Owen Paul: our favourite waste of time!

Glasgow born singer Owen Paul (b.1962) got a big hit with his debut single “My Favourite Waste Of Time” in 1986 when it peaked at No.3 on the UK singles chart. The song is actually a cover version, having been released four years earlier by American singer Marshall Crenshaw (b.1953) as the B side to his single “Someday, Someway”, which made No.36 on the US singles chart.

Owen started his career planning to be a footballer and even became an apprentice for Celtic Football Club. He instead walked away from it and joined the band Venigmas, releasing a single, “Strangelove” in 1983. After two years of playing together, Owen left the group to ‘go it alone’ and released “My Favourite Waste Of Time” through Epic records. Following the song’s huge success in the UK, Owen recorded his debut album “As It Is”, but this was not so successful. Neither were any other singles released from it!

Owen fell out with Epic soon after and joined the ranks of those artists who call themselves ‘one hit wonders’. He remained in the music business for the rest of the 1980’s, producing Japanese band Buck-Tick’s 1989 album “Taboo”, which has sold over 300,000 copies in Japan. Owen went on to run a London West End theatre for much of the 90’s before returning to music in 2002 with a new album “About Time”, his second and follow up to “As It Is”, sixteen years later! He joined Mike and The Mechanics in 2004 as a backing singer and production assistant, touring with the group for a number of years before joining the BBC as a television presenter.

In recent years, Owen has returned to performing, becoming highly sought after at 80’s revival festivals and music events, performing, well performing “My Favourite Waste Of Time” anyway! Owen is remembered in the UK for a memorable performance of the song on daytime TV, back in the days when artists mimed to their songs and no one really bothered with live singing. The music was heard on screen but not by the group, who stood and did nothing while “My Favourite Waste Of Time” played for the many millions that watched in shock and amusement!

Stay in touch with Owen through his WEBSITE and his FACEBOOK page

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