Paul as front man

[cliffinleigh]

I've seen the Undertones over 30 times since they reformed with Paul.It was obvious very early on, back in 2000, that he was very comfortable with the band, you could tell that from the banter between songs.His singing is excellent and he handled some of the more difficult songs very well, like "Julie Ocean" and "Wednesday Week".

However as he has become more confident his on stage persona has changed, I really couldn't put my finger on it until I read a gig review a couple of years ago that described Paul as "camp"...and that description was spot on.Having met Paul a couple of times, he's certainly not "camp" which suggests that his Jagger style pouting and strutting is just a stage act.

Personally I find it off putting and I don't think it suits the Undertones style, the Undertones don't need the historionics IMO, the songs are brilliant and carry themselves.

What do you all think?

[Krista]

"Camp" - well that might be because he is gay. Anyone who knows anything about the band is aware of that. Fair play to him.

[Phil]

Firstly can I express the opinion that I think that the post from Krista is a wind-up jusdging from a similar post on other threads but even if it is genuine...

I don't think that sexuality is relevant and it's his own business.
Let's not start a stupid thread on that subject please.
The man has talent full stop.

As far as comparisons go I wouldn't lumber hime with the Mick Jagger tag but one picture I got at Digwalls did capture a "Morrissey" moment.


What about a "Billy looks like Kenny Dalglish" discussion?

[MarkW]

As someone who was a real sceptic when The Undertones first reformed I have come to love the band with Paul as front man every bit as much as I used to as a spotty teenager back in the early 1980s. If not more.

I’ve seen Paul described as ‘Jaggeresque’ in previous live reviews and personally don’t have a problem with it. I wonder what he thinks though? Ultimately Paul a) has a compelling stage presence which first hand I’ve seen win over ambivalent people at gigs on several occasions and b) has a great voice which shines through time and time again.

Take this example of ‘Teenage Kicks’ at The Spring & Airbrake in Belfast, Dec 06:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QcS0CqRo418

Brilliant!

[Sire]

I read that 'camp' review on Paul. and got say I could see where he/she was coming from.

..but Paul,...stay with it fella!
You have stage presence and it works bloody well.

I have introduced a couple of newbies to Undertones Gigs in the last couple of years, and all came away saying that Paul was very, very watchable.

I can't stand front-men who turn up and go through the motions. I go to be entertained, and to watch an act.
Paul delivers. He is engaging, he interacts with the crowd, and works them up a treat...

'Camp' or not, i dont give a sh1te, he is bloody good...
Keep it going fella!

Sire (Mark)

[cliffinleigh]

Sire, regarding; " I can't stand front-men who turn up and go through the motions. I go to be entertained, and to watch an act".

Paul wasn't doing this "act" until fairly recently, do you think the Undertones have improved because of it ? Prior to that he was just getting up there and singing the songs but certainly wasn't just "going through the motions".He was putting everything into it, but without all the posing and posturing, which IMO does not fit the image of the Undertones.The Ramones and Buzzcocks, just to use 2 examples, had front men who just got on with it, it certainly didn't detract from their live show.

Madonna has an act.She has all sorts of props on stage(like a bed) and lots of daft looking twats dancing around her.If it wasn't for all that nonsense I'd pay to watch Madonna because shes made some great songs.If she just got on stage, with a band behind her, I'd pay to see that.She just dosent need all the shit around her.

Personally I don't need to see an "act" when I see the Undertones, the songs alone entertain me.

[Sire]

Hi Cliff (is this the same Cliff from the .net??)

I am a relatively late convert to the re-formed Undertones. GWYN was already out and the boys had already been touring for a while.

So I can't say that I saw Paul is in 'non-acting' performances.
...but for me its just seems to me that his confidence is growing, as he fits into the shoes left by F.S...

<<<Personally I don't need to see an "act" when I see the Undertones, the songs alone entertain me.>>>
I dont quite get where you are coming from..
If you get quality songs, they are performed superbly, both vocally and musically, and on top of that you get the front-man getting into the music, geeing on the fans... Then you are getting everything. Great Music, great energy and a watchable Front-man too.

Too compare The Undertones to the Circus that surrounds Maddona is a little daft really... its like comparing Zippo The Clown alongside Bill Bailey...

just my opinion...
As I said before I find Pauls stage-presence very engaging and he seems to win over newbies too.

[cliffinleigh]

>If you get quality songs, they are performed superbly, both vocally and musically, and on top of that you get the front-man >getting into the music, geeing on the fans... Then you are getting everything. Great Music, great energy and a watchable >Front-man too.

The songs were being performed superbly prior to the Jagger style posturing, I don't think its needed and for me Paul was far more watchable then than he is now.As I said, I don't think it suits the Undertones laid back style.

>Too compare The Undertones to the Circus that surrounds Maddona is a little daft really... its like comparing Zippo The >Clown alongside Bill Bailey...

I'm not comparing the Undertones to Madonna; I'm making the point that I don't need to see an act, I just want to watch a band/Artist up there getting on with playing great songs.

>just my opinion...
>As I said before I find Pauls stage-presence very engaging and he seems to win over newbies too.

Pauls stage presence was engaging before the Jagger impressions, he was also winning new fans over and geeing them up prior to that also.From those points of view I don't think it makes any difference.Then again there might be people like me that are turned off by it.Paul has enough stage presence and personality without it...He also does a wicked Michael Caine impression if I remember correctly

[MarkW]

Paul is certainly a great impressionist. In addition to Michael Caine he also does a very convincing Bob Geldof, Jimmy Saville and John O’Neill!

I’m sure there are more.

[jenny]

i think cliff is putting the cat among the pigeons........ lol if paul is gay thats his business. he,s a very good entertainer and has great stage presence.