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. He is most famous as the bass player for the band The Clash.
Paul Simonon has also worked with other groups. He was part of the supergroup The Good, the Bad & the Queen. In 2010, he played on the Gorillaz album Plastic Beach. This album brought him back together with Mick Jones, who was also in The Clash. Paul Simonon also toured with Gorillaz as their bass player. Besides music, he is 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
Joining The Clash
In 1976, Mick Jones was forming a new band. The band's manager, Bernard Rhodes, suggested Paul Simonon. Paul had a cool style, but he didn't know how to play an instrument.
Mick Jones tried to teach Paul how to play guitar. But it was too hard, so Mick asked him to play bass instead. Six months later, Joe Strummer joined as the singer. That's when The Clash was officially formed. Joe Strummer said that Paul learned bass by playing along to the Ramones' first album.
Paul Simonon is known for coming up with the band's name, "The Clash." He also helped create the band's look. He designed their clothes and stage backgrounds.
The Iconic London Calling Cover
Paul Simonon is on the famous cover of The Clash's album London Calling. The photo shows him smashing his bass guitar. This happened during a concert in New York City in 1979. This picture, taken by Pennie Smith, became one of the most famous images of the punk music era.
Paul played bass on almost all of The Clash's songs. Sometimes, other musicians played bass on a few tracks. For example, on "The Guns of Brixton" when played live, Paul would switch to guitar. This was because it was easier for him to sing the lead vocals while playing guitar.
After The Clash
After The Clash broke up in 1986, Paul Simonon started a new band called Havana 3am. They released one album. He also played bass on a song for Bob Dylan's album Down in the Groove.
Paul Simonon also continued his art career. He designed album covers for other bands. He reunited with Damon Albarn and Mick Jones for the Gorillaz album Plastic Beach. He also played bass for the Gorillaz live band. They performed at big events like the 2010 Coachella Festival.
In 2011, Paul Simonon joined Greenpeace on their ship, the Esperanza. He went undercover as a cook. He was protesting oil drilling in Greenland. He even got arrested and spent two weeks in jail for boarding an oil rig. After this, his identity was revealed. He then performed with The Good, the Bad & the Queen to celebrate Greenpeace's 40th anniversary.
In 2023, Paul Simonon announced a new album. It's called Can We Do Tomorrow Another Day?. He made it with singer Galen Ayers. The album was produced by Tony Visconti. Damon Albarn also made a guest appearance on it. In 2024, Paul Simonon performed with Patti Smith.
Paul Simonon's Bass Playing Style
When Paul Simonon first joined The Clash, he couldn't play any instrument. Mick Jones tried to teach him guitar, but it was too hard. So, Mick asked him to play bass, which he thought would be easier. Paul loved Pete Townshend of The Who, but he found it hard to learn bass by playing along to The Who's songs. He felt the bass parts were not very exciting.
To help him learn, Paul painted notes on his bass guitar. Mick Jones would even shout out the right notes during practices. Paul found more success learning bass by listening to reggae music. He grew up around London's Jamaican communities. He loved how important and groovy the basslines were in reggae. He said, "Each bassline in Jamaican music... was a bit like how you move your feet. It's like how you dance to it."
Paul soon developed a unique bass style. It was influenced by reggae and ska music. This made his bass playing different from many other punk rock bassists. His bass lines were more complex and played a bigger role in the band's sound.
Paul mostly played a Fender Precision Bass. He used it with an Ampeg SVT amplifier. He didn't want to use a white Precision Bass at first. This was because other famous bassists like Sid Vicious and Dee Dee Ramone used them. But he liked his bass's powerful sound and heavy feel. He used this bass for live shows and recordings. He even painted the pickguard and wrote "Pressure" on it.
He famously smashed this bass in 1979 at the Palladium in New York City. He was frustrated because the venue wouldn't let fans stand up and dance. The photo of this moment became the cover of London Calling. Paul later regretted smashing his favorite bass. He felt his backup bass wasn't as good. He eventually found another similar bass. The smashed bass is now on display at the Museum of London. It is part of an exhibit about the city's history.
Paul Simonon's Discography
With The Clash
- The Clash (1977)
- Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978)
- London Calling (1979)
- Sandinista! (1980)
- Combat Rock (1982)
With Havana 3am
- Havana 3am (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 on the title track with Mick Jones.
With Galen & Paul
- Can We Do Tomorrow Another Day? (2023)
Paul Simonon's Art Exhibitions
Solo Art Shows
- From Hammersmith to Greenwich (2002)
- Paul Simonon Recent Paintings (2008)
- Wot no Bike, ICA Nash and Brandon Rooms (2015)
- He also released a book called Wot no Bike with 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)
See also
In Spanish: Paul Simonon para niños
