With roots in Birmingham, Sussex, Scotland and Cumbria ,RG Paddler writes songs about love, broken love, dark backwoods, witchcraft and ghosts. His colourful influences range from cinematic works such as The Wicker Man to traditional folklore.

18 MP3 Songs
FOLK: British Folk, FOLK: Fingerstyle

Details:
ADD me on www.myspace.com/rgpaddler - that bulletin feature might just come in useful one day for you or me! My name is Richard - I was taught piano by A.Proverbs - once pianist of Birmingham UK Ronnie Scotts.My break came when I was 16 and won a national song-writing competition in 1989 on the BBC.That was a long time before the days of the X factor and I appeared with of all people - Jason Donavan,Peter Powell,and Anthea Turner.I did actually get an offer of a record deal from Germany but the advice given me at sixteen was - 'anyone can get a hit in Germany - I wouldn't bother'.I dont know if it was the right advice but theres no changing it now - and in any case I've had far too many adventures to have any regrets.Some might say this is the kind of thing you might want to leave out of your Bio but - there it is. My very first compositions were for GCSE exams at Pelsall Comprehensive School,Walsall,Staffordshire,West Midlands.I can say that because it no longer exists and they were mainly inspired by Thomas Hardy novels.At that time there was a sudden mod/rock revival in the Midlands and all the lads at school started to look like Jimmy our of Quadrophenia.I'd already started listening to prog-rock because my brother was a rocker and I inherited his classic roughed up leather jacket when he went to art college.Even then though I remember being told to shut up by my rocker mate when we were all in a park one day drinking beer because I was raving on about what a good artist 'Prince' is and that just wasnt cool when I was supposed to be talking about acdc or led Zeppelin.I was also a big fan of Noel coward and Debussy.So I tried to emulate all of this stuff in my music. Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting We formed a band then playing mostly Van Halen,Dire Strates but my cousin was mad on Herbie Hancock so we'd try and play funk too.His dad my Uncle was and is a hugely soulful jazz Sax player with the ability to improvise to just about anything and still sound cool.My dad took me to see Art Blakeys 'Jazz Messengers' - minus Art Blakey when I was 17 and that had a huge impact - probably moreso than seeing Ronnie James Dio and Warlock at the Birmingham NEC.There was also the 'Robin Of Sherwood' series on TV that had music by Clannad with it - as I'd always been a bit of a countryside dweller this appealed hugely to me and my mom had some Steeleye Span records that we started getting into particularly 'The Blackleg Miner' which is kind of funky-folk sounding too.We had alot of Gypsies where I lived so in my romantic cloudy head I also started writing songs about imaginary characters who lived in caravans such as 'Old Joe Boney'. We were quite into drinking then as now,and would spend alot of time just recording stuff on multitrack recorders for fun.Then I went to Brighton University and met my first real girlfriend - she'd been rejected by a band called 'Rock Goddess' on the grounds that she wasn't willing to have sex with the manager.She was one hell of a guitarist though and we spent a good couple of years writing classical rock pieces as she was really into the whole Steve Vai finger tapping thing.My final degree show however was a 3 hour piano improvisation - simply because I kept coming up with ideas in different styles but not following any of them through.In the end my lecturer - Billie Cowie of Divas fame asked me what I enjoyed doing most and I said improvising so he said well do that then,so I did and passed. After graduating I split up with Jackie and I moved to Inverness to work for the Scottish Wildlife Trust - I just needed a break.It was here because we wernt paid for the work that I started busking.The first time I ever went out into the street I was so hungry I'd written a sort of folk scat song on a piece of card cos I had no instruments and just stood in the street stamping the ground and singing - a little old lady gave me 50 pence and that was that - I was hooked.I used to practise piano in the Town Hall/Sheriffs court in Inverness Castle - It always seemed bizarre that I was broke but playing in such a grand venue - there were suits of armour and stained glass windows.I also went to Inverness Riverside Cafe where I learned quite a lot of reels and suchlike from the fiddle players there. Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting The following year I moved back to Brighton and bought an accordian which I still have to this day.I'd busk Nick Drake songs on a cheap guitar in Hove,and through that I joined an Acid Jazz band who played at Casablancas in West St Brighton every Friday/Saturday on Keyboards - we'd get paid 30 pounds each for a gig - not much but better than nothing.Finally I ended up getting a job in a picture framing factory - it was a blessing really as I'd become a bit of a drop out alcoholic by that time.I met a singer at the factory who sang for a band called Kinky Journo - we played at the Concorde 2,Volks Tavern,The Wedgewood rooms Portsmouth and also in London - the half moon,Putney and the Elephant and Castle,Camden.We had SUCH a good time! We were being managed by a guy called Tony Richardson who went on to form Skye Management and had success with the band 'Electric Soft Parade' who were considerably younger than us and a bite heavier too.So after we came second in an NME battle of the bands contest in London,the band split up and went off in their own directions.It didn't hit me so hard because music was always just something I'd been doing and I'd already had the nil result from winning the BBC competition.ok ok - I didn't exactly win it - I came 2nd in that too - alright? Jeez.The thing is if I didn't write music I'd go completely insane. So anyway after that I went self employed as a musician and started playing for anyone and everyone who would take me - I wrote down any requests I didn't know and built up a large repoirtoire that I posess to this day.In December I was doing 3 -5 shows a day for 30 pounds a time - it was hard work but worthwhile.Then the Iraq war came into all the news and I'd split up with another woman - a twice divorced mother of two - and decided it was time to follow my dream.So I gave up my job,gave all my posessions to charity and hit the road with a bicycle,a one-man tent and an accordian.I had the time of my life and it felt good to be self independent,completely living off music and living wild - I'd swim in rivers to stay clean and camp on large traffic islands outside of towns to cook food.I'd never busk after 1.00pm though cos I wanted to avoid the whole 'homeless' side of Britain,and they mostly didn't appear till the afternoon.I kept accounts of everything I earned and saved like mad.Finally I felt I'd cracked the travelling life - it was comfortable if not slightly isolating and decided before I turned into an all-out hobo that I'd give society one more shot.I learned how to use the internet,found the government job search engine and typed in the words 'PIANO PLAYER' - including overseas jobs in the search.The only one to come up was here in Windermere and so thats where I've been for the last 3 years.I definately have days where I dream of going back to that life - being able to choose when and where you sleep,but I reserve it as a retirment plan if nothing else happens!!!! Irelevant Qualifications: B.A Hons 2:1 (Performing Arts),Grade 8 Piano Practical,Grade 5 theory (Royal Associated Board),Level 1 Chainsaw NPTC,NVQ Landscapes & Ecosystems,Foundation pass in Fine Art,oh and the all important one - a 10 metres swimming certificate.

People who are interested in Nick Drake John Martyn Roy Harper should consider this download.