Paul Roland

“Paul Roland writes nice melodies and has a very particular personality, but he is too intellectual for me!" (Frank Zappa, 1988)

“Roland’s songs are like short stories set to music.” (Greg Lake)

Since the appearance of his first album ‘The Werewolf of London’ in 1980 (a John Peel favourite and a regular featured album at the legendary Bat Cave) Roland has written and recorded 20 albums including ‘A Cabinet of Curiosities’ which ‘Rolling Stone’ named “one of the best albums you’ve probably never heard”, the H.P. Lovecraft-inspired ‘Reanimator’ and ‘Bates Motel’ with songs written for surviving members of the Velvet Underground.

For four decades Roland has been spinning twisted tales of Victorian villains, eccentric Edwardian inventors and the supernatural against a backdrop of gothic-psych-baroque pop, earning him the title “the male Kate Bush” (a comparison attributed to former label mate Robyn Hitchcock). His highly literate lyrics, often macabre themes and strong melodic gift has attracted an increasingly large and loyal cult following while his proudly independent ethos has ensured he has remained a cherished niche artist.

‘Candyman’ is the lead track on a 5 song EP exclusive to Bandcamp. The first two tracks (‘Candyman’ and ‘Lilith’) are previews from a forthcoming album ‘Morbid Beauty’ to be released by UK indie label Blue Matter. All 5 songs showcase Roland’s unique and highly distinctive take on psychpop, gothrock and leftfield fantasy (the tender but skewed ‘Song For Terry Pratchett’ being just one example)