Paul Noonan

Noonan has stated that while a competent drummer, he feels he is less proficient at the other instruments he is more closely associated with his work with Bell X1, such as guitar and piano. In recent years, he has fulfilled drumming duties for the band both in the studio and occasionally live as well. The renowned Irish rock drummer Paul "Binzer" Brennan (The Frames, The Waterboys, Concerto For Constantine) has said: "One of my favourite drummers is Paul Noonan, the singer from Bell X1. He doesn’t approach songs from a drummer’s point of view."

In July 2018, electronic artist Daithí released a new track entitled "Take The Wheel" featuring Noonan on lead vocals, with Hot Press describing the song as "hauntingly hopeful".

In spring 2018, it was revealed that Noonan would be releasing Push Puppet, a debut solo EP under his own name produced by Thomas Bartlett and comprising the tracks "Microfiche", "Moth To Your Flame", "Venetian Blinds" and "The Flood". Noonan has said that the material was largely structured over R&B and Hip-Hop grooves created using a phone app called Funk Box, with less emphasis on semantic lyrical meaning than the sound and rhythm of the words. Noonan has stated his intention to release a debut solo album later in 2019.

In July 2017, Noonan announced a string of solo dates around Ireland, promising new material as well as songs from the Bell X1 and Printer Clips catalogues.

In recent years, Noonan has curated various cultural events in Ireland, organising ensemble performances centred around a festival or theme. In 2016, he was commissioned as part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme to stage and produce Starboard Home, a live concert series in Dublin's National Concert Hall and an accompanying album. The multi-media project featured new original material by artists such as James Vincent McMorrow, Cathy Davey, Duke Special, Gemma Hayes, Jape, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Lisa O'Neill, Declan O'Rourke, John Sheahan (The Dubliners), Paul Cleary (The Blades) and novelist Caitriona Lally. In March 2018, Noonan was asked to co-curate a series entitled Imagining Ireland: 21st Century Song – a pair of shows in the National Concert Hall Dublin, and The Barbican in London, of original music to highlight Ireland's diverse creative landscape. Among the acts confirmed were Lisa Hannigan, Saint Sister, Maria Kelly, Brian Deady, Seamus Fogarty, Loah, poet Stephen James Smith and Mango & Mathman.

In May 2014, Noonan joined many of the female singers who featured on Printer Clips debut album at the National Concert Hall, Dublin for a special live performance of the project. In August 2014, Noonan confirmed a new Printer Clips tour of Ireland in December 2014 with Noonan touring alongside Gemma Hayes.

Noonan lives in Dublin with wife Amy Van Den Broek and their two children. The couple released a charity single in 2014 called "Hole in Her Heart", inspired by their daughter Aislinn whom it was discovered had an atrial septal defect while undergoing treatment for an intestinal infection. Proceeds from the sale of the single went to Crumlin Children's Hospital. The pair performed a duet of the song on The Late Late Show in November 2014.

Since 2011, Noonan has conducted a solo project called Printer Clips which has taken the form of collaborations on original material with a range of female artists. In May 2014, a self-titled debut album was released featuring collaborations with Joan As Policewoman, Martha Wainwright, Gemma Hayes, Amy Millan, Julia Stone, Lisa Hannigan, Danielle Harrison, Cathy Davey, Maria Doyle Kennedy and fiddler Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh. The album's release was delayed until May 2014 due to touring and recording commitments for Bell X1's sixth LP, Chop Chop.

Bell X1 always allowed Noonan and other members to explore extracurricular musical projects, its philosophy being that individuals would return with ideas and perspectives acquired elsewhere. Over the years, Noonan has appeared on a number of side projects and as a guest musician (usually percussion and vocals) for fellow artists such as Cathy Davey and Gemma Hayes (he has lent percussion and backing vocals to three of Hayes' albums as well as various EPs). In 2006, he appeared on the popular charity album The Cake Sale as a performer and writer.

In 2000, Noonan's then-girlfriend, the broadcaster and Irish indie icon Uaneen Fitzsimons, was killed in a car accident. The song "In Every Sunflower" from Bell X1's second album Music in Mouth, was written in her memory.

Along with Rice and Geraghty, Noonan was one of the core songwriters in Juniper and contributed to backing vocals as well. In 1997, the band signed a six-album deal with PolyGram. Their only two singles – "Weatherman" and "World Is Dead" – charted in Ireland when released in 1998. That same year, Rice quit the band just as they were about to begin recording their debut album.

While attending Salesian College secondary school in Celbridge, Co Kildare, Noonan met Damien Rice, Dominic Phillips and Brian Crosby. The four would first be members of a folk group that entailed Noonan using school lockers as percussion. In 1991, they would form Juniper, comprising Noonan on drums, Rice on vocals, and Crosby and Phillips on guitars and bass, respectively. Friend and multi-instrumentalist David Geraghty came in to complete the line-up. In 1995, Noonan graduated from Trinity College with a BAI in Computer engineering.

Born in 1974, Noonan grew up in Lucan, near the Dublin-Kildare border. At age nine, while attending St Mary's national school in Lucan, he was second flautist in the Lucan Concert Band, performing covers of works by composers such as John Barry. A visit by a drummer to rehearsal one day caused him to become fascinated by the instrument. He sold his flute and bought a drumkit with his parent's assistance.