Paul Dempsey | |
|---|---|
 Dempsey on guitar and vocals, September 2006 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Paul Anthony Dempsey (1976-05-25)25 May 1976 (age 49) |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | |
| Member of | Something for Kate,Fanning Dempsey National Park |
Spouse | Stephanie Ashworth (m. 2006) |
| Website | pauldempseymusic |
Paul Anthony Dempsey (born 25 May 1976) is an Australian musician. He is best known as the lead singer, guitarist and principal lyricist of rock groupSomething for Kate. Dempsey released his debut solo album,Everything Is True, on 20 August 2009, which peaked at No. 5 on theARIA Albums Chart. He has also produced and co-written albums for other artists, including Mosman Alder.
Dempsey has experienced bouts ofclinical depression and periods ofwriter's block, both of which have been publicised. Australian musicologistIan McFarlane noted that he "has the capacity to lay his soul bare through his music, there is little pretence or adherence to fashionable measures in the band's delivery".[1] In 2006, Dempsey married Something for Kate's bass guitaristStephanie Ashworth (formerly of Sandpit).
Dempsey was born on 25 May 1976 and grew up in Melbourne.[2][3] His father, Charlie Dempsey (born 7 November 1937),[4] and mother, Gillian (née Barrington, born 25 May 1944),[4] were recent Irish immigrants. Charlie died in a car accident when Dempsey was one year old and "too young to remember".[5][6] He and his three older sisters, including Gillian "Jill" (born 1964) and Moira (born 1967),[4] were raised by his mother and grandmother.[6]
After initially learning piano from his grandmother, Dempsey switched to guitar when he was eight, and later taught himself to play drums.[5] For his final years of secondary schooling he attendedPadua College on the Mornington Peninsula, where he was interested in playing basketball.[3]
In mid-1994, six months after leaving Padua College, Dempsey, on lead guitar and lead vocals, formedSomething for Kate in Melbourne, Australia, with school friend Clint Hyndman on drums.[1][7] They soon recruited Julian Carroll to play bass guitar[1] by advertising in local record stores.[3]
Initially named Fish of the Day, the group were renamed after a gig at the Punter's Club, with Dempsey'sJack Russell dog, Kate, serving as the key inspiration.[3] They played two shows before they released a demo tape in 1995.[3] In early 1996, they were signed to theSony subsidiary labelMurmur Records[1] byA&R representative Chris Dunn—all of the members were 19 years old at the time.[3] From 1996 to 2007, the band released five studio albums, four of which peaked within the ARIA top 10. In 2007, the band announced they were on a hiatus.[8][9][10]
In late 1997, Dempsey filled in as a guitarist forBrisbane band Fur, andPerth-based bandAmmonia.[11] He also played drums for twoBluebottle Kiss shows and for his sister's band, John Smith.
In 1998, he recorded an album of songs that he had written for a side project with other musicians (includingGlenn Richards ofAugie March) calledScared of Horses.[12][13]
In 2003, he produced and played drums, bass, guitar and keyboards on The Givegoods' 2003 album,I Want to Kill a Rich Man. The Givegoods was the project ofTom Morgan (Smudge) and Andy Calvert, with assistance fromEvan Dando (The Lemonheads) and Juanita Stein (Waikiki andHowling Bells).
