Fuck sake. As much as I often talk about how much I enjoy the solitude of writing and all the other stuff that goes with it, in any given week (often daily in fact) there is without fail several moments where I want to rip off my own head and drop kick it over the garden fence and off into the distance, hoping that it lands in a Biffa Bin somewhere and some kind of salvage hunter finds it and turns it into something actually useful, like a car battery.
So I'm going up to Edinburgh in August for the Fringe festival with this new show called The C/D Borderline. Let's have it right, I'm glad I'm going, I want to go and this time I'm doing it off my own back, partly to see if I can actually do it, as in get the thing up there and pull it off, what with all the stuff that's involved with putting on and promoting a show. It's a lot, it really is, especially for someone like me who really does lack those essential organisational, admin and marketing skills. I'm not worried about getting the punters in (well not at this stage), I have zero expectation on that front, I just want to go up there and put on a good show, with good material and if that's to a handful of people everyday I'm cool with that.
The show itself draws on a lot of my experiences from school, how difficult I found it and how I've struggled as an adult more or less ever since. Those same traits that saw me bunking off, dicking about in class, struggling to understand what the fuck was going on when I actually was trying, mentally withdrawing from whole entire lessons, sitting down at home to do homework but just staring at it on the table to numb to even lift a pen, are all coming to the fore with a vengance in the run up to this. It's like diamond hunters siffing through the mud, except they're not looking for them precsious shiney things, instead it's something shit like, I dunno, used scratch cards or something. I'm probably juggling to many balls at once, as I have a few other projects on the go plus a regular job Mon-Fri. It's a bit nuts but it's always been like this with me and most people I know are in the same boat, a lot of these have children too and that's a whole another level so what am I getting so wound up about?!
I can look at it and see how ridiculous it all is and often I can laugh about it, as you'll hopefully hear in the show, but it's just when I'm at home,on my todd, with a ton of things to do, I'm sat at my desk and suddenly I freeze. My normally hyper active mind just goes blank like someones pulled the ariel out of the telly and before I know it, I've loaded up yet another grime video or a Fire In The Booth freestyle that I've probably seen a hundred times, or I start working on something totally new which has nothing to do with what I'm supposed to be doing. But even when I am concentrating, I just seem to fuck up really important things. Twice in the last month I've had to reply to emails regarding the show, one of which if I hadn't there would be no show, so I spent ages on them; making sure there was no mistakes, re-read them a hundred times, sent them and then bosh!: Surprise-faackin'-surprise I've missed off a vital piece of information on both emails that almost fucked up the whole operation! And I'm left, as ever, embarrassed, humiliated and really fuckin' annoyed with myself. But what's worse, is that someone else at the other end is affected and could quite understandably now think I'm an idiot, well meaning, but an idiot none the less. This has happened before...
No idea what the neighbours must think, what the with the random: FUCKKKK OFFFFFFFs most days as my computer freezes or my phone starts wigging out and I slam my fist down on the desk remembering that I've forgotten to do something, very important, again. The amount of times in the last month I've visualised myself going into Wolverine Berseker mode and smashing up everything around me, before ripping my clothes off and running into the woods to a live a feral life away from humanity, living off Squirrels and Parakeets (as long as I've got Mayonnaise, I'm fine.) Thankfully, I've not smashed anything up, it rarely gets to that stage but I've been close of late. In my school days I used to punch-up a lot of walls and I've put my fist through a few toilet doors (probably in the year 11 toilets in C block, few times I think, apologies) and I've probably damaged my right fist from doing that, which is very stupid considering I use that hand to write, type and grip microphones.
Anyway, this started off as a few lines just to vent a bit, but then I got the idea to make this into an Edinburgh blog, documenting the journey and that, so every cloud has a silver lining I guess. Even if no one reads it it's been kinda fun doing it and certainly better than putting my fist through a door. I also wanted to write about the other side of things a bit. As in the writing / performing stuff. Most of my online activity is either promoting gigs or talking about gigs I've just done and how great they were. To be honest, as cheesy or insincere as it all may seem, that is genuinly how I feel after most gigs, I like doing it. It's been a few years now (my entire adult life actually, plus a bit more, I'm 32) and I still very much enjoy it. But with the smooth of course comes the ruff, and sometimes it's a sheet of discarded sandpaper on the toilet floor when you've just clocked that there's no bog roll and the post man is ringing your doorbell with a recorded delivery of that car battery you so desperately need to get your muggy show to Edinburgh...
