When Paul Weller chose to cover Brian Protheroe’s 1974 debut single ‘Pinball’ for his latest single and upcoming album Find El Dorado, it wasn’t just a nod to nostalgia – it was an artist recognising a song that had quietly endured for half a century. For Brian, who has straddled a dual career in acting and music, Pinball was never meant to be a pop hit. It was a stream-of-consciousness diary entry, capturing a moment of heartbreak, aimlessness, and Soho wanderings, all strung together without a chorus – just mood, melody, and raw honesty.
Written during a low point in his life – newly single, broke, and living in a flea-ridden Covent Garden flat – his vivid lyrical sketches (‘fleas in the bedroom, flies in the bathroom’) offered something different to the glam and gloss of the charts. That difference resonated: Pinball landed him on Top of the Pops, and repeated plays from Kenny Everett on his Capital radio show.
Now 81, Brian is still writing and recording, with a remastered vinyl reissue of his debut album Pinball due in August.
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Brian Protheroe – 'Pinball' – Singer, Songwriter, Actor – Paul Weller Fan Podcast
‘Pinball’ – Brian Protheroe
Paul Weller – Pinball… from the upcoming new album, Find El Dorado
2024 – Brian Protheroe – The Last Serenade
Described as full of ‘hooks and quirks’, The Last Serenade EP features songs written over ten months, with no fixed plan. A highlight is a new remix of Monkey, originally from Brian’s 1974 debut Pinball, inspired by the French show Tous Les Animaux Triste.
You can buy the album on Bandcamp here.
2023 – Brian Protheroe – Salisbury Boy
Written over a focused nine-month period, this album blends fresh material with rediscovered fragments from his past – most notably the haunting ‘Over Your Love,’ begun in the late ’70s. Tracks like ‘Salisbury Boys’ draw on his early folk-club days, while ‘Songwriter’ offers a layered meditation on creativity and conflict. Elsewhere, ‘Wolfgang’ reflects his love of Mozart, and the album as a whole echoes the eclecticism and melodic finesse that made his ’70s records so enduring. Brian may never have chased stardom, but this collection confirms his status as a quietly brilliant and distinctive voice in British music.
You can buy the album on Bandcamp here.
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