Mad week

I was lying in bed last night and was thinking to myself about all I had to do in the last week or so in New York. I head back to Ireland on the 5th of July to record the new album and touch base with a few business contacts back home. Mainly because of the fact I am hoping to get this new album released to a number of regions, including home! When in bed, I generally do all my thinking, hence why I have my ipad on my locker. Much to the annoyance of Dominique, when I wake in the middle of the night to write something down. 


One of the things I was thinking about was doing a blog for yourselves, and also to follow up on my tech guy to organize that video chat I was mentioning! The blog is easier, but the video could be a lot of fun so I have been on to that already today. Should know more this evening. 


It has been a very busy few days as there has been a lot going on here in the city, whilst also trying to tie things down for the Autumn release. It started all last Wednesday when I got word that a guy I went to school with was in town giving a talk to IN-NYC. Its an organization based in the city which helps Irish based companies network. In order to help this along they sometimes bring in some well known Irish faces to give a talk about their field of expertise. With Brian O'Driscoll, its rugby. He has played for our National side for nearly 12 years and has captained our side to the world cup. He is still playing and winning all around him. When it comes to rugby, Ireland are a serious force to be reckoned with. 
After the event, which was based in the beautiful NY Athletic Club, which overlooks Central Park, we headed to a bar in the meat packing district. It was great to spend some time with him and chat about the priests in school and all the banter that was had back then. He is a thorough gentleman, and completely unaffected by all the success he has had. My old school, Blackrock College, are extremely proud. As are we all. 
The following night, my close friend Isobel McMahon was named as one of the most influential Irish women in New York. As her boyfriend was out of town, she asked Dominique could she borrow hers!! 
It was a great opportunity for me to meet and mingle with some very influential people in the city. So off I went. The event was based in the Irish Consulate, which has the most amazing view of the city I have ever seen......for free!!  I was very proud of Isobel and delighted to see another school day friend get recognized for her work. 
Needless to say, I met a lot of people and a lot of contacts, of which are all willing to help when needed! Little do they realize, it will be sooner than they think!!! muuuuuuaaaaahhhhhaa hhaaa haaa!!!!(evil laugh)


All of a sudden I find the weekend upon me and decided I was going to take it easy and get back to the music work. Ive got to the stage now where I just want to get into studio and sing. There has been a lot of planning and organizing, and now I just want in! I was talking to my Musical Director and he was telling me he had the orchestra booked, and the choir too! Needless to say, we are pulling out all the stops for this album! He is up to his eyes with arrangements, but assures me, all is well on schedule. So much so that if a potential deal falls into place, you may have the album a tad earlier than I expected. 


Word on the tour is that we are pretty much complete, and are now working on announcing it all at the same time. This means making sure the ticket sellers are all ready to go. I feel that all should be named at once so that you all have options on which gig you would like to go to, as opposed to getting a ticket, then finding out later than I will be playing in a venue closer! Cant have any angry birds!!!! 
It also looks like I have the tour bus sorted and am finalizing my musicians as the days go by. 


All in all, things are good, and I am happy with how its all panning out. Had a little hic cup last week on the album title, but not to be deterred, its staying the same, and says all about what this album is! 


I will be on to you again before I go, and will have news for you on the Q,n,A asap! 
Off to Boston tomorrow to spend some QT with Dominique before I leave. Looking forward to seeing some old friends! 

The Count down is on!!!!




Keep well my loves 
                my doves 
               my eggs

Keeping In Touch

Where in the world is the year going? I cannot believe it is nearly July and I am getting ready to record my third album since 2005. After months of planning, negotiating, meetings and decisions, things are finally falling into place. I know an awful lot of you understand that it takes more than an idea and desire to put together an album. However it never seizes to amaze me how much time it takes to piece it all together.

Once in the studio, it all falls into place very easily, as thats when I am most comfortable....singing. 

At the moment, I have been spending the last couple of weeks working on the material for the album. There will be a mixture of originals and of course a few that you will all know, accompanied by one or two you may or may not have ever heard of before. I will tell you, it is not an all Irish album. There will of course be one or two, but not many. This is an album for everyone as I feel that my fan base has grown over the years to many more than just people of Irish decent. 

