25 Facts About Paul Barrett

Paul Franklyn "Legs" Barrett was a UK agent and manager of 1950s style rock and roll artists, an author and previously a singer, songwriter and film actor.

Paul Barrett was born in Blackwood, Monmouthshire, in 1940 but moved to Penarth near Cardiff, at an early age, where he has lived ever since.

Paul Barrett's father was a brass moulder and his mother was a housewife and author.

Paul Barrett's parents named him Paul after Paul Robeson the black American singer, actor and radical activist, and Francis after Sir Francis Drake.

However Paul Barrett always disliked his middle name and formally changed it in 1961 to Franklyn, because he preferred the name and admired Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Paul Barrett was educated at Cogan School, King's College, Cardiff and Victoria Road School, Penarth.

On leaving secondary school Paul Barrett had several mundane jobs including photographer's assistant, market barrow-boy, door-to-door salesman, council labourer, brewery worker, warehouseman, plastics-moulder, potato-packer, railway-signalman, shop assistant, grassmower, hospital porter and hotel receptionist.

Paul Barrett began promoting teenage dances at the local venue, the Paget Rooms, that would continue until the early 1980s.

Paul Barrett opened a specialist rock and roll record shop on Glebe Street.

Paul Barrett himself took the persona of Earl Fuggle on lead vocals.

Paul Barrett reluctantly went to see the Rebels after a recommendation early in 1969.

Paul Barrett offered to manage Michael Barratt on the condition that he left the Rebels and, secondly, find a new stage name.

Paul Barrett would manage Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets until 1977, even appearing on stage with them as a vocalist.

The Sunsets persisted for a few more years with Paul Barrett arranging tours of the Netherlands and Ireland as well as many one night gigs in the UK.

Paul Barrett negotiated Rockin' Louie's recording of an album titled 'It Will Stand' for Charly records that became a minor seller in European markets and a minor hit in the Southern US states.

When Louie finally left the Sunsets and reformed the Backbeats, Paul Barrett decided the time had arrived to sever his association with the Sunsets.

Paul Barrett became embroiled in litigation for twenty years over unpaid royalties from several albums that had been written and produced under his guidance, but later rereleased to commercial success.

Shaky was willing to call a truce after that court case, Paul Barrett was still angry about the non-payment of royalties from the I'm No JD and Rockin' And Shakin' albums.

Paul Barrett reissued both albums on a single CD in 2005 under the uncompromising title of How To Be Awarded Two Gold Records And Not Be Paid A Penny in Royalties, complete with sleeve notes issuing a challenge to both Sony and Universal to sue him if they believed their rights had been breached.

Ever since first managing Shakin' Stevens in 1969, Paul Barrett continued to be a professional agent, manager and promoter of 1950s style rock and roll artists including Charlie Gracie, Wee Willie Harris, Bill Haley's original Comets, the Jets, Matchbox, Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers, Linda Gail Lewis and The Class of '58.

Paul Barrett has promoted and organised weekend long rock and roll themed events and major concerts all over the UK and on mainland Europe.

Paul Barrett sang live on stage with the band, adding his vocals to the Sunset's mix.

Since the 1970s Barrett has regularly appeared as an extra in several feature films, the most notable being his major featured appearance as the "Table Monster" in the kitsch horror film 'Bloody New Year' directed by cult film-maker Norman J Warren.

Paul Barrett was featured in the rock 'n' roll movie Blue Suede Shoes and appeared in the 1987 TV drama mini-series Sins that starred Joan Collins.

Paul Barrett's book was more a humorous 'warts and all' tale of many behind-the-spotlights events during the band's history and quite different to the several other official biographies.