It’s a long way from sunny Irvine to Hollywood, but he made it.
I’m talking about Irvine in Scotland of course, as that’s where this little story started. Paul is slightly younger than me and was in the year below me at school (his older brother was in my class) and I got to know him through a couple of school mates when he became a member of a local band, The Shock Club (terrible name).
As with most bands in Irvine at the time, they would play as many gigs as pubs and community centres would allow them, throwing in a few cover versions to fill out their set – The Cult’s ‘Love Removal Machine’ was one if I remember correctly. The Shock Club didn’t play too many gigs. In fact before their final gig in Kilmarnock they had already changed their name to Hectic Circus (another terrible name). It wasn’t that they weren’t good enough, just that Paul had the chance to join another upcoming local band.
So a few others and I joined Paul one evening when he went along to Castlepark Community Centre to meet Messrs Reader and Douglas, who were playing that night. Forgive the cliché, but the rest, as they say, is history.
So when this sticker popped through my letterbox, I thought, “…he’s finally made it…” What could be better than your own wee sticker? Better than a No.1 single? Aye!
Inspired by drunken screams of “MORE PAUL!” at the 2010/11 Portland house parties, Shane Locke decided to design and produce this sticker – more as a joke – and apparently the band (and Paul) loved it.
The boy done good indeed 🙂
2010-2011