paul d'amour archive
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official biography
Paul D’Amour is a multi-platinum recording artist and award-winning songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer. Formerly a member of TOOL, D’Amour’s distinctive songwriting and bass-playing style placed him at the forefront of the creation of a new genre in rock music in the Grammy-winning prog heavyweight band.Paul's expansive musical range, production skills and his acute sensitivity translating emotion through music led him to the natural next step—composing for film. D’Amour has scored numerous feature films, TV movies, documentaries, branded content, and video games, and garnered frequent song placements. Paul's composing work notably includes working with two-time Sundance award winner Ondi Timoner and has earned him several American Advertising Federation "Awards of Excellence."Paul grew up in Spokane, Washington (boyhood home of director David Lynch), fertile ground for developing an artist’s perspective and strong sense of atmosphere. He describes the town of his youth as a perfect backdrop for films like Gummo and River’s Edge. In Spokane, he became part of the underground punk scene (as Paul describes in his interview for the rockumentary SpokAnarchy!). In his late teens, Paul felt the pull to Seattle and immersed himself in its distinctive sound, which later exploded into grunge. Paul brought his own blend of post-punk and grunge influences to TOOL, his powerful melodic riffs lifted their newly-forming prog rock dark arts feel to forge a groundbreaking new sound. His contributions to their records Opiate, Undertow and Aenima continue to echo in their sound today, inspiring a generation of imitators.Always looking for new sources of inspiration, Paul involves himself in many projects. Post TOOL and the critically-acclaimed, Grammy-nominated psychedelic visionary art pop band LUSK (with Greg Edwards of FAILURE/AUTOLUX, Chris Pitman of GUNS N ROSES, and Brad Laner of MEDICINE), Paul continues to produce, write, record and tour with numerous artists including Sumerian Records’ LESSER KEY (performing at Reading and Leeds Festivals and touring alongside the DEFTONES), as well as recording with his own band FEERSUM ENNJIN. D'Amour’s songs are featured in several films, including Sony's The Roommate, Escape from L.A., and the documentary Cool It, along with EA Games' popular "Dead Space 3", with his FEERSUM ENNJIN song “Fishing Grounds.”
biographical information
name | paul michael d'amour |
age | 58 years old |
date of birth | 05/17/1967 |
parents | john and nancy d'amour |
spouse | gilden tunador (since 1997) |
children | alev tunador d'amour, eero tunador d'amour |
home town | spokane, washington |
current residence | ojai, california |
projects (past)
| Band | Years Active | Position |
|---|---|---|
| TOOL | 1990-1995 | Bass |
| Replicants | 1995-1996 | Guitar, vocals |
| Lusk | 1995-1998 | Guitar, vocals |
releases
| Band | Title | Type | Year | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOOL | Opiate | EP | 1992 | Zoo |
| TOOL | Undertow | Album | 1993 | Zoo |
| Replicants | Replicants | Album | 1995 | Zoo |
| Lusk | Free Mars | Album | 1997 | Zoo/Volcano |
additional information
There is no solid answer as to whether Paul quit TOOL, or whether he was fired. According to Maynard, he was fired. According to everyone else, he left on his own accord due to creative differences. (You decide what you want to believe.)
In the "Undertow" liner notes, Paul is listed as "Bottom Feeder."
Danny Carey is featured on Lusk's track "Kill the King."
The Replicants were a supergroup cover band. It included Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards from the band Failure, and Chris Pittman, who would eventually join Guns N' Roses.
Paul sings on the Replicants' cover of "Ibiza Bar" by Pink Floyd.
Maynard James Keenan is featured on Replicants, singing on the cover of Paul McCartney's "Silly Love Songs."
There are many projects Paul has been involved in, particularly collaborations with his wife, Gilden Tunador, that I cannot find information on. These include projects such as Stella Maris, Queen Maud Land, and Carissa's Wierd. He has, however, been known to be involved with Gilden's band, Figg, though not officially.
Lusk's "Free Mars" was nominated for a Grammy in 1998 for Best Recording Package.
projects (present)
| Band | Years Active | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Feersum Ennjin | 2005- | Vocals, guitar, bass, synth, sample keys, effects |
| Lesser Key | 2012- | Bass |
| Ministry | 2019- | Bass |
releases
| Band | Title | Type | Year | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feersum Ennjin | Feersum Ennjin | EP | 2011 | Silent Uproar |
| Lesser Key | Lesser Key | EP | 2014 | Sumerian |
| Ministry | Moral Hygiene | Album | 2021 | Nuclear Blast |
| Lesser Key | White Rabbit | Single | 2022 | Magus Music |
| Ministry | Hopiumforthemasses | Album | 2024 | Nuclear Blast |
| Ministry | The Squirrely Years Revisited | Album | 2025 | Cleopatra |
additional information
Danny Carey plays drums on the Feersum Ennjin track "The Fourth."
