Rain was on the way so I was hustling to get over to Paul before it came. He was in from Australia, staying with a friend in Queens, and the rain started right as I got there, letting up just as I was leaving, lucky me. Born in Melbourne, Paul established himself as a singer and songwriter early on with his band Something for Kate, signed when they were just 17 years old, going on to make the double platinum selling album Echolalia, and also with his solo project Sacred of Horses. In February, when the Black Keys had to drop off Australia’s Big Day Out festival, Paul was called in to replace them. He wanted to stretch himself, as he said he likes to do, by taking on a solo acoustic version of a big song, Nicole’s “The Way It Is,” and we’re always up for taking a stretch.

When I got over there just ahead of the rain, the first thing that struck me was how tall he was, and how I was going to shoot this without looking like I was doing some kind of worm’s-eye view motif ha. Thanks to Paul for this and for helping us Amplify Peace in Central Africa, if you haven’t seen it yet, also check out the Musician Coalition info to learn how we’ve teamed up with Invisible Children as part of our Amplify Peace initiative to raise money for more radio towers in Congo which will be helping to to bring more children home. — AG