Paul English

Scotland

Journalist/broadcaster/voice. Presenter BBC Radio Scotland's LostLetters; Travis:The Man Who at 20; STV Scottish Passport Author Deacon Blue:To Be Here Someday.

Articles

'I sing in a Scottish accent. Immediately that makes you an outsider'

2 weeks ago | heraldscotland.com | Paul English

“The idea is to pull people in a bit. They can read up on the background of the songs.” At 154 pages, Napier’s book, accompanying his new album Outsider, is more a pictorial catalogue – the songwriter’s equivalent of a user’s manual. “It has a full introduction to the record, including biographies of all the ‘cast and crew’, and then it’s got a couple of deep dive essays,” he says.
Our chat with one of Scotland's 'most hotly-tipped' musical prospects

1 month ago | heraldscotland.com | Paul English

Brooke Combe grew up in Dalkeith, near Edinburgh (Image: Jack Finnegan) When she low-balled her music exam, Brooke Combe’s teacher told her she would be better off doing something else. “I got a ‘C’ in the prelim for my Nat 5, and one of them pulled me into a classroom and told me to drop the subject,” says the Edinburgh singer, who (successfully) ignored that particular pastoral intervention. “I probably did see it as a piss-take class, a skive, in those days.
Mike Scott reveals the 'unexpected' influence on The Waterboys new album

1 month ago | heraldscotland.com | Paul English

Mike Scott’s love affair with the photography of actor Dennis Hopper has culminated in a project featuring a galaxy of music stars, from Earle to Springsteen The first voice on the new Waterboys album isn’t a Waterboy. “It had to be the first track, because it’s the chronology of the story,” says the band’s frontman Mike Scott.
BBC faces backlash over move to scrap River City

1 month ago | thetimes.com | Carla Jenkins |Paul English |Lucinda Cameron

BBC Scotland's decision to cancel its only homegrown soap, River City, threatens future opportunities for aspiring Scottish actors and the wider TV production industry, the BBC has been warned. The long-running drama, set in the fictional setting of Shieldinch, is to come to an end next year after more than two decades. Its final series will air in autumn 2026.
Edinburgh duet with Robbie Williams is 'dream come true' for Michelle McManus

2 months ago | edinburghlive.co.uk | Paul English |Lee Dalgetty

Michelle McManus has said she thought Robbie Williams was pranking her when he asked her to join him on stage at Murrayfield. The Pop Idol winner will join the former Take That singer in front of 70,000 people at the Edinburgh gig this summer, reports the Daily Record. Williams invited the Glasgow singer to join him as a special guest, as he kicks off his world tour. The 'unexpected' invite came during an interview on her BBC Radio Scotland Afternoons show on Thursday.
Scots Pop Idol legend to duet with Robbie Williams at mega Murrayfield gig

2 months ago | thescottishsun.co.uk | Paul English

MICHELLE McManus revealed she thought Robbie Williams was at the wind-up — after he asked her to perform at his Scots megagig. The Pop Idol winner, 44, was interviewing former Take That heart-throb Robbie, 51, on her radio show this afternoon when he proposed the shock duet. They will now belt out a song together in front of .
Michelle McManus to duet with Robbie Williams at Edinburgh Murrayfield

2 months ago | dailyrecord.co.uk | Paul English

Pop Idol star Michelle McManus thought she was being pranked when Robbie Williams asked her to duet with him. Scots pop star Michelle McManus says she thought she was being pranked when Robbie Williams asked her to duet with him. The Pop Idol winner will join the ex-Take That favourite to sing in front of 70,000 at Murrayfield this summer, after Williams invited the Glasgow singer to join him as a special guest as he kicks off his world tour in Scotland this summer.
Elaine C Smith vows to be champion for citizens with Glasgow's freedom of the city

2 months ago | dailyrecord.co.uk | Paul English |John Dingwall

At a glittering ceremony on Friday, the veteran actress will become only the fifth woman in 850 years to be made a freeman of her home city. ELAINE C Smith has vowed to be a champion for citizens as she becomes the first female Freeman of Glasgow in fifty years. At a glittering ceremony on Friday, the veteran actress will become only the fifth woman in 850 years to be made a freeman of her home city.
Deacon Blue on the joy of finding their fans 'still out there waiting'

2 months ago | heraldscotland.com | Paul English

As they embark on a new tour to mark the launch of their tenth studio album, Deacon Blue are as passionate as ever about music, their fans and one another Her voice has been the defining characteristic of one of Scotland’s most popular bands of the last five decades. However, Lorraine McIntosh says her time in Deacon Blue would likely have been short-lived had she and lead singer Ricky Ross not fallen in love. “The music business is so male, touring is so male, our band is male.
Deacon Blue on the joy of finding their fans 'still out there waiting'

2 months ago | thenational.scot | Paul English

As they embark on a new tour to mark the launch of their tenth studio album, Deacon Blue are as passionate as ever about music, their fans and one another Her voice has been the defining characteristic of one of Scotland’s most popular bands of the last five decades. However, Lorraine McIntosh says her time in Deacon Blue would likely have been short-lived had she and lead singer Ricky Ross not fallen in love. “The music business is so male, touring is so male, our band is male.