Paul Simonon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Simonon
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Paul Simonon at the Eurockéennes 2007 with The Good, the Bad & the Queen
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Paul Gustave Simonon |
| Born | 15 December 1955 Thornton Heath, Croydon, England |
| Genres | Punk rock, new wave, post-punk, reggae, alternative rock, rock and roll |
| Occupation(s) | Bass guitarist, visual artist, vocalist, songwriter |
| Instruments | Bass guitar, guitar, vocals, harmonica |
| Years active | 1976–1993, 2006–present |
| Labels | CBS, Capitol, Parlophone |
Paul Gustave Simonon was born on December 15, 1955. He is an English musician and artist. Paul is most famous as the bass player for the band The Clash.
More recently, he has been part of a band called The Good, the Bad & the Queen. He also played on the Gorillaz album Plastic Beach in 2010. On this album, he worked again with Mick Jones, who was also in The Clash. He also played with Blur singer Damon Albarn. Paul Simonon also became the touring bass player for Gorillaz's live shows. Besides music, Paul Simonon is also a well-known artist.
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Paul Simonon's Early Life
Paul Simonon was born in Thornton Heath, Croydon, England. His father, Gustave, was an artist. His mother, Elaine, worked as a librarian. Paul's grandfather came to England from Belgium during the First World War.
Paul grew up in different parts of London. He lived in Brixton and Ladbroke Grove. He also spent about a year in Siena and Rome, Italy, with his mother and stepfather. Before he joined The Clash, Paul wanted to be an artist. He even studied art at the Byam Shaw School of Art on a scholarship.
Paul Simonon's Music Career
Paul met Mick Jones in 1976. Six months later, The Clash band was formed. Joe Strummer joined them, and Mick Jones played lead guitar. In the early days, Paul learned his bass parts from Mick Jones. He didn't know how to play the bass well when the band first recorded music.
Paul is known for coming up with the band's name, The Clash. He also helped a lot with the band's look. This included their clothes and the stage designs. Paul Simonon is on the cover of The Clash's album London Calling. The picture shows him smashing his bass guitar during a concert in 1979. This image became very famous in the punk music world.
Paul played bass on almost all of The Clash's songs. His bass lines were often influenced by reggae and ska music. This made his playing unique compared to other punk rock bass players. When The Clash played "The Guns of Brixton" live, Paul would switch instruments with Joe Strummer. This was because it was easier for Paul to sing the lead vocals while playing guitar.
After The Clash broke up in 1986, Paul started a new band called Havana 3am. They released one album. He also worked with Bob Dylan and Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones. This music was part of Bob Dylan's album Down in the Groove.
Paul Simonon also continued his work as an artist. He has had several art shows. He designed the cover for Big Audio Dynamite's album, Tighten Up, Vol. 88. He also designed the cover for a song called "Herculean". This song was from the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen. This was a project with Damon Albarn, where Paul played bass.
Paul worked again with Damon Albarn and Mick Jones on the Gorillaz album Plastic Beach. He was also the bass player for the Gorillaz live band. They played at the 2010 Coachella Festival.
In 2011, Paul Simonon joined the Greenpeace ship Esperanza. He went undercover as "Paul the assistant cook." He was protesting against oil drilling in Greenland. He joined other activists in boarding an oil rig. This led to him spending two weeks in a Greenland jail. Later, his identity was shared with the crew. He then played with The Good, the Bad & the Queen at a concert celebrating Greenpeace's 40th anniversary.
In 2023, Paul Simonon announced a new album. It is called Can We Do Tomorrow Another Day?. He made it with singer Galen Ayers. The idea for the project came from Paul writing music in Mallorca during the COVID-19 lockdown. He also played music in front of cafes in Palma.
Paul Simonon's Music Albums
With The Clash
- The Clash (1977)
- Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978)
- London Calling (1979)
- Sandinista! (1980)
- Combat Rock (1982)
With Havana 3 am
- Havana 3 am (1991)
With The Good, the Bad & the Queen
- The Good, the Bad & the Queen (2007)
- Merrie Land (2018)
With Gorillaz
- Plastic Beach (2010)
- Paul Simonon played with Clash guitarist Mick Jones on the album's main song.
With Galen & Paul
- Can We Do Tomorrow Another Day? (2023)
Paul Simonon's Art Exhibitions
Paul Simonon is also a talented artist. He has shown his paintings in many places.
Solo Art Shows
- From Hammersmith to Greenwich (2002)
- Paul Simonon Recent Paintings (2008)
- Wot no Bike, ICA Nash and Brandon Rooms (2015)
- For this show, Paul also released a book called Wot no Bike. It had 24 of his paintings.
Group Art Shows
- John Martin Gallery (1996)
- Eyes of a Child (1998)
- Crusaid Edinburgh Art Centre (1998)
- Art Tube Exhibition London Underground (2001)
- Notting Hill Arts Exhibition (2001)
- Colony Room Show (2001)
Images for kids
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Paul Simonon with The Good, the Bad & the Queen.
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Paul Simonon performing with The Clash.
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Paul Simonon promoting Havana 3am.
See also
In Spanish: Paul Simonon para niños
