Paul Brett -

Paul Brett (June 20, 1947 – January 31, 2024) was an English folk-psych guitarist and composer from Fulham, Greater London, who briefly played in the bands Tintern Abbey and Velvet Opera during the late 1960s. Between 1970 and 1972, he fronted the folk-rock combo Sage for three albums on Pye and Dawn. As a solo artist, he released two albums on Bradley’s Records in 1973/74, followed by a third on the French Arcane label in 1975. He subsequently signed to RCA and released four instrumental albums on the label between 1977 and 1980.

Paul Brett

Paul Brett released his self-titled solo album in March 1973 on Bradley’s.

The album blends acoustic-centered folk rock with chamber textures and light orchestral flourishes. Paul Brett shares instrumental space with violinist–guitarist Mike Piggott, whose lines trade phrasing with Brett’s own fingerpicked passages on multiple tracks. Rob Young alternates between flute, organ, and piano, supplying harmonic shading behind the melodic dialogue. Mike Gibbs arranged two numbers, “18 Years” and “Who Am I?”

A1. “The Ant” (2:13)
A2. “Mr Custer” (3:04)
A3. “Goodtimes, Hardtimes” (3:23)
A4. “18 Years” (2:30)
A5. “Handful of Rain” (4:45)
A6. “Antiques, Flowers and Music Box Dancers” (2:46)

B1. “The Spanish Main” (4:27)
B2. “Jim Crow” (3:15)
B3. “Motherless Child on a Merry-Go-Round” (3:29)
B4. “Here Comes the Sun” (2:43)
B5. “Who Am I?” (3:57)
B6. “March of the Giant Hedgehogs” (3:19)

Brett produced the album and played acoustic and electric guitar, timpani, and wrote the liner notes. Sessions featured Delyle Harper on bass, Geoffrey MacClean, Jim Toomey, and Rod Coombs on percussion, and Mike Piggott on violin and second guitar. Recording took place under the Bradley’s Records imprint, which issued the album in a laminated envelope-style cover with printed lyrics on the inner sleeve.

Bradley’s lifted two singles from the album. “Mr Custer” backed with “Goodtimes, Hardtimes” appeared on February 23, 1973, as BRAD 301. A second single, “Summer Driftin’” backed with “Clocks,” appeared later that year as BRAD 305.

Clocks

Paul Brett released his second solo album, Clocks, in 1974 on Bradley’s.

The album expands on Brett’s acoustic foundation with denser chamber-folk textures and broader instrumental arrangements. Violinist–guitarist Mike Piggott returns as a melodic foil, trading phrases with Brett’s twelve-string patterns while pianist Rob Young provides harmonic counterpoint. Select tracks feature orchestral touches by arrangers Martin Ford, David Palmer, and Nicky North, with mandolin and cello added by Dave Griffiths and Nick Sterling.

A1. “Clocks” (2:45)
A2. “Soho Jack” (3:30)
A3. “Captain Dan” (3:44)
A4. “Duellin’ Banjo (From the Film Deliverance)” (2:56)
A5. “Empty Dreams/Flying Machines” (3:22)
A6. “Rain From a Clear Sky” (3:07)
A7. “One Sunday Morning” (3:31)

B1. “Explanation Blues” (2:29)
B2. “Circles” (3:49)
B3. “Hunter of Angels” (4:05)
B4. “What You Mean to Me” (2:54)
B5. “Summer Driftin’” (4:21)
B6. “Snowbird” (3:30)

Sessions took place at Marquee Studios and Audio International. Brett produced the album and handled acoustic and electric guitar, supported by a rotating bass section of Pat Donaldson, Terry Poole, Lyle Harper, and Griffiths. Charlie Charles, Jim Toomey, and John Richardson supplied percussion. Additional arrangements appear on “Captain Dan” (Nicky North), “Rain From a Clear Sky” (Martin Ford), and both “What You Mean to Me” and “Summer Driftin’” (David Palmer).

Bradley’s paired “Soho Jack” with “Captain Dan” for the UK single BRAD 7405.

Phoenix Future

Paul Brett released his third solo album, Phoenix Future, in November 1975 on Arcane (France only).

The album builds on Brett’s acoustic base with fuller arrangements and narrative diversity, drawing from continental folk and soft electric textures. Guitarist Johnny Joyce contributes twelve-string work on “Catching Catfish,” interlacing with Brett’s phrasing in one of the album’s densest string arrangements. Keith Warmington adds harmonica overlays, and Romie Singh appears on two tracks, adding voice to “Liquid Lines” and “Catching Catfish.”

A1. “Yesterday’s Man” (3:20)
A2. “Midnight Affair” (3:25)
A3. “Les Nuits Des Camargues” (3:10)
A4. “Grandma’s Upright Piano” (3:15)
A5. “Better the Devil You Know” (3:45)
A6. “Liquid Lines” (5:00)

B1. “La Mer D’amour” (3:52)
B2. “My Kind of Day” (2:42)
B3. “Trucking Queen” (3:40)
B4. “Images Inocentes” (2:30)
B5. “Catching Catfish” (3:30)
B6. “Phoenix Future” (4:10)

Brett produced the album and played guitar and lead parts across all tracks. Sessions featured DeLisle Harper on bass and Steve Holley on percussion, with Francisco Sancha engineering the recordings. “Phoenix Future” includes compositions by Michael Tickner and a guest appearance by Romie Singh, whose contributions mark a vocal contrast within the set. Arcane released the album with a cover drawing by Ralph Steadman and distributed it through WEA Filipacchi.

