2.97.98.42: /* Singles */

2024-11-22T20:01:15Z

Singles

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{{Short description|Scottish singer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist 
| name = Owen Paul
| image = Owen Paul Promo2020.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Paul in 2019
| birth_name = Owen McGee
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1962|5|1}}
| origin = [[Glasgow]], Scotland
| genre = [[Pop rock]]
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Singer
* songwriter
* musician
}}
| years_active = 1985–present
| label = {{flatlist|
* [[Chrysalis Records|Chrysalis]]
* Right Track
}}
| website = http://www.theowenpaul.com
}}
'''Owen Paul''' (born 1 May 1962) is a Scottish singer best known in the UK for his 1986 No. 3 [[hit record|hit]] single, "[[My Favourite Waste of Time]]",<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 420}}</ref> a [[cover version]] of a song that was originally written and recorded by American singer-songwriter [[Marshall Crenshaw]]. After releasing a couple of singles and the album ''As It Is,'' he had a falling-out with his record label, resulting in him leaving the [[music industry]] for 15 years.<ref>{{cite book|author=Blythe, Daniel|title=The Encyclopedia of British Pop|publisher=Allison and Busby|location=London|year=2002|isbn=0-7490-0534-3}}</ref>

==Biography==
As a youngster, Paul was taken on as an apprentice with the football club [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]], but after hearing the [[Sex Pistols]] he decided to pursue a career in music. In the early 1980s he played and sang with Glasgow band Venigmas, who released the single "Strangelove".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenewvinylvillain.com/2014/03/09/cult-classiscs-strangelove-by-venigmas/|title=Cult Classics – Strangelove By Venigmas|date=9 March 2014 |publisher=The New Vinyl Villain}}</ref>

In 1989, he produced Japanese rock band [[Buck-Tick]]'s album ''[[Taboo (Buck-Tick album)|Taboo]]''.<ref name="Pop Music">{{cite web|title=WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Owen Paul|date=5 October 2019 |url=https://talkaboutpopmusic.com/2019/10/05/where-are-they-now-owen-paul/|publisher=Talk About Pop Music|access-date=8 October 2022}}</ref>

Owen Paul has made two memorable television appearances. The first was on the [[BBC]] live programme ''[[Pebble Mill at One|Pebble Mill]]'', when introduced by [[Marian Foster]], he was meant to mime to "My Favourite Waste of Time", but missed his cue due to a technician's mistake. His second role was playing a neighbour in ''[[The Osbournes]]''.<ref name="TOTP2">{{cite web|title=Top of the Pops 2 - Ever wondered what happened to Owen Paul?|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/artists/p/paul_owen/located/page1.shtml|publisher=[[BBC]]|access-date=8 October 2022}}</ref>

For over ten years he ran a West End theatre in London's Leicester Square (home of the Boy George musical ''[[Taboo (musical)|Taboo]]'')<ref name="CP">{{cite magazine|title=Owen Paul interview: My Favourite Waste of Time|url=https://www.classicpopmag.com/2022/09/owen-paul-my-favourite-waste-of-time/|magazine=[[Classic Pop (magazine)|Classic Pop]]|access-date=8 October 2022|date=23 September 2022}}</ref> as well as a successful ballroom and Latin dancing club, returning to the music scene in 2002 with the album ''About Time''.

After touring and recording with [[Mike + The Mechanics]] he had a spell with Scottish supergroup Four Good Men and spent time as the lead vocalist for [[Ex-Simple Minds]], with his brother, former [[Simple Minds]] drummer [[Brian McGee (drummer)|Brian McGee]].<ref name="SP">{{cite news|last1=Coia|first1=Paul|title=My Favourite Waste of Time singer Owen Paul answers our 10 questions|url=https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/questionsfor-owen-paul/|access-date=8 October 2022|work=[[The Sunday Post]]|date=10 December 2016}}</ref> In late 2012, Paul appeared on BBC1's ''[[Watchdog (TV series)|Watchdog]]'' as part of their ''[[Rogue Traders (TV programme)|Rogue Traders]]'' team. In January 2014, Paul released "The One", his first official single in the UK since 1987, following this with the release of the album ''About Time II'' in the autumn of the same year.

He now tours as a solo artist, with his 1980s band and with his Acoustic Folk show.

To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of his 1986 hit he released two new versions, "My Favourite Waste of Time Part One" and "My Favourite Waste of Time Part Two", along with various dance remixes.<ref name="CP"/> The ''Acoustic 80s'' EP was released in 2017.

