Novemeber Gigs

So here's where I've been recently, or will be shortley...


November 2011

Saturday 26th
Music Is Remedy at Hoxton Street Markit
Hoxton London

Thursday 24th
Rubix Collective at Bang Said The Gun
https://www.facebook.com/events/182903825130241/

Thursday 24th
Spoken Stories Showcase with open mike
Battersea Arts Centre London

Wednesday 23rd
Spoken Stories Showcase with open mike
Lyric Hammersmith Theatre London
https://www.facebook.com/events/274723125898503/

Friday 18th November
Rubix In The Hub
Roundhouse London
http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/productions/rubix-in-the-hub

October 2011

29th October
White Night: New Writing South Brighton
http://www.whitenightnuitblanche.com/brighton/events/flash-utopia/

22nd October - 23rd
The Great Escape (A Borrowers Tale)
At The Chats Palace
http://www.chatspalace.co.uk/thegreatescape/


17th October
On The Spot: Improvised Poetry Battle
Tristan Bates Theatre
http://www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/


3rd October
So Chilled
Soho Theatre
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=123086791063876

Jungle warfare live At the Doghlouse

White Night

'Ello

On Saturday 29th October, I will be performing in Brighton as part of the WHITE NIGHT festival. Looking at the schedule, it looks like there is something happening all over town so could be worth checking out. I will be performing at the offices of New Writing South between 7pm and 4 am. The night is curated by all round spoken word dona and fellow RUBIX member Dean Atta, as well as well as SEAN MAHONEY and FEMI MARTIN

My Town

Hey


This is a piece I've performing regularly for the last 18 months now, and I've finally got a video put up for it,. Filmed by a good friend of mine, Steve J Todd, it was in aid of How It Ended Productions's trip to Edinburgh for there show Waterproof of June 6th 2011

Cheeky Haiku's

Hello!

This week, as part of of another arm in the expanding empire of Rubix  Deanna Rodger Sean Mahoney and I performed at a conference on sustainable transport, held at The Barbican. It was a lot of fun, and as part of it we wrote a load of haiku's which were printed on the back of cards made to look like traiin tickets, which were pretty sick.

I'd never had a go at haiku's before and really enjoyed it. here's a few that I wrote plus some extra!

I can't stand the smell

Cars emitting at junctions

Trains don't smell like that

One can't see London

In all it's magnificence

Whilst dark, underground

Blood flows at high tide

I have never felt so good

Pounding the pavements

My blood circulates

Endorphins make me feel good

The more I pedal

Wind brushes my face

Rain paints a picture of grey

Either way I see

The Air that I breathe

Is tainted with exhaust fumes

Why add fuel to fire

Drive autopilot

Bypassing the scenery

Never see God's art

Apart from getting splashed

By drivers with no conscience

cycling is alright

Petrol will run out

The inner tube on a bike

can be inflated

Train conversations

whether you like them or not

inform opinions

Travelling by train

You can drink a cup of tea

what more do you want?

She gets on my train

at the same stop every day

always looking nice

EXTRA'S

Secondary School

I learnt to break into cars

With a coat-hanger

Secondary School

I learnt that central locking

made that redundant

Secondary School

I learnt that I was a wimp

Who had a conscience 

Bright Lights In The Shaddow

 Bright Lights In The Shadow

The immortal orange glow swallows stars.

Nearby farms sit underneath the flight path surrounded by motorway.

Paradox's of tranquillity tucked behind B roads,

where rows of 3 and 4 bed detached house's fetch value,

like the trained through bred well fed dogs seen on the alleyways and bridleways

fetching castaway branches,

to the arms of masters who make money in the city

and home in the shadow,

where the orange glow of the airport provides employment,

for those unwilling to brave the cattle of the packed commuter trains,

to the trades of the city.

Baggage handlers boss the pubs

and commandeer the pool tables.

Stewards hold court on the dance floors of bars

who try hard to attain the status of it's bigger city cousins.

Kids compete with eager fists to be the biggest fish in the garden pond

unaware there is a whole world out there beyond the orange glow,

and the shadow that hangs from the city.

Distinguishing province from capitol.

Fellow Rubix Members Take Over 10 Downing Street

When I saw this, I almost cried!!!

