Singer, guitarist, and songwriter Paul Draper first gained recognition as frontman for the British rock band Mansun. The group delivered ambitious hard rock that incorporated prog and glam elements, becoming an unexpected commercial force on the U.K. scene throughout the 1990s. Born in Liverpool, England, on September 26, 1970, Draper picked up the guitar at age 15. While studying at Thames Polytechnic he encountered Steve Heaton and Carlton Hibbert; together they launched Grind, which issued the 12-inch single “Thought” backed with “The Dying Man” in 1991. The record failed to chart and the trio disbanded shortly afterward. Draper and Hibbert later reunited with Dominic Chad, Stove King, and Mark Swinnerton to create Grey Lantern in 1995. Within months the ensemble renamed itself Manson and self-released the single “Take It Easy Chicken,” prompting multiple major labels to pursue the act. Following a deal with Parlophone the band altered its name to Mansun to avoid potential litigation from Charles Manson.
Mansun’s debut album, Attack of the Grey Lantern, arrived in early 1997 and swiftly ascended to number one on the U.K. chart, displacing Blur from the summit and elevating the group to national stardom. Their second effort, the stylistically wide-ranging Six, appeared in 1999 and underperformed commercially, prompting a more streamlined approach on 2000’s Little Kix. During sessions for a planned fourth album Draper received a diagnosis of bowenoid malignancy. Although chemotherapy proved effective, the band dissolved before he could resume work, leaving the project unfinished. Several tracks from those recordings later surfaced on the 2004 box set Kleptomania with Draper’s involvement.
Following the 2003 announcement of Mansun’s split, Draper kept a relatively quiet profile. He co-wrote and co-produced a 2006 single for Skin of Skunk Anansie and later produced “Greyhounds in the Slips,” a digital release by the Joy Formidable. He also collaborated for several years with vocalist and composer Catherine A.D. on the Anchoress project, whose debut single emerged in 2014. During a 2013 radio interview Draper revealed he had cut solo demos and might share them with interested fans. Enthusiastic listener response led some supporters to establish social-media campaigns urging the material’s release. In 2014 Draper performed at a Mansun fan convention, where attendees heard the new song “Feeling My Heart Run Slow.” Two years afterward he announced a signing with Kscope Records and the June 2016 issuance of his first solo EP, EP One. In summer 2017 he delivered his debut full-length album, Spooky Action, featuring Catherine AD and longtime Mansun associate P-Dub. Draper subsequently toured the U.K. with Catherine AD appearing in his live band.
