Paul Avion
Paul Avion (a native of New Orleans, LA) is a musician from Los Angeles. In 2009, he was chosen by SPIN.com as an Artist to Watch, and he is also known for living and working in the slums of Africa for SPIN Earth.
Paul Avion is noted for music that encompasses a wide variety of styles, from folk to experimental to electronic pop, with most of his songs apparently coming from dreams. He has said he considers himself a "sound explorer" in the vein of Joni Mitchell or Leonard Cohen, who he sites as major influences.
He has received further press in College Music Magazine, Glasswerk UK, Sentimentalist Magazine and other outlets.
In 2010, he announced his first solo album, to be released in December 2010, titled R U With Me. The first track released was "Henry Sage & Mrs. Wolverton."
On November 3, 2010, the video for "Stop Joseph Kony" was released, meant to draw attention to atrocities committed by the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda.
As of December 2010, R U With Me had debuted #7 on CMJ's new adds chart and had hit the top 30 lists of various stations, as well as receiving write-ups and recommendations from several.
The album also scored at the top of a poll of "What Record Are You Looking Forward to Most" by Magnet Magazine.
History
Paul Avion moved from New Orleans to Los Angeles in 2005, settling into the much-vaunted Silver Lake music scene, home to artists such as Jenny Lewis, Elliott Smith, Giant Drag and the Silversun Pickups. He originally formed the band Par Avion, which featured a revolving lineup, including musicians such as Tanya Haden (cellist, sister of Petra Haden, now wed to comedian Jack Black), and Ben Mumphrey, producer of Frank Black & the Catholics Devil's Workshop EP.
Releases
He has released a number of singles, such as "Stand Up, Be a Man" and "Fibromyalgia," which have appeared on PBS' Roadtrip Nation, Fuel TV's extreme sports show, The Daily Habit, and AMC's Hollywood Icon.
"Fibromyalgia," which was featured as a download on SPIN.com, appears to have been written AbOUT local musician Annie Hardy of Giant Drag, who suffers from the disease. In February 2009, Paul Avion received further press in SPIN.
In June 2009, Under the Radar Magazine's Digital Sampler, Volume IX included the single "Art School Dropout" along with a number of bands from Sub Pop, Merge Records and Saddle Creek Records.
In January 2010, SPIN Earth announced the publication of a series of articles covering Paul Avion's trip to the slums of Kenya.
Discography
- Pop Music United (2006)
- Fibromyalgia (2009)
- R U With Me (December 2010)
Videography
- "Pop Music United" (2006)
- "Fibromyalgia" (2009)
- "Stop Joseph Kony" (2010)
- "Stand Up, Be a Man" (2010)
Other appearances
- In April 2008, the song "Stand Up, Be a Man" was featured on PBS' Roadtrip Nation.
- The song "Pop Music United II" appeared on Sonic Vogue's Sound of Style, Vol. II in 2008.
- The song "Stand Up, Be a Man" was featured on the compilation Groovetonics, Volume 2 in 2008.
- In September 2008, the song "Stand Up, Be a Man" was featured on Fuel TV's "The Daily Habit".
- In July 2009, "Pop Music United II" was featured on AMC's Hollywood Icon.