FIFTH QUARTER

MOMENTUM

enjoy participating whenever I can and, because I can’t seem to stop myself writing a new songs, singing in a local singers’ club. I really enjoy this and feel it keeps me connected with music. Many of you who have contacted me about the availability of my recorded music may have given up hope of ever finding it. I'm ashamed that it has taken me so long but I am pleased to be able to say four of my albums, starting with the first, “Caution to the Wind”, are now in CD format.

Caution to the Wind 1981

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Lines of Lingering 2015

LINES OF LINGERING

Momentum 1982

CAUTION TO THE WIND

Songbook

SONGBOOK

IN THE HURRICANE’S EYE

In the Hurricane’s Eye 1984

Many who have followed folk music for a long time will know that I owe the wonderful, gifted musician, Nic Jones, a massive debt for making my song “Farewell to the Gold” so well known by recording it on his ‘Penguin Eggs’ LP. This was a big factor in my decision to move from New Zealand to UK in 1980. (The fact that my partner, Pauline, was from Kendal in Cumbria probably also played a part!)In NZ I had for some years been writing and performing my own songs and I relished the challenge of trying to survive as a singer-songwriter on the UK folk music scene.To cut a long story short, I bumbled along until, in 1989, five LPs and a songbook later, I decided the best thing for me and Pauline and our children was to try to do something more home-based for a living, so we set up our Sagem Crafts wooden board game manufacturing business and I gave up touring and playing in public. I have many treasured and unique memories from this time in my musical career and met many generous and hospitable people on the way, not to mention getting to know most of superb musicians on Britain’s folk scene.But nothing stays the same and life brings constant change.These days, although I don’t play to audiences very much at all I still hugely

When I was one of the many musicians travelling around and playing at folk clubs and festivals in the UK in the eighties, I had a leaflet of biographical details which I would supply to organisers for publicity purposes. This was written in the third person to give the impression it was someone else’s opinion—it’s embarrassing to be ‘bigging yourself up’ and doesn’t feel right and yet it was probably the norm. Anyway, this time, since I’m too old to bother about such things any more, I’m blatantly blowing my own trumpet!

PACIFIC PILGRIM

Pacific Pilgrim 1986

Fifth Quarter 1987

One of the best things about travelling around folk clubs all the time is the pleasant musical surprises you get from time to time.  Of these, one of the most agreeable I’ve had stopped me short at the door and held me spellbound.  It was a stunningly talented duo from Bury, near Manchester, by the name of Chris and Joe While.  It is with the greatest of pleasure that I have their able assistance on this record. I freely admit many influences from other musicians and songwriters over the years and I acknowledge a debt to them all for what they unknowingly taught me and what succeeded in rubbing off.  One such is the unique and compelling musician and singer, Nic Jones.  Although he does not appear on this record, Nic  is always keen to hear my latest efforts and has frequently encouraged me along what is at times a difficult road. Another is widely-respected singer, fine songwriter and good friend, Allan Taylor. I sincerely appreciate Allan’s willingness to contribute to this record. As with Chris & Joe, I came across Matt Clifford in a folk club where he was playing synthesizer for singer Johnny Coppin in whose band he is keyboards man. I knew instantly he was the right man for the job here.  I’m sure you’ll agree he proves me right. I love Irish music and was pleased that Mick Doonan was able to fit a session in with his Uilleann pipes, while Alan Tipple, member of the group Tamarisk, is one of the few players on the folk scene of the timeless Pan pipes.

 1   Still Trying  2   Walls  3   Some Day  4   Where the Blame Belongs  5   The Sarsen Stone  6   Dancing Shoes  7   Hard on your Heels  8   Say You Will  9   The Blistering Air 10  Play it all Again 11  Crazy Tears

Momentum on Apple Music

Momentum

Download the lyrics for Momentum

Download the lyrics for  In the Hurricane’s Eye

Somebody once said: “We do not own the Earth; we merely borrow it from our children.” If this philosophy would only guide our use of this tiny planet, there would be no reason to divide it up, to squander its gifts or to spoil its beauty. Making a record is a bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle. I hope you find all the pieces, that they fit together well and that you get the picture! 

In the Hurricane’s Eye

In the Hurricane’s Eye on Apple Music

  1 Aotearoa   2 How Soon - How Long_   3 Need for Wings   4 The Journey   5 No Crusaders   6 Winter Afternoon   7 To Pamplona   8 Warriors of the Rainbow   9 Deep in the Night 10 Slowin' Down 

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Pacific Pilgrim on Apple Music