Deanna Rodger, Sean mahoney, Ayesha Badat and Bridget Minamore are all fellow Rubix members and did a wicked job on this!!!

Warning: This Millwall piece has nothing to do with hooliganism

A while ago I was asked to write a piece about Millwall by fellow poet and football writer Gary From Leeds for the brilliant blog he runs called the The 127 Formation and this is what I came up with...

Ok, that was a bit of lie, it does…

I was once asked a question with which I answered “Millwall” to then be asked a second question “Are you racist?”

Of course, the first question was, “what football team do you support?” These days, even in the supposedly open-minded arty circles I sometimes rotate in, like a child on a waltzer, looking as if he’s about to regurgitate his excitability consumed large McDonalds milkshake all over his Chelsea t-shirt (now that’s an image!), this strikes as an all too predictable response from many people.

Understandably, Millwall have a terrible reputation and are by no means angels. But then nor are Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, West Ham, Stoke, Liverpool, Leeds, Cardiff, Portsmouth etc etc the list goes on, and the figures from the statistics for football-related arrests and banning orders prove this, year in, year out.

A lot of it, I believe, is too do with media coverage and the influence they wield over public opinion, which seems to lean on the Millwall reputation a bit too easily, all the while perpetuating an age old stereotype which can act as springboard for absurd, and sometimes offensive accusations which bypass the ring fences of political correctness, reserved for most other sections of society, without many people ever batting an eyelid, other than Millwall fans themselves. Phew, let me take a breath!

The recent reporting in the Evening Standard about Millwall supporters coming out to protect Eltham during the riots did not receive the same admiration as the Turkish and Kurdish shop owners in Dalston, just a patronising rhetoric, which only serves to further alienate an increasingly alienated section of society.

At a time when there is extremist vultures lurking overhead like the EDL and the BNP, ready to pluck at the corpses of pre-dominantly young white working class men, lazy nonsense like that doesn’t help.

When confronted with pre-loaded questions about morons, racists and hooligans, it can be very frustrating, even after pointing out facts about behaviour and incidences involving supporters from bigger clubs, such as those mentioned above, many people would rather hold on to the force fed images of Man United being the jewel in the English crown, untouchable, family and huge corporate sponsor friendly whilst Millwall is the dangle-berry clinging on to footballs rectum, rather than accepting that hooliganism is not exclusive to SE16.

I would have thought that any look around a town centre on a Friday or Saturday night from Bristol to Newcastle would prove this, but for some reason it’s rare that the similarities in behaviour of those misbehaving on a night out is ever compared to that of a football fan looking for a punch up.

In retrospect, I should have punched that person in the face, or at least told to them where to go, upon being asked if I was racist, based on the findings of what football team I support. I’m sure no one would ever approach a father pushing a child on a swing in the park and ask him if he’s a paedophile, I’m quite sure that man would be highly insulted, as I was, such is the regard for paedophiles and of course racists, and rightly so.

But of course, punching someone in the face or cursing at them only further enforce a terrible stereotype, and I would most likely come out it the villain. I just like football and Millwall, that’s all.

Improvised Poetry Battle Event

Evening!

So I'm going to be doing this event called On The Spot which is effectively a rap battle for poets. Anyone that knows me well should know that I'm a big fan of the  Don't Flop rap battle's and have spent many an hour watching the old Jump Off battles of Professor Green and Stig Of The Dump. There's some weighty names gone in the hat like Curious who I hear killed it first time. So it's my turn, I'm not sure if my brain works quick enough to generate the sort of quick witted cusses of the above but like my Dad said, 'you gotta put your neck on the line'

17th October at Tristan Bates Theatre http://www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/Production_Details_On%20The%20Spot.asp
£6/£5 doors open 7:30

See you there?

I'll be bricking it!!

Paul

In amougst the clutter I found this

Hello!

 I was going through some files on my laptop and I found this poem, or the workings of. I wrote it a few months back, it was originally intended for a show that was going to take place in Edinburgh but never did. Instead it was scrapped. This piece was a found in amongst the rubbish stored on my laptop. Much like the messy room I mention, which, at the time of writing it'snt so bad...

PARANOIA'S PRIORITIES

Mechanically spun I'm dizzy.

She leads,

I follow.

