Paul Howard

A while ago, I was listening to a ‘Word In Your Ear’ podcast. The hosts, Mark Ellen and David Hepworth, asked their guest, the journalist and broadcaster, Steve Lamacq, whom he considered to be “The one who got away.” he replied:
 

“There was a guy called Paul Howard...”
 

I listened in shocked silence as he lauded me in an almost melancholy manner. He has subsequently repeated this claim on his BBC6 radio show. What originally felt like an obituary soon morphed into a belated buzz of justification for the many years I’ve devoted to making music.
 

I played my very first gig on my 16th birthday in 1982. Ten years later, I found myself in the role of singer, songwriter, and bandleader of a band that was about to split up, destroyed by disastrous decisions made (mostly) by our record company. So ended my childhood dream of the Pop Life.
 

At that point, I lost faith in the music industry - but I never lost faith in music.
 

I initially retreated to the pub circuit just to keep myself singing.
 

Twenty years ago, I found myself doing a short tour with an older blues singer. We were playing to half-empty rooms above pubs. While watching him each night, I recognised that his compulsion to do this thing was born out of necessity, just like breathing. That’s how I feel. Soon after, that musician, Seasick Steve, was playing bigger rooms.
 

Geordie musician Sting is fond of saying, “Music is its own reward.” Now, although I am not burdened by the half a billion dollars, that is the former Police man’s estimated worth, I am in complete concord with Gordon.
 

I’ve kept my hand in over the years, while holding down a day job. I’m about to release my first solo album of original material in over 20 years. I began writing the songs for what would become ‘First Light’ during lockdown, and I finished recording them with Tony Roche earlier this year.
 

First Light will see the light in July 2026.
You can order a copy on this site.