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+ special guests. Paul Heaton
Paul Heaton has a lasting tenacity rarely seen in contemporary musicians. A musician who has on occasion courted controversy and demonstrated time and again his reluctance to mince words, channels this same eccentricity into his music. Heaton has an unmistakable depth to his voice – and lyrics – that have ensured a loyal and dedicated fan base.
Heaton fronted the Housemartins throughout the 80s, releasing two studio albums, including, ‘The People who Grinned Themselves to Death’. His acerbic wit shines through on this record, giving a taster of the often politically incisive irony Heaton so enjoys a dalliance with. Towards the end of the 80s the Housemartins went their separate ways, a move which allowed Heaton to pursue a musical avenue more true to his ideal. The Beautiful South were born in 1988.
The band was made up of a concoction of ex-Housemartins (Heaton and Dave Hemingway), as well as their old roadie, Sean Welch, and David Stead. Throughout their 19-year career together, The Beautiful South also recruited various female vocalists to add a new depth to their records. Heaton’s song-writing capabilities were cultivated under this new musical carapace. The band soon became somewhat of a national treasure in the UK, achieving the mainstream success Heaton had yearned for in the Housemartins – number one singles, albums, and 15 million record sales worldwide.
Perhaps a change was needed – a certain veil of ennui began to coat The Beautiful South towards the end of their time together. Things had grown musically stale for the band – something Heaton loathed as one of the most prominent tune-writers of the 80s and 90s. The maxim stands proud – better to burn out than fade away: in 2007, the band took the decision to split. They cited ‘musical similarities’ as the chief motivation.
And it is from the magnificent glowing ashes of these bands-past, that Heaton has re-emerged. After having dabbled in solo releases as early as 2001, he offered ‘The Cross-Eyed Rambler’ in 2008, which was well-received by devotees of both the Housemartins and The Beautiful South. The album was described as “displaying Heaton in rude health,” and as “rock[ing] as vigorously as the Housemartins” – we are reassured however, that this is no nostalgia set: “So next time you hear them singing / of a land so free and brave / You know the place they hang their flag / is where they hung their slave,” sings Heaton on the beautifully biting tune ‘A Good Old Fashioned Town’.
Paul Heaton is bringing his music, with all its bittersweet heartbreak and zany wordscape, to Manchester Academy 2, on Friday 24th September. |