Saying that, there are already plans a foot for early next year and a more Irish type album then. In the meantime, we will go on a journey with this one. I have spent the last few days brushing up on my Italian, which thankfully is never much of a struggle. Spanish on the other hand, is a totally different kettle of fish. Trying to sing with the tongue behind the teeth on occasion is proving to be truly awful. Im trying to sing, but instead spitting! Hopefully I will get it under my belt as the song I am hoping to sing sounds so much better in Spanish than in English. I will keep working on it! 

Due to the fact that I am in studio with my producer and Musical Director Joe Csibi, on the 5th of July, I am being very well behaved. No drinking, no fast food, gym and steam room every day. Healthy mind leads to a healthy body, and also one that can hit a few top notes without wearing any of Damians tight jeans! 

This took a hitch last weekend though when Damian invited me into the premier of The Glee Project. I got to meet all the gang he has been working with and we ended up having a great night all together. I gotta say I was a bit nervous when I saw Damian in the bottom three, but sure, who could kick out a young boy from Derry who wants to be a girl!!! Its what Glee thrives on! So from now on, Damian will forever be Jessie's girl!! Needless to say, I am rooting for him 100%. The future is rosy for the boy, I hope! However, none of us will ever really know whats around the corner for any of us in the music business! 

What I do know is that the Paul Byrom Tour (yet to be named officially), is coming fast. I am aware you all want to know sooner than later, and I am bursting at the seams to tell you all what I know at this stage, but all I can tell you is that we are 80% there and hope to be able to make an announcement by the end of the month or early July. I am excited but nervous. Any gigs I did at home or before now were always with a full orchestra. I think its obvious that due to it being my first tour, I wont have the orchestra with me this time. I have to start almost from scratch here, and it really feels odd. Like Ive stepped back in time. Although my mother often reminds me that this time, I have large groups of friends following me now in America and Canada and that I shouldn't worry as much. I do hope she is right!! Anyway, I can tell you that the tickets will be reasonable and that there will be a chance for me to meet you all after the gig. I can also tell you that I have concerts both sides of America. As for my Canadian friends reading, I am pushing hard for some gigs up your way too, so hopefully they will fall in to place also. Its not for the want of getting to you all, its the means! 

With the concert itself, there will be a mixed bag of material in the show and certainly something, I hope, for everyone's taste. 

In the meantime, I am working away every day on my "homework", and also trying to run the office. When I lived in Ireland, I would have received a lot of help from my sister Amanda and often my mom too, but now I am running it all on my own. Dominique tries to help out, but has a job of her own to maintain, so her time is limited. Plus, its important to find time where work isn't an issue and we get to do things together, just for the sake of it! 

This brings me to my final point tonight, I have received so many wonderful gifts in my P.O. BOX(like the BYROM BABES COOK BOOK!!!)  and read so many touching letters, that it amazes me how much you all care. You have been so supportive since you became aware of my music in Celtic Thunder. Some of you have been on the journey from the start and some only jumping on board now. Either way, I appreciate you all. 

However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain contact with you all on a regular basis, whether through facebook, twitter, myspace, my official website or by letter. This does not mean that I dont read everything, because I genuinely do. I enjoy reading the letters, messages and of course getting the generous gifts! Its just that I could actually spend 24hrs a day, on line or responding to post. I set aside time weekly to do this, but for some this may not be enough. My priority now is and always will be, making music for you to enjoy. All the rest sometimes has to take a back seat. If not, I wouldn't get any deals done and wouldnt learn any new songs or eventually get to record some. If you havn't heard from me on a certain site, I am most certainly not ignoring you. If you havn't received a response, it is most definitely nothing personal. I do post a lot on twitter as it is the easiest way. I am always aware you are out there and always aware of you support. I appreciate you all. I am utterly grateful to you all, for so much, so know, that the only way I can ever repay you all, is by making the best music I can. All the social websites are only a way of keeping in touch every now and again, its not what I do for a living. Singing is. I hope you understand, and for those who dont, all I can say is, hopefully I will get around to responding to you soon. 

I am now off to do some work on the album cover, as that is next on the to-do list! 

Thinking of ideas for that are also proving to be as difficult as the Spanish! I'll get there though eventually! 

Keep well 

My Loves 

My Doves

My Eggs 

Paul 

xxx