Paul Vickers

Paul Vickers
Paul Vickers AKA Mr. Twonkey in 2014
Background information
Genres	Indie rock, alternative rock, lo-fi, cabaret, comedy
Years active	1996 (1996)–present
Labels	eastwest, SL,
Associated acts	Dawn of the Replicants, The Leg
Website	twonkey.blogspot.co.uk

Paul Vickers is the vocalist and lyricist with cult rock band Dawn of the Replicants. After the group went on indefinite hiatus in 2007, he continued to release music with various collaborators as well as branching out into comedy and writing. Since 2010 he has performed an annual, award nominated annual cabaret show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as Mr. Twonkey. He has also released three albums with Edinburgh band The Leg. In 2013 he published his first book, Itchy Grumble, and in 2015 his first theatrical play Jennifer's Robot Arm debuted in London. Twonkey's Mumbo Jumbo Hotel won the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Vickers moved to Galashiels from Marske-by-the-Sea to work on a short-lived Scottish music magazine, Sun Zoom Spark. Several of the contributors formed the band Dawn of the Replicants and landed a major label record deal with eastwest, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group. Despite strong reviews and the backing of DJ John Peel, the group were dropped from eastwest after two albums. They continued releasing new material to critical acclaim on independent labels until Fangs (2006), their last studio album to date. Vickers also released an album of electronica with Replicants band member Roger Simian as Pluto Monkey in 2000.

Vickers, who enjoyed talking to the audience between songs at live shows, had long been encouraged to try his hand at stand-up. In 2008, he released a comedy album Recording The Impossible in collaboration with Andy Currie. The recording featured impersonations by Currie, elaborate sketches and musical backing, inspired by the likes of Ivor Cutler, the Jerky Boys, Chris Morris and Tom Waits. By 2009, Vickers was performing one-off stand-up gigs around Edinburgh as a solo act. That same year he performed at Edinburgh's prestigious The Stand Comedy Club, but was banned after covering the stage in syrup. He was finally allowed back in July 2015.