The dance version of "Amazing" was remixed by [[StoneBridge (DJ)|Stonebridge]]<ref name="CP"/> and spent 3 weeks in the Music Week Club Charts in 2018.

"Sleeping on the Same Pillow" (featuring Lynne Johnstone) – released in January 2020 – was the first release from his forthcoming Americana/country album ''Overblown Superstar'' which is due for release in 2023 and sees a return to his Celtic/folk roots. "Beauty of the Sun" – recorded entirely during [[COVID-19 lockdowns|COVID-19 lockdown]] reached number one in the Heritage Chart.

He released a jam{{when|date=September 2023}} based on the chorus of "My Favourite Waste of Time" featuring [[Glen Matlock]] ([[Sex Pistols]]), [[Toyah Willcox|Toyah]], [[Carol Decker]] ([[T'Pau (band)|T'pau]]), comedian [[Matt Lucas]], [[Leee John]] (Imagination), [[Cheryl Baker]] ([[The Fizz]]), Celtic folk musicians [[Phil Cunningham (folk musician)|Phil Cunningham]] and [[John McCusker]], [[Mick MacNeil]] from [[Simple Minds]], Ezio, Bruce Watson from [[Big Country]], members of [[The Alarm]], and many more. Each guest improvised, recorded and filmed their parts remotely from their own lockdown situations.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

His first Christmas song "This Christmas" reached the Heritage Chart top ten in December 2020, and was followed by the singles "Sparkle in the Rain", the 35th anniversary version of "[[My Favourite Waste of Time]]" and "September" which got to number two in November 2021. A brand new version of "[[A Different Corner]]" was released in June 2022 to commemorate [[George Michael]]'s birthday and reached number one in the Heritage Chart.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

==Discography==
===Albums===
*1986: ''As It Is''
*2002: ''About Time''
*2004: ''Rewired'' – Mike + the Mechanics (as backing vocalist and vocal arranger)
*2014: ''About Time II''
*2017: ''Acoustic 80s EP''

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Song
! style="width:45px;"|[[UK Singles Chart|UK]] <ref>{{cite web|title=Owen Paul - full Official Chart History |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/23336/owen-paul/|publisher=[[Official Charts Company]]|access-date=24 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Owen Paul Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography|url=https://www.musicvf.com/Owen+Paul.art|website=Music VF|access-date=24 April 2021}}</ref>
! [[Music recording sales certification|Certifications]]
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1986
| "[[My Favourite Waste of Time]]"
| align=center | 3
|
* [[British Phonographic Industry|BPI]]: Silver<ref>{{cite web|title=Owen Paul - My Favourite Waste of Time|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/4458-3414-1|website=bpi.co.uk|access-date=15 January 2022}}</ref>
|-
| "Pleased to Meet You"
| align=center | 78
|
|-
| "One World"
| align=center | 87
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1987
| "Mad About the Girl"
| align=center | 92
|
|-
| "Bring Me Back That Spark"
| align=center | 158
|
|-
| 2014
| "The One"
| align=center | —
|
|-
| 2017
| "[[A Different Corner]]" (for [[Childline]])
| align=center | —
|
|-
| 2018
| "Amazing" (Stonebridge Radio Edit)
| align=center | —
|
|-
| rowspan="5"| 2020
| "Sleeping on the Same Pillow" (featuring Lynne Johnstone)
| align=center | —
|
|-
| "You Lucky Thing"
| align=center | —
|
|-
| "Beauty of the Sun"
| align=center | —
|
|-
| "My Favourite Waste of Time - The Lockdown Chorus" (credited as Owen Paul & Friends)
| align=center | —
|
|-
| "This Christmas"
| align=center | —
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 2021
| "Sparkle in the Rain"
| align=center | —
|
|-
| "My Favourite Waste of Time" (35th anniversary version)
| align=center | —
|
|-
| "September"
| align=center | —
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2022
| "Breathe in Breathing Deep" (Song for John)
| align=center | —
|
|-
|"A Different Corner" (from the album ''Rediscovered 80s'')
| align=center | —
|
|-
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;" | "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Discogs artist}}
*[http://www.theowenpaul.com Official website]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paul, Owen}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Scottish male singers]]
[[Category:Singers from Glasgow]]
[[Category:Chrysalis Records artists]]
[[Category:21st-century Scottish male singers]]

Owen Paul - Revision history

2.97.98.42: /* Singles */