Plumber caught singing on the job — lands record deal in the process
A plumber has landed himself a recording deal after singing while he worked on a job fitting bathrooms for the owner of a record label.
[Sept 6, 2021: The Brighter Side of News]
A plumber is flush with success after he landed a record deal when a music mogul heard him singing—while he fitted his bathroom.
Paul Conneally is owner of New Reality Records, based in Loughborough, which has artists from Brazil, New York, and Britain. He launched the label during the first lockdown in 2020 to bring together artists in the way early independent labels did in punk and new wave to try to create a local sound.
49-year-old Kev Crane, from Quorn, Leicestershire, spent six weeks fitting three bathrooms at Mr Conneally's home.
Kev would spend his working days singing along to his favorite tunes on the radio including David Bowie and Meat Loaf.
Kev, who has been a bathroom fitter for eight years, said he was blown away by Mr Conneally's offer. "It just feels surreal. I never expected anything like this to happen. I love writing music. It's my hobby," he said.
"When I went round to give Paul a quote, he mentioned he owned a record label but I didn't really think much of it."
”I started telling him that I love music, that I used to be in a band and had written an album—more of a hobby really. ”I was shocked when he said he wanted to hear it.
Mr Conneally said he noticed his bathroom fitter had a "good voice" as he sang along to the radio. "He sent me some songs and I was blown away by his songwriting and his attention to detail in producing a sound that is so 80s but so now at the same time."
Kev said he had built his own studio and taught himself how to mix music and use a mic for recording by watching YouTube videos during lockdown.
Kev used to be in a cover band called ‘The Reprise’ in 1990s, covering bands like Depeche Mode, as well as writing his own music.
But after two unsuccessful auditions for the popular UK tv shows Fame Academy and Stars in Their Eyes in the early 2000s, he decided to give it up.
He has now written and produced his debut album "Why Can't I Be You?" which is an 80s-influenced album under the label.
In talking about the new material, Kev added: "I'm just seeing where it leads. I don't have any expectations. I would love to be able to write songs for other artists but if nothing else happens, then it was fun while it lasted."
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