Paul J Penton – Songwriter

From about thirteen all I thought about was getting out, gaining my independence, being ‘me’  getting away from the boundaries of that tiny country town, where thoughts all were channeled into the same lines of football on Saturday, basketball on Thursday, badminton on Tuesday. Nothing else was going on, I didn’t want to conform, somebody bore me without the sporting gene. I just wanted to be living independently of my folks, of the expectations of others. I discovered that independence can be sweet and sour, yes you are in control of your life, but you’re responsible, it hangs heavy on you like the weights in a grandfather clock when things go wrong. But there’s also a souffle of freedom, knowing that each step you’re taking is your own,  not governed by someone else’s action or whim. 

When things work you feel invincible, like you’re a flagpole on top of a hill, impenetrable, god, steely and strong, but you better make sure you”ve got the constitution for when things go wrong as they can and they will, then your independent will is forged in a furnace of experience that makes you tough as steel at the other end. When you get there it’s all marching bands and ticker tape parades and glitz and colour but when you’re in the trench of despond, everything just seems grey, it all tastes like week old bread instead of the Beer and pizza you were tasting just yesterday. Independence is great, but it’s also good to know there’s a backup plan if things go astray, there’s somewhere to turn to if all your friends are away. The best thing you find about independence is that you come up with your own ideas, your not copying or multiplying what’s been done before, but of course you do lean on those things that are already out there. Can you be truly original and independent- I think everything has an influence, but maybe you see those spots on the wall differently to me….