Paul May
Some people learn to play guitar, Paul was Born to Play Guitar! Paul May has become respected for his passionate soulful guitar work and for his explosive and exciting solos. Paul has played and sessioned across the globe touring and playing throughout the UK, Europe, USA and the eastern block. Paul appears on around 50 fifty albums to date. He is also a Record Producer and has covered the entire spectrum of musical tastes in Production. Paul has worked with Meltdown on many albums and projets over the past 15 years or so and at one time he was regular pastor at the annual Meltdown conference and is about to start working with Meltdown again on a couple of album projects.

You've worked extensively over the years with Meltdown, in a number of roles. Can you elaborate on that for us? When did your association start, and what brought it about?

Yes, I had the privilege of working alongside Dave Williams and the Meltdown Ministry for several years in various different capacities. I was acting Pastor at the Meltdown Conference, held at the Quinta Centre, for a number of years (that was until my illness. I had a Brain Swell, caused by Viral Enchepalitis, causing liquid on the brain, which left me with Myalgic Enchephalitis/CFS for around 5 years ... but I'm good now thankfully!!)

I also Recorded & Produced a number of albums for some of the Bands that Meltdown were associated with at that time. Dave had approached me, with a view to getting me, to work more within the CCM scene particularly the hard music scene, which I was already associated with in the secular .. and the rest is pretty much history.

You have an impressive track record as both performer and producer. Which do you prefer? Why?

I love both to perfectly honest. I prefer the playing aspect because of the whole energy and emotion you can get in to the music; the "soul" you can exercise by playing one note that can put the hairs up on the back of your neck! and then the million miles per hour diddly diddly hammer ons that you use to excite ... however having said that, I saw Yngwie Malmsteen in concert not long back ....the first number was incredible....the speed, the skill etc, ...... the second number was impressive, ..... by the third number came I was bored S******* !!! ... and by the fourth I had retired to the bar !!! Yawn!!! Lol!!

Seriously though ... I do also really love Producing ... the whole creative process thats involved.... making something out of nothing sometimes!!! and sometimes just polishing great stuff .... I love the creative elements that God placed in us.

Your address book must read like a Who's Who of music, Christian and secular. What do you have to consider when the opportunity comes along to work with these bands/artists?

Well, it obviously depends on what I'm doing. Whether I'm Session playing with my Guitar or Bass playing, or whether I'm Producing and Recording. I approach things in a different way now to the way I used to. When Im approached to work with anyone now days I just think .. Can I offer anything to this? Can I bring something to the table ? If the answers yes then thats pretty good indication of whether I'll choose to work with them or not.

Have you ever had to turn down such an opportunity because their lifestyle clashes with your faith?

Yes, of course. There have been times when I've turned things down because of my Stance and Faith. But having said that, they were probably at a time when I was going through my "Dogmatic Pharisee" period !!! and I turned down Secular gigs in favour of Christian ones! And in retrospect that was just so wrong!! Doh!!

What do you feel Meltdown has brought to the UK's Christian hard music scene?

A home for the culturally unwanted.

How significant an impact do you think it has made?

To the people that attend the conference I think its been a lifeline in many ways ... because they find acceptance and get some great ministry too .. especially from people likes of Pastor Bob Beeman of Sanctuary fame .. a proper Godly Dude!! and a Gentleman.

How would you evaluate your own role in the same scene, both as part of Meltdown, and independently of it?

I guess some people know me and some don't. Im just one of many people who have tried to make a difference with what they have been given. Lets say I hope people remember the Good stuff I did instead of the Sad stuff!!

You're considering going into the studio again for Meltdown. Can you tell us about this?

Yes, Dave has approached me again more recently to work with a couple bands that he feels are ministry minded and worth the effort. We're currently discussing the way forward and hope to put something into action in the not to distant future. Looking forward to it.

What do you feel you can offer the band you're about to work with?

Honesty, Talent, Encouragement and Hard Work . (and a severe roasting if they p*** me about! Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!)

How does it feel to be working with Meltdown again?

Its cool

What might surprise some people is that you don't work exclusively within the hard music spectrum. Even with Meltdown, you've produced Country Rock and Easy listening albums, neither of which were “hard” music. For the benefit of those who can't see it, what's the appeal of other styles of music?

