Paul Bergmann

Photo provided by, Paul Bergmann

Paul Bergmann

People of the planet earth. Paul Bergmann is here to sing to us into a blissful state of being. Paul is no stranger to the scene. The fellah has been putting out tunes since 2013. While they continue to grow and mature as an artist they hold on to the striking unique perspective that drew me to them in the first place. Check-in with paul as we chat about their single “My Ghost And I”.

A self-portrait by, Paul Bergmann

Would you rather

your sense of smell or sense of hearing be a hundred times stronger? Why?

Hearing because I’m already losing it. It might be terrible to hear things I don’t want to hear, and it may be impossible to sleep, but I bet if I got some really good earplugs, I could live a semi-functional life. Smell would be too nauseating, likely.

Some questions with Paul Bergmann

What was the creative drive behind your 2020 single “My Ghost And I”

That song is sort of taking the piss. I was just having fun, and was writing a lot of songs on the piano, which I rarely do. I just thought a love song about a ghost would be cheeky, and then it turned out that the ghost being the spirit of one’s self was also implied. I’m happy that came about; it’s always good for a song to be opaque, in my opinion.

If you could be on any reality TV show, what would it be and why?

2002 season of Frontier House. That’s my fuckin’ jam. Learn to build a log cabin and get all gaunt and strong. Build some character in the beautiful Western frontier. I’m sure it would be miserable, but I do like to romanticize it.

How do you approach the lyric writing process?

It varies, but I usually just sit down and write with some sort of stimulant (coffee, let’s not kid ourselves). For my newest unreleased album, I wrote all the music before I wrote the lyrics. I usually do it the other way around. When I was on the road a lot as a beer delivery driver, I would dictate little phrases into my phone and cobble together songs later. I think it’s good to have a variety of processes, and not to be afraid to create new ones.

What is your favorite part of the NYC music community?

Probably that as an outsider, I was able to find and play shows. It’s always felt like less of a “locals-only” vibe than in some smaller cities or towns, probably because it’s made up of transplants. I’ve never experienced any out of the ordinary douchebaggery, and I’d really just liken it to the LA scene where I lived for a while; supportive and relatively nonjudgmental (at least to your face).

What is your favorite venue to play in NYC? Why?

Alphaville. It’s like Baby’s but even more laidback. I like that the bar is separate from the room the music is played in; it’s such a respectful design, for both the bands and the listeners. Also, I had a great sound guy who gave a shit (thanks Willy!), and the room is small, so I could fill it haha. I played a Sunday night in the dead of winter and it was just one of those magic shows where everyone came out. I’m a fan.

Who was a significant family member growing up? Has their influence impacted the music you are making?

My grandpa loved Frank Sinatra, and he used to sing all the time in the car. He was a suave man, and I feel like I’ve unconsciously aspired for his charisma. He was a romantic; he used to love blueberry picking and would always say he wanted to live “on top of the mountain!” with this irresistible gusto and longing. I often find myself writing about the same sort of earthly desires; disappearing into the country, worshipping nature, those sorts of things. He was a big influence on my life.

With releases going back to 2013 have you noticed any change in your workflow when producing music?

Well, I’m a lot more prolific without a label. For better or for worse. I like to churn stuff out, and self-releasing allows you to do that. When I was with a label, everything took longer—but then again, each individual song got more attention. Despite that, I still may have been more prolific in terms of writing when I was younger. A lot of abandoned songs…but that’s a tale as old as time.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

My new album, The Other Side, will be out on April 2. The first single will be out end of February!