Introduce us to your project?
How long have you been working on the solo side of Paul Archer?
Do you have a special songwriting recipe you follow?
How would members of your family describe your music to someone that hasn’t heard it?
What do you have on your (Spotify) playlists you would be embarrassed for others to see?
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Who have you met that has left you starstruck?
What do you consider your greatest achievement so far as a band?
What key elements do you believe makes up a successful song?
When writing, how do you know when it is finally done?
What song of yours are you most proud of?
Is it possible to be on the road and not eat junk food? How do you keep it leveled out?
Are you able to write while on the road or do you need a calm familiar space like home?
What’s the most embarrassing thing to happen on stage or on tour?
What can BleachBANGS do to help you in any way?
How can everyone keep up with everything you have going on? Where can they get albums/merch?
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- Hi my name is Paul Archer. I am an Irish, Belfast born singer & songwriter. On 08.08.2025 I released my brand new album and my very first solo “Paul Archer” album called “Art” in my over thirty years of making records.
- My good friend, music writer, mentor and journalist Colin Harper described this very well as follows:
Paul Archer – creative rebirth
The are many ‘firsts’ with Art: the first Paul Archer solo album in a 30-year recording career; his first vinyl album (conceived as such from the start); and the first time his visual art has intersected with his musical world, featuring on the cover and inserts. It is also the first album of a new career phase back home in Northern Ireland after many years in East Anglia with Burning Codes – and fans are already telling him it’s the best thing he’s done.
After 30 years of rock ‘n’ rollercoaster travails – major label deals that happened but nothing eventuated, management meltdowns, publishing disasters – Paul’s positive energy is undimmed. Art is not the lonely drinker in Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, wondering how it all slipped away – it’s an explosion of power, passion and grace, the sound of a man with fabulous melodic gifts still seeing chinks of light whatever the darkness.
Biography
Paul’s music journey began in Belfast in the mid-90s with Disreali Gears, a soulful psych-rock experience beloved on the then thriving local scene. One album and a lot of great memories remain. Out of that, the Ghears [sic] emerged (1998–2003, four albums) – a new band, a relocation to England and a sound that incorporated Paul’s love of Krautrock locked grooves with his deeply compassionate worldview, crunching guitars and rich vocal gifts.
The Burning Codes era (2008–18, six albums) ended on a high with the album Liberator and single ‘Loss Leader’, with the valedictory East Anglian line-up of the band widely celebrated as a thrilling live experience.
Returning to Bangor, NI in 2018 for family reasons, Paul rode out the impasse of Covid and its long-tail damage to the NI live scene with a series of digital singles, including an embryonic version of the song ‘Art’ (2021). This approach had begun with the glorious one-off homage ‘Belfast (Place of My Soul)’ in 2017 – attributed to Burning Codes but effectively a Paul Archer collaboration with various luminaries of the place where his music began, including ‘Godfather of Punk’ Terri Hooley, Snow Patrol’s ‘Nathan Connolly and Paul’s brother Iain Archer, an award-winning co-writer to the stars.
The story of Art
Early in 2024, at his debut visual art exhibition (Castle Espie Gallery, NI), Paul reconnected with another of his old friends from the mid-90s Belfast scene, Colin Harper – a Q/Mojo/Irish Times writer then, subsequently author of acclaimed books on Bert Jansch, John McLaughlin and others. Colin realised that the brief but deeply soulful, purely solo guitar/vocal performance by Paul at the exhibition opening was the acorn from which a whole new phase of Paul’s music-making could grow.
With Colin’s advice, National Lottery funding was secured towards the goal of a new album with new directions– an unexpected blessing in hard times for music creators – and Side A of the album (bar the addition of the 2017 single ‘Belfast’) was recorded swiftly in late 2024 at Nave Studios, Leeds with producer/multi-instrumentalist Andy Hawkins, Mark Ringer (guitar) and Gary Must (drums).
At this point, US label Think Like A Key came on board. TLAK MD Roger Houdaille was bowled over when Colin played him, in passing (while liaising on other projects), one of Paul’s new recordings. The planned vinyl-only project now had an opportunity to be CD/DL as well (with two fabulous bonus tracks from the sessions).
Paul approached Art with two sides of vinyl in mind, an opportunity for two sides of Paul Archer – declaration and reflection, morning and evening, alt rock and cosmic soul. Side A is a continuation of the euphoric rock that Paul’s fans will know and love from his time in Burning Codes; Side B, recorded with producer/multi-instrumentalist Rick Bleakley in Belfast, brings a wider sound palette and a contemplative spirit to the fore. ‘Detector’ features Duke Special on piano and a string players Darragh Morgan and David McCann. Two songs feature soulful Americana artist Janet Henry on backing vocals. Elsewhere, Celtic-Rock legend Jim Lockhart (ex-Horslips) guests on flute and Jonny Quinn (ex-Snow Patrol, but also ex-Disreali Gears back in the day) rattles percussion. It’s a collaboration of old and new friends – and a new beginning in Paul Archer’s cosmic soul odyssey.
