This is the electronic press kit for Paul Francis Wilkie's latest release "Mabel". Feel free to use content from this page on your publication.
The release will go live on all major online platforms on the 5th of June 2020.
Moving Artwork Video
Track Description
Following Paul Francis Wilkie's previous release, "Edie", which was dedicated to his cat who was sadly hit by a car, Mabel (Edie's sister) is the subject of this instrumental that conveys her adventurous and playful spirit.
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Self-produced during the Covid-19 lockdown at his home studio in the Scottish highlands, Mabel the cat would sit in the garden under her favourite rhododendron bush just outside the window. Its vivid pink flowers would attract bees igniting her hunting instinct. Her teddy bear cuteness and ferociously active claws are reflected in Paul’s playing with a soft furry bass tone and bee-like guitar fuzz placing it somewhere amongst a modern take on hard rock with psychedelic undertones hailing from the 90s grunge era.
After drummer Martin Johnston attended a workshop hosted by legendary producer Steve Albini (of Nirvana and Pixies fame) he recorded the drums on this track at his studio in Coatbridge, Scotland, prior to the lockdown, using specialist mic placements perfectly suited to capture his technically sophisticated playing whilst still sounding raw and powerful. As he plays his bold and intense drum parts you can hear the reflections of the hard wood floor, blended with the accuracy of the close microphones. An additional one is placed out in the hall for extra liveliness. This forms the groundwork for Paul to lay his thick yet busy bass track down and build up with his wonderfully saturated guitars that add to the song’s strong sonic identity.
Overall the track is full of depth and activity, sounding playful and articulate with plenty of movement, like Mabel chasing a bee in the garden. Paul's unique sounding bass and expressive guitar work complement drummer Martin Johnston's masterful playing, which adds to the personality of this track.
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Photographs
1.) Portrait collage. This is a photograph of me taken by my partner, Susan Le May, at home during the Covid-19 lockdown which I then edited to tie in with the single artwork by including key elements such as the rhododendron bush and paint dots.
2.) Mabel the cat, the subject of this instrumental. Forever curious, she approaches to investigate during a photo shoot that took place at home during the Corona virus lockdown. She is rewarded with Felix Play Tubes.
3.) Just outside my window where I record there is a rhododendron bush. This is where Mabel likes to sit after she jumps outside. The bush isn’t in full bloom yet in this photograph, but is beginning to show the colours that I integrated in to the artwork for this track.
4.) Close up of the rhododendrons in full bloom. With its striking pink colouring and distinct smell the flowers attract bees. Anything small that moves catches Mabel’s attention due to her having a strong hunting instinct. She likes to sit under the flowers where she can easily chase the bees. This became her favourite place to sit for a while.
5.) The drums on this track were performed by Martin Johnston at his studio in Coatbridge. He had recently attended a recording workshop with legendary producer Steve Albini at Chem19 and used mic placement techniques that were new to me. He is frighteningly efficient in the studio and his performance on this track is un-edited.
6.) Jazz Daniels. This was an experimental showcase held in Blackfriars basement, Glasgow, Scotland. All types of artists were invited to perform something other than a regular set. After the first time I was asked to perform I was offered a residency. I decided I wouldn’t read the same story twice, so a lot of work was made for these shows, some of which would eventually serve as inspiration for my music.
7.) Coincidently I found an older self-portrait where I used the pink wall with bees and flowers at my mother’s house that is similar to the visual imagery used in this release. You can see on my shoulder that I had recently cut my hair.
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Artwork
Artist's bio
With a string of positive reviews where his self-produced, alternative rock music is described as a “fully immersive and artfully chaotic musical experience, sure to leave a long-lasting impression” with its “weird evil guitars”, Paul would say he probably sounds like “the 90s except today.” Although it’s not intentional, it just comes from what he likes.
He started as a photographer working with artists and musicians in his hometown, Glasgow, where he was involved with a diverse range of scenes, producing music videos for many of the top acts in Scotland.
Encouraged by the DIY ethic of prolific artists Bmfbmf, Loki and Gasp, he began recording his first demos when he was in his last year studying at the Glasgow School of Art whilst living with Tijuana Bibles and Honeyblood. Martin Johnston of Pronto Mama offered to play drums on these demos which was the beginning of their many collaborations.
In 2017 he was invited to read out his creative writing stories at Jazz Daniels, a creative showcase held in Blackfriars basement. He was well received and offered a residency where he would read out his creative writing at every further Jazz Daniels event until its conclusion in 2019. His writing would work its way into his music.
He has since moved away from the city with his partner Susan to a far more remote part of Scotland beside the sea, mountains and forests where he can focus on finishing all the work he started. A fresh new landscape with new inspirations have lent themselves well to his multi-disciplinary creative output where he has begun to finish and release music that had been lost in the void for years.
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Social Links
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To download .WAV file click below.
More music is under construction.
This is the electronic press kit for Paul Francis Wilkie's latest release "Mabel". Feel free to use content from this page on your publication.
The release will go live on all major online platforms on the 5th of June 2020.