Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I remember first hearing ‘Oasis – The Masterplan’ album at 16 years old and being completely mind blown. I was coming to the end of my school days and caught a friend live perform in his band. I knew right then that music was something I’d want to get involved in.
I started learning guitar and within a few weeks, I wrote my first couple of songs. It was a way of progressing with my music, learning as I went along. My new-found interest saw me writing songs and playing the open mic circuit. It cumulated in going traveling to Canada for a year where I met some great people, great musicians and really found my place in the world.
Shortly after my visa expired and I returned home, I fell into the way of ‘real life’, building my future and a career for myself as a design engineer. I took a 15-year hiatus from music and it was only this summer, after a conversation with friends I decided to pull the old songs back to release an album.
To be honest, things have gone really well with it and I’m now back, the same as I was, but with two kids and a wife supporting me on.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Paul Gillion”?
A: Times have changed now and it’s not just exchanging mp3s to friends anymore, streaming music on major platforms has allowed my songs to be heard worldwide.
I’ve been lucky enough to have had a song played on a popular running podcast and a couple of songs picked up by BBC Introducing and subsequently receive daytime radio play.
Hopefully things can continue through radio and online media. I’m back to playing acoustically and planning to return to live music soon in some form too.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: Noel Gallagher will always be there, but I’m really into Tom Meighan from Kasabian right now. His acoustic takes on the full band sound are mesmerizing and I love how despite the issues he’s faced, he can still carry a story and provide raw, honest thought-provoking lyrics.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “Never Gonna Catch Me Alive.”?
A: So I wrote this one right before going traveling to Canada. It has a sad melody to it, in the sense of leaving behind family, friends and the old way of life, but also an excitement to new beginnings.
It’s about trying to stay one step ahead of life’s turbulence that can bring you down, and to putting those antiseptic wipes over life’s cuts and grazes! As the title states: “Never Gonna Catch Me Alive” – It’s the determination that you can never give up.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Anthemic – everything I’ve written has been envisaged as something a whole room, or even stadium could sing back at you!
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “Never Gonna Catch Me Alive”?
A: The original version of the song had an extra verse but when I picked it up again I realized that took the song over 5 minutes! I dropped the final verse and got the song down to around 3:50. Much more radio friendly!
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: I think great songs are timeless. When I looked back at what I had written over the years, I felt that the subject; whether travel, friendships or relationships, they’re relatable to us all.
I titled my album ‘The Echo Road’ for good reason too: ‘Echo’ – being a link to the past, ‘Road’ – Indicating the journey I’ve faced. My life stories have formed a journey, and my goal now is to communicate this storytelling through song.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Noel Gallagher – he has defined generations with his songwriting. He has a way with words that can mean many different things to different people.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Don’t be afraid to take risks, push your music forward to people. There’s so much of it out there, and opportunities rarely get handed to you. Find a way to make your voice heard in all the noise.
…Patience, Practice and Promotion!
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Keep with it, keep writing songs and don’t feel the pressure to conform. I started open mics with my own songs but quickly jumped into performing covers because they’re the ones that are recognizable to people.
Ultimately, if you want to be taken seriously as an individual artist then stay true to yourself and define your own plan.