In 2009, he had commenced recording an album titledEverything Is True in Los Angeles with mix engineer-producerDoug Boehm—in April 2009, the process was complete. The first single, "Out the Airlock", was briefly offered as a free download on his website before being officially released on 15 May 2009. The album was released on 14 August 2009 and peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA Album Chart. At theARIA Music Awards of 2009, Dempsey and the album were nominated for three ARIA Awards:ARIA Award for Best Male Artist,ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album andARIA Award for Producer of the Year.[14]
Following the release of his solo album, Dempsey and Ashworth relocated to New York, US, for two years in 2010.[15] While in the US, Dempsey formed a backing band but also performed solo shows; in a June 2013 interview, Dempsey explained: "In our two years in New York I think I played more shows in that two years than I had in the previous 10. I felt like I was being what I regard as a working musician, actually going out and playing music every night or several nights a week. As someone who's been doing it for nearly 20 years, I think it is important to put yourself in situations where you feel like you're doing it for the first time and you still have something to prove to an audience and—most importantly—to yourself."[15]
In October 2009 at theMelbourne International Arts Festival, Dempsey performed in the world premiere of themusical theatre production ofDirtsong, created byBlack Arm Band. The songs were written byAlexis Wright, with some sung inIndigenous languages. The show was reprised as the closing show at the 2014Adelaide Festival. Other performers includedTrevor Jamieson (2014 only),Archie Roach,Lou Bennett,Jimmy Barnes, andEmma Donovan.[16][17][18][19]
In 2010, Dempsey played a variety of instruments on several of Melbourne dance artist T-Rek's albums, and contributed keyboards on Melbourne bandThe Nation Blue's albumProtest Songs.[20] In April 2010, Dempsey produced and mixed the third studio EP,Heavy Harm, by Sydney rock band,Papa VS Pretty.[21]
In October 2011, Dempsey performed with theBlack Arm Band,Archie Roach,Mavis Staples,Ricki Lee Jones, andJoss Stone in "Notes From the Hard Road and Beyond", which was part of the Melbourne Festival and was held at TheSidney Myer Music Bowl. Dempsey played guitar and performed a duet with Stone, sang with Staples, and performed a rendition of "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" with Australian singer-songwriterShane Howard.[22]
In September 2012, the sixth Something for Kate studio album,Leave Your Soul to Science, was released and debuted at No. 5 on the ARIA Album Chart. The band commenced a national Australian tour in support of the album in June 2013. Dempsey revealed his ongoing enthusiasm for live performance prior to the tour: "I enjoy getting out and playing more than ever. I get more impatient and frustrated that I can't do it more often."[15]
Dempsey released a second solo album calledShotgun Karaoke, which was released on 4 October 2013 and peaked at No. 17 on the ARIA Album Chart.
In January 2014, Dempsey produced the debut album,Humdrum Star, for six-piece Brisbane band Mosman Alder. The album was released onDew Process Records.[23]
In late 2014, Dempsey commenced production work on a new album forMike Noga, former drummer ofThe Drones. Based on the experiences of fellow musicians likeDavey Lane (You Am I), Noga launched aPozible campaign to pay for the anticipated recording costs of A$16,000. Noga explained seven days prior to the close of the campaign in late November 2014 that he asked Dempsey to produce the album:
"Paul and I have been friends for many years now and we've discovered that we work pretty damn well together. I'm somewhat 'loose' when it comes to songwriting and he is the exact opposite, so put us together in a room and it all evens out quite nicely. He also knows a hell of a lot about recording equipment which I profess to know absolutely nothing about ... He hears things others don't."[24]
In regard to the changes that the internet has had on the music industry, Dempsey said in November 2014: "A ton of things have changed and a ton of things haven't changed. I think the only brand new hurdle is that most music is now simply there for the taking and a large proportion of the population seem disinclined to assign any value at all to the hard work and resources that went into creating it. Other than that, the only thing that matters is the only thing that's ever mattered (in my opinion) and that is getting out there and playing your arse off in front of people anywhere you can, anytime you can. It's better than radio, it's better than the internet, it's better than a review and it's better for you and your band. If you want to be a musician, go be a musician. Be prepared to lose money and play to no one [but] hopefully it'll get better as you get better."[23]
Fanning collaborated with Paul Dempsey on a project called Fanning Dempsey National Park. Their debut album,The Deluge, was released on 2 August 2024.[25]
In 2024, Dempsey collaborated withBernard Fanning on a project called Fanning Dempsey National Park. Their debut album,The Deluge, was released on 2 August 2024.[26]
In August 2025, Dempsey announced the release ofShotgun Karaoke Vol. II. The album, set for release in October 2025, features cover versions of songs by artists such asCher,Patti Smith,Carla Geneve andR.E.M.[27]
Dempsey appeared as a panellist onRocKwiz on 24 February 2007, performing a solo version of "Monsters" andGeorge Michael's "Careless Whisper" withKate Miller-Heidke. He also appeared onGood News Week on 26 October 2009, performing the song "Fire" byBruce Springsteen as part of the "Strange But True" segment.[28]Dempsey appeared onRocKwiz again on 8 June. He performed a solo version of "Survival Expert" from Something for Kate's albumLeave Your Soul to Science as well asHall & Oates "Out of Touch" with Emily Lubitz.
