RIP: A Foot In Coldwater Guitarist Paul Naumann

by David on October 22, 2009

Iconic Canadian band A Foot In Coldwater carved an enduring name  in Canadian rock history with a quartet of albums produced by Frank Davies for Daffodil Records (here), Island (in the UK) and Elektra (in the US) in the mid ’70s. The band’s signature tune and biggest hit was “Make Me Do Anything You Want,” easily recognized by guitarist Paul Naumann‘s fluid guitar solo on the break. Naumann, 57,  passed away in Tao, New Mexico from an unspecified illness on Tuesday, October 20. The accompanying video offers a taste of his superb guitar style. We salute a Canadian rock pioneer and offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }

Pat Harbron October 22, 2009 at 11:46 am

Sorry to here about Paul’s passing.I remember seeing one of Foot In Coldwater’s early gigs in a tiny club in Toronto on Colborne Street.I don’t know if the album had been released yet.
I was still lamenting the end of Nucleus and this was my
first chance to see some of those guys playing in their new band.

=Ae= October 22, 2009 at 9:33 pm

Good to see “Wait” up in lights – a marvelous piece of music. There’s a track on one of Paul’s more recent solo CD’s called “Look What Love’s Doin’ To Me” (or at least that’s the refrain), with one of the tastiest acoustic guitar breaks on the planet. Just a hint of what the man could do. He’ll be missed by many, musically and personally.

A.

Leigh Ashford Group October 27, 2009 at 5:39 pm

we all are sad to hear of Paul’s passing
one of a great artistic creative person
he will be missed our prayers are with his
family at this time.

Paul Lawrence October 28, 2009 at 10:45 pm

very sad news…have been a fan for many years…most memorable time I saw FICW was at the old summer garden in Port Dover around ’72 on a bill with Crowbar…Paul’s playing was mezmerizing…at a time when I was just learning the instrument….his style and tone were bang on…my sincere condolences to his family and close friends…God Bless you on your journey home Paul

Warren Brubacher October 30, 2009 at 8:37 am

The guitar playing of Paul will live on and on.He left us a legacy that will never die.Make Me Do Anyting You Want will still be on the airwaves long after we are all gone.
All the albums are great.To me,there are no weak ones.
Paul Naumann`s playing is always solid as a rock.

Carol Ann Slack December 9, 2009 at 5:10 pm

I was born next door to Paul Naumann’s family and my sister was good friend’s with Paul. She actually named her daughter after Paul’s mom. I just found out about Paul and I am very sad to hear of his early passing. He was about 7 years older than the girls that I hung out with so we just stood from afar and oogled over his good looks and amazing guitar playing. I was good friend’s with his younger brother Gary, who moved away when we were very young. I have fond memories of the Naumann’s as our neighbours. I don’t want to mention it to my sister yet because I know she will be saddened. (slackcarol@hotmail.com)

Kevin December 21, 2009 at 6:40 pm

Very sorry to hear about Paul Naumann. He was a vital part of one of Canada’s most overlooked and greatest bands

johnw April 26, 2010 at 3:51 pm

I hired Paul to work on 5 demos with Rick Lamb and I doing the co-writing on the songs in 1988. The recordings were done in my apartment on Gloucester St. in Toronto.They turned out excellent and it was a priveledge to have worked with Paul. Sincerely johnw

Matthew Robertson October 28, 2010 at 5:18 pm

Met Paul in 1988 in Santa Fe. We performed together and later recorded 13 compositions, 8 in 1990 and 5 more in 1993, in Palm SpringsPaul’s music and my poetry. I loved the man, his music and our collaboration. I miss him heaps. I listen to our work together on most days.

Matthew Robertson October 28, 2010 at 5:20 pm

Met Paul in 1988 in Santa Fe. We performed together and later recorded 13 compositions, 8 in 1990 and 5 more in 1993, in Palm SpringsPaul’s music and my poetry. I loved the man, his music and our collaboration. I miss him heaps. I listen to our work together on most days. Currently I live in Dunedin, in the South Island of New Zealand

BILL KING November 5, 2010 at 3:54 pm

WOW!

WHAT A GREAT GUITARIST. PAUL AND i GREW UP TOGETHER IN SCARBOROUGH ON. WE BECAME GOOD FREINDS AND PLAYED IN TWO BANDS TOGETHER.

WE HAVE BEEN OUT OF TOUCH FOR MANY YEARS UNFORTUNATLY AND NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO REKINDLY OUR GREAT TIMES TOGETHER.

SORRY PAUL AND BEST TO TO THE FAMILY.

BILL

Francesco January 31, 2011 at 4:15 pm

It’s amazing how all these years later a song like Make Me Do Anything You Want can still warm the heart to more simple times and memories. My deepest condolances to the family. I never met Paul but I feel he was part of my childhood because of the music he left behind. His spirit and music will touch people long after we’re gone, all the best.

Regards,

Francesco

Tina and Gord Collett April 10, 2011 at 6:58 pm

So sorry to hear about Paul’s passing. The news brought back a flood of memories. Paul helping Gord shovell snow off our amazing back-yard rink when he was about 14. Paul playing guitar for me and showing off his purple-bruised fingers that he had earned from countless hours of practice. Having the band practice in our basement – the noise so awesome all the lights fixtures flickered and threatened to fall out of the ceiling. The sweet cry of that wailing guitar that was a tanginent expression of Paul’s soul. We are lucky to be able to listen to that sound still and have Paul visit us for a while.

Peter Dempster July 8, 2011 at 7:34 pm

Very sad to hear about Paul. He was a great guitarist..I still have an old tape of a project we did down at Eastern Sound in Yorkville many years back. I will cherish that tape even more.
My condolences to his family. He will be greatly missed.

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