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He's Only Just Begun - Paul Williams

Part 2 - Scissor Sisters, Daft Punk, Edgar Wright, The Muppets

Duration: 57 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC Radio 2Latest broadcast: on BBC Radio 2

"He's Only Just Begun" - In an intimate chat with his old friend Paul Williams, fellow songwriter Gary Osborne charts the remarkable career of the man behind the timeless classics "We've Only Just Begun", "Rainy Days And Mondays", "You And Me Against The World". He won an Oscar with Barbra Streisand for "Evergreen" worked with The Muppets writing "Rainbow Connection" and the seasonal favourite "The Muppets Christmas Carol", plus every school's favourite musical "Bugsy Malone".

After a career break due to his addictions Paul Williams came back with a new enlightenment and was told "you were not procrastinating you were percolating" that proved to be true. He was approached by the Henson family to write a fresh score for the seasonal favourite "A Muppets Christmas Carol" he says: "It's a lovely way to start the day, when your alarm goes off and you are going to work with Kermit!". He had no idea how much he had influenced many of the current acts and producers. Who knew that Guy and Thomas of the French Electro Music Band Daft Punk were huge fans of Paul's film "Phantom of the Paradise" and had seen it over 20 times, they called him to co-write and perform on their album "Random Access Memories" which won a Grammy. He is working with Jake Shears from The Scissor Sisters and English Director Edgar Wright invited Paul to appear in the hit film "Baby Driver", admitting that he knew Paul's work as he had starred as "Cagey Joe" in his school's production of "Bugsy Malone". He is also currently starring with Billy Bob Thornton in the hit Amazon series "Goliath". Paul Williams is busier than ever and if life's like a movie and you can write your own ending, we can only hope that this genius has "Only Just Begun". Show less

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