The Paul Mirfin Band are a folk rock band from Knaresborough that formed in May 2015. The founding member was Paul Mirfin (lead vocals, guitar, merlin, harmonica) who, whilst working as a train conductor on Northern Rail, began writing and performing songs at music events that he organised at the local Caffe Nero branch in Harrogate. The original band came together after Mirfin put a call out at his local church to recruit musicians. During the first few months of forming there was a speedy acceleration in the popularity of the band as they played in pubs, cafes, churches and at country music festivals. The trio’s unique acoustic sound with a range of instruments from Merlin to Irish bouzouki set alongside rich three part harmonies influenced by violinist Dan Jackman’s classical music training set them apart from other bands on the gig circuit.
After an appearance on Songs of Praise in June 2016, where Mirfin was featured as Yorkshire’s Singing Train Conductor, the band began to gain momentum releasing their first EP ‘Bring the Rain’ in the same month and playing to sell out venues in the Yorkshire area. Recorded in one day at a small local studio called Homefire, this live studio recording provided a springboard onto the international music scene.
The songs on this EP were inspired by collisions in life and relationships following a turbulent few years in Mirfin’s life. Underlying themes in many of the songs are those of love and hope, influenced by testimonies of Mirfin’s Christian faith. The EP was followed by a single released in November 2017 called ‘The Fighter’[9] “with its memorable Trinitarian lines, “Well, there’s one of you/And there’s three of me/Come on and fight.” The filming of ‘The Fighter’ music video, which later won Best Rock Video 2017 at the JUMP music awards. was shot around Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was directed by Dave Thorp and featured actor Velton Lishke along with Mirfin as two men in conflict; Mirfin’s character defeats ‘The Fighter’ (played by Lishke) in an underground bare knuckle fight scene without actually throwing a punch.
In January 2018 it was announced that the band were returning to Homefire Studios in Harrogate to record their first full-length album ‘Ancient Roads’. In his review of the album Tony Cummings from Cross Rhythms Radio wrote: “In the ’60s it was Parchment and Gordon Giltrap-era Graham Kendrick. In the ’90s it was Eden Burning and the Pink Dandelions. And today a new band, led by singer, guitarist and songwriter Paul Mirfin from Knaresborough, have emerged onto the scene easily as good as those units of yesteryear…….the delicate acoustic-driven “Trust In The Silence” which is as haunting an intimate worship song as you’re likely to hear this year.
