Paul Nye

Singer/Songwriter/Performing Artist/Multi-instrumentalist…

Left career as journalist for music.  Really.

In 1999, Paul launched a sporadic nonpareil Laundromat® World Tour because, well, no one else was doing it.  Plus, the “venues” would likely be “sold out with a captive crowd that had a lot of spare change for tips.”

The way the tour works is, in between gigs, Paul seeks out an unsuspecting Laundromat®, invites himself in wearing clothes, not carrying them, climbs on a portable mini stage made up of three perpetually out-of-date Mpls.-St. Paul Yellow Page phone books duct taped together, straps on his guitar and launches his voice over the din and hum of washers and dryers.  At first, most people either roll their eyes, make an occasional glance over their newspapers, or choke on their coffee.  BUT, within minutes after the “show” starts, Paul has his audience smiling, singing along, clapping their hands, and in such a state of bewilderment that they either put their change in the wrong dryer or in Paul’s Kitty Litter tip pail, which doubles as a guitar accessory container .  Paul’s perennial Laundromat® World Tour operates continually in the red, and consequently doesn’t do much for paying the bills, but when has being a musician ever done so.

Suffice to say, not only is Paul a rather unwonted (say that word very slowly and carefully) singer/songwriter, but it’s very apparent that he loves every aspect of being a musician.  After all, a career in journalism is oddly akin to a career as a performing musician (at least these days it is), and might be just as risky, but is way more fun.

Paul is a multi-instrumentalist whose main instrument is the guitar, specifically fingerstyle technique.  He has released six CDs and one vinyl recording in his career, and has toured all over the US.   His songwriting style runs the gamut from the way-too-serious political/issue-oriented, to unpretentious & relatively lucid love songs. Although, he admits to taking a dubious risk at writing a humorous or purely ridiculous tune about the craft of writing songs, among other more intriguing topics.

Like any other performing songwriter, Paul loves interacting with his audience.  As backstage coordinator for eight years for Moondance Jam in Walker – one of Minnesota’s largest outdoor classic rock festivals – he has worked with and opened for a number of national recording artists that he grew up listening to. “More than anything, it was a great opportunity to soak in lots of information and learn,” he said.

Paul has a small home studio where he does much of his own recording, and often opens his home studio up to younger musicians and songwriters to record a demo or have the experience of recording something they created.

Call him “Funky Folk, Punky Polka, or just Caffeinated Classical,” but just call him.  Your life will be much richer for doing so … and doesn’t everybody want to be richer in some way or another?!

YouTube Links:

Ballerina Music Box