Paul Rooney was born in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.He started playing guitar at age 17 and was initially a self-taught musician influenced by punk rock.Early bands included Lenz from his native town of Morley and Brik Marine formed by record producer / bassist Nev Barker.Influenced by glam rock, Rooney formed Leeds band "Virgin", also taking influences from American rock and later Electro music such as Gary Numan and Kraftwerk.Moving to London in the mid-1980s, he joined forces with ex-Vice Squad vocalist Beki Bondage and together they formed The Bombshells.Rooney studied guitar at Guitar Academy of Music in London and continued to write and expand his music production skills throughout the 1990s.In 1997, Beki Bondage and Paul re-formed Vice Squad playing at Holidays In The Sun punk festival.