I turned up in hull 1991, with a kit bag full of everything I owned, i went to The Grafton to use the phone to get a place to spend the night. I left and came back, left and came back.then I heard a voice ask "are you locked out mate?" I said no I'm homeless." The geezer then picked up the phone and started loading 10p coins into it and phoned all the B&Bs and hotels but then turned and said, 'I've had no luck but if you come back at 8pm me and my girlfriend, will make sure you have somewhere to sleep tonight." That man was Paul Heaton, a truely great human being.

I've been telling anyone who'll listen that Paul Heaton will be recognised as one of the 20th century's greatest poets in time.

listening to Pauls and Rianne Downey at Glastonbury he has found a voice that matches his own like Jacqui does :)

Criminally underrated...the man is an absolute genius.

Christmas 1986. The Housemartins had come off the A1 at Birtley and got lost on the way to a gig at Newcastle University. I got the job of going in a cab to get in their van and guided them in. They were funny in a way that a kid from a pit village who spent his schooldays looking out of windows and getting into trouble for it (you can look out of a window and listen) found very familiar. They were bottom of the bill and blew everyone else away. Paul could really dance. If there is one person I've ever met I wish I could talk to again, it would be him.

Great singer great songwriter and more importantly a great human being.

The minute some people have some success they forget about their roots and become Tories. Not Paul, a great songwriter and a true and solid legend.

I will never tire of hearing this man's music or hearing him speak a legend of British music

Paul comes across as a very humble man, despite being a brilliantly gifted songwriter.

National treasure. Took me a long time to realise just how subversive The Beautiful South were.

Paul your full of shit I see through your deception I'm not wearing your shirt and the shirt on your back I own it ! I invite you to a face to face meeting get in touch when you've got your checkbook on you !

I sail this ship Alone was about truck driving . Perfect 10 I composed and Paul you know it !

Thankyou for uploading this. As a gawky, awkward teenager the music of The Beautiful South and The Housemartins gave me much needed happiness and it has been great to hear it again so many years later 👍

Bell is one of mine and Rotterdam or anywhere was my first attempt at being an artist no.1

Heaton is a thief he stole my compositions and I want my overdue royalties for the songs.

We used to go up to Hull Adelphi Club from Harlow as aband called Reel By Real named after an XTC song and play with Black September who had a blind drummer. This was like 85? The shop Everything But the Girl still had its name up but was closed down. We went to an old apartment of Tracey and Bens that had a loft room. We ate chips and gravy and mushy peas and knew that the Housemartins knew of us. Met their first drummer once. The one who got into trouble a few years ago. And our whole scene made a compilation album called Not Just Mandela before he was released. This was my youth. Nice chips and good music. Integrity. I still make good music and enjoy chips. And life is just as good as it used to be. Perhaps better. Because I learned how to progress. Those were the times but these are without doubt the days. Love to all. Billy 🔴

Start about the miners, serious questions... why are we not still digging coal?? ...why did BT telephone manufacturers not strike and riot???

This is a brilliant watch mate - thanks for uploading

Never done it for me but comes across as a decent fella.

I went to a Housemartins-gig in Oslo in the autumn of 1986, when I'd just turned 18. I was a huge fan. Some month before, Maggie Thatcher had visited Oslo, causing a riot that was widely reported in the UK-press. «Riots ruin Oslo visit» (The Daily Mail), «Few friends for Thatcher in Norway» (The Sunday Times) og «Pro-IRA riot in Oslo» (The Daily Telegraph). I remember Paul Heaton bringing up the incident during the concert and extending his warmest gratitude for the way Maggie was welcomed in Oslo, dedicating a song for the Iron "Lady": Drop down dead (