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Paul Murphy is a singer and songwriter who has been writing and performing over the past four decades. He was born in Belfast and came to England in 1966 as a 16 year-old-with just a guitar and a handful of songs.
From the beginning he was determined to write songs that had integrity and drew on real experience. During those formative early years on the road he hung out with the likes of Lemmy and Van Morrison.
Paul has called Birmingham home for over 30 years and has been a vocal supporter of songwriting and live music in his adopted city. In 1996 he established SongwritersCafe which for several years provided a valuable showcase for up and coming artists as well as featuring turns from more established acts such as Ocean Colour Scene who invited Paul to support them on an Irish tour.
Until recently Paul has focused almost exclusively on live, intimate performances that allow for his huge capacity for spontaneity. ’On the spot’ songs have long been a hallmark of his gigs. So also is spoken word, poetry or talking blues. He says: "The thing with live performance is that like theatre it’s in the moment, unique, unchangeable and for a procrastinator like me that is huge liberation."
In addition to fronting the raucous gypsy and klezmer influenced 14 piece band The Destroyers, Paul recently retreated to his home studio and recorded four decades worth of original songs. The stripped back sessions have produced close to 100 tracks, a few of which you can sample here.
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