Peas and taters
Showing posts with label MY RANTS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MY RANTS. Show all posts
Thursday, 28 April 2016
Monday, 21 March 2016
2 new vids and a general update
Hello. So after 2 botched attempts to send these video's out and imbed them into my all new flashy e-mail list, which out of course went out to the subscribers, but with no video's on the flipping email (despite me spending over 2 hours trying to do it!), leaving me feeling a complete doughnut, here they are; On here, my old trusty blog. Might even write a blog at some point about my various promo disasters over the years. I reckon If I could scoop up all the frustration, embarrassment and humilatation I've spat over my various different computers that I've used, I could probably provide the UK with some vast alternate energy source that would power the nation for a good 10 years at least...
First up: Jungle Warfare
Second up: Little Story from Shambala Festival
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
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
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
Monday, 7 February 2011
Plastering My Pasty Face On People Is Paving The Way Towards...?
Greetings again
After attending The Tongue In-Chic Poetry Forum recently in Oxford, I left thinking that I'm never going to get anyway if no one knows who I am. I always believed that regardless how much talent a person had if they weren't willing to put the work in they wouldn't succeed.
In the world of Spoken Word, this hard work I speak of refers to performing (as well as all the work that goes into performing such as writing and practising). I am in the fortunate position of being in London where one can attend a spoken word event pretty much every night of the week. To date, I think I've been to maybe half of those nights on a handful of occasions - in short - not good enough!
With the exception of those rare occasions where a person / band / actor etc is plucked out of obscurity by a major record label or company with the money and power to build a PR machine the sise of Russia, slogging your guts out is par for the course, well, that's the way I see it anyway. So I will be trying my best to attend as many of these events as possible.
Speaking of which, I recently attended 3 events which I hadn't been to before, 2 of which I got to perform at. Starting with a night in Catford, run by Mark Mr T Thompson called Mixed Messages. A great night which was packed, wall to wall, I'm guessing maybe there were a 150 people there perhaps?!
On Thursday 3rd February, last week I performed for the first time at Rum Punch in central London. This night is run by Partners In Rhyme (Comfort and Saran) which again was jam packed with a really good crowd.
After attending The Tongue In-Chic Poetry Forum recently in Oxford, I left thinking that I'm never going to get anyway if no one knows who I am. I always believed that regardless how much talent a person had if they weren't willing to put the work in they wouldn't succeed.
In the world of Spoken Word, this hard work I speak of refers to performing (as well as all the work that goes into performing such as writing and practising). I am in the fortunate position of being in London where one can attend a spoken word event pretty much every night of the week. To date, I think I've been to maybe half of those nights on a handful of occasions - in short - not good enough!
With the exception of those rare occasions where a person / band / actor etc is plucked out of obscurity by a major record label or company with the money and power to build a PR machine the sise of Russia, slogging your guts out is par for the course, well, that's the way I see it anyway. So I will be trying my best to attend as many of these events as possible.
Speaking of which, I recently attended 3 events which I hadn't been to before, 2 of which I got to perform at. Starting with a night in Catford, run by Mark Mr T Thompson called Mixed Messages. A great night which was packed, wall to wall, I'm guessing maybe there were a 150 people there perhaps?!
This was taken of me performing at Mixed Messages
Both Pictures taken at Rum Punch by SLOETRY http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2F63xaq2p&h=4235d
Then On Sunday 6th Febuary I went RRRants at the Canden Eye. I've been aware of the RRRants collective for a while now http://www.rrrants.com/ who run events in and out of London as well as doing a lot of work within Schools. I didn't perform at this event but fellow Rubix member Talia Randal did as well as a host of other really good performers including some wicked music.
I've also been back in the studio this week doing some more music which I hope will begin to see the light of day very soon, to run alongside my pastey face (hopefully) lighting up as many gigs as possible. Here's too it
Paul
Monday, 24 January 2011
The Power of Networks
Greetings
It's Monday morning. Enough said.
