Paul Noonan
Encyclopedia
Paul Noonan is an Irish
singer from Lucan, County Dublin
, and lead vocalist of the band Bell X1. His father is Noel Noonan, the recently retired principal of St. Mary's B.N.S. in Lucan.
During the early 90s, while attending Salesian College secondary school in Celbridge, Noonan joined the band Juniper
as drummer. He later attended university at Trinity College, Dublin
and completed a degree in computer engineering. Juniper had by this time gained a significant following and signed a multi-album deal with Polygram
in 1997. Two singles were recorded before frontman Damien Rice
left the band and moved to Tuscany
, Italy
to work on solo material. The remaining band members continued to play together and eventually formed Bell X1 with Noonan as their vocalist. Rice, meanwhile, has become a world-famous folk artist, most noted for his albums O and 9
.
Noonan plays drums on all of Bell X1's studio recordings and has been known to occasionally play drums at live performances if a session drummer is not available. Currently, Tim O'Donovan (who also fronts electro-pop act NeoSuperVital) is the band's live drummer. Noonan most commonly plays guitar
, percussion
and kazoo
. Noonan has also appeared, and was among the producers on the 2006 charity album, The Cake Sale
. In October 2007, he played drums as part of Irish singer Cathy Davey
's touring band and he has regularly works with Gemma Hayes
where he has featured on her EPs, her debut album Night On My Side
providing backing vocals and drums and her 2008 album The Hollow of Morning
, he will also appear on her fourth album in May 2011.
He used to live in Smithfield, Dublin and while there knew a homeless guy who used to be a boxer; they called him Rocky. He got drunk and smashed their windows and used to sleep outside in the laneway. One morning Noonan woke to find he had taken a lady friend and wrote a song imagining their conversation that morning. It was later released as the single "Rocky Took a Lover
".
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
singer from Lucan, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
, and lead vocalist of the band Bell X1. His father is Noel Noonan, the recently retired principal of St. Mary's B.N.S. in Lucan.
During the early 90s, while attending Salesian College secondary school in Celbridge, Noonan joined the band Juniper
Juniper (band)
Juniper were an Irish rock band from County Kildare, most widely-known today as a precursor to Damien Rice and Bell X1. The band consisted of Rice , Paul Noonan, Brian Crosby, Dominic Philips and David Geraghty...
as drummer. He later attended university at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
and completed a degree in computer engineering. Juniper had by this time gained a significant following and signed a multi-album deal with Polygram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
in 1997. Two singles were recorded before frontman Damien Rice
Damien Rice
Damien Rice is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who plays guitar, piano, clarinet and percussion....
left the band and moved to Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to work on solo material. The remaining band members continued to play together and eventually formed Bell X1 with Noonan as their vocalist. Rice, meanwhile, has become a world-famous folk artist, most noted for his albums O and 9
9 (Damien Rice album)
9 is the second studio album by Irish singer, songwriter and producer Damien Rice, released in 2006. The album was released on 3 November in Ireland, 6 November in the United Kingdom and 14 November in the US. It was followed by the single "9 Crimes", which was released on 27 November 2006...
.
Noonan plays drums on all of Bell X1's studio recordings and has been known to occasionally play drums at live performances if a session drummer is not available. Currently, Tim O'Donovan (who also fronts electro-pop act NeoSuperVital) is the band's live drummer. Noonan most commonly plays guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
and kazoo
Kazoo
The kazoo is a wind instrument which adds a "buzzing" timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. The kazoo is a type of mirliton, which is a membranophone, a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane."Kazoo" was the name given by...
. Noonan has also appeared, and was among the producers on the 2006 charity album, The Cake Sale
The Cake Sale
The Cake Sale are a collective of mostly Irish musical artists including Swedish singer/songwriter Nina Persson of The Cardigans and Australian musician Nick Seymour of Crowded House....
. In October 2007, he played drums as part of Irish singer Cathy Davey
Cathy Davey
Cathy Davey is an Irish singer-songwriter. She has released one extended play, "Come Over" , and three albums, Something Ilk , Tales of Silversleeve and The Nameless...
's touring band and he has regularly works with Gemma Hayes
Gemma Hayes
Gemma Claire Hayes is an Irish singer-songwriter and member of The Cake Sale.-Early life:...
where he has featured on her EPs, her debut album Night On My Side
Night on My Side
Night on my Side is the debut album by Irish singer-songwriter Gemma Hayes, released in 2002 with success in the Republic of Ireland, France and the UK.The album was nominated for that year's Mercury Music Prize but lost out to Ms...
providing backing vocals and drums and her 2008 album The Hollow of Morning
The Hollow of Morning
The Hollow of Morning is the third album by Irish singer-songwriter Gemma Hayes, released on 2 May 2008 in the Republic of Ireland. "Out of Our Hands" was the first single from the album. The album was released in North America on 20 May 2008 on iTunes...
, he will also appear on her fourth album in May 2011.
He used to live in Smithfield, Dublin and while there knew a homeless guy who used to be a boxer; they called him Rocky. He got drunk and smashed their windows and used to sleep outside in the laneway. One morning Noonan woke to find he had taken a lady friend and wrote a song imagining their conversation that morning. It was later released as the single "Rocky Took a Lover
Rocky Took a Lover
"Rocky Took a Lover" is a single by the Irish pop rock quintet, Bell X1, and the third to be taken from the band's third album Flock. It was released on 28 August 2006. It entered the Irish Singles Chart on 31 August 2006, spending four weeks there and peaking at #18...
".