Paul Townsend is an arranger, composer and bass player based in Whitstable, a seaside town in east Kent in the UK.
welcome...
A professional musician for over 40 years, Paul has a wealth of experience in the profession.
As a young army student, studying percussion, cello and piano (as well as composition, harmony and orchestration) at Kneller Hall, he went on to become a member of the Band of the Welsh Guards. After a three month tour of the US in 1974, he realised he'd become more than a little attracted to bass guitars...
Having left the army, the late 70's, 80's, 90's and early noughties saw him enjoying a successful career as a live and studio bassist, working with a vast and diverse range of artists ranging from Paul Brett, Petula Clark, Cilla Black and Sir Cliff Richard through to George Martin, Madeline Bell, the Proclaimers, Lulu, Bono & the Edge and many, many more
West End theatre credits include: Time, The Rocky Horror Show, They're Playing Our Song, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Chess, A Clockwork Orange (RSC).
Notable TV shows: Harty, The Hot Shoe Show, Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Coogan's Run, What's That Noise?, Jim Davidson's Generation Game, TOTP, Challenge Anneka, Dead Ringers, The Weekenders (Reeves & Mortimer), Dodgem, Rory Bremner, apparently.
Working for the prestigious (mainly) advertising - orientated recording company Mingles (later known as Music By Design) Paul contributed to hundreds of UK and Irish jingles - from Maxwell House ("Get The Max") and KFC to the now famous Toys'R'Us TV campaign.
For the Music Sales Group (now Wise Music Group) Paul transcribed and played bass on more than 50 "Play Guitar With..." and "Play Bass With..." soundalike music books/CD's.
And he was a stalwart member of 80's/90's popular south London jazz funk outfit 'Lipslide' (featuring the late, brilliant altoist Andy Mackintosh).
With a healthy arsenal of basses and a Mac running Logic 10, Paul is available for online sessions. He may even be tempted to do the odd gig - as long as it's fun enough...
And if you're interested in one-to-one bass lessons in the Whitstable area (and you're really serious) get in touch.
paul townsend
musical arrangements