Paul Grainger,Guitar,vocals,songwriter.
Gary Grainger,Bass & Lead Guitar.
Influences
George Hunter Grainger,Gary Grainger,John Prine,Eddie Cochran,Hank Wangford,Paul Brady,Paul McCartney,The Beatles,Graham Fellows,Iris Dement,The Everly Brothers,Crowded House,Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music,The Devine Comedy,The Smiths,The Cure,Buddy Holly,Dwight Yoakham,Bobby Darin, Johnny Tillotson,Nanci Griffith and Many Many more.
First guitar was a bass aged 21 thats me not the bass! That was back in 1979.We had guitars around the house when l was a kid but it wasn't for me... at the time. Eventually got a couple of guitars and started writing down my songs. In 1988 I sent a script to BBC Radio Cleveland for a radio show to celebrate what would have been Eddie Cochran's 50th birthday (3rd October) I was in the know at the time and l knew Levi jeans were going to use an Eddie Cochran in an upcoming advertisement and that he may be back in the charts.I wrote a song for the show called Eddie Cochran has gone. They went with the idea and the Radio Show went ahead (C'mon Everybody,Eddie Cochran at 50.)
I went to the BBC to record the song (I had sent them a rough demo)
The second take and it was in the bag. Just a day or two before the show they rang to say they were worried about performing rights and l was being substituted by Heinz singing Just like Eddie!
I was asked to write a song for a charity and perform it at a local Cathedral. I wrote the song THREE FLAMES no bother,but wasn't keen on peforming it. The lyrics were read out at the service as a reading.
Inspired by John Prine in Cambridge at the Folk Festival,I made up my mind to get some songs recorded,some of them have appeared on my myspace. A while later l went to my brother's house and was playing the guitar as he made lunch, I sang one of my songs and he came in and asked if it was one of John Prine's. In the style of Prof. Stanley Unwin JOYUS MUCHYLOAD! I was over the moon. At the time my brother was in a group called The Bob Allison Band, they went on to record two of my songs for their CD. So again JOYUS MUCHYLOAD.
I made my debut & final performance on the same evening at The Aclet Hotel in Bishop Auckland with my brother leading the way,we got through 4 songs. It seemed to go down well but I would much rather write songs and let someone else sing them.
I eventually stopped writing songs, but have since become inspired by myspace to start writing again and maybe record them to put on myspace.
The trouble is, people you know want to be polite and say your stuff is good when maybe they don't really like it. Like all those people who enter TV talent show and are terrible, "Well my friends & family think I'm great" they say when really someone should have said how bad they were. So if you wish to pass judgement feel free.
Thanks,
Paul
Next time we should sit together, eh? Don't know about you, but I reckon the song Gary and me played was just what was needed at the time. I've given him and his first visit a mention in my weekly blog.
And next time... what's the chance of a song or two from you?
I see him every year when he plays in town, and at the family reunion in Kentucky, last year we took a boat ride down the "Green River" passing what was once Paradise.
