Name Paul Gray | Role Bassist | |
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Music groups The Damned, Eddie and the Hot Rods (1976 – 1979), UFO (1983 – 1987) Albums Machine Gun Etiquette, Damned Damned Damned, Grave Disorder, The Black Album, Music for Pleasure Similar People Bryn Merrick, Rat Scabies, Roman Jugg, Dave Vanian, Barrie Masters | ||
Paul Gray (born 1 August 1958, Rochford, Essex, England) was the second, most well known, bassist for the Southend-on-Sea teen rockers Eddie and the Hot Rods, scoring several hit singles and albums in the late 1970s, including "Do Anything You Wanna Do". In early 1980, he was recruited to join the punk rock band The Damned to replace Algy Ward on bass. Gray contributed to two studio albums, The Black Album and Strawberries, but abruptly left the band in February 1983 due to discontent and the desire to do something "different". After The Damned he joined UFO and remained until their split in 1987. He also sessioned live and on records for artists as diverse as Johnny Thunders, Rob Tyner (MC5) and Andrew Ridgeley (Wham!).
In 1989 Gray was lured back into rejoining The Damned, ostensibly for a one-off UK / US / Japanese reunion tour. For the next eight years these became an annual event, with both Gray and Captain Sensible touring and recording with their own band in-between other commitments, with Gray also reforming Eddie & the Hot Rods for one album, Gasoline Days, for which he contributed the songwriting, and supported the album with several tours in the UK and Germany.
Gray was heavily involved with Community Music Wales for a number of years, a charity aimed at nurturing and helping young bands based in Cardiff, until severe tinnitus and hyperacusis precluded continuation with any musical activities. In 2005 he took up the post of Regional Officer, Wales & Southwest England for the British Musicians Union. He occasionally guests with The Damned on stage when they appear in the Welsh city.
On the 27th February 2014 Gray joined fellow original Hot Rods Barrie Masters, Steve Nicol, and Graeme Douglas on stage at The Oysterfleet, Canvey Island to play in tribute to the late Dave Higgs, founder member of the band. Higgs' place that night was taken by former Hot Rod, Warren Kennedy.
It was announced on 11th September 2017 that Paul Gray will be rejoining the Damned following the departure of bassist Stu West.