Hank the Wrestling Shark music video makes a splash in kid’s competition

Award-winning songwriter Gerry Paul is delighted that his Hank the Wrestling Shark video, formerly a children’s picture book, has made it through to the finals of the ‘What Now Best Children's Music Video Competition 2013’.

Paul’s hilarious and entertaining Hank the Wrestling Shark music video was selected from a huge pool of New Zealanders, with just three making the list of finalists. Paul’s video will be aired on TV2’s What Now programme in New Zealand over three consecutive Sunday mornings, commencing 30 June 2013. 

The 4:12 minute video of Hank the Wrestling Shark was directed by Wellington director Ryan Fielding, and supports the song that won the Grand Prize in the international John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 2010. Hank the Wrestling Shark can be viewed via the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTW3ksf_jhw.

The song was recorded in Dublin where Paul called on the talents of fellow friends and well known musicians Trevor Hutchinson (‘The Waterboys’), Dave Hingerty (‘The Frames’), Jessica and Emily Staveley-Taylor (‘The Staves’/Tom Jones) and Christof.

Paul and his specially made ‘Hank the Shark’ costume will be traveling to the award ceremony in Christchurch on July 27. There, Paul will be performing at TV2’s KidsFest from July 18-22, alongside children's entertainers Craig Smith of ‘Wonky Donkey’ fame and ‘Levity Beet’. 

Gerry Paul is a Wellington-based musician and author who has played in 40 countries with his band Gråda, and Irish accordion maestro Sharon Shannon. Most recently, Paul was in Nashville where he was recording on a new solo album by Grammy Award Winning Bluegrass musician Tim O'Brien. He is about to head back to Europe in August for three months to tour Ireland, the UK and Germany.