Reading and re-reading every text and email I've ever received,

regarding her,

and me.

I sit drinking my tea trying not to think,

but it's futile.

Sat on my black leather chair,

by my bed,

laptop on my legs,

leaning forward so my back bends and eventually hurts,

phone in my left hand,

tea in my right.

The only thing missing is a desk,

and a bedroom,

that looks and feels like a bedroom,

rather than a storage space,

for cardboard boxes and crates,

stacked in corners,

and letters from the bank,

strewn across the floor with yesterdays clothes.

Still,

my trainers look nice,

box fresh Nikes,

parked by my bed like a porshe in the drive,

at a dive of a home.

I was always crap at getting my priorities right.

Temporary accommodation,

belonging to my parents,

sleeping in the room on the other side of the wall.

27 and I can't find the feet I'm supposed to stand on.

I'm sure my Dad is proud.

My Mum worries.

I worry.

I'm worried now,

though not for the fact,

that I lack employment, prospects and a pension,

it's because,

I'm stressing,

about her.

Priorities again.

I look at my mug and just about make out my face's reflection,

I wonder which face is starring at a mug.

I bring up an email.

Take a gulp of my tea.

Her few words on the screen ask more questions of me.

“I'm busy right now talk next week”

Not even a question mark.

A statement.

I’m worried I've stepped in the ring with someone twice my weight and punching range.

Paranoia breeds every time she speaks.

I'm trying to second guess her tactics,

but she's like Jose Morinouio,

and I'm Tony Pulis,

route one is all I have,

she's capable of switching the way she plays at any given moment.

She can raise and lower my hopes,

with the tone of her voice,

or the lack of syntax in an email or a text message.

She mechanically control’s the mental mechanisms responsible for manufacturing paranoia,

as chemicals loose there balance inside my brain.

I can hear my Mum downstairs calling my name.

It's dinner time,

she shouts.

I'm not done re-reading my emails,

and texts.

Analysing them to death

Priorities again.

Boobs Work And Me

Back in August, I performed for a week alongside fellow Poets Gary From Leeds and Sean Mahoney, at the Hen and Chickens Theatre Islington, as the warm up acts for this touching and funny show by Richard Purnell called "Boobs Work And Me". It was a lot of fun, from the show to re3cording the promo video (see below) and we had some really good audiences. I even indirectly gaines my first review from Londonist.com http://londonist.com/2011/08/review-richard-purnell-and-friends-hen-and-chickens.php

Better Late Than Never

This is a blog I wrote for the super cool people at Poejazzi http://poejazzi.wordpress.com/. They put on very very good events and back in may I was lucky enough to perform at one of them....

Better Late Than Never

My Mum often reminds me that Buster Merryfield, who played Uncle Albert in Only Fools And Horses, didn’t become an actor until he was in his fifties (my Mum knows everything!) I recently turned 28. Though I don't consider myself old, I do think that I was a bit of a latecomer into Poetry and Spoken Word, compared too some of the ever increasing list of brilliant performers I've seen that are under the age of 20. I have vague recollections of covering the subject of poetry back when I was at school, though most of those were of reading Roald Dahl poems when I was very young. I remember my GCSE NEAB Anthology was covered in graffiti about football and insults towards people's Mums (not mine though yea!). Other than a picture of Shamus Heaney, that is about all I can recollect. No poems, just rubbish graffiti. It pretty much sums up my formal education.

I must have picked something up though, because I had a basic understanding of poems that used rhyming couplets and I was independently able to string some very simple pieces together the day that I decided I was going to have a go at writing poems, though I was no stranger to rhyming, at that stage I'd already spent a few years penning rap bars which certainly helped.

I came into Poetry fully aware that I knew next to nothing. Effectively uneducated, I'm quite sure this has reflected in my work. I remember one of the first poetry events I ever went to, Poetry Unplugged at the Poetry Cafe, watching a young guy step up to the microphone and explain in his pre-amble that he was highly influenced by Keats, receiving a few nods of approval amongst the many people sat in the crampt basement of the Poetry Cafe. Not only did I have no idea who Keats was, but I also had no idea, not for want of trying, what the poet was talking about when he read his piece. I certainly did not feel the bliss of ignorance at that moment, put simply, I felt stupid. If it wasn’t for hearing Nial O Sullivan speak and then perform, and thinking to myself that he was both a genius and a bit of a geezer, I probably never would have gone back.

