Chronos Exiles

"There are few friends as treasured as your first friends" and in 2025 we sadly lost one of mine.

Paul Webster , " The Axe Man " as I use to call him.

For those that dont know, back in the 1980s this was a term used for an exceptionally talented Heavy Metal Guitarist . Paul was left handed and at 14 years of age I claimed what I now consider to be the bragging rights when I say.... " I taught him his first 3 chords"

Paul was so incredibly gifted and within 6 months I found myself kicked out of my newly formed highschool band and replaced by this new left handed genuis . Rightly so , he was incredible .The Dire Straits Track, Sultans of Swing was a breeze for him . He in return gave me that unique moment in ones life . It's the moment when you see or in this case hear someone do something and it impascts you so hard that you suddenly say " thats what I want to do with my life " . That moment happened when I heard Paul in his band. "Valhalla" play a cover of Motorhead's track "Bomber" . It was that raw energy and in your face riff which he belted out so well ,.that made you sit up and go. " What the Fuck is that ?"

The first moment I heard him play this when I was a teenager , was the starting gun that made me go on as an adult to do every one of the hundreds of gigs in biker rallies , pubs, clubs later in life . The fortune I spent on guitars , amplifiers, lighting PA systems, the sweat in the gigs , the sweat getting the gigs, the sweat carrying all the gear. It all started with Paul playing Bomber live in a school hall

Paul was a strong Christian and I admired him also for is faith. I often wished I could have also felt the same conviction as he did

A special and very personal moment for me will always be the time that he openly prayed in front of me for " Steves Salvation". Nobody had done that before and no one has ever done it since
His immense talent also tormented him on occaisions by what he felt was the clash between his passion for rock music and his Christian faith . Not everyone understood Paul , but his long term partner was one that did and I know he also loved her dearly

Throughout our adult life Paul and I maintained contact even though we were now in different parts of Wales and in these later years I could see how he battled bravely with his mental health issues. One of his close friends and neighbours so eloquently discribed him as someone that

" had a kind heart and a man that respected those that respected him"

In his latter days he was very selective about who he put his trust in but I know that his Christian faith was his absolute rock at all times , right up until the moment that he left us

He once wrote , sang and recorded an acoustic track and in it he described himself as being "over here on the left with Jesus"

Well. " Axe man" if thats where you are now Im sure you and old J.C. are belting out " Bomber" by Motorhead together .... and if your faith is right and Im wrong , put a word in for me as I would be happy to do the vocals in your gig once I finish this one here .