contents

world
 
Paul Buchanan's November UK tour

Paul Buchanan, vocalist and songwriter from Glasgow's trio The Blue Nile has announced a November UK tour with his brand new band with Robert Bell of The Blue Nile. The concert showcases the ambient folk and electronic pop from Blue Nile's magical back catalogue, along with some classic cover songs and exciting new solo material.

Blue Nile produced a mere 33 songs in just over two decades. The band's incredible fanbase includes the likes of Annie Lennox, Peter Gabriel, Rickie Lee Jones and Rod Stewart. Often referred to as '4am songs', the lush, atmospheric pop, combined with Buchanan's velvety vocals and minimalist arrangements makes for a combination that is both emotionally sublime and heartfelt.

Buchanan creates songs about the day to day life of pretty much everyone who has ever been in love or who has ever looked out at the rain on a cold winter day or who has ever struggled to work on a bus which gets stuck in traffic, and they sprinkle each song with something special that lifts it out of the ordinary. As singer Paul Buchanan says, "It's always been a documentary of the imagination."

Possessor of one of the finest and most soulful voices produced from these shores over the last 30 years, Paul Buchanan is nothing short of legendary. As lead singer, songwriter and co-founder of The Blue Nile, Paul is one of music's greatest treasures at the same time as being one of its best kept secrets. Over twenty five years, The Blue Nile's output has comprised just four albums - 'A Walk Across The Rooftops' in 1984; 'Hats' in 1989; 'Peace At Last' in 1996, and 2004's 'High' - all critically acclaimed, all rapturously received by an ever growing legion of Nile aficionados, and all still selling as more and more music lovers fall in love with Paul's voice and The Blue Nile's unique music.

Paul, along with friends P J Moore and Robert Bell, started The Blue Nile. After the small scale-success of an early single 'I Love This Life', the Blue Nile was offered the chance to record an album for hi-fi manufacturer, Linn. The result was 1984's 'A Walk Across The Rooftops' which was described at the time as "the best debut of the last five years" by U2 producer Steve Lillywhite. Although there was pressure for a follow-up, Paul and the band discarded mountains of material before delivering 'Hats' in 1989 - the album became a huge success charting at No.12. Paul briefly hit the tabloid newspapers during a relationship with Hollywood actress Rosanna Arquette.

After a series of record company misfortunes, a third album 'Peace At Last' emerged in 1996 and became another Top 20 hit album with the usual ecstatic reviews from a the media. After a short tour, Paul and the band returned, it seemed, to the shadows for the best part of a decade until rumours of a new album started to filter out of Glasgow in late 2003. 'High', the first album for new label Sanctuary, became the band's biggest hit album so far - a Top 10 success.

On January 9th 2006 Paul collaborated with Sharleen Spiteri as a guest vocalist on the Texas hit single 'Sleep'.



write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Jazz News :: home page