The interesting thing about my complete lack of poetical knowledge when I started out, is that my parents are very well read (I told you, my Mum knows everything, and cooks a mean Sunday roast!) despite both coming from working class backgrounds they believe education holds the key to betterment and would often tell me this. Of course I probably rubbished this, like I had done with most things at School. Unsurprisingly I spent the next 10 years after leaving school at 16 in all manor of mundane low paid jobs, constantly battling to keep the creative part of my brain active.

When I first started going to Poetry nights, I quickly developed an enthusiasm for it. Knowing where my negative attitude had got me in the past, I was able to easily dismiss any pre-conceptions that I held and absorb as much as I possibly could without prejudice. I carried this attitude into a creative writing course I soon took up at Birckbeck College and then into theatre, when I got involved at BAC.

As embarrassing as it was, and still is, being that I've just exposed myself in this blog (as if you didn’t know!) it has been far outweighed by my enthusiasm, satisfaction and the enjoyment I've gained from the journey so far. I guess what I'm trying to say is, like the dearly departed Buster Merryfield ,and my Mum, who knows everything (except about the graffiti on my NEAB Anthology book), you're never too old to give poetry a go, or most things for that matter!

Don't be shy now....

Using the mouth to make sounds and Edinburgh!

Hello

Over easter this year, I got to work with the amazing BAC Beatbox Academy on a show divised for the 1on1 Festival. I had enormous amounts of fun doing it and I've just found out the show will be going to Edinburgh for the festival. The BAC Beatbox Academy are made of some very talented young guys aged from 12 up to 18. Watch!! All the video's were filmed and put together by Conrad Murray, who leads some of the workshops and directed the car show, a very talented dood!

The BAC Beatbox Academy at The Lyric Hammersmith

The Infamous Pencil Case

.....and here it is in all it's glory. Picture taken by Chimene Sullymen at a writing session for Secret Gardern Party

Hello!

A few months ago I performed at a wicked event put on Sonneni And The Soul, in Kentish Town. A few days after the gig I was contacted by a dood called Savvy Caranicola, completely out the blue, who was at the gig. He asked me If I would be willing to write something about any barriers I've had to overcome being an artist, as Savvy had to create a piece of art based on research as part of his degree. I felt honoured to have been contacted let alone asked to write something. 

Anyway, after thinking about it, a lot, I went away and wrote a pretty long article, which Sav went away, sifted though and came up with this wicked piece below.

Big up Sav!

More Pictures

This picture was taken at a launch event I performed at for http://www.somewhereto.com/ alongside felow Rubix members Sean Mahoney and Bridget Minamore. It was at Shunt and that is me at the very top of the almight Money machine. Yes, it was quite high up there

Music

Gig With Jazz Code

Hello

This is a gig I did back at the beginning of May at the legendary Half Moon in Putney, which has played host to some huge names over the years (including my Dad!) i was to perform with a very talented band called Jazz Code, fronted (whilst at the back playing drums) by the super sick Jake Long. I met these guys through BAC

Performances Over The Summer

I hope everyone is fine and dandy.

 A few people have asked me recently what I'm up to so here's some dates of some performance stuff I'm doing over the next few months.....

Friday 20th May - Phase One Studio Session

This is the first session of this type which Phase One are doing, I'll be part of a live performance which will be recorded and filmed. Their inviting people to comedown and film themselves with a view to contributing footage towards the final cut. I will be performing a few pieces and a very gifted singer songwriter called Nick Evans http://www.nickevans.co.uk/. I've been told there is space for a small audience so if you would like to come just send me an email, particularly if anyone would like to film it!

27th - 29th May - Meadowlands Festival 

http://meadowlandsfestival.com/

This will be the first of a few festivals I'm doing and I can't wait, it's somewhere down in the Sussex countryside and I like the countryside. I'll be in the Bang Said The Gun  tent on the 28th and29th for a short set alongside fellow Rubix members Talia Randal and Deanna Rodger and loads of other big names form the spoken word and comedy circuit.

