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Sonic Assassin: A Life

English

By (author): Paul Hayles

Paul Hayles biography is a fast moving story deeply embedded in the music and entertainment business. With some very famous friends, bands and tours, Paul takes us through what it was like working with the greats and living to tell the tale. Paul Hayles never wanted to be in a cult rock band like Hawkwind and yet there he was, the shy father of two setting out on a journey that would take him away from his young family and make his wildest dreams come true. Paul knew Lemmy Kilmister from way back, both had auditioned for the same band back before Hawkwind came together. Lemmy had just left Hawkwind to form Motorhead, so the band was in a changing phase and so was Paul. Playing in bands had been something Paul chose to do as a hobby to begin with - in addition to his day job of teaching children with behaviour problems. He played in a local band, Ark, and thought it was just his weekly night out away from the restraints of his daily life. But, suddenly, out of the blue, there he was playing in Sonic Assassins, Hawkwind and then on tour in the USA with the Kings of Space Rock. He made the most of it in the world of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. They traversed America, meeting and hanging out with other bands such as Van Halen and the Blockheads, and even eating and chatting with one of his heroes, David Bowie. His life was far from what he had ever imagined. All things come to and end and Paul moved his family to France, where they rented a small farm and tried the self-sufficiency life before returning to teaching. He continued playing in bands, now with the confidence to compose and sing, and used the Hawkwind connection to get All Area Access entry to concerts by bands such as Pink Floyd and U2 and even got to play with the Topper Headon Band (ex-Clash). So his musical ambitions, although put aside for the sake of his beloved family, were still there under the surface. In the 90's, back in the UK, he returned to the world of boarding schools for extremely difficult youngsters but still played music, even touring with folk-meets-rave band The Cropdusters. But he was good at his day job and was soon promoted to Head Teacher having three such posts before a bout of cancer meant stopping this difficult work. Meantime he worked on an album with Jalal Nurinda of the Last Poets, seminal rap band, and brought out an EP with some top Bristol musicians including Roni Size's drummer, Clive Deamer. Then, out of the blue again, nearly 30 years on, he received an invitation to support Hawkwind on their 2006 British tour. Back on the road, more adventures, more chance meetings, such as Peter Hook of New Order, and would this be the end or another new beginning? Pauls band Lastwind release their new album High on Life with Flicknife Records (SHARPCD19108) on March 29th 2019. See more
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Product Details
  • Dimensions: 152 x 229mm
  • Publication Date: 25 Mar 2019
  • Publisher: New Haven Publishing Ltd
  • Publication City/Country: United Kingdom
  • Language: English
  • ISBN13: 9781912587162

About Paul Hayles

Born in SE London in 1948 Paul Hayles grew up in a family of fundamentalist evangelical Christians his father being a pastor. The family moved to East Devon when he was 12 and Paul escaped back to London in 1968 to join the hippy movement his degree course an afterthought. It was during this period he first met Lemmy when they both auditioned for the same group and he first saw Hawkwind at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. Having roadied for Andy Fraser (Free) in Bristol he decided to move with his French girlfriend to that city financed by selling acid. They married and moved down to the wilds of North Devon where they had two children and found a large hippy community. Paul went to Exeter University to qualify as a teacher mainly so their children would not have to go to school. He had had classic piano lessons since the age of 4 and at Exeter continued but learning about playing blues and jazz. And he was an original member of the band Ark once called the `Grateful Dead of the English West Coast' who gigged in their own right and as support to bands like Gong and Hawkwind. Dave Brock and Bob Calvert of the latter lived within a few miles and in 1977 Paul along with Martin Griffin (drums) and Harvey Bainbridge (bass) was asked to join Sonic Assassins whose first gig was recorded and became a cult album. He then was asked to join Hawkwind for their '78' US tour. Paul moved his family to the South of France on leaving the band and lived there for 12 years constantly writing and playing music whilst firstly running a small farm and then a language services business. During this time he got to play in the Topper Headon Band (ex-Clash) alongside Henry McCullough (ex Jo Cocker and Wings). Returning to the UK in 1990 he spent several years in the New Forest working in a residential school for boys with emotional and behavioural difficulties. He played for a while with punk-rave-folk band The Crop-dusters until their regular gigging clashed with his promotion to Deputy-Head and then Head Teacher. He was offered the Headship of a similar school in North Devon open 365 days a year a hugely difficult job which after 3 years led to separation from his wife a heart attack the sack and an Employment tribunal where he won a year's salary as compensation. He then formed a company providing Care with Education in Bristol mainly for Afro-Caribbean kids and moved in with a new partner but 5 years of intense work led to cancer an operation and his resignation in 2005. However being in Briistol he got back into writing and playing music firstly working with rap godfather Jalal Nurinda of the Last Poets and then putting out an album `This That The Other' with local musicians including Roni Size's drummer. Immediately after this he was asked to be the support band for Hawkwind's 2006 English tour which led to further gigs in 2008 and a new album and UK tour in 2013. Now single again Paul lives mainly in SW France and continues to compose and produce albums under the names of `Nagas2' and `Smoke and Shadows'. He is working at the moment on a final Lastwind album and his first book both due out in 2019. He has travelled widely his favourite places being Morocco South Africa and SE Asia. He reads loads and enjoys his two grown-up sons and his 7 grandchildren. His health isn't so good and he has had several periods in hospital but his morale is high and he lives every day as if it could be his last.

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