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Paul PetroskeyAmerican self-taught musician
Date of Birth: 21.11.1970
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Biography of Paul Petroskey
- Early Career
- The Blazing Bulkheads and Later Career
- Solo Work and Recent Releases
- Videography and Online Presence
Biography of Paul Petroskey
Early Life and Musical BeginningsPaul Petroskey, an American self-taught musician, was born on November 21, 1970, in Pittsburgh, PA. Even in school, he started writing parodies of popular songs of his time, mainly poking fun at his history and math teachers. These parodies were later included on an unreleased cassette titled 'Weird Paul in 2-D'. In late 1985, he acquired his first electric guitar for $8 and continued writing parodies. Between 1985 and 1987, Petroskey recorded five audio cassettes, which he would then duplicate and sell to his peers.
Early Career
In the fall of 1987, Petroskey released his first full-length cassette recording, 'In Case of Fire Throw This In', on his own label, Rocks & Rolling Records. This was followed by the release of 'I Need a Pencil Sharpener' in 1988. After completing high school, Petroskey moved to Chillicothe, Ohio, where he took courses in sound recording. In 1989, he released two more cassettes. By this time, he had gained the nickname 'Weird Paul', which was used by promoters and radio DJs alike. Petroskey also started performing with drummer Ed. In 1990, after purchasing a 4-track recorder, he recorded another cassette and began performing with a different drummer, Manny Theiner. Together, they released 'Sucking Chest Wound'. In 1991, Petroskey signed a contract with Homestead Records, and his release 'Lo Fidelity, Hi Anxiety' included re-recorded songs from his previous cassettes as well as new material. Petroskey and Manny stopped working together after touring, and from 1995 to 1996, Petroskey released new songs without the involvement of Homestead Records.
The Blazing Bulkheads and Later Career
In 1996, Petroskey formed a four-piece band called 'The Blazing Bulkheads'. The band played his original repertoire as well as new songs written specifically for the group. After a year and a half, 'The Blazing Bulkheads' disbanded. In 1999, Petroskey recorded a completely new cassette titled 'The Dame That Drove Me Nuts'. That same year, Petroskey and Manny reunited to perform songs from the 'Lo Fidelity, Hi Anxiety' release. They continued this tradition every year. In 2001, Petroskey's new three-piece band, 'The Blissful Idiots', added a fourth member, a keyboardist. In 2003, when Petroskey became the sole original member of the band, they changed their name to 'Revenge of the Nerds'. The band played their final concert in 2005.
Solo Work and Recent Releases
In 2006, Petroskey released his first CD, 'Medically Necessary', which was worked on by his new band, 'The Weird Paul Rock Band', consisting of four members: bassist Brian Colleran, drummer Jon Dowling, keyboardist Ben Blanchard, and Petroskey himself. In 2010, the album 'Simulating the Act of Love' was released, followed by his 26th album, 'Check Me Out Now', in the following year. In 2012, Thick Syrup Records signed a contract with Petroskey for the release of a retrospective album titled 'Weird Paul: 25 Lo-Fi Years'. The album included songs from Petroskey's entire discography, as well as four new tracks.
Videography and Online Presence
Petroskey's parents bought him a video camera in 1984, and he immediately started filming his own music videos, parodying popular songs of his era. He also filmed everyday life at school and short films based on his own scripts. In the following years, he continued making amateur music videos for his songs. In 2012, Petroskey began digitizing his old videos and uploading them on YouTube. In total, he collected 120 hours of footage. One video from 1984, where Petroskey has breakfast at McDonald's, has garnered nearly 50,000 views.
