Heather Bellamy spoke with Paul Poulton

Paul Poulton

Paul Poulton is a singer/songwriter whose passionate love of music was birthed when he was only four years old through watching his Dad play. Having played thousands of concerts that love hasn't waned and he released his latest album Words earlier this year. His love for God has been the other mainstay of his life, not only providing the focus for his music, but also where he found the answer to a two year mystery illness. Heather Bellamy spoke with him to find out more.

Heather: Paul, you're a singer/songwriter and you learned music at a really young age didn't you? Tell us how music came into your life.

Paul: I was four years old and dad who was a keen pianist sent me to piano lessons. I didn't even know my left hand from my right, because I remember the piano teacher said, put your left hand on this note here middle 'c'; I said, which one's that and she said that one there. I said, no, I mean which is my left hand?

Heather: Did you take to music straight away; did you have an ear for it?

Paul: I loved music; music was great. Dad played the piano in the house. I love those bass notes on the piano; that left hand stuff he used to do. It was so intriguing. It encouraged feelings in me somehow, that when he plays those notes I feel a certain way. I thought that's magical and I think that's what music does. Sometimes you hear a track from a few years ago and suddenly you're transported back to where you first heard that track, or maybe some emotions that you were feeling when you first heard the song. Music has that power. So yeah, I love music.

Heather: So have you played music since then; did you ever have a break?

Paul: I've never had a break from music, although I did change from piano. My piano teacher gave me this book called The Jolly Farmer and I had to do these exercises and it was so uninspiring. Then I heard the radio and bands like the Rolling Stones would be on. I thought that sounds better than the Jolly Farmer went a hiking down the country lane songs, like that Mrs Jevons makes me practise every day. I wanted to be out playing football or something, but when I heard the Rolling Stones and they used an instrument called the guitar, I thought I've got to get one of these guitar things. My friend had one and he said I've got a guitar and you can have it if you want. He gave me this guitar and I've been playing and bending the strings on the guitar, because you can't bend the strings on a piano; it's too difficult unless you lift the lid up and put your hand inside and that's awkward because you can't even get to the strings; there's this whole linkage mechanism. With a guitar both hands are on the notes, so it's really kind of emotional. There's something about guitar playing that really hits you in your heart.

Heather: You mentioned it was your dad that introduced you to music. Was there a close bond between you and your dad growing up?

Paul: Yes. I still have a close bond with my dad. I see him quite often and we're always talking about music. He quite likes classical music these days and I do too. When I became a musician I thought I really ought to study this properly, so I did the grades. I did right up to grade eight with classical music. In grade eight you have to play a concerto; you need a pianist for that, so my dad played the piano parts. I think it was harder for my dad than it was for me. He was really sweating with this concerto piece he had to play.

Heather: And what about your Christian faith; when did that come into your life?

Paul: That was very young as well. Music and Christianity have always been closely linked for me. I would sing songs when I was in trouble. I used to sing this song, if ever a time I need the Lord I surely need him now. I used to sing that when I'd been sent to stand outside the head teacher's office. I'd be singing it like mad. It was always closely linked because my faith in Christ was real and it was kind of enhanced by the music. I mean Christians always sing; wherever Christians meet they sing. It's like music is a blessing from heaven to the earth and we want to use it. So yes being a Christian and being a musician has always been closely linked.

Heather: You mentioned about standing outside the head teachers office; did that happen often for you at school?

Paul: It did. I used to get involved in the wrong crowd and it wasn't me who did the bad things, but somehow I got pulled into the bad things because I was hanging around with these kids who did bad things. They used to cane us and I got caned for doing nothing, but just being around the wrong crowd; but I quite like hanging around with people who've got that kind of edge. I mean Jesus did too; he got into trouble; he hangs around with bad people and so I don't mind that really. But sometimes yes I got caned for doing stuff that I hadn't actually done.

Heather: So what was your school experience like; did you get on with school educationally?