Paul Steel had an impressive start to his career. His debut album “April & I” was released to critical fanfare with The London Paper describing it as “the best album since Brian Wilson’s Smile” and CD Times literally drooling… “He is, ostensibly, a singer-songwriter, in the same way that Brunel was a builder or Michelangelo was a painter.”

In between working at a supermarket, in a branch of Next (“I looked like a yeti and there I was selling CLOTHES to people”) and a BP garage, Paul conceived what would eventually become ‘April & I’, an album about a young boy inventing an imaginary friend to get through tough times.

“I know most people are scared of concept albums,” Paul admits, “but mine had extremely good packaging.” Recorded for two hundred quid the album was, says Paul, “not a concept album for the sake of being a concept album. I just really like the idea of something being musically cohesive. It worked out quite well.”

It worked out extremely well, in fact. After selling CDs at gigs and watching fans swap tracks online, Paul picked up plaudits from XTC’s Andy Partridge, High Llamas’ Sean O’Hagan and legendary Brian Wilson collaborator Van Dyke Parks, before releasing the album as a limited edition in April 2007.

A record deal with megalith Polydor followed swiftly which saw Paul record his second album “Moon Rock” with Tony Hoffer in LA which included an amazing day at Jim Henson’s Muppet Workshop recording Paul’s string arrangements with an all star 30 piece orchestra.  Live dates at Fuji Rock and V followed along with supports with Sean Ono Lennon, The Bee’s, Electric Soft Parade, Amy Winehouse, Ed Harcourt, and Cornelius.

Then Paul broke his foot on stage supporting Air Traffic and with momentum lost, he left Polydor after one single. With his newfound freedom and integrity intact, Paul is experiencing an Indian summer and will release the “Moon Rock” album along with an animated movie for “April & I” this summer.

As the year rolls on you can expect much more from Paul Steel.  Some very exciting collaborations are taking place right now and Paul continues working on his solo projects. He’s just finished working on a song for a Joe Raposo tribute album (Sesame Street’s in house songwriter), with the  recording of the Stars and Sons debut album happening imminently, You’ll also find the results of his work with legendary Beach Boys lyricist and poet Stephen John Kalinich on itunes now, in the form of the Dennis Wilson inspired “Ocean”.
Paul Steel is 22 years old.  His favorite color is Orange.

www.myspace.com/paulsteel