Rich, dark and tasty BedHead…

Somewhere, out among the medieval ruins in the English countryside, a figure wanders the hills, his camera in his hands and music on his mind. Here’s a BedHead with dark, rich tastes and a bright twinkle in his eye…

BedHead: Paul Broome

Location: Staffordshire, United Kingdom

Occupation: Songwriter, Photographer

Yes, it’s dark and a bit gloomy. But out among the rhythms of Paul’s sound-scape are quietly raging beats that warm you like wool. It’s all about the orchestration I guess. You see, Paul doesn’t just record music, he weaves it. Its a world where guitars and synths seem indistinguishable from each other, surrounding a voice that sort of reminds me of Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode, only stronger.

Of course, there’s another side of Paul. There’s the images he captures. Not all dark and serious at all. His art is whimsical, often majestic. He’s a dark and creative force and I’m about to shine the BedHead light on him in this Exclusive BedHead Interview….

MB:Ok, so when you’re out there in the Midlands, have you ever hummed Led Zepplin’s Battle of Evermore?

PB: Actually, it’s probably Kashmir I find myself humming if anything. Its bombastic nature is more appropriate when stuck in the traffic on the M6 around Birmingham!

MB: Your music is very serious. Where does that come from?

PB: I guess it’s guess a reflection of the moody, introspective misfit I am. As Morrissey once said “I wear black on the outside, because black is how I feel on the inside”. Although, having said that I’m actually quite a happy fun-loving person - but maybe that’s because the music is exorcising all of my seriousness?

MB: Morrissey is a capitalistic-mope. I love him but I’d rather talk to you any day…Your beats to me all seem to stay below a certain tempo yet they are very sturdy. Have you ever delved into bouncy, pop-like beats?

PB: I have done a few more up-tempo pieces, but I always feel like I’m trying too hard to just speed things up. I think I belong somewhere between 90 and 120bpm. That’s my warm safe place.

MB: What’s your primary instrument? Guitar? Keyboards?

PB: Guitar. I’ve been playing since I was 8. I’m pretty rubbish on the keyboards - it’s two fingers all the way (one on each hand).

MB: What is it like marketing independent music in the UK these days? Your country has always been such a huge force for new music.

PB: It’s pretty much the same as in any country these days. The Internet is what has given independent music the power that it has in this day and age. The indies were dying off in the early nineties - all being bought and subsumed by the major labels. But with the rise of the Internet (and home recording) people have embraced the new marketing and remote sales potential (even bands previously signed to major labels, Radiohead for example). There’s a really great DIY attitude out there now (almost like there was when punk first broke through - so I’ve been told by those old enough to remember! lol). I am proud of my British musical heritage, but I have to say I probably get more feedback and encouragement from people in the USA and mainland Europe than from within the UK. I’m not sure why that is… maybe it takes somebody from outside Britain to appreciate the Britishness of what I do?

MB: What artists have influenced you the most?

PB: Bands like Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Cure, King Crimson, Einsturzende Neubaten, Suede, Can, And Also The Trees; and artists like Peter Gabriel, Julian Cope, Tom Waits, PJ Harvey and Bill Nelson - people who are constantly reinventing themselves and never selling out. Always interesting, and always vital.

MB: Have any guilty pleasures? For me, I’ve always been a secret fan of Prefab Sprout. Ever hear of them?

PB: Steve McQueen is an excellent album. Nothing to be ashamed of there! I still love Iron Maiden, that was a guilty secret for a while but I think they’ve become quite cool in a retro way now.

MB: Anything on the airwaves catching your ear these days? You have to help me out because I’m terribly out of touch with what’s going in today’s music…

PB: Hmm, well the new Sons & Daughters album is very good, I recommend that. I have to admit though, my ear isn’t entirely to the ground. A lot of what I’m listening to at the moment is new albums by old artists! As such, the new Billy Bragg and Nick Cave albums are tremendous. Oh, and the Gutter Twins ‘Saturnalia’ is superb.

MB: Now About the photos, what does photography do for you?

PB: It helps me see the world with fresh eyes every day.

MB:I love the Oompa Loompa picture…

PB: Thanks, that was a bit of a cruel one actually. My fiancee has a deep-seated fear of Oompa Loompas.

MB: Your self portraits are really entertaining and I like that you include pictures of your dad. It is like looking at you in the future, there’s such a resemblance.

PB: Now I’m depressed… At least I’ll never be as short as he is.

MB: You better watch it, fella. I happen to know your dad visits this site all the time. So what else can we expect, Paul? New music? Any photography projects?

PB: Oh, all of those things no doubt. The music’s kind of a constant thing, although I would like to put a band together at some point and start playing live again. Photography-wise, hopefully taking more photos of people other than myself! I’m getting bored of me.

MB:Great. Thanks for becoming a BedHead. Best of luck in all you do…

PB: Thanks for inviting me.

You can listen to Paul’s music here…

He also has a site here…

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