Feersum Ennjin's EP release was written, produced, and performed by Paul himself, with Matt Mahaffey on drums.
The name "Feersum Ennjin" is inspired by the science fiction novel Feersum Endjinn by Iain Banks. Iain's novel The Wasp Factory was also the conceptual inspiration for Lusk.
Though Paul has been writing and performing under the name "Feersum Ennjin" since early 2005, he only officially released music under the moniker in 2011.
Paul ended up joining Ministry because he and Al Jourgensen share the same dentist. When the dentist realized that Al needed a new bassist, he alerted Paul to the open position.
miscellaneous information
music videos
TOOL
replicants
lusk
lesser key
feersum ennjin
ministry
* note, paul is not directly featured in all of these videos. however, he was musically involved in them.
gear
| bass guitars |
|---|
| Rickenbacker 4001 |
| Ovation Magnum |
| Ibanez ATK300 |
| Music Man Stingray |
| Fender American Elite Jazz Bass |
| Rickenbacker 4001CS Chris Squire Signature |
| guitars |
|---|
| Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster |
| amplifiers |
|---|
| Gallien-Krueger 800RB Bass Amp Head |
| Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ Amp Head |
| Mesa/Boogie 2x15 Diesel Cabinet |
| Mesa/Boogie Standard PowerHouse PH 1000 Bass Cabinet |
| effects pedals |
|---|
| Marshall ShredMaster |
| Darkglass Electronics Microtubes B3K CMOS Bass Overdrive |
| DigiTech Whammy Pitch-Shifting Pedal |
| Vox V847A Wah |
other facts
Paul is originally from Michigan. He moved to Spokane, Washington at a young age, and considers it his hometown.
Paul has two younger sisters.
Paul was in a goth band during high school.
He was also a part of the tennis club.
Paul moved to Seattle after dropping out of high school.
He did audio engineering in community college.
Paul also did sets and lighting at his local community theater.
Paul played guitar in the Seattle-based punk band Big Yuck Mouth.
Paul wrote some of Adam's guitar riffs.
As of 2024, Paul was diagnosed with ADHD.
interviews
written
Fresh Blood (September, 1992)
Paul D'Amour of Tool — The SIN Magazine Interview (October 10, 1992)
Under Tool's Curtain (June 7, 1993)
Tool (August, 1993)
Metal on the Rise: TOOL (September, 1993)
Tool Rules (April, 1994)
TOOL w/ Flaming Lips and Failure (May 18, 1994)
TOOL: The Art of Rebellion (August, 1994)
Instruments of Inspiration (November, 1995)
About The Cast - SpokAnarchy! (2011) Scroll down to see Paul's segment
– Male Boxx: Paul D’Amour (Date unknown, 2012?)
Paul D’Amour speaks to Bass Player Magazine (September 27, 2014)
Backworlds we’ll go: Paul D’Amour on the Origins of Lusk’s Free Mars (November 21, 2018)
Original Tool bassist Paul D'Amour on why he quit: "Their creative process is excruciating and tedious" (January 8, 2020)
Metal Inside(r) Home Quarantine: Ministry’s Paul D’Amour (ex-Tool) – “Find things to be grateful for” (May 22, 2020)
Ministry’s Paul D’Amour Talks Louder Than Life, Traveling In Turkey and More (October 22, 2022)
Paul D’Amour opens up on his Tool exit – and his unsung contributions (May 13, 2024)
video/audio
TOOL: We like to masturbate to our music! From Same Interview (1994)
MTV News Europe (1994)
Tool Interview - Maynard James Keenan and Paul D'Amour (MTV) (1994)
TOOL Interview (1994)
Paul DAmour interview w/ "Across The Board" (April 25, 2012)
Ministry's Paul D'Amour Recalls the Time Al Jourgensen Accidentally Drugged Him (November 29, 2022)
PAUL D'AMOUR: MINISTRY, TOOL, LUSK, FEERSUM ENNJIN (November 16, 2023)
Motivation Interview (May 14, 2024)
photo gallery
submissions
because i'm doing all of this by myself, i'm bound to have missed some things, and i hope to keep this site an ever-evolving work in progress.if you find anything (image, interview, factoid, etc.), please do not hesitate to contact me!these are the places you can message me at:
thank you to anyone who took the time to visit the site!