Al Paton

Al Paton is a singer-songwriter, record producer and percussionist, who was born in Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) in 1975 to British parents. He grew up in Rhodesia, South Africa and Namibia and developed a fondness for music and the piano early on. He graduated from high school at Woodridge College in 1992 and went on to study Commerce at Rhodes University.

Music career

His first band was formed in 1990 with Springbok sprinter, Glen Elferink, and the late Brendan Murphy while still at school. In university, his band was supported by the likes of Springbok Nude Girls and supported Johnny Clegg, while their drummer, Andrew Wessels, later joined the band Cassette (South African band).
Returning to Namibia, Paton formed the band Desert Velvet which won the NBC Music Makers Award and the Stage Magazine Recording Sponsorship. Two of the bands recordings, 'Ghost in the Ceiling' and 'Get Out The Water' appeared on the South African television show Going Nowhere Slowly. Another member of that band, Yves Dei-Cont, went on to join Fahrenheit (SA band).
Subsequently, Paton started working for interactive drumming company called Drum Cafe teaching African drumming and djembe, and performing for President Thabo Mbeki and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Since then, he has performed in South Africa, Denmark, England, Estonia, Italy, Finland, France, Hungary, Morocco, Namibia, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Wales.
Early in 2008, his song 'Matchstick Man', co-written with Desert Velvet and produced by Chris Acker, reached the top 40 pop-rock charts on Garageband.com and received a number of accolades, amongst them Top 15 Lyrics of all-time in pop-rock.
In August of that year, two of his songs made the top 20 of the Vivacious Voice National Songwriting Contest - 'Peachy' at number 6 and 'Always' (with the band Desert Velvet) at number 19.
In 2008 Paton also co-wrote lyrics for the Western Cape's National cricket team song (the Cape Cobras), with his mother, Lesley Paton. The song was produced by Gabi Le Roux (Mandoza, Jack Hammer) with executive producer Clive Ridgeway (Judith Sepuma).
Paton currently lives in London, where he continues to perform.

Discography

• Just Encasement - East London Sessions (1994)
• Desert Velvet - Recorded at The Warehouse, Windhoek, Namibia (1997)
• Desert Velvet - Mars Demo (2000)
• Video 'Ghost in the Ceiling' Directed by Mito Skellern, DOP Gerhard Engelbrecht (2002)
• Desert Velvet - London Connection Sessions (2004)
• Going Nowhere Slowly - Soundtrack to the TV series (Various Artists) (2005)
• Desert Velvet - Boomcat Sessions (2006)
• Like Fire, Like Honey (Various Artists) (2007)
• Pools of Sorrow, Pools of Joy (Various Artists) (2008)
• African Drumming (2008)
• Al Paton (2009)

External links

• Official Website
• Official MySpace Page
• Official drumming website
• Official drumming website
• Paton's Recording Studio in Cape Town