JALP Events present singer, guitarist, and songwriter Paul Draper, best known as the lead vocalist with the popular British rock band Mansun, and will perform a 25th-anniversary show of their 'Six' album on Wednesday 25th October.

Wednesday 25th October 2023
Doors 7pm | Curfew 11pm
Ages 14+ (U18s to be accompanied)
Advance Tickets | £25 + Fees
The audience for this show will be standing

Playing smart hard rock with an ambitious outlook that found room for prog and glam influences, Mansun were a surprise success story on the British rock scene of the '90s. Draper was born in Liverpool, England on September 26, 1970, and began playing guitar when he was 15. Draper was attending Thames Polytechnic when he met Steve Heaton and Carlton Hibbert. The three formed a band called Grind; they released a 12" single, "Thought" b/w "The Dying Man," in 1991, but it wasn't a hit and the group soon split up. However, Draper and Hibbert would cross paths again when they joined forces with Dominic Chad, Stove King, and Mark Swinnerton to form Grey Lantern in 1995. Within months, the group had changed its name to Manson, and they independently released a debut single, "Take It Easy Chicken," that had several major labels bidding for their services. After signing with Parlophone, Manson became Mansun, reportedly due to threatened legal action from Charles Manson.

In early 1997, Mansun released their debut album, Attack of the Grey Lantern, which quickly rose to number one on the U.K. album chart (knocking Brit-pop heroes Blur out of the top spot), and the cult heroes became bona fide rock stars, at least in England. After Mansun's eclectic and ambitious second album, Six (1999), was a commercial disappointment, the band streamlined its sound on 2000's Little Kix. While working on their fourth album, Draper was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer known as bowenoid malignancy. Draper responded well to chemotherapy, but by the time he was healthy enough to return to work on the project, Mansun had broken up and the album was scrapped. (With Draper's participation, some of the tracks from the unfinished fourth album appeared on the 2004 box set Kleptomania.)

After Mansun announced their breakup in 2003, Draper initially maintained a low profile in the music business. He co-wrote and co-produced a 2006 single for Skin, vocalist with Skunk Anansie, and returned to the producer's chair for "Greyhounds in the Slips," a digital single released by The Joy Formidable. Draper also spent several years working with singer and composer Catherine A.D. on a project called The Anchoress, with their first single appearing in 2014. In 2013, during a radio interview, Draper announced he had recorded demos for a possible solo album and that he might make them available to fans if they were interested. The response was strong, and several fans went so far as to create social media pages lobbying for the release of Draper's recordings. In 2014, Draper appeared at a Mansun fan convention, and those in attendance heard a new track from him, "Feeling My Heart Run Slow." Two years later, Draper announced that he had signed with Kscope Records, and that he would be bringing out his first solo release, EP One, in June 2016. He returned in the summer of 2017 with his first full-length effort, Spooky Action, recorded with Catherine AD (The Anchoress) and longtime Mansun collaborator P-Dub. Draper embarked on a nationwide tour in support of the album, featuring Catherine AD as part of the live ensemble.

The night will consist of a first set of solo material by Paul and the band, picked from Paul’s first 2 solo albums will precede an interval. Then after a short break, Paul and the band will perform Mansun’s ‘Six’ album in full for its 25th anniversary.

Links to Socials

Website - https://pauldraperofficial.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pauldraperofficial

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pauldraperofficial/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/PaulDraper

Advance Tickets are now on sale, priced at £25, fees. The age requirement for this event is 14 plus (U18s to be accompanied).

Our ticket sales are handled by Seetickets.com. Seetickets’ policy is that all tickets are non-refundable unless, during the checkout process, you pay extra to protect your tickets. In this event, you may be able to claim a refund from Seetickets, if your reason for cancellation is covered by their terms and conditions. Docks Academy is unable to process refunds in all circumstances. Please note this event is for people aged 14 and over. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Anyone aged under 14 will be refused admission and no refunds will be issued for tickets purchased for under 14s, whether or not ticket protection has been paid for.

Accessibility:

Docks Academy has a wheelchair-accessible lift which provides access to the first floor. We are committed to making the venue accessible to everyone and we endeavour to accommodate all access requirements within the constraints of our historic building, and health and safety regulations. Please do contact us prior to your visit so we are aware of your access needs. Email tickets@docksacademy.com or phone 07733244110.