A Pirate & A Pop Star: Paul Korda

Birthday tribute to a multi-faceted actor-musician who reached around the world

When Jimi Hendrix called Paul Korda “a soul brother,” it wasn’t just because of Paul’s impressive Afro. It was 1967 and The Jimi Hendrix Experience were still unknown and were seeking strategic gigs for exposure in London.

Paul (then 19 years old) had a booking at London’s 7 & ½ Club—opening night as front man for his first professional band. However, he gave up the gig so that Jimi could showcase to the English music business. Jimi went on to become a household name, cultural legend and guitar hero, but while Paul sacrificed a spotlight, he went on to a diverse and fascinating career as an actor, producer, and singer-songwriter.

Paul was born in Singapore into a creative family of accomplished composers, entertainers, musicians, and singers. From there his family moved around the world but left Paul to be schooled in England. Around age 15, stoking his chops as a guitarist-pianist, he intersected professionally with Sandy Denny, Elton John, The Small Faces, and Cat Stevens—who became one of Paul’s best friends.

While still a minor, Paul signed a publishing deal with Immediate Records—the record label notorious for producing amazingly creative records while also not paying their artists. In 1967 Paul’s song “The Time Has Come” charted for the legendary P.P. Arnold (an Immediate label mate):

(Patty Parvo’s Italian version also charted in Italy). However, when it became apparent there’d be no royalty income, Paul repudiated his Immediate contract. An Immediate manager retaliated and stole Paul’s new 12-string guitar and gave it to another songwriter. Undaunted, Paul was spotted for other opportunities, including production on early recordings by pre-Yes Jon Anderson.

Paul’s acting career broke out in 1968 when he was cast in the London musical production of HAIR. Concurrently he collaborated on a series of singles with my friend, singer-songwriter Tim a.k.a. Chris Andrews.

Here’s “Angel Face” an Andrews/Korda track (with Clem Cattini blazing on drums):

Around 1969 Paul became an activist for trade unions and the environment, and he began to release solo recordings:

After a brief interlude with the rock fusion band Dada,

he continued to perform with, produce, and write for numerous artists, prominently with Roger Daltrey, Dave Edmunds, and Frankie Valli.

In 1977, Paul moved his family to Los Angeles where he recorded his second solo album DANCING IN THE AISLES (co-produced by Spencer Davis) for Janus Records:

The LP reached #4 in the Billboard charts. The single “Manhattan” was a big hit in New York and got accolades from Bruce Springsteen, who could be seen dancing at Paul’s concerts. However, before touring and proper promotion could begin, Janus declared bankruptcy and Paul never saw a dime of label support. To stave off his own bankruptcy, he signed to RCA, who rush-released his single “Out of Gas” in 1979 (later used in Ted Koppel’s documentary THE HISTORY OF AMERICA).

Members of Paul’s band were chosen by Rob Reiner for the cult classic film THIS IS SPINAL TAP, and Paul returned to acting as a rockstar party animal in the film. Concurrently he worked on projects with jazz guitar virtuoso Allan Holdsworth. In the 90s, Paul became an activist for inner-city youth and music education. Working in conjunction with Herb Alpert, they collaborated on the promotional video “Beyond the Darkness”

Paul was directly affected by 9/11. He was booked on the ill-fated flight from Boston but had cancelled at the last minute. Like millions of us, he witnessed the 9/11 events the next morning and decided to drive to Vancouver Island, Canada, to collect his thoughts. While staying in Vancouver, he developed the concept of a musical COMING TO, a kind of sequel to HAIR. It was about the psychological aftermath following 9/11 and the collective need for awakening.

His 2003 album, NOT FOR ROBOTS, featured the single “Pirates of the Caribbean,” a spin-off from his acting work in two of the hugely successful PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN movies.

For the next several years, he focused on acting and he appeared in several films before passing away in 2020 at age 72.

By all accounts, Paul had constant brainstorms and bright projects, and his huge creative spark made a difference wherever screen, stage, and audio speakers could reach.

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