Paul Rutherford
Encyclopedia
Paul Rutherford is the former backing vocalist, dancer and occasional keyboardist with 1980s pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood
(FGTH), one of the group's two openly gay
singers.
He was born in inner-city Liverpool, but as a child during the 1960s moved to the Cantril Farm district (built to replace inner city slums), where future footballer Micky Quinn
and future comedian Craig Charles
were among his neighbours.
Rutherford sang backing vocals to Holly Johnson
and also danced.
He emerged from the 1970s punk
scene on Merseyside
founding initial fame with St.Helen's band The Spitfire Boys
.He later teamed up with Johnson in a new band which would go on to dominate the UK Singles Chart
in 1984. He frequented and performed at the Seven Dials Jazz Club
in London.
The band ended two years later and Rutherford attempted a solo
career which was short lived. In 1989 three singles and the album Oh World
were released. Two tracks on it were produced by ABC
. In late 2010 he released new album "The Cowboy Years" under the name "Paul Rutherford/Butt Cowboys".
In 2011 saw the reissue of Oh World album and collaboration with Claudia Brucken (former Propaganda) on her latest album "Combined"
He was known for being one of the first musicians to endorse nipple
-piercing and also for the ace of hearts he had tattoo
ed on his arm.
Rutherford currently lives on Waiheke Island
, New Zealand
, with his longtime partner.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Frankie Goes to Hollywood were a British dance-pop band popular in the mid-1980s. The group was fronted by Holly Johnson , with Paul Rutherford , Peter Gill , Mark O'Toole , and Brian Nash .The group's debut single "Relax" was banned by the BBC in 1984 while at number six in the charts and...
(FGTH), one of the group's two openly gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
singers.
He was born in inner-city Liverpool, but as a child during the 1960s moved to the Cantril Farm district (built to replace inner city slums), where future footballer Micky Quinn
Micky Quinn
Michael "Micky" Quinn is a former footballer. He was predominantly a centre forward during a career in which he scored 228 goals from 515 games in the Football League.- Club career :...
and future comedian Craig Charles
Craig Charles
Craig Joseph Charles is an English actor, stand-up comedian, author, poet, radio and television presenter, best known for playing Dave Lister in the British cult-favourite science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf...
were among his neighbours.
Rutherford sang backing vocals to Holly Johnson
Holly Johnson
Holly Johnson is an English artist, writer and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and former bassist for Big in Japan.- Big in Japan :...
and also danced.
He emerged from the 1970s punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
scene on Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
founding initial fame with St.Helen's band The Spitfire Boys
The Spitfire Boys
The Spitfire Boys were the first Liverpool punk band to release a single . The Spitfire Boys were mainly notable for including in their line-up Peter Clarke, who went on to drum for The Slits and later Siouxsie and the Banshees as Budgie, and Paul Rutherford, later better known for being a member...
.He later teamed up with Johnson in a new band which would go on to dominate the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1984. He frequented and performed at the Seven Dials Jazz Club
Seven Dials Jazz Club
The Seven Dials Jazz Club opened its doors in 1980 as a venue for live music in Covent Garden, London. It hosted a range of artists and styles of jazz and began to attract a regular audience...
in London.
The band ended two years later and Rutherford attempted a solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
career which was short lived. In 1989 three singles and the album Oh World
Oh World (album)
Oh World, released in 1989, is the sole solo album by Paul Rutherford, the former backing singer of Frankie Goes To Hollywood.-Track listing:# "Oh World" - 6:53 # "Deep At The Centre" - 5:00...
were released. Two tracks on it were produced by ABC
ABC (band)
ABC are an English band, that charted ten UK and five US Top 40 singles between 1981 and 1990. The band continues to tour and released a new album, Traffic, in 2008.-Formation:...
. In late 2010 he released new album "The Cowboy Years" under the name "Paul Rutherford/Butt Cowboys".
In 2011 saw the reissue of Oh World album and collaboration with Claudia Brucken (former Propaganda) on her latest album "Combined"
He was known for being one of the first musicians to endorse nipple
Nipple
In its most general form, a nipple is a structure from which a fluid emanates. More specifically, it is the projection on the breasts or udder of a mammal by which breast milk is delivered to a mother's young. In this sense, it is often called a teat, especially when referring to non-humans, and...
-piercing and also for the ace of hearts he had tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
ed on his arm.
Rutherford currently lives on Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island is an island in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, located about from Auckland.The island is the second-largest in the Hauraki Gulf after Great Barrier Island. It is the most populated, with nearly 8,000 permanent residents plus another estimated 3,400 who have second or holiday homes...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, with his longtime partner.
Solo Discography
- Oh World (1989) re-released in 2011
- That Moon EP w/ The Pressure Zone (1989) re-released in 2010
- The Cowboy Years (2010)
External links
- Paul Rutherford/Butt Cowboys The Cowboy Years at iTunesITunesiTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
- Frankie Goes to Hollywood Official site