This is Paul. He was born on the Isle of Wight and in 1966 came to Van Diemen’s Land on a ten-pound ticket with his family #WhiteAustralia. He lived in Perth for a bit (guys, he didn’t have a choice) and decided at 14yrs old he wanted to hitchhike around the country and see what life held for him.
How did you come to be a busker? One day after fruit picking in Sheppo, I was kicking back in my caravan when a guy walked past and asked me to help him with some lyrics to a song. I sung along with him and he liked what he heard. Our first gig was on the streets of Ringwood – we were paid with a roast chicken.
Do you collect monies in a hat or guitar case?
I had a guitar case for two years but it got ratty, so I replaced it with a new one. I started getting notes with it. If you upgrade it obliges people to give you more.
What kinds of tips do you see? I was in Sydney once and someone walked past and dropped in a foil of MJ. I was a stoner at the time so was happy with that. Another time a huge limo pulled over and the guy asked me to sing him an original. He threw me a hundred dollar bill and a bottle of Jim Beam. The next day he came back with a $2,500 Gibson guitar and asked me to go to his studio to record.
Best compliment? I walked past a busker once who was singing a song I had written years before. I asked the ‘Where did you learn that song!?” because he was really young, I didn’t know how he could have known it. He replied ‘It’s an original, I wrote it myself’.
You must see lots of crazy things on the streets? I was in Springvale busking once and a car skidded up sideways and stopped in front of me. Two guys jumped out and went into the jewellery store then came running out followed by the shop owner who was screaming. I thought ‘Urgh. I better do something’ so I stood infront of their car with my guitar. Then a Chinese guy who had just been listening to me, kicked a wooden stake out of a bin, caught it mid air and stood behind me like he was my side-kick. It was like a movie.
Why do you like busking? I never felt I was particularly ‘good’ at life but music helps me connect with people and explore myself. You can be in a certain zone during a part of a song and then someone else is suddenly in with that moment you’re having. It’s really cool. It illustrates to me how connected we all are, and anything that makes us feel as thought we aren’t, is incorrect.Paul is at Camberwell market most Sundays, selling his art and singing in the tunnel that connects the carpark to Bourke Road. The Sprink highly recommends you get a coffee and a veggie pizza slice from Bakers Delight, and sit on the ground to listen to this beautiful man’s voice.
