I don’t quite know where to begin when it comes to Rhode Island-based vocalist and composer Paulcito. When I first heard his latest album ‘MVP’, I wasn’t sure what I’d just experienced…but I knew that I was intrigued! Working alongside all-round music man Carl Dennis, Paulcito doesn’t just blend genres, he forges a distinct musical identity that is entirely his own.
Wanting to find out more about the eclectic and gifted musician, I was stoked when he agreed to an interview! Chatting with us about his and Carl’s creative processes, what he believes music’s role in society is, and just how much love and respect he has for Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix, please give a big welcome to our new friend Paulcito!
Hey Paul, it’s amazing to be able to chat with you today, thanks so much for your time. When did your love affair with music start and how did you get to where you are today?
I’m not a spring chicken! It all started probably around age 4 or so and the magic of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Then, the big two for me, The Doors and Jimi Hendrix with the Experience. I discovered those two via the Superstars of the 70s LP – a Christmas gift. I think that would have been 1973 – a period where The Doors and Hendrix had been forgotten (for a while) as Jim and Jimi made their early exit.
Your latest album ‘MVP’ is a seriously eclectic and potent piece of work. Is there an overarching theme to the record or is each tune meant to stand on its own?
Definitely, each tune is its own thing. If there’s any overriding or coherent common lyrical theme to any Paulcito album or collection of tracks, it would be about seeing and going beyond regular and normal thinking about life and the world. Opening those doors of perception. It isn’t all just nonsense or interesting wordplay. I’m not a fan of novelty lyrics generally…but I also don’t avoid novelty or joking around completely.
Whatever comes out lyrically, I tend to just go with it and not sweat over it or analyze it much, as far as whether it makes total sense. Sometimes a lyric is 100% stream of consciousness. But not always. Sometimes I apply an analysis and decide what I’m going to write a song about, do a little factual research, and then proceed to write the lyrics.
Who would you put down as some of your biggest musical influences and who would you ultimately credit for helping shape and mould your overall sound?
The biggest two were probably The Doors and Hendrix. Two that must be on that shortlist of the greatest of the greats in my humble opinion. But The Beatles, of course, also get in there and they touched and moved everything good in music. Later on, in the 80s, I was a heavy listener of The Police, R.E.M., XTC, The Smiths, and a great, very much overlooked London-based band called The Woodentops.
Carl and myself don’t record, play or sing at anything like a very high virtuosic level. We are musically very far away from Rush or The Police in that sense. Although Carl is outstanding at what he does – very innovative, efficient and has a great musical imagination. We hope to make up for what we don’t have, with some potential fans anyway, by offering up a very high and true level of musicality and musical sense working in our favour.
We’re always intrigued by the different approaches that artists take when it comes to their creative process. Can you tell our readers a bit about yours? How do you take an idea and turn it into a complete song?
The basic song comes from me. I form it in my mind, attaching lyrics, usually written separately, to music. The spirits of music that come into my head. This is the Jim Morrison method basically. When I present it to Carl, he takes it, I suggest sounds and he comes up with them, or comes up with his own sounds that I do not expect at all but often sound just right. And then he gets the song within the song going, where he is especially effective on keyboards, and works his system. Then I get a sense of additional layers the track needs, to fill out the track and complete it. And we continue until all the layers are down.
Then (usually later on, in a different session, and sometimes by email communication – but in person is always better) we go over and over each track, back and forth. And in the end, there’s a produced track. I direct and he plays or programs all the music and does the mixes and production. I provide feedback on each mix, suggest adjustments, and then decide when a track is done. He uses Cubase.
What keeps you busy and happy when you’re not creating new music? Walk us through a non-music day in the life of Paulcito.
It depends! These days it is doing a fair amount of sit-down musical promotion and reach outs daily. I am not in musical creating mode specifically right now as we speak, but I am still getting some new melodies transmitted from that Spirit world (dare I say, God?) that I put into my little WAV snippet file folder.
The future, I think, is never known for certain. But, as far as my financial condition, I probably have a fortunate couple of years at this time to push and work this music in full-time mode, without a definitive positive ROI happening quickly. I’m also working on lyric videos – which I consider, in our case, to be basically promo work. I love Devo but video is not core to the art of Paulcito.
I also get out to walk and hike, enjoying the wonders of life and nature. I’ve been a world traveler and I’ve stories I could tell…some misadventures for sure. But I’ve not been on an aeroplane since Covid.
I don’t have a TV or watch TV. I do feel a need to keep up with politics, such as it is, but I don’t think it is especially mentally healthy to listen to talking heads on TV, whether it is CNN or Fox, arguing for or against MAGA or Biden, or whatever. While TV sitcoms and such seem to be total rubbish and have been for many years. Unless something has changed that I don’t know about with today’s TV programming.
If you could claim one song in the world as your own, what would you go with and why?
Do you mean, one of my own songs? As a fan – we are all fans of what we love and like musically, if we are reading this interview – we have songs by others that are our own in some way. A part of our life soundtrack, as has been said. I’d go with ‘When the Music’s Over’ by The Doors). It’s just…immense…and remains important to me. It has the immortal soul of Jim Morrison going for it, and an absolutely epic performance from 3 ace musicians and their singer/poet, getting it on in an amazing way, on that classic and wonderful LP ‘Strange Days’. Jim was not a small man.
What, to you, is music’s role in society?
I think it is about waking up the emotions, and hopefully getting people to think and go a little deeper. I love a perfect genius song that has the “right, big stuff”. Squeeze has always been wonderful at all this, especially of course during their big success 80s years. But also 90s Squeeze – amazing and so overlooked. Squeeze isn’t as prolific now but they are still in the game and they actually do plan a new LP this year which I’m looking forward to listening to.
I have a great love and respect for Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook. It’s important that an artist or musician, or anyone really, not be a…you know…asshole. Being famous or talented is not a good excuse for being one. Even though of course we all have those occasional asshole moments – because we are human. Chris and Glenn are not just geniuses – they are two truly kind souls.
Is there a show or concert that you attended (or perhaps even played at) that just stands out from all of the rest? If so, please do tell.
Probably Blur at Parque de la Exposicion, Lima, Peru, about a decade ago now. I was living in Lima for a few years there. The evening was just pure magic. The finale was a slowed-down version of ‘For Tomorrow’. It was just one of those perfect live music experiences that was truly transcendent.
Thanks a lot for chatting with us Paul! It’s been great having you here! Do you have any words of wisdom that you’d like to leave us with?
I do have a suggestion. Go and listen to the Gerry Rafferty song ‘Conscious Love’. There’s some wisdom there.
