Paul Durham

Infobox musical artist |
Name = Paul Durham


Img_capt =
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Paul Durham
Alias =
Born = 1969
Died =
Origin = flagicon|USA Twin Falls, Idaho, United States
Instrument =

Vocals
Multiple instruments
Genre = Rock
Occupation = Singer-songwriter Record producer
Years_active = Mid 1990s–present
Label = Geffen (1997–1999) Epic (2002–2003) Independent (2003–Present)
Associated_acts = Black Lab Cake or Death
URL = [http://www.pauldurham.com pauldurham.com] [http://www.blacklabworld.com blacklabworld.com]

Paul Durham (born 1969) is an American musician, and is the lead singer of rock band Black Lab.

Biography

Born in Twin Falls, Idaho, Durham started his musical journey singing in Mormon church services and writing folk songs under the influence of Bob Dylan.

In 1990 Durham finished his degree and moved to Berkeley. He supported himself as a substitute teacher in inner-city Oakland, California. Almost immediately, he started recording demos with a bass player he'd met. The two began working with a producer and soon thereafter Durham formed an acoustic band named after himself. Demos were produced, gigs were played, people began responding to the music, but Durham did not find the project creatively satisfying and brought it to a halt.

Durham went electric, forming the band Black Lab, who released their debut album, "Your Body Above Me", on Geffen Records in 1998. The album yielded the alternative singles "Wash it Away" and "Time Ago," and went on to sell over 120,000 copies. During this time the band contributed songs to the soundtracks for "Can't Hardly Wait", "Varsity Blues", "Permanent Midnight" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".

After a year of touring, their record label was folded into Universal Music. The band went back home and Durham started writing a new album. Over the next two years, Durham left his band, fired his manager and moved to LA. Durham wanted to control the sound around his voice, so he bought a computer and learned to use it. The resulting demos landed Durham with Epic records, as Durham began collaborating with accomplished guitarist, keyboard player and programmer Andy Ellis. Durham finished the second Black Lab album, See the Sun, adding electronic texture to the foundation of Durham's rock songs. Unfortunately, yet more record label troubles loomed for the band, so Durham split with the label to go the independent route. In 2005, "See the Sun" was finally released, nearly 8 years after the band's debut.

Durham and the band contributed tracks such as "This Blood" to the movie "Blade: Trinity" and "River of Joy" to the soundtrack to the 2006 movie, "The Covenant". Black Lab also continues to produce music for television (MTV's "Real World", "What I Like About You", "The Days", "The Shield", "Numbers" and "6 Degrees") as well as film, such as the 2006 comedy "The Benchwarmers" and "Lovewrecked". On January 16th, 2007, the band's third album was released after five years in the making, followed by its second album of the year, "Technologie", in June.

Durham continues to work in Los Angeles as a singer, songwriter, musician, engineer and producer, whilst remaining committed to Black Lab.

Discography

Albums

*1998: "Your Body Above Me"
*2003: "I Feel Fine"
*2004: "Ten Million Years - Songs from the Nineteen Nineties"
*2005: "See the Sun"
*2006: "Cake or Death"
*2006: "Your Body Above Me - The Directors Cut"
*2007: "Passion Leaves a Trace"
*2007: "Technologie"

Soundtracks

*"The Benchwarmers": "Good"
*"": "This Blood"
*"": "Keep Myself Awake"
*"Can't Hardly Wait": "Tell Me What to Say"
*"The Covenant": "River of Joy" (in trailer)
*"Lovewrecked": "Broken Heart", "Weightless", "Perfect Girl" and "Lonely Boy"
*"Permanent Midnight": "Horses"
*"The Shield": "This Night" (Season 6 promo)
*"Spider-Man": "Learn to Crawl"
*"Varsity Blues":"Black Eye"

ee also

*Black Lab

External links

* [http://www.blacklabworld.com/ Black Lab's Official website]
* [http://www.myspace/blacklabband Black Lab's Myspace page]
* [http://www.pauldurham.com Official Website of Paul Durham]