British newspaper The Guardian has described Heaton as "one of our finest songwriters: his music reveals an exuberant ear for melody, his lyrics a keen eye and a brilliant wit". [1] AllMusic said: "The warm, mellifluous voice of Paul Heaton often masks the jagged satirical content of his lyrics." [2] Early life [ edit ] After a childhood in Sheffield, Heaton moved to Chipstead, Surrey during his adolescent years, an early life Heaton described as "bred in Sheffield, fed in Surrey". [4] Whilst in Surrey he, with his brother Adrian, formed their first band "Tools Down" with friends John Box and Stuart Mair. After leaving Surrey, Heaton spent time hitch-hiking around Europe before moving to Hull in 1983, where he formed the Housemartins. Heaton also lived in Leeds for a year. [6] Jacqui Abbott I’m not generally into remakes. When I heard there was going to be a Blade Runner 2 I thought: “Oh, my God.” When I joined the Beautiful South, we did Everybody’s Talkin’ but I was only 20 then. Now I’m older I’d think: “A Harry Nilsson song – what if I get it wrong?” Heaton It wouldn’t be a giggle for me and you can’t sing Flag Day and then reform for charity. We did reform for an interview 10 years ago, which was lovely. I love spending time with them and we’re all really good friends.

N.K-Pop - Wikipedia

Paul Heaton on putting everyday tales to song and the lyrical influence of Pete Shelley and Bill Withers.. Heaton I was pretty mouthy when I was younger. I don’t think it’s going to happen in my lifetime. As we can see from the current climate, we’re groomed for serfdom. For two years, people like GB News have told us we’ve been brainwashed about masks, but we’re now gleefully falling for a much bigger brainwashing scam. It’s highly amusing, but not so amusing when you’ve got a record on the playlist and now they won’t play it [after the Queen’s death] because it’s too uptempo! Paul David Heaton was born in Bromborough, Cheshire (now Merseyside) on 9 May 1962 to parents Doris and Horace Heaton. [3] Heaton has two older brothers Mark Heaton and Adrian Heaton. At the age of four his family relocated to Sheffield. [4] While living in Sheffield, Heaton became interested in football, and while his elder brothers elected to watch Sheffield Wednesday, Heaton chose to support Sheffield United. After moving to Sheffield, Heaton's father took a job in management and Heaton described his childhood as being "fairly middle class, although you wouldn't know it given the schools I went to and the friends I had". [5] Abbott After we did The 8th [a Heaton show turned solo album with guest singers], Aaron Knight invited me to sing with him in Edinburgh, which was a lovely experience. I wasn’t in a covers band when I was younger. I kinda got prompted to sing by a friend when I was a bit drunk. When I joined the Beautiful South they told me not to worry, that we were doing a low-key warmup gig to just 650 people. I was like: “What? I’ve not even performed in front of my family!” For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the “Settings & Account” section. If you’d like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial.

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Although he’s primarily a storyteller, Heaton does delve into more personal songs this time round, sometimes with devastating effects. Still is easily the highlight of the record, a beautiful ballad about miscarriages and still births. Lines like “still feel your heartbeat, the tiniest drop…your departure destroyed us but we’re so glad you could come” are stark, poignant and affecting. Paul Heaton sits comfortably in a roll call of literate pop writers to emerge in the 80s, alongside such articulate wordsmiths as Lloyd Cole, Roddy Frame and Paddy McAloon. What sets him apart from those contemporaries is prolonged commercial success: a remarkable run of 16 albums to make the Top 10, with The Housemartins, The Beautiful South and, since 2014, in tandem with Jacqui Abbott. a b Staunton, Terry (9 September 2022). "N.K-Pop | Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott". Record Collector . Retrieved 12 October 2022.

N.K-Pop - Record Collector Magazine N.K-Pop - Record Collector Magazine

McMullen, Marion (16 May 2014). "Beautiful times are here again". Birmingham Mail . Retrieved 1 September 2014. Earlier this year, Heaton spoke to NME about how he and Abbott played a number of free gigs for NHS staff as a thank you for their efforts throughout the pandemic. Prettiest eyes … Heaton and Abbott in the Beautiful South, 1996. Photograph: Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images Not a lot, really, but there’s quite often one scene in my mind and it spreads from there. On this one, I had a really vivid image of a pub with a fireplace, and I fleshed it out by having a conversation with myself. I thought about what might have happened there, and the landlord running the place on his own after his wife has gone. Sometimes I think of a song as an unfinished crossword puzzle and it’s my job

In 1988, Heaton formed the Beautiful South. The initial lineup consisted of Heaton, Dave Rotheray on lead guitar, former Housemartins roadie Sean Welch on bass, David Stead on drums and Housemartins former drummer Dave Hemingway, now in the role of joint lead singer and frontman. The writing partnership of Heaton and Rotheray proved very successful. The Beautiful South released two top ten singles, "Song for Whoever" and "You Keep It All In"; the latter featured Irish singer Briana Corrigan on vocals. In 1989, the band released an album, Welcome to the Beautiful South. The band's biggest success to date is the single "A Little Time", released in 1990; it reached number 1 on the UK chart.

Paul Heaton + Jacqui Abbott – N.K-Pop (2022, Digisleeve, CD Paul Heaton + Jacqui Abbott – N.K-Pop (2022, Digisleeve, CD

Paul David Heaton (born 9 May 1962) is an English singer-songwriter. He was the frontman of the Housemartins, who had success with the singles " Happy Hour" and the UK number one " Caravan of Love" in 1986 before disbanding in 1988. He then formed The Beautiful South, whose debut single and album were released in 1989 to commercial success. They had a series of hits throughout the 1990s, including the number-one single " A Little Time". They disbanded in 2007. He subsequently pursued a solo career, which produced three albums, and in 2014 he released What Have We Become?, a collaboration with former Beautiful South vocalist Jacqui Abbott. As of 2022, he has recorded four more albums with her: Wisdom, Laughter and Lines in 2015, Crooked Calypso in 2017, Manchester Calling in 2020 and N.K-Pop in 2022. Bushell, Garry (29 September 2022). "Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbot – N.K-Pop album review". Daily Express . Retrieved 12 October 2022. Paul, Prettiest Eyes is one of the most perfect love songs ever written. The tenderness and understanding of the ageing process is amazing. Given that you were so much younger when you wrote it, how did you get the idea? Nomadteacher205 I have an ageing-related question regarding Perfect 10 . You sang you love “her body, especially the lines”. How do you feel about getting older? DaddyPigJohn Murphy of musicOMH found that "While much of N.K. Pop is firmly in the tradition of radio-friendly pop, it's the lyrics that give these songs their extra dimension", concluding that "There are songs on N.K. Pop that stand squarely alongside some of Heaton's best" and that the "famous fire of his shows no sign of being extinguished". [3] Reviewing the album for Record Collector, Terry Staunton opined that there is "wry humour throughout" the album and that "Heaton remains the go-to chronicler of the Everyman condition" with Abbott providing "a vital contribution as both equal-billing foil and relatable conduit of female perspectives in these songs". [7] Barton, Laura (6 June 2012). "Happy hour again: Paul Heaton tours UK pubs on his bike". The Guardian . Retrieved 31 August 2014.