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3. Often this process is more organic for me where the moment and my constant state of searching and reflection can cause me to write or paint. Sometimes (but more rarely) words and melody come together at the same time.
I get this sometimes when I am outside running and exercising or relaxing. Sometimes songs can take years and verses and choruses can evlove, change and I have found myself in recent years completely re-writing some of my songs after years of feeling and seeing them in completely different contexts than where they now are and this is fascinating!
I have also found this process liberating and it has enabled me to see melodies and lyrical concepts in hugely different ways and from many diverse perspectives!
When the writer and/or listener is prepared, able and empowered to go deep and be courageous with their art and as a listening participant. I would venture that all songwriters begin as listeners. When the writer is continually able to examine oneself as to one’s motivations and motives.
It is of course also vital that a songwriter is acutely aware that there is an innate responsibility for a creator of a song to then transition to becoming effectively a servant to their creation. This is because the song takes on a “life” of it’s own.
The writer (if they are also the performer) must ensure that they serve the song and the nature of the song. An example here would be where I once wrote a song called Innate Strength which was all about the ups and downs of the music industry.
4. I have heard it described by some as “Cosmic Soul”
5. Nothing that I would be embarrased about to be honest, I think it’s healthy to have wide tastes. I love everything from Indian classical music to Gospel to 60’s Soul to Alternative & Indie rock as well as some early choral music.
6. My main pre-show ritual would be ensuring that I have my lyrics sorted and spending some time alone if possible but this is not always possible.
7. I was backstage at a festival and all of Sonic Youth walked directly past me which was very unexpected!
8. This album features both my visual as well as my sonic art in one package and features Terri Hooley who released The Undertones Teenage Kicks and Nathan Connolly of Snow Patrol.
I have also had two of my songs used on movies (A Patch Of Fog which is on Amazon & Aquaman, Mercy Reef CBS Hollywood TV movie 2007).
8. Heart & feeling, and as I have said above, when the writer and/or listener is prepared, able and empowered to go deep and be courageous with their art and as a listening participant. I would venture that all songwriters begin as listeners. When the writer is continually able to examine oneself as to one’s motivations and motives.
It is of course also vital that a songwriter is acutely aware that there is an innate responsibility for a creator of a song to then transition to becoming effectively a servant to their creation. This is because the song takes on a “life” of it’s own.
9. A good melody and hook of some type, honesty, feeling and again – heart.
10. This can be a long process of evolution or sometimes instantaneous!
11. I am proud of them all but favourites would include Fear Destroyer and Art.
12. I would only eat junk food if there was no other option and I was very very hungry! I enjoy walking and taking time out when possible.
13. It’s great to have a calm atmosphere to contemplate but I write on the road as well.
14. I wrote a song called “Innate Strength” about my extensive experiences in the music industry with various record and publishing deals… I wanted to try to convey how the industry can build up an artist one moment and just as quickly pull you down and what is important (for artists longevity and mental resilience) is being able to pick yourself up and push on yet harder and not be afraid.
I decided that the best way I could convey this message would be to literally knock myself down on stage and recover by then picking myself back up and pouring myself into the song. So this is what I did every time we performed this song. I did martial arts and I used my knowledge to essentially perform a break fall which means I went from standing straight to the floor and then slowly picked myself back up. This caused quite a stir at times, especially at festivals and I remember the St. John ambulance at one point rushing to the stage as they thought I was unwell (but this was all a part of the song! (Thanks to St. John Ambulance for the amazing work they do).
15. I am so grateful to you and to your readers and subscribers for taking the time to read this and I’d be so grateful, delighted and honoured if you would please spread the word. My new album called “Art” is out now on Think Like A Key Records on vinyl, cd and download.
16. Mr. James Dunn created an amazing website for me which brings my sonic and visual art together and all of my albums and paintings along with all sorts of merch are available there:
https://www.thinklikeakey.com/release/495859-paul-archer-art?lang=en_GB
https://www.facebook.com/paularcherofficial
(Please note the new dedicated facebook site has been recently created)
17.
Paul Archer – Art
(Think Like A Key, 8/25)
Paul Archer – creative rebirth
The are many ‘firsts’ with Art: the first Paul Archer solo album in a 30-year recording career; his first vinyl album (conceived as such from the start); and the first time his visual art has intersected with his musical world, featuring on the cover and inserts. It is also the first album of a new career phase back home in Northern Ireland after many years in East Anglia with Burning Codes – and fans are already telling him it’s the best thing he’s done.
After 30 years of rock ‘n’ rollercoaster travails – major label deals that happened but nothing eventuated, management meltdowns, publishing disasters – Paul’s positive energy is undimmed. Art is not the lonely drinker in Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks, wondering how it all slipped away – it’s an explosion of power, passion and grace, the sound of a man with fabulous melodic gifts still seeing chinks of light whatever the darkness.