Sun 29th May - Poejazzi 

http://www.allgigs.co.uk/view/event/393400/PoeJazzi_Volupte_London_29_May_2011.html

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157376637656239

From the fields to the tall buildings I'll be heading straight from Sussex (maybe via Mum and dads for a cup of tea if I'm lucky) to London to perform at Poejazzi. I feel really honoured to be doing this as it's one of the best nights in London and both the roll call of names that have performed there in the past and the excellent guys that run it speak for themselvs!!

16 - 18th June - Beachbreak Festival 

http://www.beachbreaklive.com/

After the successful 'work in progress' version of show House Party I did with The Rubix at the Roundhouse in March, we will be taking it on the road for the first time to perform at this festival which I'm told is actually on a Beach, in South Wales. the only other time I've ever been to Wales was in 2004 when the almighty Millwall played Man United in the FA cup final, and to be fair, I don't remember a great deal about the day!

8th July - 10th July - Lounge On the Farm

http://www.loungeonthefarm.co.uk/

I'll be performing all 3 days at this one and I think it will be around different parts of the festival in a funky installation type way, it should be fun

20th July - 24th - Secret Gardern Party

http://www.secretgardenparty.com/2011/

I'll be doing the whole 4 days at this one am particularly excited because all the material is specially being written for the 4 days I will be there. I'm proud to be going as part of group including Chimene Suleyman, Dean Atta, Deanna Rodger, Sabrina Mahfouz, Bridget Minamore and Sean Mahoney.....I can't say too much at the minute but all will be revealed!!!

2nd August - 6th August, Richard Pernell at The Hen and Chickens 

http://www.thehenandchickenstheatrebar.co.uk/

I've been asked to support Richard Pernell http://richardpurnell.wordpress.com  who is a doing a 1 man show, he is a very smart and funny man, so hopefully, this will be great.

15th 20th August - Edinburgh festival - The banshee Labyrinth (PBH Free Fringe)

http://www.freefringe.org.uk/

I'll be going back to Edinburgh again this year as part of the PBH free fringe and will be performing at the same venue as the show I did last year with the Roundhouse Poetry Collective. The show is currently being written and is called "three's a crowd".

Well, I think that's about it. if you've got this far, thankyou for reading.

But I made you a mixtape event...

Hello.

I'm looking forward to this excellent event next week. It's a spoken word event put on by How It Ended Productions. It's at a theatre called Jacksons Lounge. It's about music, and I've been asked to write about a song. I love music and could talk about it all day long. I also like performing in theatre studio spaces. I don't get to do it too often, it adds something to the way the words come out. So if you're about, come down, Sean Mahoney, Dean Atta and Zionte (all from Rubix) will be performing too. large up!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=179137585468478

NIL BY MOUTH

This is a something I just started writing out of nothing.I had no agenda with it. I guess it's what some call a freewrite, or a rant, I dunno, it's just me writing stuff.

I came out of childhood confused.

Used to being told what to do,

I understood rules were in place to keep everyone safe,

and made sure that people played fair.

As an adult,

I watch snakes climb ladders.

Alchemists claiming monopolies on properties by manipulating rules to line pockets

in order to create gold.

Politicians too call centre operators.

It's every-man for himself in a culture of targets,

which reward risk takers with gift wrapped pay packets,

as numbers dehumanise the faces of the people they dis-figure,

providing a guilt shield to hide behind.

Then again what I do know.

I try to make noise with a biro that even I don't want to listen too.

News agencies tell me that leaders don't lead by example,

but I struggle to believe what I read because everyone has an angle,

apparently.

I don't know who to trust,

other than my family,

and I thank God I have them because If I didn’t I'd be truly lost.

Maybe I'm just a bit thick.

Unable to strike a balance and forge an opinion,

from this relentless data stream being force fed into my brain

nil by mouth.

Sometimes I wish society would just fuck off and leave me bee.

Turning off the TV aint even enough.

I step out my house and its billboards,

and posters on public transport,

or cocky types with clipboards,

trying to guilt trip me into donating money by direct debit,

when my own head bobs above and underneath the poverty line,

or when I just want a cup of tea,

I'm asked If I want a muffin or some other overpriced luxury I don't want or need.

Bit I don't begrudge these employees trying to earn a living.

I've been there.

I found it soul destroying.