I love all types of music and all the different genres .... Metal, Country, Punk, Classical ... I think theres really only two types of music .... Good and Bad ... but once again, I think Its the creative element involved that I find inspiring .... Variety is cool !! I Love Steak and Chips but sometimes I want Ice cream and Chocolate!!

But of course when it comes down to Christian material you have to consider the content of the material, thats important. Whether that be the communication of the Gospel or some truth about living the christian life you can relate to.

Whats currently on your own Playlist ?

Currently I'm listening to The old Violet Burning album the one with "Crush"on it .. I'm also enjoying The latest AC/DC album "Black Ice" ... and checking out the New KISS album "Sonic Boom".... oh controversy!!!

Who are some of your Favourite Artists, Christian or Secular?

AC/DC, THE CULT, JOHNNY CASH, KILLERS, MICHELLE TUMES, METALLICA, PAUL FIELD, SNOW PATROL, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, VELVET REVOLVER, STEPHEN BRUTON, the list is endless, just too many talented people !!!!!

I spoke to Sarah Prothero, one of the Meltdown recording Artists, when she released “Moving On”, and she told me her method of composing music was to hum the melody to you, and you'd translate that to actual guitar parts. That's not the usual way of writing music, in my experience. Did that make it easier or harder to get the right result for her?

Just different, it was great. I work differently with every individual . With Sarah, I asked her to write the Lyrics and come to me with a basic melody ... I then would take that and develop the song structure, decide what feel and musical elements would be, write the music around the basic idea and then develop it from there. We decided to keep it very simple and make it an easy listening album. Its quite different from many of the other albums. But thats why I like it. Its not over done.

You produced a series of “copyright-free” recordings. Can you explain the concept behind that whole deal?

I released several Copyright Free albums ... basically meaning that no royalties were to be collected for it being used ... for example: I did a low production Worship album, with very simple songs so they could easily be reproduced with a limited number of instruments if necessary, with the idea being that people could use the material and not have to pay a fee to sing it in Church. I also did a series of solo albums with the same idea so that people could copy them and pass them on. I may have a slightly less radical point of view nowadays ... however I still do some projects with the same ethos.

One of your bands, A.N.D., is releasing a new album soon, many years after the last one. Did the band split up, or has it really taken that long to get an album together? What's the story behind this album?

Yes, A.N.D are about to launch a sonic assault on the music scene again with a stonkin' good album. Its way heavier than anything we've ever done before, and its got new members "again". I have to treat the band more as a Project that pops up when its ready. This time around I've assigned some of the vocal duties to my good friend Dave Rowley (who's also singer in Temple Dogs) and he does a Crackin job! Mr . Metal himself! I also do some of the main vocals too, so as to keep some continuity with the other CDs, and there are several other guests that crop up on the album. Its cool, I have to say.

You've been a member of several other bands: Temple Dogs, V-Rats, the Al Atkins Band (ex Judas Priest) How did you get involved with all of these projects?

Well, TEMPLE DOGS are releasing their album this year too!! Several years behind schedule ... but hey, hooray already !!! This is more of a Rock'n'Roll album with some interesting subject matter. Its rock'n'roll style meets post punk with a hint of goth. Nice combo!! It features Dave Rowley on main vox, Rob Allen on drums and myself on Guitars.

Yes, I also played guitar on the V. Rats album for old mate Pete Emms and played the shows with them over a year or so back now. Its a good album, its a rocker ... I actually recorded the majority of my lead breaks at my own studio, Rock Solid, and then we replaced the wav files in the Recording studio M2. It worked well, and the engineers there, Mark and Sheena, are great people and know their stuff.

Tell us about Rock Solid Studios and Dog Ruff Records.

Well "Rock Solid" has been my Recording Studio for about 15 years or so now where I've Recorded and Produced many Christian Albums and Artists of all Genres and Styles. I only record Christian material in this Studio and as a rule only do Albums.

Dog Ruff Records is my label that will be in action fairly shortly, just watch this space.

How many albums do you appear on yourself to date?

