Paul Brett (20 June 1947 – 31 January 2024) was an English classic rock guitarist. He played lead guitar with Strawbs (although he was never actually a member), The Overlanders, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera, The Velvet Opera, Tintern Abbey, Fire, Roy Harper, Al Stewart, Lonnie Donegan. He switched to twelve-string guitar in the 1970s.
Brett was born in Fulham, London and became interested in playing guitar at 14. His Metalwork teacher, Ron Carter, was a semi pro guitarist in a local dance band and taught him a few basis chords. From there, it was the old way of learning. Bert Weedon’s great book ‘Play in a Day’ and slowing down 45rpm singles to 33rpm and painstakingly learning note for note, popular instrumentals like ‘Ghost Riders in the Sky’ and ‘Apache’.
 |
| Warren Davis Monday Band. Paul center. |
He began playing with an amateur outfit before joining a semi pro band called SW4 in 1964. The lead singer was Ralph Denyer, later of Blonde on Blonde. They played mainly R’n’B at the time, as did many other groups during that era. Bo Diddly, Chuck Berry and many other blues greats whose songs they covered. He then formed The Swinging Machine and auditioned Arthur Brown as they needed a singer. After a while Brett changed the band’s name to The Arthur Brown Union. Brett also played with a range of groups in the mid-sixties including The Overlanders and The Soul Mates. In 1967, Brett was a member of The Warren Davis Monday Band. He played on their single, "Wait for Me" bw "I Don't Wanna Hurt You". In 1973/74 he also released a solo album, Clocks.
 |
| Tintern Abbey |
He joined the group Tintern Abbey who were based in a small terraced house in Chelsea that was owned by publisher and group manager Nigel Samuels who owned International Times. They did some demos and finally got Spencer Davis Agency to take them on. They managed a few gigs which went down well, but Brett was offered a gig with Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera, who had lots of live gigs and a hit record, so he opted to join them recording an album and a couple of singles.
Brett played sessions on many other artistes and bands records over the years including The Strawbs, Roy Harper, Al Stewart and also on many songwriters demos. He also did MOR sessions with TV Star Max Bygraves and Tony Blackburn, the Radio 1 DJ. The Strawbs ran a great club in The White Bear in Hounslow which everyone, including David Bowie would attend. Brett played regularly there with the Velvet Opera and as an acoustic duo with Johnny Joyce. That is where he met Dave Lambert, who with Bob Voice and Dick Duffall made up the group Fire in 1970.
He then formed the band Paul Bretts Sage and recorded the album which included 3 D Mona Lisa, their first single for Pye records. When PBS split, he went on a National tour with Status Quo. He was then signed to Bradley’s Records for a two album deal with the band Earth Bird and did lots of gigs and a National Bradley’s Tour which ended with a live album being recorded in London’s legendary Marquee Club in London, produced by the Yardbirds singer Keith Relf.
He started his own independent label Pheonix Future and rleased his his first twelve-string guitar suite, Earth Birth. It was produced by artist Ralph Steadman of Fear and Loathing fame. Critical acclaim led to Brett being signed on a four-album deal with RCA Records. His K-tel Romantic Guitar album went gold in the United Kingdom, but Brett stopped recording soon afterwards. He started recording again in 2000, with long-time friend and fellow twelve-string guitarist, John Joyce.
Brett wrote for music magazines Melody Maker, Sound International and International Musician and continued working in the music industry in the later part of his career. He wrote a regular column for Acoustic, a magazine specializing in acoustic guitars. He was also the Associate Editor and Features Writer for Music Maker and Live in London magazines. He appeared on BBC Television's Antiques Road Show and Flog It in the mid-2000s.
Brett worked as a guitar designer for Vintage Guitars in the UK, including The Viator 6 and 12 string travel guitars, The Gemini, The Viaten tenor guitar, and the Paul Brett signature 6 and 12 string guitars. Released in 2017 was the Statesboro' 12 string which is a tribute to the blues musician, Blind Willie McTell.
Paul Brett died on 31 January 2024 after a short illness.
(Edited from Strange Brew & Wikipedia)