The more I did it the more tempted I became to hit the self destruct button.

I hit it regularly until I was tapping a predicable rhythm like a 44 beat of life.

Getting bolloxed on booze.

For some doods it meant fighting,

as violence reconnected them with basic human emotions not felt in everyday situations,

giving them a sense of control they rarely felt.

Emotions unleashed in distorted outbursts from drunken karaoke to drunken sex.

Repressed feelings buried deep underneath desires to succeed in careers,

attaining firm footholds on slippery property ladders,

or just simply too make it passed the moulded milestones from plasticine childhoods.

Newspapers make people scared to talk to teens,

when most I meet are allright.

Anytime there’s a fight at a football match,

or an inner city stabbing,

cries of broken Britain and a lost generation,

flood the towns and countryside,

predicting tidal waves of crime and immigration will bring armageddon

too an eerily quiet way of life,

until EastEnders comes on,

or Kerry Katona has another breakdown.

I know I'm ranting.

I don't class myself as left wing or right wing either.

I always liked the idea of centre midfield.

You can see the whole game there,

and create opportunities for both sides,

but I lack the clarity of mind to hold that position,

as well as the conviction.

So my instinct is to hide.

Writing rants in an attempt to make sense of the country in which I reside,

and it's complicated.

Maybe I'm still coming at it from a child’s point of view,

I know I've got a lot of growing up to do,

because at the moment,

I aint got a scooby doo.

Video of "Picure Not So Perfect" at the Global freedom Summit

As I mentioned last week, I was really lucky to perform at the Stop The Traffik global freedom summit. It was huge event, and unlike anything I've ever done before and I took so much away from it.

PICTURE NOT SO PERFECT

On Monday 11th April I was very privileged to attend and perform at The Stop The Traffik Global freedom Summit http://www.stopthetraffik.org/. This was a huge event attended by over 400 people, including Cherie Balir, who spoke, twice. I also got to lead a workshop with 70, mostly young people, from Oasis Academies from across the country, which ended up in me taking 3 of them on stage with me at the end, and they were excellent. These people are doing some very important work and was a very educational experience for me! This is the piece that I wrote and performed at the end.

PICTURE NOT SO PERFECT

The guy working in the off licence on the shopping parade,

told me they came in once a day

to purchase cigarettes.

They spoke very little English,

displayed next to no emotion,

and would disappear back round the corner

and into the small office.

The office which had a permanently closed blinds,

no sign or display in the window,

yet advertised in the local paper,

as a dating agency.

I'd overheard conversations from older guys,

in the pub opposite the office

larger fuelled should no betters rubbing bulging beer bellies,

regaling over exaggerated stories of conquests for cash.

The first time I saw them,

was when I was sipping a cup of tea,

stood outside with Tim,

the owner of a small mail order music warehouse,

tucked in behind the kebab shop and the small office,

via a small passageway

The front of the warehouse,

facing the back of the office,

me sipping my tea,

Tim smoking a cigarette,

as 3 striking blondes appeared from the back of the office,

heads dry with peroxide,

tight fitting clothes revealing delicate white skin,

awkwardly walking up the alleyway,

towards the off licence.

“There Lithuanian”

Tim said.

“It's a dating agency,

one of those,

dating agencies”

Tim said.,

whilst taking an extended drag on his cigarette.

Picture this.

Tree lined Suburbia.

Crescents and cul-de-sac s feeding a busy B road.

Like a shoots from a branch,

Carrying cars up and down

the 25 mile stretch of tarmac towards London.

Brick built 4 bed houses,

driveways like red carpet,

on which sit 1 possibly 2 vehicles,

complimented with well kept gardens,

well kept by hard working proud fathers.

Mothers maintain nests,

Daughters raise hell

and sons rebel.

I'd made way passed the rows of daffodils lining the street,

winters parting gift to spring,

as the swing in my shoulders,

white jean stride of my legs,

air bubble bounce of my Nike’s

and the light breeze whistling through 8 carrot gold hoop from Elizabeth duke

in my left ear,

indicated the classic signs of a young suburban male aged 18,

compensating insecurity with bravado,

making my way home,

unsure about what I'd just seen,

outside the warehouse.

Fast forward 10 years,

and I'm sitting in the pub opposite the office sipping beer.