Pacific Pilgrim

This record is the fourth quarter. Once more I have been lucky to have the talents of several good friends, all fine musicians, to help me make my word-and-sound pictures in the studio.     Howard Lees, half of the brilliant acoustic jazz/contemporary duo Hobson & Lees, helps out with some lovely lead guitar, while Keith Donnelly and Gilly Darby, formerly of “Waterfall”, sing most of the vocal harmonies and backings.  Andy Irvine, of the Irish group Planxty, who sometimes stays with me when he is in the north of England, plays harmonica and mandola, while Andrew Cronshaw, who often puts me up in London, adds his unusual electric zither sound. I needed a pedal steel for one of the songs and eventually found Vic Collins, who has worked with Flaco Jimenez on some of the latter’s British tours. Last, but probably deservedly first, is Matt Clifford, who has already worked on my two previous LPs.  Matt has taken time out from his busy tour schedule in France, where he plays keyboards for French singer Julien Clerc, to come and grace my songs with his sensitive and inventive accompaniments. To Matt and all the above, my grateful thanks.     Finally I must mention John Gill, who has engineered all my previous records and once more worked the desk.  Special thanks to John for sharing all the hard work and the long hours. 

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Fifth Quarter on Apple Music

Fifth Quarter

  1  Joel's Song   2  I.O.U.   3  The Fast Lane Down   4  The Eagle and the Islanders   5  Bring it to Be   6  Wingless Angel   7  Uncle Sam   8  Rolling Home   9  The Pathway of Love 10  Beat the Drum for Freedom 

This was my fifth and final album made while I was still a full-time touring musician before coming off the road at the end of 1989.        It is not possible to put together a recording like this without the considerable help, support and encouragement of others. In fact I’m certain that the microphone which will make my voice sound even reasonable hasn’t been invented yet, so my thanks again to John Gill, who engineered in the studio and made the best of it. Also, to a band of friends and supporters and of course the musicians, Jim Sutherland, Matt Clifford, Rory McLeod, Chris While, Howard Lees and Stu Luckley, who not only helped tremendously but made it so much more enjoyable. 

Lines of Lingering

  1  Now is the Time    2  Second Hand Dreams   3  Wild Bird   4  The Scarecrow   5  Actors   6  Children of the Sun   7 The Price you Pay   8  Every Mother’s Son   9  The Time of your Arrival 10  Dublin to Derry

Lines of Lingering on Apple Music

11  What Will you Wear 12  The Crows they Crow 13  Song for Kerry 14  They all went to Rio 15  What is Wrong  16  Race 17  Leeway 18  There Once was Love 19  So Hard to Love 20  I am the Land

Artwork by Monica Metsers.See more at www.monicametsers.com

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Songs that for various reasons never made it onto the albums and songs that have been written since coming off the road as a full-time musician This is a double album with 20 songs spanning over 30 years from the mid- to late-1960’s in New Zealand to the 1990’s in the UK. 

  1  Writer’s Song    2  Lose Myself in You   3  A Thousand Years Today   4  Ripple Away   5  A Song for You at Last   6  The Hunt    7  Farewell to the Gold   8  Sandy’s Song   9  Day Comes Soon 10  Crossroads 11  The Seal Children 

Caution to the Wind on Apple Music

Sample of Writer’s Song

It seems hardly any time at all since I was first played a Paul Metsers song on a small tape recorder in Kendal. The song was “Farewell to the Gold”, which I immediately had to learn. At that time Paul was in New Zealand, where he had a well-established reputation as an accomplished songwriter and performer. He has since then moved across to England and sung his songs in many of the folk clubs here, earning a warm response for his immaculate melodies and the extremely singable choruses to his songs. The lyrics cover a variety of subjects; from gold prospecting in New Zealand to foxhunting, Sandy Denny to seal culling, proving him to be very worthwhile and welcome addition to the songwriting talents of the British folk club scene. Nic Jones

The title says it all. I quit my teaching job in New Zealand in 1980 to try my luck on the UK folk music scene, where John Zollman of Highway Records was brave enough to originally record this first collection of my songs in 1981, which I’m now putting out on my own Sagem label  It includes my “Farewell to the Gold”, first recorded by the incomparable Nic Jones on his classic “Penguin Eggs” record. I’m so lucky to have the help of other musicians I admire—Nic Jones, Helen Watson, Steve Turner and Mick Doonan

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Caution to the Wind 

web design by Guy Hemmings

The Paul Metsers Songbook contains the words and music to 52 of Paul's songs with chord shapes, lyrics and tunings. Complete with monochrome photos by Chris Pert. The book contains all the songs on my first 4 records and several unrecorded songs are also included.  The production of this book would have been impossible had it not been for the help of the following friends:  Pauline Brocklehurst, Jon McNamara, Chris Pert, Bill Walton, Joe While.   To each of them I offer my sincere thanks. This book is dedicated to my children.   All the songs in this book are written by me.  All are published by SAGEM with the exception of “Farewell to the Gold” which is published by Topic Records (Music) Limited and included with Topic’s permission. The songbook is £7.50 (£5.00 if purchased with a CD). Email Paul if you would like to have one.  Paul is happy to sign your copy on request. ©Paul Metsers, Cumbria, UK October 1986