Paul had always wanted to be a painter when he was young. However the arrival of Punk rock on UK shores in 1975 got in the way. He was asked to first wave punk band The Clash in 1976 by the band's lead guitarist Mick Jones. At the time Paul couldn't even play, but in keeping with the DIY spirit of the times, that hardly mattered, and he found that the bass was the instrument he could get along with well enough to join the band. However, in spite of this rough-and-ready start, Paul would later become a player of admired expertise and aristry, particularly in the way he proved to be a natural at reggae and dub influenced bass lines.

The Clash were not only at the very forefront of the 70's UK Punk scene in terms of primacy, classic songs and daring poise and political polemic, they also managed to survive the death of the movement and moved from strength to strength in doing so. After the classic Punk albums The Clash (1977) and its follow-up Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978) they explored Punk's roots and a variety of other genres on the classic London Calling (1979) which remains their most critically-acclaimed work and which saw the start of stateside success for the band. The album cover features an iconic shot of Paul, bass aloft and about to smash it onto the stage, at a gig. Three further albums followed - Sandinista! (1980), Combat Rock (1982) and Cut The Crap (1985) before the band eventually folded at the end of 1986.

After the breakup Paul formed another band, Havana 3am, essentially a rockabilly band with a heavy Latino and reggae influence. Releasing only one album whilst Paul was in the band (in 1991), the band carried on after Paul's depature in the mid nineties but later split without having seen commercial success.

In the wake of their split Paul was finally album to pursue his painting and other visual artistic projects in earnest. He has since had several gallery shows and even designed the cover for one of Big Audio Dynamite's (Mick Jones' post-Clash band) albums. Paul now provides the cover artwork for The Good The Bad And The Queen releases.

With the release of The Good The Bad And The Queen and its supporting shows, Paul returns to the forefront of the music scene once more. Once again his contrapuntal reggae-influenced lines bring out another side to a fine set of tunes, and the famous Simonon pose and swagger will once again grace stages worldwide.

The Clash The Clash (1977) Buy US | Buy UK	One of the very first UK bands to form, The Clash followed up their early incendiary gigs, revolutionary rhetoric and effortless cool with this, an album that has become a classic of the genre. Cited as an influence by almost every Punk band since, stylistically this was year zero. The frenzied music and bawled lyrics perfectly encapsulated the spirit of '77, and along with the Sex Pistols' Never Mind The Bollocks... it remains one of the essential first wave Punk albums to own, a cut above the rest at the time and today.		Clash Photo Rockers Visit site	Ridiculously vast archive of photos of The Clash, featuring them in all their iconic glory. Text is in French, but navigation is pretty self-explanatory.
London Calling The Clash (1979) Buy US | Buy UK	With London Calling, The Clash completed their metamorphosis from Punk band into something more. Whilst most of their early contemporaries had lost direction or had broken up completely, they evolved and survived. Stylisitally, this album explores a range of genres that were the roots of punk, from rock n roll to music hall, and then on to more reggae influenced music. The passion and wit is not lost however, even for a moment. Repeatedly ranking high in 'Best Album Ever' polls, London Calling was perhaps The Clash's best work, an album that instantly appeals but reveals more at every listen.		London's Burning! Visit site	Nice fun Clash site with lyrics, tablature and a selection of articles about the band. Also has a large collection of links to other Clash content on the web.
Sandinista! The Clash (1980) Buy US | Buy UK	Though London Calling - with its exploratory mutations of reggae, rockabilly, and even disco--proved that the Clash weren't content to lie fallow in a punk-rock ghetto, nothing prepares you for Sandinista!'s expansive sprawl. Originally a triple LP, (now reissued on double CD) there are 36 tracks, each one a distinct idea. Taking in reggae, dub, rock, pop and every genre in between it's not so much an album but a collection of tunes; nonetheless it remains a testament to the unique bloodymindedness of the band - not to mention their songwriting talent.		The Clash Site Visit site	Haphazard presentation conceals a veritable treasure trove of Clash facts, information and photos. Have a dig around because there is a lot of good stuff tucked away here, including information on the band's solo projects.
Havana 3am Havana 3am (1991) Buy US | Buy UK	The debut album by Paul's post-Clash outfit is a flurry of Latin-inspired rock. Traditonal and more exotic guitar riffs vie for position to a backing of marimba slamming percussion and rockabilly sounds. The sharp and clear production always remains riveting and unexpected, wailing away in a crescendo of political angst and poetic desire. This is the only Havana 3am album to feature Paul, and on this evidence it's a shame the band didn't release another with him as part of the lineup.		Strummer News Messageboard Visit site	Although this is ostensibly a community dedicated to Joe Strummer, there is a very large and active subforum completely dedicated to The Clash - probably the best place to chat with other Clash fans online, and learn more about the band.