Paul Collins
Sneaky Dee's
Tornoto, Canada
February 3, 2009
text & pixs by Bryen Dunn
(SugarBuzz Toronto)
SugarBuzz Magazine
Paul Collins - The Beat Goes On
Paul Collins is a man of stability in the music industry. This singer/songwriter has been listening to rock and roll tunes since the early sixties, and started belting out his own in the mid seventies with a little known band called The Nerves. This was a time when music was in a transitional phase on both sides of the Atlantic. Short punk tunes were emanating from the depths of underground clubs, as disco continued to play at the money-maker glamour clubs, and acid-heads were keeping the psychedelic daze alive in their basements. Today, Collins is on the road touring as the Paul Collins Beat with his current line up of accomplished musicians –Jesse Smith (bass/backing vocals), Warren Bailey (lead guitar/backing vocals), and Dave Rahn (drums). I caught up with him on February 3rd at Sneaky Dee’s in Toronto during a stop on his current eastern US and Canadian tour schedule.
“This is one of the best touring bands I have ever been in. The set is everything from The Nerves and The Beat, to the stuff from my current album. It’s a great show, and it moves seamlessly from old to new”, he states. His love for Gentlemen Jesse and His Men is so strong that he gave the boys an opening slot on all the current tour dates, and they didn’t let him down. The 20-something foursome poured their hearts into every tune they played, reminiscent of The Jam or Joe Jackson. Having your backing band open for you makes the set change over that much quicker as well.
The sparse but enthusiastic audience was a mix of young and old, some there to discover and others to remember. Tunes from his latest releases, ‘Flying High’ and ‘Ribbon of Gold’, fit in nicely and provided a nice change of pace throughout the hour long 16-song set. The somewhat introverted man off stage suddenly became a youthful punk again once behind the mic. A round of Jamieson whiskey shots for the band half way through likely helped as well, and was his way of ensuring the boys in the band keep up with the rock and roll lifestyle. He recalled his earlier days in Toronto playing such infamous haunts as the Crash and Burn and the El Mocambo, while belting out songs about the USA.
His repertoire of tunes ranges from alt-rock and Spanish influenced melodies, to punk and straight ahead rock and roll. After The Nerves disbanded, he went on to form The Beat in 1977, continuing to pioneer the then burgeoning punk rock scene in the United States. During this heyday he had the opportunity to tour with some of the most influential musicians over the past three decades, including the Ramones, The Jam, Pere Ubu, and others. He eventually had to change the band name, due to a conflict with the rising popularity of a UK band also called The Beat, later to become The English Beat.
American rocker Eddie Money was cited as being a great admirer of Paul Collins during The Beat days, and played a significant role in getting the band gigs and a recording contract. Collins and Money also collaborated on a couple of songs for each others albums”. I have not spoken to Eddie for many years. When I moved overseas I kind of lost touch with him, but I plan to get back in contact as soon as I can as he was a great friend to me”, Collins admits.
Collins was one third of the influential San Francisco band The Nerves, along with Peter Case (Plimsouls) and Jack Lee. They only managed to release one 4-song EP during their existence, but one song in particular has long lived on in music history. ‘Hangin’ On The Telephone’ was written by Jack Lee, recorded and released by The Nerves, and later covered and became a top 10 hit for Blondie. It has also been reinterpreted by the likes of Cat Power and Def Leppard, and of course it found its way into a couple of cell phone commercials over the years. I asked if the band was treated fairly in terms of royalties over the years. “Each person got the royalties from his own song so there was never any problem with that. I am very happy for Jack (Lee) as it has pretty much taken care of him for his whole life, and that’s a great thing for someone who writes a song”, Collins admits.
Asked about his current musical direction he comments, “I have been doing this most of my life and right now I feel more tapped into my musical beginnings with The Nerves, but mainly my challenge has always been the same, to write and perform good pop songs.” As for his current listening pleasures, he pronounces “I’m really enjoying the sounds of some of the newer bands out there, such as Poison Arrows, and The Flips”. Collins has traveled extensively during his lifetime, as the son of a military father, and most recently spent seven years living in Madrid. “I am influenced by my surroundings, but I am also influenced by my life listening to rock n roll”, he admits. His ‘Flying High’ album was recorded with a Spanish band while living there, and many of the songs are reflective of this southern European culture. His son Noah also contributes vocals on one of the tunes, but Collins is quick to point out this may only be a one off for him.
Now living back in New York, he has aspirations to record some new tunes with the Gentlemen Jesse and His Men. He recently wrote a new song called ‘The Boys Alright’, while hanging with Smith at his home in Atlanta. He mentions that he still maintains contact with both Peter Case and Jack Lee, but when asked if there is a potential for a reunion he says, “I think the feeling is that The Nerves were a great band many years ago and it would be best left where it is, in the past.” Collins does admit to still loving rock and roll though. “I have to be realistic I am not 18 anymore, but I do think rock n roll keeps you young”, he laughs.
Jumping back on stage for a 3-song encore and starting with ‘Hangin On The Telephone’ gave the crowd everything they could have asked for, and more. ‘Rock N Roll Girl’ should have been a hit, and still should be. The chanting anthem of ‘She Doesn’t Want To Hang Around With You’ was still bouncing around inside my head when I woke up the next morning. All in all, it was a great set of power pop songs that Collins aspires to fulfilling.
He’s recently started to write a biography of sorts about his life in rock n roll, and recently had a short story published in the NY Press titled ‘Pete the Fly’. An infamous line from The Beat’s ‘I Don’t Fit In’ sums up Collins life nicely, ‘Doesn’t matter what town I’m in, I’m always on the outside looking in’.
Most of the records from his 30-year musical career are now available once again as reissues, and can be ordered through his website.
