Paul Guerin
The Quireboys/ Joe Elliott's Down 'N' Outz

"These Vintage guitars are amazing... I play and own various guitars that are three or four times the price, but I really can't tell the difference..." – Paul

Paul Guerin has been a main player on the international music scene for over twenty years. Moving from his native Newcastle to London in 1987 it didn’t take him long to establish himself on the London scene, forming the “Red Dogs” he quickly secured a recording contract with Razor records and signed with the biggest booking agency in the UK.. ITB, releasing two critically acclaimed albums “Wrong side of town “ and “Working Late” ( the latter recorded at JOHN ENTWISTLE’S Hammerhead studio with the WHO’s legendary engineer Bob Pridden) things were looking pretty good and the band signed with Atlantic America but the relationship with the record company wasn’t a happy one and the only way to get out of the deal was to split up the band. It wasn’t long before got the call from German Guitar legend MICHAEL SCHENKER (SCORPIONS/UFO) who had heard about Paul’s playing abilities, Tours of Germany, America and Japan Followed and an official bootleg album was released ‘LIVE IN TOKYO’.

At this Time BRIAN ROBERTSON (THIN LIZZY/ MOTORHEAD) was putting a new band together, Paul got the call and The CLAN was formed, a heavy duty blues outfit splitting the set between Classic LIZZY songs and new numbers, the fans loved it, it had been a long time since Joe public had seen a guitar driven band with such firepower, Paul stayed with the CLAN for three years releasing one album “THAT’S ALL”.

It was at this time Paul started playing With BAP KENNEDY, Bap had just split up his Belfast born band ENERGY ORCHARD and was embarking on a solo career, the demos were quickly recorded and the deal was secured with Nashvilles E- SQUARED RECORDS owned by Nashville bad boy STEVE EARLE. The result of this partnership was the award winning “DOMESTIC BLUES” recorded in Nashville’s “Room and Board Studios” featuring STEVE EARLE, NANCY GRIFFITHS, ROY HUSKY JNR, PETER ROWAN , GERRY DOUGLAS and KIETH WEIR and of course PAUL himself, this was a dream come true working with the cream of Nashville, many great friendships were forged during the making of this fine album.

Back in England Paul was drafted in to the house band on a British tv show featuring comedian BOB DOWNES, Paul found himself backing many great artists such as EARTHA KIT and TOM JONES to name a few. Also during this period PAUL was working as a session Musician for a record company called “DRESSED TO KILL” mainly playing on tribute albums cloning everything from GUNS N ROSES to JEFF BUCKLEY. During theses sessions over a couple of pints the idea for the KING was born, The plan was to record an album of songs all by dead artists with ELVIS singing, feelers were put out and the KING was found singing in a bar on the Falls Road in Belfast, he was put on a plane to London a mic was put infront of him and one week later GRAVELANDS was in the can, what happened next was crazy. Five hundred copies were printed, everyone thought that would be the end of it and time for the next project but Dj JOHN PEELE and world saver BOB GELDOFF both aquired copies of the album and started playing tracks on their radio shows.. BOOM ..EMI come on board, sign the album and 150,000 sales later everyone was still in shock. The KING became the biggest selling act in EUROPE playing to Audiences in excess of 70,000 people a night at ROCK AMRING and the LOWLANDS festival with DEBBIE HARRIES BLONDIE as the support act, another album was recorded in” MUSICLAN “Spain’s number one recording studio ”RETURN TO SPLENDOR” went straight to the number one spot in the German charts, staying there for three weeks. BUT as Paul says “It was very nice flying around in Lear jets and being top of the charts but at the end of the day its still an Elvis tribute act” so it was time to get back to some serious music.

It was during his time with the KING that Pauls relationship with New Yorks finest The FUN LOVING CRIMINALS began, Main man HUEY MORGAN and Criminals Dj MATEO DEFONTAIN had an offshoot band COOLEY HIGH, Paul was asked to join and next thing COOLEY HIGH were on tour opening up for the CRIMINALS on their European tour finishing off at a sold out show at DUBLINS 12,000 seater POINT DEPO THEATER.

Paul had only been back in England for a couple of days when he received a call from his old sparing partner BRIAN ROBERTSON,) there was a concert being organised to celebrate the work of the Scottish Singer songwriter FRANKIE MILLER, FRANKIE had had hits with “DARLING” and “BE GOOD TO YOURSELF” but many artists such as ROD STEWART AND BOB SEGER had enjoyed great success covering Frankie’s songs.