Earthbirth

Paul Brett released his fourth solo album, Earthbirth, in 1977 on RCA Victor.

The album unfolds as a six-part instrumental suite composed and performed entirely by Brett, who constructs the entire soundscape with layered guitar textures. Electric leads and 12-string passages interweave across the sections, forming thematic transitions without the aid of supporting soloists. Structural continuity emerges through dynamic pacing, modal contrasts, and recurring phrasal motifs.

A1. “Christened By Fire”
A2. “Infant Journey”
A3. “Alone In Space”

B1. “Faint Stirrings / New Beginnings”
B2. “Dance Of The Dawn Herald”
B3. “Infinite Possibilities”

Brett recorded Earthbirth solo at Heaven W4 studio and handled all performance and compositional duties. Francisco Sancha and Ian Bennett engineered the sessions under executive producer Ralph Steadman, whose involvement followed his prior work on Phoenix Future. Pete Norman mastered the album, which appeared on RCA with design coordination by Lawrence Brough and Terry Lambourn and photography by George Bodnar.

Interlife

Paul Brett released his fifth solo album, Interlife, in 1978 on RCA Victor.

The album spans one long-form suite and four concise thematic pieces, combining Brett’s layered guitars with brass and keyboard arrangements.

Derek Austin’s keyboards expand the harmonic field behind Brett’s 12-string and electric leads, while Mel Collins and Steve Gregory contribute contrapuntal brass passages that interact with the guitar voicings across both sides. David Griffiths doubles on bowed and plucked bass, reinforcing tonal shifts alongside Rod Coombes and Delisle Harper.

A1. “Interlife” (16:23)
B1. “Celebration” (5:46)
B2. “Segregation” (5:30)
B3. “Isolation” (3:15)
B4. “Into Life” (6:52)

Sessions took place under producer Tom Newman with engineering by Dave Stevens and Mike Sykes. RCA cut the lacquer through Dave Tucker and manufactured the pressing through Garrodprint Ltd. Brett composed all material and played every guitar part, with contributions from a full supporting cast including brass, drums, and dual bassists. “Segregation” appeared as a June 1978 UK single (PB 5081) backed with the title track.

Eclipse

Paul Brett released his sixth solo album, Eclipse, in 1979 on RCA Victor.

The album blends tightly arranged instrumental sequences with jazz-inflected textures and layered guitar themes. Paul Brett exchanges phrasing with keyboardist–flutist Rob Young, whose synthesizer lines and flute parts thread through the compositions alongside Brett’s acoustic and electric guitars. Johnny Joyce adds twelve-string passages on two tracks, while Ray Warleigh and Steve Gregory supply brass ornamentation in dialogue with Brett’s rhythm figures and melodic voicings.

A1. “Nineteen Ninety Nine” (5:15)
A2. “Calypso Street” (3:28)
A3. “Silent Runner” (3:12)
A4. “This Side of Heaven” (3:00)
A5. “Mental Music” (3:05)

B1. “Eclipse” (4:00)
B2. “Overture for Decadence” (3:00)
B3. “Red Alert” (3:35)
B4. “Chaos” (3:20)
B5. “Take 5” (4:50)

Sessions featured Tom Nichol on drums for most tracks, with Graham Jarvis handling kit on “This Side of Heaven” and “Eclipse.” Dave Olney, Dave Williams, and Steve Gregory split bass duties across the sides. Alan Todd appears on rhythm guitar, and Tom Newman sings on both “Nineteen Ninety Nine” and “Take 5.” RCA released Eclipse in June 1979 with two singles: “Nineteen Ninety Nine” (b/w “Take 5,” PB 5167) on June 29 and “Calypso Street” (b/w “Silent Runner,” PB 5194) on October 12.

Guitar Trek

Paul Brett released his seventh solo album, Guitar Trek, in 1980 on RCA.

The album spans acoustic and electric textures with a primary focus on 6- and 12-string guitar interplay. Paul Brett shares writing and lead duties with John Joyce, whose alternate 12-string voicings and acoustic phrasing extend Brett’s tonal range across multiple tracks. Richard Harvey supports with keyboards and recorder, adding melodic layers behind the primary guitar lines, while Alan Todd contributes additional electric guitar on “Forever Autumn.”

A1. “Alternative 12-String”
A2. “Forever Autumn”
A3. “Before Tequila”
A4. “Summertime”
A5. “The Bishop Went Down to Fulham”

B1. “In Search of Aztecs”
B2. “Even When the Sun Shines”
B3. “Jazz for the Late Night Wife Swappers”
B4. “Handbuilt by Robots”
B5. “Blood on the Frets”

Sessions took place at T.W. Studios with engineering and mixing by Guy Bidmead. Brett produced the album and played 6- and 12-string acoustic and electric guitars, supported by Joyce on 12-string, Paul Townsend on bass, and Tom Nichol on drums. RCA issued “Forever Autumn” backed with “The Bishop Went Down to Fulham” (PB 5230) as a single on April 11, 1980.

Discography: