Paul Carter is a punk singer and acoustic punk performer from Derby, England. He is known for acoustic punk, and his work is identified with punk rather than a wider range of styles.

Career

Carter first gets into punk at the age of 14, after seeing The Adverts perform “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” on TOTP. By 1978 he forms a band with a couple of friends; the group changes its name frequently and falls apart by 1979. His first gig follows at the end of 1980, when he plays guitar for Ammunition at Quarndon Church Hall. That performance takes place without a drummer, and the band splits immediately afterwards.

In 1981 he forms Syndicate Anarchy with several friends. They write songs and rehearse, but do not move beyond that stage. A year later he joins the Derby band The Collaborators on guitar, and this becomes his most successful band at that point, with four gigs before the group splits in early 1983.

Later in 1983 he joins Avoid as rhythm guitarist and, when the singer leaves towards the end of the year, he becomes lead vocalist. He remains the singer for Avoid until 1992, playing across England, including two appearances at the 100 Club and support slots for English Dogs on their “Invasion of the porky men” tour.

Solo work

After spending much of the period from 1992 to 1998 practising guitar, Carter plays his first solo gig in summer 1998 at the Sitwell Tavern as part of Derby Punx Picnic. It is intended as a one-off performance, but he continues as a solo artist. He writes new songs and plays regularly around Britain, supporting acts including 999, Splodgenessabounds, Ed Tudorpole, T.V. Smith, U.K. Subs, 3CR, Leftover Crack and John Otway. He also plays HITS/Wasted Punk Festival four times.

Recordings

In September 2003 he records his first CD, I Hate Work, a six-track release containing “I hate work”, “Putrid”, “I wanna be a skater punk”, “visit to the porno shop”, “in a minute” and “the drinking song”. Four hundred copies are pressed, and the release later sells out. It is reissued in 2007 as part of the MIDDLEGROUND 3 compilation album.

In April 2005 he records 17 tracks for the Old Enough To Know Better album, which appears through Punk Shit Records. His album I’m More Punk Than You follows in 2008 and is available through Winston Records.