The Paul O'Sullivan Band is an internationally based pop-rock band comprising four members, all named Paul O'Sullivan. The band members often use geographical nicknames ("Baltimore Paul", "Manchester Paul", "Rotterdam Paul", and "Pennsylvania Paul") to avoid confusion.[1] Despite a common misconception that "Paul O'Sullivan" is merely an agreed-upon stage name, as part of a larger gimmick, all four members are legally named Paul O'Sullivan.[2][3]
The Paul O'Sullivan Band | |
|---|---|
| Origin |
|
| Genres | Pop rock |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Labels | Unsigned |
| Members |
|
| Website | Official website |
History
editTheir debut music video (for the song "Namesake") was released on February 4, 2020.[4] The "Namesake" music video garnered 20,000 views during its first two weeks, catching the eye of T&T Creative Media. On March 25, 2020, the band signed an exclusive licensing deal with T&T Creative.[5]
On February 1, 2021, the band made their national television debut on The Kelly Clarkson Show.[6][7][8][9][10]
On February 6, 2021, CBS National News aired an interview with the band conducted by Chip Reid.[11]
On April 8, 2021, the band announced a fundraising campaign in which 50% of their profits would be donated to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. The campaign lasted three months, and led to the release of three new singles including "Before It Even Started," "The Last Man Standing," and "Namesake (Electronic Remix)."[12]
On May 26, 2022, "Baltimore Paul" and "Pennsylvania Paul" performed four songs together at Union Stage in Washington D.C. This was the first public performance, of any kind, on behalf of the band.[13]
Origin
editDuring the formation of the band, Paul O'Sullivan ("Baltimore Paul") intended for the group to be a trio.[citation needed] The vision was to create a trio composed of "Baltimore Paul," "Manchester Paul," and "Killarney Paul" (a lead guitarist from Killarney, Ireland also named Paul O'Sullivan). Ultimately, Killarney Paul was unable to join the group because of a prior commitment to his own band, Greywind.[citation needed] Shortly thereafter, Baltimore Paul asked a Paul O'Sullivan from Rotterdam, Netherlands if he wanted to join the band. "Rotterdam Paul" accepted the invitation, and became an official member of the band. Similarly, "Pennsylvania Paul" decided to join the band as the group's percussionist.[citation needed]
Once the lineup was solidified, the group shifted their attention to songwriting. Baltimore Paul and Rotterdam Paul would frequently send song demos back and forth to each other through the private messaging feature on Facebook.[14][15][16] Ultimately, they worked together to create a basic 'skeleton' of their song "Namesake."[17] Next, they gave the 'skeleton' of the song to bass player "Manchester Paul" (so he could write his respective part for the song). Given the remote nature of their collaborative process, the song had to be 'pieced together' at a professional recording studio. [18] This process was executed by Grammy-nominated engineer/producer Eric Taft at The Buzzlounge Recording Studio in Beltsville, Maryland.[19]
Members
edit- Paul O'Sullivan ("Rotterdam Paul") – rhythm guitar, vocals
- Paul O'Sullivan ("Baltimore Paul") – lead guitar
- Paul O'Sullivan ("Manchester Paul") – bass
- Paul O'Sullivan ("Pennsylvania Paul") – drums, percussion
Discography
editEP
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Internet Famous: A Retrospective EP[20] |
|
Singles
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| "Namesake" |
|
| "Before It Even Started"[21] |
|
| "The Last Man Standing" |
|
| "Namesake (Electronic) [EST Dance Remix]" |
|
| "We Didn't Start the Fire (Part Two)" |
|
| "I Can't Find the Reason" |
|
| "Thriller" |
|
| "Ready" |
|
Music videos
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| "Namesake"[22] |
|
| "We Didn't Start the Fire (Part Two)" |
|
See also
edit- Are You Dave Gorman?, a famous comedy show that sought to find people sharing the name Dave Gorman
- Josh fight, a mock pool noodle fight and charity fundraiser held by over fifty people all named Josh
References
edit- ^ "Paul O'Sullivan found people with his name on Facebook. Naturally, they formed a band". The Washington Post. January 25, 2021.
- ^ "How Four Men With The Same Name Formed The Paul O'Sullivan Band". NPR. January 30, 2021.
- ^ "The Paul O'Sullivan Band". BYU Radio. September 15, 2022.
- ^ Beck, Julie (2020-03-13). "An Anthem for Everyone Who's Ever Googled Their Name". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
- ^ "Eldersburg's Paul O'Sullivan started a band whose members share passion for music and the same name". The Baltimore Sun. November 30, 2020.
- ^ "What's on TV Monday: 'All American' on the CW and more". Los Angeles Times. January 31, 2021.
- ^ "The Kelly Clarkson Show: Season 2, Episode 84". IMDb. February 2, 2021.
- ^ "The Kelly Clarkson Show – February 1 2021". TV Everyday. February 1, 2021.
- ^ "The Kelly Clarkson Show Season 2". Rotten Tomatoes. February 1, 2021.
- ^ "The Kelly Clarkson Show Season 2 Episodes". TV Guide. July 9, 2021.
- ^ "Four men with identical names form a band online". CBS News. February 6, 2021.
- ^ "Here's How a Group of Strangers With the Same Name Started a Virtual Band—And Friendships to Last a Lifetime". Reader's Digest. October 14, 2021.
- ^ "The Paul O'Sullivan Band Setlist". SetList.fm. August 23, 2021.
- ^ "7 Good News Moments from 2021". The Skimm. December 20, 2021.
- ^ "4 strangers with exactly the same name start a music band while living in different parts of the world". Times Now. January 13, 2021.
- ^ "They forged enduring friendships from massive, same-name group chats". Input Mag. September 16, 2022.
- ^ "Four strangers all named Paul O'Sullivan form a band — despite living in different cities around the world". cbsnews.com. January 27, 2021.
- ^ "The Paul O'Sullivans: A band united by a name". Reader's Digest UK. November 9, 2022.
- ^ "Alumnus searches for name twins and creates four-musician band of Paul O'Sullivans". The Hill Magazine (McDaniel College). February 16, 2021.
- ^ "Multiple Men With The Same Name Form Paul O'Sullivan Band". National Public Radio. January 15, 2021.
- ^ "The Paul O'Sullivan Band's Story Started With The Pandemic – They're Resolved It Won't Stop There". Forbes. April 8, 2021.
- ^ "Guys With the Same Name Form a Band". Audacy.com. January 26, 2021.