Beverley Lyons
EIGHTIES Star Owen Paul cracked his ribs, sprained his wrist and lost his memory when he fell off the stage and plunged six feet head first onto the ground at a festival last weekend.
And the My Favourite Waste of Time singer who hit fame with the catchy song in 1986 claims that time slowed down as he fell to the ground with an almighty thud three songs into his performance at Tropicana Nights Eighties Festival in Southend.
Glasgow born Owen, who is now out of hospital where he had scans, x rays and treatment following the incident said he was trying to stand on a speaker to get nearer the audience when he realised too late that it wasn’t supported by anything.
He said: “Everything seemed to be in slow motion so I knew I was in trouble. .when I had expected to be be standing freely on a speaker. Then of course I hit the ground full in the face with an almighty thud..then the slow motion was gone. I used my superpowers lol.”
Remarkably, Owen who fractured two ribs during the fall continued singing his song Crowded House’s Weather With You as his manager and backing singer Lynne watched on in amazement.
He said: ”It wasn’t sore at all in the thirty or so minutes during the rest of my show. I told my manager and backing vocalist on stage that I thought I had broken my ribs but that we should carry on. It wasn't until I was in the ambulance at the side of the stage that the pain arrived..such is adrenalin.”
“I actually have little or no recollection of anything afterwards until I saw the footage, but in reality it's probably the experience of thousands of gigs I've performed at since I was a teenager that made me react in such a way.”
Owen, who says he once fell of the stage in 1986 at the Manchester Apollo on his first UK tour and was grabbed at the time by the mainly teenage audience before security stepped in, was rushed straight to hospital by ambulance.
Medics told him he could easily have broken his neck with the fall.
He said: “I truly had no idea what had happened until I was shown the footage that the paramedics had seen which is why they were ready when I completed the show. I actually managed to sing another seven songs before I left the stage. My family thought it was quite funny and attention seeking until they saw what happened. .as my mum and the doctors said, I could easily have broken my neck and worse. Apparently I bounced off speakers a bit on the way down.I have no recollection of that. My bruised legs and back know I did though so I’m very lucky.”
Owen has found it excruciating to sing since the weekend but managed to fight through the pain to appear on stage again at Lets Rock Liverpool on Saturday.
And the My Favourite Waste of Time singer who hit fame with the catchy song in 1986 claims that time slowed down as he fell to the ground with an almighty thud three songs into his performance at Tropicana Nights Eighties Festival in Southend.
Glasgow born Owen, who is now out of hospital where he had scans, x rays and treatment following the incident said he was trying to stand on a speaker to get nearer the audience when he realised too late that it wasn’t supported by anything.
He said: “Everything seemed to be in slow motion so I knew I was in trouble. .when I had expected to be be standing freely on a speaker. Then of course I hit the ground full in the face with an almighty thud..then the slow motion was gone. I used my superpowers lol.”
Remarkably, Owen who fractured two ribs during the fall continued singing his song Crowded House’s Weather With You as his manager and backing singer Lynne watched on in amazement.
He said: ”It wasn’t sore at all in the thirty or so minutes during the rest of my show. I told my manager and backing vocalist on stage that I thought I had broken my ribs but that we should carry on. It wasn't until I was in the ambulance at the side of the stage that the pain arrived..such is adrenalin.”
“I actually have little or no recollection of anything afterwards until I saw the footage, but in reality it's probably the experience of thousands of gigs I've performed at since I was a teenager that made me react in such a way.”
Owen, who says he once fell of the stage in 1986 at the Manchester Apollo on his first UK tour and was grabbed at the time by the mainly teenage audience before security stepped in, was rushed straight to hospital by ambulance.
Medics told him he could easily have broken his neck with the fall.
He said: “I truly had no idea what had happened until I was shown the footage that the paramedics had seen which is why they were ready when I completed the show. I actually managed to sing another seven songs before I left the stage. My family thought it was quite funny and attention seeking until they saw what happened. .as my mum and the doctors said, I could easily have broken my neck and worse. Apparently I bounced off speakers a bit on the way down.I have no recollection of that. My bruised legs and back know I did though so I’m very lucky.”
Owen has found it excruciating to sing since the weekend but managed to fight through the pain to appear on stage again at Lets Rock Liverpool on Saturday.
He said: “Clearly as my rib cage is right up against my lungs and diaphragm it’s excruciating just to breathe never mind sing...but I will heal. I was lucky. Unfortunately I was due to perform at Hale Barns carnival the day after the fall, but I could neither speak sing, stand up sit down or anything without squealing lol true. .so we had to pull out. I have barely moved for days but have had visits from my children and friends etc..all that has cheered me up. I'm desperate to get all this out of the way so I can get on with completing my new Americana/country/folk album. I want to get back in the studio.”
Excerpts of this article have since appeared in the Daily Record
From Scotland with Love - TheShowbizLion.com