Paul Wellings

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Paul Wellings is a British journalist, author and broadcaster.

Wellings was born and raised in the London overspill suburbs in the 1960s, the eldest son of a P.E. teacher and school assistant.

After starting his journalistic career on regional newspapers, Wellings landed a prestigious freelance job on the pop press with the New Musical Express, thanks to his best man Tony Parsons. He was the first to write about the black R&B soul scene and its links with the soccer casual movement. He also wrote about his close friendship with Tony Parsons and Julie Burchill in the book "I'm A Journalist ...Get Me Out Of Here".

He also worked on the Daily Mirror and London’s Evening Standard, writing about sport and showbiz. He has appeared on scores of TV shows discussing football, black music, youth culture, soccer casuals, and pirate radio. He has written six books: This is the Modern Word, East Ending, The Chaps, I'm A Journalist... Get Me Out Of Here!, Spend It Like Beckham and the latest "Sex, Lines and Videotape", plus the screenplay "Thieves". In the early 1980s his group the Anti Social Workers released an LP, produced by the legendary reggae producer the Mad Professor (of Massive Attack fame), to rave reviews. The group supported reggae legend Peter Tosh (Bob Marley's partner) on tour.

As a sideline Wellings was a two-step soul DJ with underground radio stations Laser and LWR (the station that launched Radio 1's Tim Westwood and Pete Tong).

In the 1990s he moved into PR where he has a full-time career as well as being a freelance journalist for The Independent.