Paul Lester
{{Short description|British journalist}}
{{for multi|the British businessman|Paul Lester (businessman)|the communications professor|Paul Martin Lester}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}
Paul Lester is a British music journalist, author and broadcaster from Elstree, Hertfordshire.
Career
He began his career as a freelance journalist, for Melody Maker in the early 1990s, as well as City Limits, 20/20, Sky Magazine and The Jewish Chronicle. He covered grunge, shoegaze, Madchester and Britpop, also spending time with bands touring the UK and internationally.[https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Writer/paul-lester Paul Lester] at Rock's Back Pages{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/author/paul-lester|title=Paul Lester|website=Louder Sound|access-date=4 May 2025|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523123617/https://www.loudersound.com/author/paul-lester|archive-date=23 May 2022}}
In 1993, Lester became Melody Maker{{'}}s features editor; then in 1997, left to join Allan Jones in launching monthly music and film magazine Uncut, remaining deputy editor until 2006.
Lester has written more than a dozen rock / pop biographies, co-authored the Virgin Encyclopedia of Albums and often appears as a radio / television music pundit. He has interviewed hundreds of thespians and musicians including Kylie Minogue, Janet Jackson, Mick Jagger and Snoop Dogg. He has also written sleeve notes on many, including: Todd Rundgren, Hall & Oates, The Smiths and The Sex Pistols.Amazon.com author profile
He currently resides in Hertfordshire, from where he has been freelancing since January 2007. He contributes newspapers, including : Guardian (daily columnist of 'Critics Picks'Guardian Unlimited Music, profile and 'New Band of the Day'{{cite web|url=http://TheGuardian.com/music/series/newbandoftheday|title=Guardian: New Band of the Day|website=TheGuardian.com |access-date=26 August 2013}}), The Sunday Times, the Daily Express, The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph and The Scotsman. He writes of other periodicals, including: Q (magazine), GQ, Record Collector and The Jewish Chronicle (an autobiographical column about recently remarried life, as a father of three children).{{cn|date=August 2020}}
In July 2011, he joined digital station Amazing Radio to present a weekly show dedicated to new music.{{cite web|url=http://www.amazingradio.co.uk/shows/paullester|title=Amazing Radio : Paul Lester|publisher=Amazing Radio|date=14 July 2011|access-date=14 July 2011}} The programme continues to broadcast on Thursday afternoons between 1 and 3pm, on the national Digital One network in the UK and online via [http://www.amazingradio.co.uk amazingradio.co.uk] and the UK [http://www.radioplayer.co.uk/ RadioPlayer].
In 2018, Lester became the editor of Record Collector magazine.{{cn|date=August 2020}}
Bibliography
{{Expand list|date=March 2016}}
= Books =
- {{cite book |author=Lester, Paul |title=Oasis : the illustrated story |location=London |publisher=Hamlyn |year=1995}}
- {{cite book |author=Lester, Paul |author-mask=1 |title=Oasis : the illustrated story |location=London |publisher=Hamlyn |year=1996 |version=New ed.}}
- Blur: The Illustrated Story (Paperback). Pyramid, May 1995, {{ISBN|978-0-600-58689-0}}
- Pulp: The Illustrated Story (Paperback). Hamlyn, Feb 1996, {{ISBN|978-0-600-58974-7}}
- Björk: The Illustrated Story (Paperback). Hamlyn, Aug 1996, {{ISBN|978-0-600-59067-5}}
- Spice Girls: The Illustrated Story (Paperback). Hamlyn, Feb 1997, {{ISBN|978-0-600-59255-6}}
- Kula Shaker: The Illustrated Story (Paperback). Hamlyn, Mar 1997, {{ISBN|978-0-600-59270-9}}
- The Prodigy: The Illustrated Story (Paperback). Hamlyn, Nov 1997, {{ISBN|978-0-600-59511-3}}
- The Encyclopedia of Albums (co-authored with Chris Roberts) (Paperback). Dempsey Parr, 1998, {{ISBN|978-1-84084-031-5}}
- The Verve: The Illustrated Story (Paperback). Hamlyn. Jun 1998, {{ISBN|978-0-600-59592-2}}
- Robbie Williams: The Illustrated Story (Paperback). Hamlyn, Oct 1998, {{ISBN|978-0-600-59746-9}}
- Gang of Four: Damaged Gods (Paperback). Omnibus Press, Sep 2008, {{ISBN|978-1-84772-245-4}}
- Lowdown: The Story of Wire (Paperback). Omnibus Press, May 2009, {{ISBN|978-1-84772-710-7}}
- Pink: Split Personality (Paperback). Omnibus Press, November 2009, {{ISBN|978-1-84938-060-7}}
= Album reviews =
| class='wikitable sortable' width='90%' |
| width=25%|Album title
!|Artist !|Reviewed in |
|---|
| Sacred songs
|Daryl Hall |{{cite journal |author=Lester, Paul |date=Dec 2014 |title=Consecration piece |department=Buried Treasure |journal=Mojo |volume=253 |issue=6 |pages=114 }} |
Awards
In 2008, Lester won the 'Breaking Music Writer' award at the Record of The Day Awards for Music Journalism and PR {{cite web |url=http://www.recordoftheday.com/www/awards/index.php |title=Record of the Day - AWARDS |access-date=2009-11-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209225104/http://www.recordoftheday.com/www/awards/index.php |archive-date=9 February 2009 |df=dmy-all }} for his 'New Band of the Day' column in The Guardian.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.theguardian.com/music/series/newbandoftheday New Band of the Day: The Guardian]
- [http://www.thejc.com/category/classifications/lifestyle/suddenly-single Paul Lester's blog: The Jewish Chronicle]
- [http://www.rocksbackpages.com/writer.html?WriterID=lester_p List of rock articles by Paul Lester]
- {{IMDb name|2861917}}
- [http://www.uncut.co.uk UNCUT]
- [http://www.amazingradio.co.uk/shows/paullester Amazing Radio show page]
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lester, Paul}}
Category:British music journalists
Category:Mojo (magazine) people