PAUL and BRIAN were to be the core of the house band, the other musicians being drafted in were JOE WALSH (EAGLES) TED MCKENNA and HUGH MCKENNA (SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND) and CHRISSIE STEWART (FRANKIE MILLERS FULL HOUSE)…What a band

The concert was a resounding success with over thirty different artists joining the band throughout the evening performing Frankie’s songs, the highlight for Paul was playing ROCKY MOUNTAIN WAY and LIFES BEEN GOOD with the mighty JOE WALSH

The QUIREBOYS had been great Friend’s of PAULS for many years and singer SPIKE had signed a deal to record a solo album so PAUL got the call and Headed up to his native Newcastle where SPIKE owned a pub, over many frothy quenchers “IT’S A TREAT TO BE ALIVE “ was written (Still to this day one of PAUL’S Favourite albums) the album was recorded, released and the heavy touring began,The band featuring Kieth Weir (QUIREBOYS) JIMMI JIMMI (QUIREBOYS) SAM EVANS and BUCKET (BAD COMPANY) unfortunately the record company turned out to be a “Nightmare” nobody could get the album, the adverts went out too late, too many horror stories to repeat but the album just petered out, a very disappointing time for PAUL but the was a silver lining on the horizon.

QUIREBOYS guitarist LUKE BOSSINDORFER had decided to call it a day due to family commitments so the obvious choice to replace him was PAUL. As PAUL says it was a very natural situation to walk into, he had been friends with the band for years and he already knew all the songs, one month later “WELL OILED” was recorded in there own HEN HOUSE studios and released world wide on the SPV label. Three years of touring followed covering Europe extensively rebuilding the following that the band had enjoyed way back in the day reminding old fans of the power and quality of the QUIREBOYS and gaining new fans on the way who had not had the pleasure first time around, support slots with DAVID LEE ROTH and WHITESNAKE and slots on all the major European festivals followed. During this time PAUL received a call From MARY MCBRIDE, DAN BAIRD had been playing guitar with MARY and had produced her album ,she was heading to the UK to promote the album opening up for HAYSEED DIXIE, Mary arrived in Fulham, rehearsed for an hour and the tour kicked off that night, PAUL has since been back and foreward to New York to play with Mary many times, Mary is featured on the soundtrack of BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN and she also appears in the movie, which brings us up to date, the QUIREBOYS are set to release their new album “HOMEWRECKERS AND HEARTBREAKERS” on the JERCIN CROCUS label, without doubt their finest album to date. The QUIREBOYS have just completed their sold out European tour with DAN BAIRD ( GEORGIA SATTELITES) in support (PAUL helped Dan out on his European tour when his guitarist couldn’t make - it at the last moment" I couldnt believe i got to play all those great songs with the man who wrote them") and are about to head out to NORWAY, SPAIN, ITALY and many more territories are currently being booked.During the HOMEWRECKERS AND HEARTBREAKERS tour Paul got to play with one of favourite guitarists of all Time WARNER 'E 'HODGES who is now playing guitar for DAN but is probably better known for his work with the mighty JASON AND THE SCORCHERS, Paul made a guest appearences with the SCORCHERS at their recent KENTISH TOWN FORUM gig and there show at the Lillihamer rock weekend in NORWAY.

        

http://www.quireboys.com

The Quireboys have gone from strength to strength releasing the highly acclaimed acoustic album “Halfpenny Dancer” featuring acoustic versions of some of their biggest hits, album tracks and some tasty covers followed up by Halfpenny live, a limited live album which was recorded on the tour.



http://www.downnoutz.com

Which brings us to the Down n Out’z, Paul and Joe’s paths had passed briefly in Dublin when Paul was playing guitar with Ricky Warwick on his Tattoo’s and Alibi’s tour and Joe got up and sang with the band, Joe phoned Paul with the view to putting a band together for a one off performance at the legendary Hammersmith Odeon opening up for the even more legendary Mott The Hoople , The response to this show was so overwhelming Joe and the boys decided to record an Album..”My Regeneration” was recorded in Joe’s own Studio in Dublin and Manor Hall studios in Bedfordshire, two singles were released from the Album, “ England Rock’s” and “Overnight Angel’s” the latter topping the American radio playlist charts for two solid weeks. The band played at 2010’s High voltage festival in London and were joined onstage by Mott The Hoople Frontman Ian Hunter for some rousing versions of their greatest hit’s.

The down n Out’z have began work on the follow up to My Regeneration and are about to embark on a twenty day tour of UK Arena’s supporting Paul Rodger’s (Free/ Bad Company/ Queen)..not a bad run for a band who only formed to play one show, the morning after the Rodgers/D n O tour finishes Paul fly’s to Barcelona to start the Quireboys Europene tour which takes them all the way up to Christmas 2011.

When PAUL is not on Tour with the QUIREBOYS he teaches guitar privately and is on the board of the ROYAL SCHOOL OF MUSIC “ROCK SCHOOL” he has been involved with the “NEW KINGS ROAD VINTAGE GUITAR EMPORIUM for many years kitting out some of the most famous names in music with the most sought after vintage guitars, PAUL also provides the music for Channel Fours WORLD CUP SKIING program.

User of:
Vintage ICON V52MRBS – click here
Vintage ICON 'Lemon Drop' V100MRPGM – click here
Fret-King Esprit 3 – click here
Fret-King Esprit 5 – click here