Paul Taylor "Watty" Watson (March 16, 1952 – November 20, 2024) was an American cornetist, guitarist, trumpet player, singer, composer, and songwriter who lived in Richmond, Virginia.
Life and career Watson was born in Monkey's Eyebrow, Kentucky on March 16, 1952. He is best known for his work with Orthotonics, FSK, Sparklehorse, and Patrick Phelan.
From 2007 onward he worked frequently in New York and Europe with the band And The Wiremen, and his principal collaborator in that band, composer Lynn Wright. With Wright, he also worked regularly with the New York-based choreographer Rachel Cohen, and a wide range of improvisors and songwriters, including Pere Ubu's Tony Maimone, poet Pete Simonelli, violinist Simon Goff, singer Little Annie and her music director Paul Wallfisch, and experimental German vocalist Christiane Hommelsheim.
In 2014, he released a solo record My Secret Effect.
Watson lived in Richmond, Virginia, where he died from complications of Parkinson's disease on November 20, 2024, at the age of 72.
Selected discography 1979 – Idio Savant – Shakers in a Tantrum Landscape 1981 – Alchemical Rowdies – Trans-Idio 1982 – Ortho-tonics – Accessible As Gravity 1984 – 1/2 Japanese – Our Solar System 1984 – Orthotonics – Wake Up You Must Remember 1985 – Half Japanese – Sing No Evil 1986 – F.A.F.O.O.T. – FA3574 1989 – House of Freaks – Tantilla +13 1990 – Half Japanese – We Are They Who Ache With Amorous Love 1993 – FSK – The Sound Of Music 1995 – Sparklehorse – London 1995 – Sparklehorse – Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot 1996 – FSK – International 1998 – Rattlemouth – Fist Full Of Iffy 1998 – Sparklehorse – Good Morning Spider 1999 – Michael Hurley – Weatherhole 1999 – One Ring Zero – Tranz Party 2000 – The Blasco Ballroom – Film 2000 – Patrick Phelan – Songs Of Patrick Phelan 2000 – Cracker – Garage D'Or 2001 – Patrick Phelan – Parlor 2001 – A Camp – A Camp 2001 – Dexter Romweber – Chased By Martians 2001 – Griefbirds – Paper Radio 2002 – Cordero – Lamb Lost In The City 2004 – Tulsa Drone – No Wake 2006 – Ostinato – Chasing The Form 2006 – Tanakh – Ardent Fevers 2006 – Sarah White – White Light 2007 – Gachupin – Gachupin 2010 – And the Wiremen – And the Wiremen 2012 - Bee and Flower - Suspension 2012 - Jonathan Vassar and the Speckled Bird - Sky and Country 2014 - Paul Watson - My Secret Effect 2015 - TB Ward - LambLion 2015 - And The Wiremen - Send Me Low 2016 - And The Wiremen - Caged Bird/Mad Love (Single)
References
External links Paul Watson on Myspace
Recording of F.A.F.O.O.T. at the Free Music Archive