The dating agency is gone and is now a print shop,

along with the music warehouse.

The off licence remains,

and it's the same scene on the tree lined streets.

High property prices for desirable living.

When I saw those Lithuanian girls 10 years ago,

they didn’t look like they were dancing happily,

in the fallen tree leaves of grassy suburbia.

More like prisoners on day release.

Probably sold though a web of lies and deceit,

and ending up on my street,

in Surrey,

middle England.

A supposed beacon of peace.

This was not a war being fought 2000 miles away,

with constant updates on news 24,

this was,

and is,

close to home.

On my door step.

Literally.

Once when in London,

what I assumed was a Romanian lady ladened with a baby,

was begging me for change,

on my doorstep.

I said I didn’t have any change,

and closed the door.

Sitting in the pub sipping beer,

I realised I did have change,

it might not have been in my pocket,

but it was certainly in my belly.

If I can be educated to vigilant,

then anyone can.

Make no mistake I'm still that unsure young man,

but with this,

I have an idea about is right,

and what is definitely wrong.

I don't what happened to those Lithuanian girls,

hopefully freedom and happiness,

but I do know what’s happening to me.

Crawley Wordfest

Hello Everyone

I was lucky enough to be asked to write and perform something for a viral video for the up coming Crawley word festival.Please check the website as there is lots going on http://wordfestcrawley.org/. I think it's great this massive programme of events is going on in Crawley, which is of course where I went to School and did a large part of my growing up.

I used to think that Crawley and the surrounding areas were in somewhat of a cultural vacuum due to being slap bang in between London and Brighton, hence the reason I left all those years ago. But then, when I think back, I was so narrow minded and dismissive of many things that weren't underground dance music and football, I most likely would have been completely ignorant of such an event if it had been put on 10 years ago. As far as I know, the Hawth Theatre in Crawley has been hosting interesting festivals and events for a very long time.

 I really do hope there will be long lasting effects felt from this festival which will trickle into all the many different walks of life which inhabit this interesting town which holds a large place in my heart, I think it's flipping great! Best of luck to everyone involved.


Crawley Festival of Words - Spoken from PopupMedia on Vimeo.

Paul

Upcoming Gigs

Greetings

Some gigs I'm doing that are up and coming:

WEDNESDAY EXPRESS EXCESS AT THE THE ENTERPRISE IN CAMDEN

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170685886315289

SATURDAY THE 26TH JAPAN FUND AT THE QUEENS HEAD ISLINGTON

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=203353586360728

MONDAY 28TH HEADSTAND AT THE EMPEROR CAMBRIDGE

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116425038435977

THURSDAY 31ST SONENI & THE SOUL AT ANIE'S BAR KENTISH TOWN

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=195401450499587

SUNDAY 10TH APRIL JAZZ CODE AT THE HALF MOON PUTNEY

Why I Write

I write because,

I like it.

As a child at meal times,

number 6 in 7,

sat like nights round the table,

I was expected to listen,

respect my elders,

speak only when spoken too

and told to wait my turn.

I'm still waiting.

On brave occasions,

when I attempted to engage my vocal chords,

I was cut down,

by swords belonging to bigger brothers,

with bigger tongues

and bigger fists.

Internalisation became not a choice,

but an involuntary reaction

and after years of repetition,

an efficient mechanism,

which still grinds,

all the time.

I can delve,

deep inside,

my own head for hours on end.

I've visited places,

in the deepest reaches of my mind,

I'd rather not,

ever see again.

If I hadn’t of picked up a pen

and pressed the tip of the nib to paper,

It scares me to think,

what I would of become.

I wanted to be the DJ.

My brother was the DJ.

I had to be the MC.

The MC that began to write.

The MC that became the man,

you see in front of you now.

Not just a mike man,

but a young man with hopes and aspirations.

Writing didn’t open the flood gates,

it provided me with a chisel,

to chip away at the wall of the dam.

I'm still chipping.

The first trickle of water,

gave me a pleasure,

I'd never before experienced.

I've since unleashed,

a thousand fountains,

knowing that,

I've barley begun.

The idea that I can write and perform,

and people listen,

is insane.

I just wanted to rid my brain of this stuff.

I never knew I'd like it.