About 50 albums or more now, all various styles, a mixture of secular and Christian albums.

Not too long ago, people like you (long hair, dodgy music) would have been shunned by the church or, at best, tolerated but not understood. How has that changed, if at all, since you started in the business? Does your church support your work, or simply not get it? Is it difficult to be a 21 st Century Christian in the hard music scene?

Laugh ... I nearly bought a round!!! Dodgy music!!!! What do you mean???? Lol!!You know what? .... It is horrible when people reject you .... Okay, Its understandable to a degree, when you've messed up (especially as many times as me) and then people seem to remind you that to "obey is better than sacrifice" but forget that "Mercy Triumphs over Judgement !!" ... but you know... its just so wrong to judge someone by the way they look. (Theres actually a song about it on the Temple Dogs album. A song called yeah yeah...The verse goes:

"Whats the deal about the clothes I wear? Are you disturbed by the colour of my hair? Are you offended by the words I say? Does my image really spoil your day?"

Believe it or not, I've personally, and thankfully, only encountered this maybe two or three times in the 20 years I've been a Christian. My former Church were very supportive of the work I did, we had a great minister.

However, a few years back I was actually sessioning with a well known USA worship leader who was over in the UK to do a few gigs, and we turned up to this church in the West Midlands and the leaders wanted to send me and the drummer back to change because we had jeans and a T-shirt on!!! Apparently there was a dress code to get into the Church!!! Bear in mind this was supposed to open to the public!!! I wonder how many people got turned away that night!!! "Sorry you just cant get saved without shoes and a pair of slacks!!!!"Gimme a break !!!

What do you feel are the biggest issues facing ministry bands today? Are they inevitable, or easily avoided? How does Paul May face and overcome these issues?

Depends on what you mean by Ministry Bands to be fair. What actually defines a Ministry Band? There was time when I thought that I had a clear cut view on what a Ministry Band was. But I've come to realise there are so many different types of service and to so many different areas. If you said Evangelical it would be clearer to elaborate on ... but if we're talking ministry to the Church with say Prophetic songs to Encourage and Inspire thats equally as valid as say a Ministry to the Unsaved, its still service. And then of course we have the purely Worship bands. I think one of the biggest issues facing a Ministry band today is to be sure that you're doing what (you feel) you've been called to do without living up to the expectations of others. At the end of the day you're accountable to the LORD, not man. I think if you are in any type of Front-line ministry its good to have some form of support, purely because of the dangers that are involved and the circumstances that can arise from them if you are left vulnerable. None of us are immune to the nature of our flesh or the frailty of our humanity!!!

If you were told your next album will be your last, but had free rein on it, what would you record?

Something Good!!!

What are you most proud of in life, music related or otherwise? Do you have any regrets?

Now, thats a loaded question! Ha! If I say I'm "Proud" you just know that some bloody Pharisee will come along and tell me that prides a sin !! And Im afraid I would have to tell them to Kiss my A**!! And then I've failed again!! Lol!! So I'll re-phrase the question for you! lol! I am "Thankful" for all the great people that I've had the opportunity to know and work with, because many who have gone on to become my dearest and closest friends, true life long pals. I'm grateful for all the blessings God has given through his gift of Music and yes there are some things that I'm pleased with ... album wise I like the Al Atkins album (Ex Judas Priest) "Victim of Changes" that I Played on and co Produced, secular though it was. The self titled "Janus"Album (secular band singing Christian lyrics that I wrote, that was cool) I'm happy that The Copyright Free albums have gone all over the world, I'm talking , many, many thousands, I mean wow! The privilege of constantly being able to work with people from the other side of the globe on a regular basis is amazing, really ... I mean I'm nothing ... but despite my failures and inadequacies God still chooses to use me!!

Hmmm ...Regrets? Flippin loads mate !!!

If there was one piece of advice that a ministry band needs to be told, what is it?

Protect yourself and each other, no matter what ! Do the best you can and get on with it!!! And if by chance you Stumble or Fall, even from from a "great height" get up put your running shoes back on and keep head to the finishing line, even if it is with a limp!!! Its how you finish that counts!!!! God is bigger than all your failings!!

Back to top