Paul Denman

Paul Spencer Denman (born July 1957) is an English songwriter and bass guitarist.

With Sade Adu, Andrew Hale, and Stuart Matthewman, Denman gained worldwide fame as the bass guitarist of the English band Sade.

He is also a member of the English band Sweetback.

Born in Hull, from 1959 to 1979 Denman lived on Greatfield Estate, Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, where Mick Ronson (1946 - 1993) also grew up, as Denman cites in The Mick Ronson Story': "Paul Denman, bass player with Sade, grew up on the same council estate in Hull, albeit a few years later: 'Michael had ambition, very much like myself. I'm pretty sure if he was here now he'd say" "Yeah, I can't wait to get out of Hull", and neither could I.'

Aged 12, Denman attended a The Rats gig, the rhythm & blues band from Hull comprising Mick Ronson, Mick Woody Woodmansey, and Trevor Boulder who went on to become David Bowie’s backing band The Spiders from Mars.

Showing a strong interest in music Denman’s parents bought him a bass guitar for his 13th birthday in July 1970.

After watching Bowie and The Spiders from Mars audacious performance of Starman on the BBC's Top of the Pops primetime broadcast on Thursday 6 July 1972 that poignantly struck teenage Denman: "Every pop star I talk to from my generation... they all go back to Ziggy."

At 15, he left Greatfield School to start a coppersmith apprenticeship at Hawker Siddeley, Hull, later British Aerospace in Brough, building military aircraft until leaving aged 22.

MusicMan Stingray Bass – natural finish 1977

MusicMan Stingray Bass – natural finish 1978

In 1980 all 3 members relocated full time to London with the intention of furthering the band’s career.

Founded: London, UK

Line up: Paul Anthony Cooke, Paul Spencer Denman, Allan Beedle.

Description: unsigned prog-rock/new wave/punk band.

Rehearsed at Vaz Studios, Amherst Road, Stoke Newington, North London.

Formally known as Arriva.

Founded: North London, UK

Line up:  Nick Moxsom, Ray Saint John, Stuart Matthewman, Paul Spencer Denman, Paul Anthony Cooke, Barbara Robinson, Sade Adu

Description: A creative Latin / Funk collection of seven musicians with diverse influences.

Notable live performances:

After serving his musical apprenticeship on the local Hull circuit, Denman was inspired by the Punk scene and the Sex Pistols and bought a one way train ticket to London in August 1981.

An act that eventually resulted to Denman joining Latin/Funk band Pride, which then evolved into the creation of the band Sade.

Denman is a right-handed bass player and rarely uses guitar picks.

First guitar – a second hand bass £13 from a local charity shop

1982 – The band performed on a back of a lorry outside Le Beat Route, 16–17 Greek Street, Soho, London.

September 1982 – performance at The Fridge Club, London.

Thursday 16 September 1982 – performance at Danceteria, New York (Sade Adu had already been in New York as part of the 21 Blitz Kids Invasion whilst designing for the Demob label as part of the Axiom fashion show at The Underground Club on 17 and Broadway on 5/6 May 1981).

February 1983 – filmed at Heaven Nightclub in London for BBC Oxford Roadshow but failed to secure a record deal.

Notable songs: Manhandled, Ecstasy, Pride, The President.

From Pride offshoot bands and other projects were formed including:

PSP - an instrumental jazz inspired live band, using the initials of the names of the trio (Paul Spencer Denman, Stuart Matthewman, Paul Anthony Cooke), all originally from Hull, Yorkshire.

Fretless Stingray Bass – natural finish 1985

Washburn AB40 acoustic bass

Gretsch hollow body bass

Emanuel Wilfer three quarter upright bass

Schafer three quarter upright acoustic bass

Founded: Hull, UK

Line up: Paul Anthony Cooke, Paul Spencer Denman, Allan Beedle.

Description: Unsigned prog-rock/new wave/punk band.

Rehearsed at Mayfield Street Studios, Hull.