For that reason and because he already had very long hair at that time, which they didn’t like at schools, he was not an angel at school. Besides that he hated to wear the uniform every day. In England all kids at school wear the same clothes so they all look the same from the outside. Whether you came from the slums or you belonged to the nobility, the uniforms were for everybody. But he managed to look different in his own way: Once hiss class won a rugby game and Paul went to accept the price with his long hair and wearing green (!) trousers. He was not very popular. Not even during the music lessons. He hated it; he was always told what and how to sing. It was never possible to come up with a melody of your own. He once was sent out because he sang out if tune. After this period he went to the Fine Art University. There he had the same problems. He was told what fine art was and if you had other thoughts or a different opinion you were a bad student.

But art was not his greatest passion in his youth, it was football. He did not had the real ambition to seriously reach something in football because he should have to give up many other things he was interested in. About two years ago his football career came to an abrupt end. He was invited to a charity match between BBC Radio 2 and actors from Eastenders. The goalkeeper of the opposite side broke Paul’s foot. The worst however was that the referee didn’t blow his whistle, Paul jokes about it now. So he had to give up his hobby. To remain fit and to get away from everything for a while he jogs now. Besides that he likes to carpentry, it is his old job. He also likes to read a lot. He used to read horror but now prefers humorous books. Especially English humour. Yes, Prime Minister is one of his favourites, just like the books of Tom Sharp and Dave Eddings.

For several weeks now Paul is a full-time musician, something he started when he was fifteen. Together with his wife Tessa he sang in a band called Captain... [the rest of the name he can’t remember]. He later joined a psychedelic rock band called Nightwater. Iron Heart is the next band and the music gets louder. With this band he records a 12” single and they play as support act for F.H. and Saxon. He also sings in a band called Wild Angel and later in a band called Circus. With Circus he records an album and they tour as support act with Dare. This band splits up because of a musical disagreement. At the end of 1995 his neighbours draw his attention to the ad of Arena. His reaction only reaches Arena after the band has already turned down several candidates. There are only three of them left and Paul makes it four. The rest is history.

According to Paul, one must learn prog. He always kept it at a distance and only recently got to like it. He only used to like hard rock. He sang it with joy and thought it was good music, but it never gave something extra. Paul compares hard rock with a Chinese meal; you eat a lot and after an hour you get the feeling you haven’t eaten at all. Progressive rock gives more satisfaction, he says. 
You shouldn’t ask Paul what his favourite band is; he prefers moments and tracks. He also likes different kinds of music. When I keep asking him to come up with some names he eventually says: Queensrÿche, Pink Floyd, Todd Rundgren, Elly Blues, Glenn Hughes. He also likes the CD from Clive’s Strangers On A Train, it hasn’t been out of his CD player for weeks. And his favourite singers? ‘Glen Hughes and Bob Catley of Magnum are great singers’. ‘Yeah, the singer of Srangers On A Train, Alan Reed’, I think he's very good.’

How did it all start?
‘My first encounter with Arena was the ad. Even then I didn't know it was for Arena, because the ad only said ‘looking for a singer’. The line ‘record deal included’ made me apply. I called Clive and he invited me to drop by his house. During that first visit I listened to the tape, but because Clive had just moved all he had was this crappie tape recorder and the music just didn't come across’. ‘Take it home with you and I'll hear from you what you thought of it,’ Clive said, which I did. I came home and put in the machine and from that moment I was an Arena fan! I thought it was marvellous. My favourite songs from Songs From The Lions Cage are Solomon and Valley Of The Kings’. 

‘I called Clive the morning before the session and asked him if he would help me prepare. The others would come to Clive’s place later, so there was plenty of time left. I went over to Clive and we discussed some things about the songs I had learned. He gave me some tips, just like they'd done with John during the recording of the CD. As you see it helped me. I've started using my voice in a much better way since I've been listening to this kind of music. Clive gave me some discs and tapes to listen to, so I know what's going on in this scene. I've only been singing in hard rock bands up to now and the standard isn't as high as in prog, I think.’

Talking about the past I ask him about his past as a singer, and when he started. ‘I started singing when I was fifteen. Some guys from my class had a band and asked me if I wanted to sing. After that I've sung in various heavy metal bands’.
‘Arena is really my first introduction to the prog-scene’. 

The subject changes from the past to the future: the live performances. ‘I like a large stage with lots of space to perform and get into the songs’, says Paul when I ask him what he'd like to do with a large budget to build a stage. ‘I don't play an instrument and because of that I can concentrate fully on my performance’.

To conclude, what he cares about the most is his family. He is married to Tessa, who happens to be a very good singer and also writes songs. But most of all he likes to talk about his children. He was changed by them. He is not as wild as he used to be and he behaves in traffic now. He particularly likes his children’s humour. They say the most terrible things at the most terrible moments and they are very musical. Paul is not just a proud father, but he is also a fantastic singer and performer - an asset for the band. 

By: René Romswinckel & Marcel Kolenbrander