It’s been a long time since 80’s performer Owen Paul emerged into the collective consciousness of the public with ‘My Favourite Waste of Time’, and there’s been no lack of controversy and disagreements along the way.
“Like many artists in the 80’s I found myself at loggerheads with my record company. This virtually put me off the music industry altogether so I wanted time out…which turned out to be over 20 years. Throughout this time, even though I was working on many other things, I didn’t stop writing and recording, I just didn’t release anything. Now that the music industry has changed beyond recognition and artists can be much more in control of their work, I am delighted to be back.”
From technical hiccups as he made his TV debut of Pebble Mill through to arguments with Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne on their hit reality series, Owen Paul is an artist who has trodden a truly unique path. After a string of hit singles and a successful debut album, he split with his record label and took a fifteen year hiatus – broken by the release of 2002’s aptly titled About Time.
Although his focus may not have been on the music, he remained creatively attuned while he ran a West End Theatre. His return to the spotlight has seen him as a member of both Mike & The Mechanics and Ex Simple Mind, while he has also enjoyed success as part of the Rogue Traders team on Watchdog. More recently, a chance encounter saw Owen perform live on Chris Evans’ BBC Radio 2 breakfast show.
A couple of weeks back Dutch radio station was using the BBC Studios and wanted UK guests on their breakfast show each day. On the day that I went to be interviewed and to perform, Chris Evans heard I was in the building and asked would I go live on his show in that moment. And hey presto…I was on BBC Radio 2 broadcasting live and singing to the nation.
The new single ‘Amazing’, is a step towards re-establishing himself as a songwriter, first and foremost. Foreboding the full release, dance legend Stonebridge has remixed the track to devastating effect. Currently enjoying significant club success, with support all over the UK and a top spot on the Music Week club charts, it’s an anthemic, pulsating remix from a true master of the craft.
The new track Amazing in its original form, was wanted by Robbie Williams for his last album. However at the last minute, it was rejected. By a stroke of luck, last year when we decided to do 30th anniversary dance remixes of Favourite Waste of Time, Stonebridge was asked to do one of those mixes. He said no, as he would prefer to work with a brand new song if I had one. We sent him Amazing, he loved it, and here we are.
