Paul was born on december 21st '66 in Hergenrath in the east of Belgium as last son of a 6 kid family. His father was worker in the aluminium industry and his mother a houswife.
All kids of the family went to music school and learned instruments such as piano, saxofone or trumpet. Paul maid his first instrumental steps in the royal harmony of Hergenrath, witch actualy is having a very respectable reputation in the belgian kingdom and even through Europe.
In the early '80, Paul went to Liège (B) to school. There he found a new way of life and some new music. Also he found a new instrument - the guitar. It was Benoît Onkelinx who introduced him to the instrument and step by step Paul learned the instrument by hisself. He played in different Rock groups. At the year of 16 he has his first contact with Jazz-music. He lived in Outremeuse near to a place called Roture where world best Jazz musicians came to play "les mercredis du jazz". He created sometimes later his first Jazz trio with Robert Schneider on guitar and Philip Reul on bass. While 2 years they made music together. After that time Paul get back to where he was born and stopped to make music.
He learned for stonemason and in '92 he get married with Dany Werding. He has 2 kids Julia and Janis. He has his own company.
In september '96 he transported with his truck the drums of Gerd Zilles to the repetition rooms from Fishman's friends. They didn't have any guitar in that time and someone said to Paul: "didn't you play guitar?". 3 days later they where on stage to play some songs of Fishman's friends.
Paul is a writer and a composer. He often write about some special events in his life. there must be some initial inspiration to make some good lyrics flow out. Some of his compositions are: Les mamans de beslan, Fermer les yeux, Cecky rock, Allez! and many others.
Talking about inspiration? The music spectrum is very large and can't be edited here. But here a helpfull list of artists:
Deep Purple, Jaques Brell, Dream Theater, Pat Metheney, Renaud Sechan, Matmatah, Dobet Gnahore, Zdenek Kral's K&K Band, Philip Catherine, Shakira and many others
A very special artist, composer and fantastic guitarist is SHAWN LANE who always stays in our hearts. Unfortunatly he died on september 26th 2003. There are a lot of talented players but none like him.
Since the Fishman's friends has been in Slovakia, Paul travels a lot in east of europe. He has also some very good relationship to the sibirian city of Omsk.
He visited Omsk in february 2003 and in summer 2005 and met there a lot of very special people such as Jenya Malenova from the Serpantin dance theater. Some very good musicians with a heart full of blue notes.
Both of Pauls kids are very sportif and his Son took him out to see some football matches. Belgiums famous Standard de Liège is one of his very favorite teams and we wish them all times good luck.
Gear:
Fender '68 Stratocaster, Alnico pickups
Ernie Ball Musicman Silhouette Custom, 2 single coils Seymour Duncan, 1 Humbucker Di Marzio
Hughes & Kettner Tube 50
Korg Toneworks 1500G
Jim Dunlop Cry Baby GCB-95
JBSystem MRSU9
AKG 3700 M
