Screaming Jets Founding Member Paul Woseen Passes Away

Founding member of Newcastle rockers The Screaming Jets, Paul Woseen passed away today aged 56. In a statement on the band’s social media, the band said:

It is with broken hearts that we tell you our beloved brother in rock Paul Woseen has passed away today. We are shattered, dealing with the loss of Paully, he was a brilliant shining light in all of our lives. Our hearts are with Paully’s family, and we ask that you respect our need for privacy at this time.

The news was a shock for fans, with the band preparing to release their new album on October 6 with Woseen, along with an extensive national tour from November to February.

Along with Dave Gleeson, Woseen was the one constant in the band, forming in the 1980s and taking on the Screaming Jets name in 1989, just before the release of their debut album All For One exploded with its hit Better. Woseen’s powering bass line opened the track and was the opening shot in what would become a four-decade career.

Woseen penned over thirty Screaming Jets songs across seven albums, including the monster hit Helping Hand from the band’s second album, Tear of Thought. The song brought the band to a whole new audience with its horn instrumentation and darker pop-rock sound while still managing to rock out.

The song peaked at #25 on the ARIA Chart and was voted at #56 in Triple M’s ‘Ozzest 100’ in 2018, showing the enduring popularity of the song.

Woseen also penned October Grey, a massive radio hit from 1997’s World Gone Crazy album and proved he wasn’t just about the ballads, also writing hard rock anthem and fan favourite Needle. Despite fellow founder Grant Walmsley departing in 2007, Woseen and Gleeson’s friendship and professional relationship was the glue that continued to hold the band, remaining together to the end.

Just one short month ago, the band were celebrating the release of their new single, Second Chance.

Woseen spoke of writing the song: “I sent Dave the lyrics I had, but he’d already come up with his own. Funnily, the vibe of both sets of lyrics was very similar, so we sort of melded the two into this one song. I’m very happy with how it turned out. I think it’s a beautiful piece of music.”

The song is a classic Jets ballad in the style of October Grey and was the second track released from the forthcoming album. Co-writer and vocalist Dave Gleeson said the song was “very introspective”.

“I came up with the lyric during Covid. It’s about those sliding-door moments, thinking about lost opportunities but, more importantly, thinking about new opportunities that might be on the horizon.”

The band are understandably yet to address the album and tour plans, which will be impacted by today’s tragic news.

Woseen was also a member of Rose Tattoo since 2013, St Lucifer since 2012 and released a solo album, Bombido, in 2014. Woseen was reportedly working on material for a second solo album.