Paul Smyth - in memoriam

Money from this PayPal button
goes towards the annual hosting
and maintenance of this site.
Any small donation helps...

RIP
1955-2005
In memory of Paul...

"One of the most exciting performers to ever appear here - exquisite!"
The Troubadour

"gifted and highly original. Exciting and gutsy..."
TV Week

"Superb."
Sydney Morning Herald

"These songs are truly cinematic. They're perfect for movies!"
Eddie Rayner, Split Enz

"very tasty guitarist and refreshingly original."
Ralph McTell, Melody Maker

Unfortunately, Paul lost his fight with cancer on 19th September 2005.

I bought PaulSmyth.com for Paul a few years before his death and hosted it for him
but despite my encouragement he was not convinced of its usefulness.
Perhaps he had other things on his mind.

This site is based on the original page I built for him in his favourite shade of black
and I will just let it grow (or shrink) organically as I find things to add (and delete),
so keep scrolling down or use the simple navigation bar below. Jay

Until Paul's music rights are settled all music has been withdrawn from this site and iTunes.

However, I have left A Course In Camel as an unauthorised epitaph.

A Course In Camel I MP3.com I Talk Like A Pirate Day
German New Medicine I Photos I Condolence Book

Paul's keyword cloud on StumbleUpon really sums him up...

Paul's biography on the old MP3.com began...

"A visionary singer/songwriter/producer
who combines contemporary and traditional genres into wild cinematic stories.
Diverse vocals, lyrics and instrumentation with international appeal."

Below is an obscure track that Paul was commissioned to record
for the "Listening Room" sound sculpture series on ABC-FM.

Monday 22 April 1996 - 9.00pm THE LISTENING ROOM with Robyn Ravlich
A Course in Camel by Paul Smyth
"A playful audioclip in which the composer samples
and synthesizes several key areas of interest to him;
these are the logic of love, commercial creation, and camels."

I believe A Course In Camel defines his wit and his genius with sound
as well as his philosophy on life and performance.
It was always one of my favourites and makes a great Epitaph.

A Course In Camel (1.9mb)
Click here to progressively download MP3 audio into your browser or
Click here to download MP3 audio as a .zip file onto your hard disk.
Get StuffIt Expander

Words below...

A Course In Camel

P.A.L.M. T.R.E.E.
S.U.N.
S.A.N.D.

Hello, ah hah, yeah, yeah.
OK. You want a camel, you got a camel!
C.A.M.E.L.

Hey, wait a second. I got it!
STOP!!

The universe flashes on and off on and off so fast
that you might think that it's real.
All the suns, moons, sand and camels are only real half the time,
and something only half real must be impossible.
It's an 'either/or' situation.
If it's real it's real. It ain't half real.
If it's not real it's illusion and therefore completely imaginary.
If it's real it will remain real whether you believe in it or not.
It's reality can't be threatened by anything. It is invulnerable.
Therefore what is vulnerable or transitory must be unreal.
All the suns and moons and camels and radios
and sand and sausages, computers and kings;
all breakable and all transitory. All imaginary.

So remember folks:
NOTHING REAL CAN BE THREATENED.
NOTHING UNREAL EXISTS.

Treatment

His primary method of managing his cancer was with German New Medicine.

Photographs

I have added new pages for any photos that you can send me of Paul,
and include some brief words describing the history of the picture.
Photos from Jay, from Radha and Leanne

A message from Leanne

I just discovered Paul's site.
As you all know, it will take some time to find the right words
to express my love for such an inspirational person.
I will post the only copy that I have of his song 'Song of the Sailor'
which was written when I joined the Navy.
It truly is brilliant, but less so than the man.

A message from Terry Bradford

I'm an old friend of Paul's. I've known him since Adelaide and again in
Melbourne, Sydney and last but not least in Castlemaine.
As one writer to another, sorry I won't hear what you've
come up with lately. You did some great work. (We had started to write
together again after he dropped in on me here in Adelaide).

A message from Yuri Worontschak

In 1972 Paul and I entered a talent Quest at Norwood High School at what is now called "The Ivan Coward Hall". As a 15 year old I sang (and played piano) the Leon Rusell arrange version of "The Letter" very, very badly. Paul Smyth , a year older, a Pom, and in 5th form sang the most beautiful original ballad accompanying himself on guitar. He was smooth and he was brilliant. He easily won and I was runner up. No contest really. I will never forget how great that moment was. I had never played in front of more than 6 people in my life before. I never sang in public (seriously) again, but still play piano.

His song was stunning. A year or so later, still a teen, Paul had his own television show! "Country Key" on the ABC and featured Paul and guests. He was confident, he was good looking and debonair. Talented beyond his years. He played his own music on national TV. And I couldn't believe he played an Ovation, an American guitar for God's sake! He was cool. The theme for "Country Key" was this mean picking brilliant blue grass thing I had never heard in Adelaide before, yet alone on local television. A great theme by any standards.

By the late 70's we were both Melbourne bound, like so many young musicians who had very quickly outgrown Adelaide. I did some "ad" sessions for him in the days when they existed and I helped him back into the television world in the early nineties. He got to do the music for "The Comedy Sale" - my territory, and I helped him out quite a bit. The show lasted 2 weeks I think. It was in Googling him today that I had found out he had sadly left us. I was wondering what he was up to.

To his friends I thought this background would put Paul Smyth, the musician into perspective. A year older than me, he was my inspiration in my teens and showed me that even if you come from Norwood High, there's no reason why you can't aspire to write music for television. I just took a little longer than he did but it's what I do now. He was just was so talented and so mature as a teen. It was a pleasure to experience and to work with this musical genius.

Paul will be missed.

I hope to gain access to more of his work which I will post on this site.
If you feel there is anything here that needs to change let me know.
Jay

I will give Paul the last word, from the end of his MP3.com biography...

"Many thanks to my family, friends and fans
for all their help and support... my love to you all!"

A Course In Camel I MP3.com I Talk Like A Pirate Day
German New Medicine I Photos I Condolence Book

Top