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ARfm Radio If It Rocks, It's On!
Paul Chamberlain’s transition of musical interest from pop and glam rock began in 1973 when he heard the late Alan (Fluff) Freeman play Hendrix’s ‘Star Spangled Banner’ one Saturday afternoon on the BBC.
At a impressionable 14 years of age, a flirtation with progressive rock followed, particularly with ‘Emerson, Lake & Palmer’, ‘King Crimson’ ‘Pink Floyd’ and ‘Yes’, until a year later a school friend played Paul ‘Burn’, the then new album from Deep Purple, and since then his thirst for rock has been unquenchable.
After leaving school, Paul worked in photographic retail by day, and frequented clubs, pubs, and larger venues in and around London by night, he even roadied briefly for a Leeds based all-female new wave band.
In the early eighties Paul chanced upon a North London radio station and, after being invited to look around, was duped into making a demo that was broadcast that weekend. He was invited to join the team and from the outset sought to bring more than the mainstream to his shows. Bands that were rarely heard on the UK shores like Molly Hatchet and Doc Holliday
A few months later, Paul joined an Essex based station and met Steve Price. A huge friendship and mutual crusade of rock music ‘Southern’ ensued. Paul also had his own project as well. Eventually, all good things came to an end.
By the early nineties, Paul was self employed as a photographer and moved to the Essex coast. When the work dried up, he was presented with the opportunity to work with disabled children.
In 2002, Paul moved back to the family home in Chingford and worked at a day care centre for adults and children with special needs and disabilities, experience which would prove invaluable closer to home just eight years later.
He has also studied -and is now qualified – as a publishing editor, which will be handy if Paul ever writes his memoirs.
Paul has spent some time in the southeast United States and has met many of the bands featured on his shows. Would he consider living there?
“As much as I love Florida, especially away from the theme parks, I would probably settle near Helen, Georgia at the base of The Appalachians. The State lines of Tennessee, North Carolina and even Alabama are within easy driving distance and the scenery is breathtaking, especially when you drive through the Great Smoky Mountains. It must appeal to the hillbilly in me!”
“I love travelling around away from the tourist hotspots. April and I called into a McDonalds somewhere in North Carolina once and our accent stopped the traffic. I guess they don’t get many Brits passing through. Even in a restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida locals were coming up to our table just to talk to us. Everyone is so welcoming over there.”
Paul’s Southern musical influences are classic bands like Blackfoot, The Allman Brothers Band, Outlaws, Molly Hatchet, .38 Special, Doc Holliday and Lynyrd Skynyrd plus new talent such as Preacher Stone and Hogjaw.
Broadcasting from studios in England and around the world, ARfm brings you the best music, from the Classic Rock of the 60’s and 70’s, through the Melodic Rock and Thrash of the 80’s and on to today’s future classics.
The ARfm team of presenters bringing you the finest tracks, news, views and reviews from the world of Rock & Metal.