In Paul’s teenage years during the 1980’s he was totally captured by the Psychobilly, Garage and Rockabilly scene. He couldn’t play an instrument and really didn’t have the patience to learn but really wanted to get recognised within the scene. He had an inquisitive mind and decided to attempt to produce a fanzine which would give him the opportunity to meet and question many of the bands whose records he was so religiously buying. 

 

The first interview he conducted was with arguably the biggest Psychobilly band in England - The Meteors. This set-in motion a series of interviews with other bands and musicians within the scene, many of whom had not been given any exposure from the English music press. 

Many a Saturday afternoon saw him spending his hard-earned cash to jump on the train and travel up to the legendary Psychobilly venue in Hammersmith, The Klub Foot, a few interviews were actually conducted there. 

 

His fanzine was called ‘The Crazed’ and lasted for just four issues, but featured interviews with quite a few of the leading 80’s Psychobilly/Rockabilly bands, such as The Meteors, GuanaBatz, Demented Are Go, Restless and more. 

 

For a while within the 1980’s the scene shone, but like most things, eventually faded along with his enthusiasm for producing the fanzine.
‘The Crazed’ became a yellowing photocopied memory put away in a drawer and forgotten about for years. 

It wasn’t until many years later that ‘The Crazed’ emerged again in Craig Brackenridge’s book about Psychobilly, ‘Hell Bent on Rockin’. Parts of Paul’s interview with the GuanaBatz was also featured within the CD booklet for Cherry Red Records re-release of their second album, ‘Loan Sharks’. Paul was then interviewed about ‘The Crazed’ by the ‘Ole School Psychobilly’ website and this led to the genesis of the idea for the book. 

 

The creation of ‘The Crazed’ book has been quite a journey, with new friendships made, and a few lost.
Old friendships were resurrected, with an understanding of why some of those were never maintained. 

Paul travelled back to those heady times in the 80’s where music and fashion ruled his life and re-captured his enthusiasm for the Psychobilly / Rockabilly scene. 

 

Paul lives in Kent with his family and still maintains a strong interest in many different genres of music.