Owen Paul

Owen Paul (born 1 May 1962) is a Scottish singer best known in the UK for his 1986 No. 3 hit single, "My Favourite Waste of Time",[1] a cover version of a song that was originally written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Marshall Crenshaw. The track featured an appearance from future Thunder bass player Mark 'Snake' Luckhurst. After releasing a couple of singles and the album As It Is, he had a falling out with his record label, resulting in him leaving the music industry for 15 years.[2]

Owen Paul
Owen Paul
Background information
Birth nameOwen Paul McGee
Born (1962-05-01) 1 May 1962
OriginGlasgow, Scotland, UK
GenresPop rock Country Folk Americana
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
Years active1986–present
Labels
Websitehttp://www.theowenpaul.com

As a youngster, Paul was taken on as an apprentice with the football club Celtic, but after hearing the Sex Pistols he decided to pursue a career in music. In the early 80s he played and sang with Glasgow band Venigmas, which released the single "Strangelove".[3]

In 1989, he produced Japanese rock band Buck-Tick's album Taboo.

Owen Paul has made two memorable television appearances. The first was on the BBC live programme Pebble Mill, when he was meant to mime to "My Favourite Waste of Time" but missed his cue due to a technician's mistake. The second came much later, as the unfortunate guest of a neighbour of the Osbournes, when, by playing music in that neighbour's garden, he provoked Ozzy and the rest of his dysfunctional family into throwing food.

For over ten years he ran a West End theatre in London's Leicester Square (home of the Boy George musical Taboo) as well as a successful ballroom and Latin dancing club, returning to the music scene in 2002 with the album About Time.

After touring and recording with Mike + The Mechanics, and a spell with Scottish supergroup Four Good Men, Owen Paul became the lead vocalist for Ex-Simple Minds, with his brother, former Simple Minds drummer Brian McGee.

Owen has three children: Joshua, Olivia and Hannah.

In late 2012, Owen appeared on BBC1’s Watchdog as part of their ‘Rogue Traders’ team.

In January 2014, Owen released "The One", his first official single in the UK since 1987 and available through iTunes, Amazon and Spotify, following this with the release of the album About Time II in the autumn of the same year.

To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of his 1986 hit he released two new versions, My Favourite Waste of Time Part One and My Favourite Waste Of Time Part Two, along with various dance remixes. The Acoustic 80s EP was released in 2017.

The dance version of "Amazing" was remixed by Stonebridge and spent 3 weeks in the Music Week Club Charts in 2018. He tours as a solo artist and with his 80s Show, and played all the Let's Rock 80's festivals in 2019.

"Sleeping on the Same Pillow" (featuring Lynne Johnstone) - released in January 2020 - was the first release from his forthcoming Americana/country album Overblown Superstar which is due for release in the autumn. "Beauty of the Sun" was recorded entirely in lockdown and was released in the summer of 2020.

His newest single is based on the chorus of My Favourite Waste of Time and is a jam featuring Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), Toyah, Carol Decker (T'pau), comedian Matt Lucas, Leee John (Imagination), Cheryl Baker (The Fizz), Celtic folk legends Phil Cunningham and John McCusker, session pros Gary Barnacle, Judd Lander and Matt Backer, Mick MacNeil from Simple Minds, Ezio, Bruce Watson from Big Country, members of The Alarm, Jake Burns from Stiff Little Fingers, Terry McDermott (The Voice runner up), and many many more.

Each guest improvised, recorded and filmed their parts remotely from their own lockdown situations.

Discography

Albums
  • 1986: As It Is
  • 2002: About Time
  • 2004: Rewired – Mike + the Mechanics (as backing vocalist and vocal arranger)
  • 2014: About Time II
  • 2017: Acoustic 80s EP
  • 2020: Overblown Superstar

Singles
  • 1986: "My Favourite Waste of Time"
  • 1986: "Pleased to Meet You"
  • 1986: "One World"
  • 1987: "Bring Me Back That Spark"
  • 1987: "Mad About the Girl"
  • 2014: "The One"
  • 2016: My Favourite Waste of Time Part One
  • 2016: My Favourite Waste of Time Part Two
  • 2017: "A Different Corner" (for Childline)
  • 2018: "Amazing" (Stonebridge Radio Edit)
  • 2020: "Sleeping on the Same Pillow" (featuring Lynne Johnstone)
  • 2020: "You Lucky Thing"
  • 2020: "Beauty of the Sun"
  • 2020: "My Favourite Waste of Time - The Lockdown Chorus" - Owen Paul & Friends

References
  1. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 420. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. Blythe, Daniel: The Encyclopedia of British Pop, Allison and Busby, London 2002. ISBN 0-7490-0534-3
  3. Cult Classics – Strangelove By Venigmas – The New Vinyl Villain
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