Biography
Paul’s music journey began in Belfast in the mid-90s with Disreali Gears, a soulful psych-rock experience beloved on the then thriving local scene. One album and a lot of great memories remain. Out of that, the Ghears [sic] emerged (1998–2003, four albums) – a new band, a relocation to England and a sound that incorporated Paul’s love of Krautrock locked grooves with his deeply compassionate worldview, crunching guitars and rich vocal gifts.
The Burning Codes era (2008–18, six albums) ended on a high with the album Liberator and single ‘Loss Leader’, with the valedictory East Anglian line-up of the band widely celebrated as a thrilling live experience.
Returning to Bangor, NI in 2018 for family reasons, Paul rode out the impasse of Covid and its long-tail damage to the NI live scene with a series of digital singles, including an embryonic version of the song ‘Art’ (2021). This approach had begun with the glorious one-off homage ‘Belfast (Place of My Soul)’ in 2017 – attributed to Burning Codes but effectively a Paul Archer collaboration with various luminaries of the place where his music began, including ‘Godfather of Punk’ Terri Hooley, Snow Patrol’s ‘Nathan Connolly and Paul’s brother Iain Archer, an award-winning co-writer to the stars.
The story of Art
Early in 2024, at his debut visual art exhibition (Castle Espie Gallery, NI), Paul reconnected with another of his old friends from the mid-90s Belfast scene, Colin Harper – a Q/Mojo/Irish Times writer then, subsequently author of acclaimed books on Bert Jansch, John McLaughlin and others. Colin realised that the brief but deeply soulful, purely solo guitar/vocal performance by Paul at the exhibition opening was the acorn from which a whole new phase of Paul’s music-making could grow.
With Colin’s advice, National Lottery funding was secured towards the goal of a new album with new directions – an unexpected blessing in hard times for music creators – and Side A of the album (bar the addition of the 2017 single ‘Belfast’) was recorded swiftly in late 2024 at Nave Studios, Leeds with producer/multi-instrumentalist Andy Hawkins, Mark Ringer (guitar) and Gary Must (drums).
At this point, US label Think Like A Key came on board. TLAK MD Roger Houdaille was bowled over when Colin played him, in passing (while liaising on other projects), one of Paul’s new recordings. The planned vinyl-only project now had an opportunity to be CD/DL as well (with two fabulous bonus tracks from the sessions).
Paul approached Art with two sides of vinyl in mind, an opportunity for two sides of Paul Archer – declaration and reflection, morning and evening, alt rock and cosmic soul. Side A is a continuation of the euphoric rock that Paul’s fans will know and love from his time in Burning Codes; Side B, recorded with producer/multi-instrumentalist Rick Bleakley in Belfast, brings a wider sound palette and a contemplative spirit to the fore. ‘Detector’ features Duke Special on piano and a string players Darragh Morgan and David McCann. Two songs feature soulful Americana artist Janet Henry on backing vocals. Elsewhere, Celtic-Rock legend Jim Lockhart(ex-Horslips) guests on flute and Jonny Quinn (ex-Snow Patrol, but also ex-Disreali Gears back in the day) rattles percussion. It’s a collaboration of old and new friends – and a new beginning in Paul Archer’s cosmic soul odyssey.
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Assets:
Three singles will be released ahead of the album: ‘Heavy Soul’, ‘Fear Destroyer’ and ‘Art’.
Mark Case has directed the promo video for ‘Heavy Soul’, Marry Waterson has created the live/animation promo for ‘Fear Destroyer’, ‘Art’ will be a lyrics visualiser.
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Paul Archer quotes:
‘This new soul sonic artistic beginning brings with it an even deeper sense of gratitude, joy and appreciation of my spiritual, mental, emotional, psychological and physical journey and the importance of a real sense of profound love and a deeper connection abounding and permeating everything around us. An immense and profound love that loves us.’
‘This new record is for me a grateful celebration and a wonderful, joyful series of new beginnings with it being the very first ever official “Paul Archer” release.’
‘This new record is also a new beginning in the drawing together of my visual artworks (instinctual Abstract Expressionist works) with my sonic art. In both of these art forms I find a huge sense of cathartic release and joyful liberation and deeply instinctual expression.’
‘For me, there is such an intrinsic symbiosis between my instinctual (non-taught) methodologies of sonic art and painted work – I am primarily feeling led as opposed to initially musically led and I enjoy exploration rather than systematic methodologies, which can come from a more cerebral, systematic approach.’
‘This new adventure also reflects the gratitude for the discovery of what it means to find one’s true soulmate and the beauty and wonder and joy of this new journey and the effects of this upon my spirit, heart, mind and upon the outworking and expression of my art.’
‘This new adventure brings together different expressions, different perspectives on how I write in terms of the broad sonic palette of the first half of the record with the more introspective second half, the light, the shade, the morning, the evening.’
‘Therefore, I feel that this new record best reflects the person that I am as a whole and for this I am also hugely grateful.’
