Paul Smith (English singer)

Born in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, Smith is the eldest of three children, and was educated at Northfield School. He attended Newcastle University completing a BA and MA, studying Art History and English Linguistics, following a 1-year Foundation Studies course at Cleveland College of Art and Design in Hartlepool. He briefly worked as an art teacher^[1] at Stockton Riverside College, before the then-girlfriend of Maxïmo Park drummer Tom English noticed Smith singing along to Stevie Wonder's "Superstition",^[2] where he was asked to join the band, active for three years by that point, taking over on vocals from guitarist Duncan Lloyd and then-bassist Archis Tiku, both of whom co-fronted the band in its infancy, with the latter two, by that point, wanting the focus on writing the band's songs instead.

In April 2007, Smith contributed vocals to a Pop soul^[3] remix of Maxïmo Park's 2005 single "Apply Some Pressure" by DJ and producer Mark Ronson for his studio album of cover versions, Version.^[4] Smith recorded the vocals for Ronson after Ronson invited him to perform on the instrumental he had made based on the band's original.

In 2014 Smith teamed up with Field Music singer Peter Brewis to record an album, Frozen by Sight, derived from his travel writing, and featuring string arrangements by Brewis.^[5]

In 2015 he released Contradictions, a solo album, as Paul Smith and the Intimations,^[6] and in 2018, released a fourth solo album Diagrams.^[7]

Smith grew up idolising Morrissey and has been compared by critics to the Smiths' former frontman and to Jarvis Cocker for his introspective lyrics and on-stage hyperactivity.^{[8][9][10][11]}

He is a fan of Middlesbrough F.C.^[12]