By Julie McLaughlin
A local man is making a return to the music industry after many years away.
Paul Abrol, who is from the Ballykinler area, records music under the name PJ Abrol.
He recently released a new album titled The Good Static.
The music has an alt-rock and power pop sound, similar in style to Weezer and Teenage Fanclub.
The debut single, Airspace, has been gaining airplay on internet radio stations including Amazing Radio in the UK and Mexiquense Radio in Mexico.
Paul’s new music is available to stream on Spotify and via PJ Abrol Bandcamp.
What makes the 47-year-old’s story particularly unique is that, in addition to being a talented singer, musician, songwriter and producer on the new album, Paul is making a comeback to an industry he stepped away from almost 20 years ago.
Growing up in the Tyrella area, Paul attended Clough Primary School and The High School Ballynahinch.
He said music has always been a major part of his life.
His parents, Robin Abrol and Lavinia Abrol, both played guitar and sang, while his brother Robin Abrol performed in local Christian rock band AD32 during the 1990s.
“Music was always there. My parents were both musicians, so it was the family trade.
“I joke that I did my first tour and studio session in the womb, as my mother was performing right up until I was born,” Paul said.
“It was my mother that taught me my very first chords on the guitar.
“Writing songs came early to me. Despite being socially awkward, I found I could communicate well through music. It was my icebreaker.”
In 1995, Paul formed the alt-rock punk band Bluefish with longtime friend Mike Bell.
Paul handled vocals, guitar and songwriting, while Mike played bass alongside drummer Chris Grant, who was later replaced by Chris Tweed.
“We were all local lads from the Downpatrick and Ballynahinch areas. Our trajectory changed when Will McConnell joined as our fourth member. He was an incredible lead guitarist but also ran a recording studio, which really upped our sonic game,” Paul explained.
The band achieved notable success after winning a European Battle of the Bands competition in Germany in 1997.
“The internet was just becoming a thing then,” Paul said.
“I submitted an MP3 of our song New Jobs & Caviar to an online competition organised by a German record company and promoter. People really connected with the track, and we ended up winning by a significant lead, which took us over there.
“At the time, we were being hailed as the best unsigned band in Europe.
“We had significant radio play and major label interest, but despite the buzz, a deal never quite materialised.
“In 2000, I made the tough call to fold the band.
“I wanted to stop the relentless gigging and get back to the core of it all: writing better songs, so Will and I spent about a year just writing and recording.”
In the early 2000s, Paul formed another pop-punk and rock band called Gimik alongside some of his previous bandmates.
“It was myself, Mike and Will, with Jordan Spence joining us on drums,” Paul said.
“This was a whirlwind period. We won a ‘Big Buzz Award’ for Best New Irish Rock Act and were A-listed on stations like Cool FM and Downtown Radio.”
The band performed at a range of major concerts, including the O2 Party in the Park at Phoenix Park in 2005, where they played in front of more than 100,000 people.
In 2006, Gimik opened for Hilary Duff during five concerts on her arena tour across Dublin and England.
They were also invited to support her on the remainder of her European tour but declined because they would have had to cover their own travel and accommodation costs.
That same year, Gimik also opened for Starsailor at Customs House Square.
“Suddenly, we were performing on national TV across the UK, Ireland and Germany. We found ourselves supporting massive artists like Wheatus, The Presidents of the United States of America and Natasha Bedingfield,” Paul said.
“It was an incredible ride, but by 2007, I hit a wall.
“Looking back, I recognise it now as neurodivergent burnout. I decided to leave the industry entirely and moved to the USA, which began a 19-year hiatus from the music world.”
In 2007, Paul moved to the United States after receiving permanent residency, commonly known as a green card.
Read the full story in the Mourne Observer as Paul explains the moment when he realised he wanted to release a new record.
