums: The Black Album (1980) and Strawberries (1982). Gray also played in Eddie and the Hot Rods and UFO.

<i>The Rockfield Files</i> 2020 EP by The Damned

The Rockfield Files is a four-track EP by English rock band the Damned, released on 16 October 2020. It was released by London-based label Search and Destroy in a joint venture with Spinefarm Records. The EP marks the last recording with longtime drummer Pinch, who left the band in late 2019. The title is a reference to the 1970s American television series The Rockford Files.

<i>A Postcard from Britain</i> 2013 studio album by The Sensible Gray Cells

A Postcard from Britain is the first studio album by English rock band the Sensible Gray Cells, released in October 2013 by Easy Action. The band is a side project of guitarist Captain Sensible and bassist Paul Gray of the Damned along with drummer Anthony Thickett. The theme of modern-day Britain runs throughout the album, which the band themselves describe as a concept album.

<i>Get Back into the World</i> 2020 studio album by The Sensible Gray Cells

Get Back into the World is the second studio album by English rock band the Sensible Gray Cells, released 27 November 2020 by Damaged Goods. The band is a side project of guitarist Captain Sensible and bassist Paul Gray of the Damned, and the album is the first to feature drummer Marty Love of punk rock band Johnny Moped. The album was released seven years after their debut A Postcard from Britain. The two singles "So Long" and "Get Back into the World" both reached No. 5 on the Official Vinyl Singles Chart.

References

  1. 1 2 Neal, Martin (1 February 2018). "A Damned fine move – Essex boy is back with punk legends for new album and tour". EssexLive. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ↑ "INTERVIEW! Paul Gray is back in The Damned and talks about the new Damned album and 2018 'Evil Spirits' tour and much more". 5 January 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  4. 1 2 "LARRY WALLIS – POLICE CAR" . Retrieved 12 November 2020– via Facebook.
  5. ↑ "10 Albums That Changed My Life: Paul Gray". 17 June 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  6. 1 2 "So Alone – Johnny Thunders | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ↑ Raggett, Ned. "Biography: The Damned". AllMusic . Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  9. ↑ [ dead link ]
  10. ↑ Ankeny, Jason. "Biography: UFO". AllMusic . Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  11. ↑ Todd Houston (12 December 2012). "Paul Gray, ex-bassist U.F.O. and The Damned talks British hard rock/punk rock" . Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  12. ↑ [ dead link ]
  13. ↑ "Gasoline Days – Eddie & the Hot Rods | Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  14. 1 2 [ dead link ]
  15. ↑ McWatt, Julia (22 February 2012). "Former professional bass player Paul Gray on the impact tinnitus has had on his life". Walesonline. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  16. ↑ [ dead link ]
  17. ↑ "Starting Out as a Session Musician". Musiciansunion.org.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  18. ↑ "THE SENSIBLE GRAY CELLS" . Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  19. ↑ "Eddie & The Hot Rods – Done Everything We Wanna Do". Eddieandthehotrods.com. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  20. ↑ "PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN ANNOUNCE PRE-ORDERS FOR NEW ALBUM, 'SÉANCE' – RPM Online" . Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  21. ↑ "Tony Visconti To Produce New Album & Bassist Paul Gray Rejoins Band". Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  22. ↑ Neal, Martin (31 August 2018). "They've done everything they wanna do". EssexLive. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  23. ↑ "The Damned / Professor and the Madman / The Sensible Gray Cells /". 10 December 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  24. ↑ Burgess, Mick (18 January 2023). "Sunderland'-born Stranglers frontman Baz Warne on returning to the North East with new band Wingmen". Sunderland Echo . Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  25. ↑ Watson, Denzil (20 February 2023). "Wingmen – Interview". Pennyblackmusic. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  26. ↑ "Eddie & The Hot Rods* – Live at the Marquee". Discogs. August 1976. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  27. ↑ "Eddie and the Hotrods* – Teenage Depression". Discogs. 1976. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  28. ↑ "Hot Rods* – At The Sound of Speed". Discogs. June 1977. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  29. ↑ "Eddie and the Hot Rods – Life on the Line". Discogs. 1977. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  30. ↑ "Eddie + Hot Rods* – Thriller". Discogs. 9 March 1979. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  31. ↑ "Curse of the Hot Rods – Eddie & the Hot Rods | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  32. ↑ "Gasoline Days – Eddie & the Hot Rods | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  33. ↑ "Robin Tyner* & The Hot Rods* – Till The Night Is Gone (Let's Rock) / Flipside Rock". Discogs. November 1977. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  34. ↑ "The Black Album – The Damned | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  35. ↑ "Strawberries – The Damned | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  36. ↑ "The Damned – Mindless, Directionless Energy – Live At The Lyceum 1981 -". Discogs. 1987. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  37. ↑ "The Damned – Sessions of the Damned". Discogs. 1993. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  38. ↑ "The Damned – The Radio One Sessions". Discogs. 1996. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  39. ↑ "Evil Spirits – The Damned | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  40. ↑ "Dolly Mixture – Everything And More". Discogs. 6 August 1982. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  41. ↑ "UFO (5) – This Time". Discogs. 1985. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  42. ↑ "Misdemeanor – UFO | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  43. ↑ "UFO (5) – The Misdemeanour Tour". Discogs. 1985. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  44. ↑ "UFO (5) – Ain't Misbehavin'". Discogs. 1988. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  45. ↑ "UFO (5) – Heaven's Gate (Live)". Discogs. 1995. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  46. ↑ "UFO (5) – Headstone: Live At Hammersmith 1983". Discogs. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  47. ↑ "Revolution Now – Captain Sensible | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  48. ↑ "Live at the Milky Way – Captain Sensible | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  49. ↑ "Meathead – Captain Sensible | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  50. ↑ "Andrew Ridgeley – Son of Albert". Discogs. 1990. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  51. ↑ "Canvey Island Allstars – Escape From Oil City". Discogs. 1991. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  52. ↑ "René Berg – The Leather, The Loneliness And Your Dark Eyes". Discogs. 1992. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  53. ↑ "Mischief (14) – Hubble Bubble". Discogs. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  54. ↑ "Wicked Gravity – Wicked Gravity". Discogs. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  55. ↑ "A Postcard From Britain – The Sensible Gray Cells | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  56. ↑ "The Sensible Gray Cells – So Long / What's The Point of Andrew?". Discogs. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  57. ↑ "The Sensible Gray Cells – Get Back into the World / World of Confusion". Discogs. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  58. ↑ "End of the Pier, by Sir Silence and the Hush". Sirsilenceandthehush.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  59. ↑ "Stones Throw, Lament of the Selkie, by Rachel Taylor-Beales". Racheltaylor-beales.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  60. ↑ Sibon, Twan. "EVO – Warfare". Brutalism.com. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  61. ↑ "Disintegrate Me – Professor and the Madman | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  62. ↑ "Live at 100 Club". Professorandthemadman.com. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  63. ↑ "professorandthemadman.com". professorandthemadman.com. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  64. ↑ Nick Toczek, Signia Alpha – Walking The Tightrope , retrieved 26 March 2022
  65. ↑ Nick Toczek, Signia Alpha – The Columbus Memoirs , retrieved 26 March 2022
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.