I'm an “anti-singer songwriter” based (and born) in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. Avoiding the traditional song writing staples of doomed relationships and bittersweet meditations on love and loss, my songs are more concerned with hippy zombies (Night of the Hippy Dead), teenage vampires, (My Girl is a Teenage Vampire) Todmorden UFOs, removing cockroaches from one’s ear (There’s a Cockroach in My Ear) and Hebden Bridge traffic congestion (Hebden Council’s Digging up the Ley Lines).
I'm also the electric mandolin player with cult folk punk band The Ukrainians, and some of my songs have a definite Slavic feel, notably Commie Flesh Eaters, the world’s only song about cannibalistic Marxist-Leninist zombies.
The three main influence’s on my songs are 60s psychedelia, 80s video nasties and the Hebden Bridge Times from 19th Century to the present day.
I've written a number three best seller (in Hebden Bridge, that is) called Weird Calderdale, which details many of the strange events in the area, and these too are often reflected in my songs. I'm an occasional guest on BBC Radio Leeds talking about Calderdale’s odd phenomena and I've recently taken part in and provided the music for a documentary on ghosts and vampires allegedly haunting Robin Hood’s grave near Brighouse.
A Saucerful Of Secretions is my latest e.p. It contains local songs for local people such as Decapitation Day in Halifax and Creeping Jesus, about a well-known antique shop owner in Hebden Bridge… There’s also a zombie song (The Ungrateful Dead, about the world’s first zombie rock band), an anti Bob Dylan protest song called Knockin’ on the Gates of Hell and plenty more.
“If the Ukrainians had been around in the late 60s and early 70s and signed to Harvest records, Paul Weatherhead would have been their Syd Barrett.” (Hebden Eye review of Night of the Hippy Dead).
“Paul’s songs are witty like the Bonzos, dark like Kafka and more entertainingly parochial than the Hebden Bridge Times.” (Open Mic Surgery review of Hebden Calling.)
Discography:
· Night of the Hippy Dead (2006)
· Hebden Calling (2006)
· Exile On Market Street (2006)
· Piper at the Gates of Hell (2006)
· Ho Ho Ho Santa’s Gonna Die/My Cat is a Catnip Ho (Xmas single double B side) (2006)
· Saucerful Of Secretions (2007)
· Paul Weatherhead is the Hebden Bridge Plastic Bag Preservation Society (Forthcoming)
Contact: paulweatherhead@yahoo.co.uk
High Paul Weatherhead! Pablo here, reporting in from Inner Space to wish you Happy February & a great 2009! (we interrupt this comment with a brief announcement: Pablo's first new album in 5 years,"Take Two," Is Here & Now! -16 tracks of sugar coated insanity-available on iTunes, CD Baby, etc.) - Stop by my page to hear 4 new songs! God bless!!! P (P.S. the new album is best appreciated on a higher plane....;))
As the Wychwood Festival says; Maghribibeat could be THE band to watch in 2009 with what could be the perfect festival sound, one that mixes traditional Moroccan Gnawa music with high energy acoustic driven trance.
craig compered on his own weds said was ok not alot of audience, we must of scared em all off got a lot of work rubbish going on at mo so wasn,t in the mood , be there this week though seee you then !!
A BIG thank you for performing at LiveSpace. It was a great night and your performance was brilliant as usual!! Truly wicked(especially to Bob)! ;D See you soon Jude
hi Paul, I haven't managed to hook you up with a gig. But if we can sort something by thurs, fri it could still go in... do you have a fantasy local line up? A few performers, possibly at Zion? x
Hi there. The month of May looks like it's going to be busy. Just noticed your May gig at the Trades. I'll add it to our page. Here is the LiveSpace poster for May too! Jude :)
