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Skowron resurrects his music career
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
Paul Skowron’s new album took almost two decades to get released.
Titled “Resurrection Road, the 10-song collection was recorded around 1997. Skowron, the former lead vocalist for legendary Youngstown band White Noise, which became Noisy Mama, put the songs away for family reasons at the time, and then moved on with his life. The mastered songs remained on the shelf.
The effort to release “Resurrection Road” gained steam last year, shortly after Skowron and his wife moved back to the Mahoning Valley after living in the Outer Banks of North Carolina for five years.
Tommy Rich, who was a drummer for Noisy Mama, and more recently Donnie Iris, pushed to get the songs released, as did Paul Unger, a local music insider and a fan of the band.
Because Skowron has also been itching to get back into the music business, it became a done deal. The time was right for “Resurrection Road” to finally see the light of day.
At first, Skowron toyed with the idea of re-recording the songs.
“Then I said no. They are done,” said Skowron.
Anyone unfamiliar with Noisy Mama should be forgiven for thinking the songs are new. They have a raw delivery but with a bouncy, bluesy edge that sounds fresh.
“The songs always did, and still do, seem relevant. I didn’t write them for ATCO to be on a hair-band album,” said Skowron, referring to the label that released Noisy Mama’s national debut, “Everybody Has One” (1991). “These were the first real thing I did on my own.”
His favorite songs from the album are the title cut and “Doldrums.”
“I remember writing ‘Resurrection Road’ with Dominic Fusca when I was with Voodoo Wagon. We had stayed up for probably 36 hours working on songs. ‘Doldrums’ is kind of dark, but I was able to put down in words what I was thinking.”
The songs on the album were recorded at The Studio, a long-gone recording studio on Meridian Road that was owned by friends of Skowron.
To purchase “Resurrection Road,” go to paulskowron.com. The album also will be available soon at all major online retailers.
Skowron’s association with Noisy Mama has given him a head start. The new album has drawn notice in Europe and Japan, where the band had a following in the ’90s. Articles and blog entries have already appeared on several European music websites.
Locally, it is gaining attention from old fans, and some new ones. “The reaction is always something like, ‘I didn’t expect it but I like it.’” said Skowron.
The singer, who owns a painting company and also does artisanal artwork, is resurrecting his music career on several platforms.
He has completed another record — which he wrote and recorded with local musicians Mike Miller and Carl Hazlett — that will be released this year. He also plans to work as a music producer and vocal coach.
As soon as he assembles a band, Skowron plans to get back on stage. He reintroduced himself to the area by belting out a few White Noise/Noisy Mama songs at the Youngstown Music Awards ceremony in November.
“I want to perform again, using the songs on ‘Resurrection Road’ and my greatest hits from White Noise, Noisy Mama and other bands I was in.” These include Pittsburgh-based Voodoo Wagon and Triple X.
“I want to give people something worth going to see after they’ve worked their 40,” he said. “[The shows] would be different [than they were in the Noisy Mama era]. We were a lot wilder back then. But it can still be fun. I’d like to see some audience participation, with other musicians coming up and sitting in with us.”