In 2006, Dempsey married bandmate and long-term domestic partner Stephanie Ashworth inLas Vegas, Nevada.[6] They are parents to a son, Miller, who was born in May 2011.[29][30][31] In 2010, the couple had relocated toNew York City, for two years, and Dempsey revealed his intention to return to the American city in a June 2013 interview.[15]
Dempsey has suffered bouts of clinical depression[32] and has also complained about periods of writer's block.[3] In a 2010 interview he explained:
I think a lot of people who suffer from depression feel guilty. They feel like being selfish, they feel like they shouldn't talk about it because they sound like they are whining. I think it is important to not be like that and talk about it, so that people think that it is OK to talk about it. If anybody sees me talking about it and therefore thinks that it is alright for them to talk to their friends about it, than that is a good thing. I get a lot of emails and a lot of letters from people who tell me that they are going through the same thing or that they had battles with depression as well and that it gave them some sort of strength or consolation to know that someone else that they respect goes through that as well. It is a lot of people! It is one in five people in Australia.[32]
In a November 2014 interview conducted by Mosman Alder, Dempsey replied to a question about whether he believes in the possibility of a soul or an afterlife by saying: "No more than I believe in the 'possibility' of a tooth fairy"; the interviewer described him as "a man of science and a sinful heathen-atheist". Later in the interview, Dempsey said that he is a fan of the astrophysicistNeil deGrasse Tyson, whose writings he has read, and whom he has seen in a live discussion withBrian Greene that was held in New York City.[23]
In November 2014, Dempsey said that his all-time favourite band isFugazi.[23]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [33] | |||
| Everything Is True |
| 5 | |
| Shotgun Karaoke |
| 17 | |
| Strange Loop |
| 5 | |
| Shotgun Karaoke Vol. II |
| 8 [35] |
| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| Counterfeits and Forgeries |
|
| iTunes Live from Sydney |
|
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certification | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [37] | ||||||||||
| "Out the Airlock" | 2009 | 84 | Everything Is True | |||||||
| "Ramona Was a Waitress" | 85 |
| ||||||||
| "Fast Friends"[39] | — | |||||||||
| "Bats"[40] | 2010 | — | ||||||||
| "We'll Never Work in the Town Again"[41] | — | Non-album single | ||||||||
| "Morningless"[42] | 2016 | — | Strange Loop | |||||||
| "The True Sea"[43] | — | |||||||||
| "Idiot Oracle"[44] | — | |||||||||
| "The Sky's Gone Missing"[45] | 2018 | — | Vast | |||||||
| "Fashionably Late (Every New Year's Day)" (with Shannen James)[46] | 2021 | — | Non-album single | |||||||
| "If I Could Turn Back Time"[27] | 2025 | — | Shotgun Karaoke Vol. II | |||||||
| "Boys of Summer"[47] | — | |||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released. | ||||||||||
| Year | Title | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Your Lovin' Is On My Mind" | various artists | Before Too Long: Triple J Tribute to Paul Kelly |
| 2010 | "Addicted" | various artists | He Will Have His Way |
| 2013 | "Sunrise" | withDarren Middleton | Translations |
| 2016 | "Calling Out" | withPez | Don't Look Down |
TheAPRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by theAustralasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters".[48]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "Monsters" by Something for Kate (Paul Dempsey, Stephanie Ashworth, Clint Hyndman) | Song of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2020 | "Fear Of Missing Out" by Ainslie Wills (Ainslie Wills, Paul Dempsey, Lawrence Folvig, Arron Light) | Song of the Year | Shortlisted | [49] |
| 2021 | "Situation Room by Something for Kate (Paul Dempsey, Stephanie Ashworth, Clint Hyndman) | Song of the Year | Shortlisted | [50] |
| 2025 | "Disconnect" by Fanning Dempsey National Park (Paul Dempsey / Bernard Fanning) | Song of the Year | Shortlisted | [51] |
TheARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres ofAustralian music.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Paul Dempsey | ARIA Award for Best Male Artist | Nominated | [52] |
| Paul Dempsey & Wayne Connolly, | ARIA Award for Producer of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Everything Is True | ARIA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album | Nominated |
TheNational Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016[53] | himself | Live Voice of the Year | Nominated |
| Victorian Live Voice of the Year | Won |
TheMusic Victoria Awards (previously known as The Age EG Awards and The Age Music Victoria Awards) are an annual awards night celebrating Victorian music.[54]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009[55] | himself | Best Male Artist | unknown |
| Everything Is True | Best Album | unknown |
Title: DEMPSEY Charles John born 7 November 1937; Gillian (nee Barrington) born 25 May 1944; Gillian born 21 October 1964; Moira born 12 May 1967 – Irish[permanent dead link]
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