"I started playing piano at six and then took a classical approach to learning trumpet, guitar and drums. I went through the various Island youth bands and orchestras. About three summers ago, through an old mate from school, I got accepted into Delta T playing guitar and drums. I started writing stuff in late 1996. Max (Brennan) came into the picture.I've got very high goals. My form of relaxation is writing music. I love writing music, it's constant discovery. I've not put limits on myself. I got a bank loan from Barclays to start things off and bought the DAT machine. Sampled music doesn't do it for me, it has to have a live feel, which is the Isle of Wight."
All the artistes on Holistic: Paul, The Exploding Thumbs, Fretless AZM, Universal Being, Hubble, Delta T, are from the Isle of Wight. Paul was full of praise for Stewart Dungey, the head of the small London based label.
"Holistic is done on trust. I think of it as a real service, a very nice home made sound. The records get cut at this place called The Exchange in Camden. I can just sit here and write music. I don't have contact with the crap side of the industry, I just let the music do the talking. Gilles Peterson, the KISS FM DJ has helped enormously. His worldwide radio show goes out to fourteen different countries. Max (Brennan) started it off. It's just a raw, natural sound. It's just sorting levels out. You don't have to have thousands of pounds to do it.
"Aaron's at Winchester Art College. When he comes over next I'm going to say 'Aaron, play something for five seconds and then move on to something else. A lot of the Thumbs is just from Aaron coming in and mucking around, the quickness. The best tracks come out quickly, capturing energies. Rawness is a real aspect of where I'm coming from. On guitar I find a few scales, a few little places to play. We've written eight very strong tracks for the next album. Aaron writes the lyrics for the Thumbs."
The Exploding Thumbs CD, Flying Without Wings is released on Holistic - Holcd 31. See review in Mojo, April 1998, page 114.
Paul's solo CD as P nu Riff is Between The Downs - Holcd 30. I asked him about the picture on the cover:
"I took the drum kit up to Brading Down. Watching the cows running around going mental."
"E's have made this dance thing of people off their nuts listening to this noise. You don't need drugs with my music. It should all be there in the first place. I can see the better side of a sixties and seventies revival happening.""I really appreciate Frank Zappa's music. Max (Brennan) is a great Zappa fan. I wonder what Miles Davis would be doing now?"
"Max has a first take rule. First take, record it then leave it alone."
Paul will be involved in another project shortly with his friend Simon Leach:
"Simon has done a lot for kids with learning disabilities. It's a special thing."
Paul's Memory Moog Synthesiser was bought from Mark King.
Maxwell House II on Detroit's House label Peacefrog includes contributions from Paul, Max Brennan and Island guitarist Tom Vernon.
Vic King interviewed Paul Butler on 21/3/98 in Adgestone