I had a good week last week starting with a workshop last week at the Oval House Theatre run by Michael Atavar, called Art as a business. It was very informative and there were a good group of people who attended from a variety of discipline's. The message I took away with me was one of building support structures through networks. I'm still a newcomer to the Arts World so I'm slowly getting my head around how it's funded, just as the whole industry seem's to embarking on great change, what with the budget cuts and general recession. With more people working together, therefore resources will be pooled together and work will not only continue to be made,. but will also see a lot more interesting collaborations between people and organisations whom, under the old structure's, may not have ever been presented with these sort's of opportunities.
Feeling optimistic, on Saturday I attended the first ever Poets and Promoters Forum in Wheatley, which happens to be a nice little village outside Oxford. The event was put on by Tonge In Chic which is run by Milton Keynes based Poet Mark Neil, who I first met a year or so ago at a Farrago event. Since then he has travelled the country winning slams left right and centre. I travelled to Oxford from London with fellow Rubix member Talia Randal. There were talks from various different promoters and event organisers, an opportunity to "speed date" and an open discussion at the end. There were representativeness from Apples and Snakes, Hammer and Tounge, Utter to name but a few. A real worthwhile leaning experience for me.
Both these events made to reflect on how networking in general has helped me in my craft. Before I was fortunate enough to become involved with both BAC and the Roundhouse I was mostly on my own. Having attend Poetry Unplugged at the Poetry Cafe a few times and got to know some people I was still quite shy and un-confident. Not only did these probably reflect on my performances but also on what I was writing. I only tended to stick to subjects or pieces that I thought would make people laugh, and that anything else wasn't even worth me mentioning, as my Dad has said to me before "Who want's to listen to the backstreets of my mind"?. An example of the type of stuff I used to write is evident in these 2 video's, 1 from Bang Said The Gun and the second from Poetry Unplugged>
This week should be quite busy, today I'm off to the studio with Conrad Murray and Dani Marshal, tommorow is more music with a track I'm working on with a wicked singer / songwriter Nick Evans, the launch of BAC HOMEGOWN on Thursday then Millwall vs Barsnley on Friday.
All the best
Paul
It's Monday morning. Enough said.
I had a good week last week starting with a workshop last week at the Oval House Theatre run by Michael Atavar, called Art as a business. It was very informative and there were a good group of people who attended from a variety of discipline's. The message I took away with me was one of building support structures through networks. I'm still a newcomer to the Arts World so I'm slowly getting my head around how it's funded, just as the whole industry seem's to embarking on great change, what with the budget cuts and general recession. With more people working together, therefore resources will be pooled together and work will not only continue to be made,. but will also see a lot more interesting collaborations between people and organisations whom, under the old structure's, may not have ever been presented with these sort's of opportunities.
Feeling optimistic, on Saturday I attended the first ever Poets and Promoters Forum in Wheatley, which happens to be a nice little village outside Oxford. The event was put on by Tonge In Chic which is run by Milton Keynes based Poet Mark Neil, who I first met a year or so ago at a Farrago event. Since then he has travelled the country winning slams left right and centre. I travelled to Oxford from London with fellow Rubix member Talia Randal. There were talks from various different promoters and event organisers, an opportunity to "speed date" and an open discussion at the end. There were representativeness from Apples and Snakes, Hammer and Tounge, Utter to name but a few. A real worthwhile leaning experience for me.
Both these events made to reflect on how networking in general has helped me in my craft. Before I was fortunate enough to become involved with both BAC and the Roundhouse I was mostly on my own. Having attend Poetry Unplugged at the Poetry Cafe a few times and got to know some people I was still quite shy and un-confident. Not only did these probably reflect on my performances but also on what I was writing. I only tended to stick to subjects or pieces that I thought would make people laugh, and that anything else wasn't even worth me mentioning, as my Dad has said to me before "Who want's to listen to the backstreets of my mind"?. An example of the type of stuff I used to write is evident in these 2 video's, 1 from Bang Said The Gun and the second from Poetry Unplugged>
Either way, after joining BAC and the Roundhouse and began building my own network, I found it helped me improve 10 fold, not only in the way I could write and perform but also in the opportunities that began to arise. Power to the people.
I mentioned last week of a gig I did with Theatre De-Cunt well here's a live video filmed of it, enjoy!
This week should be quite busy, today I'm off to the studio with Conrad Murray and Dani Marshal, tommorow is more music with a track I'm working on with a wicked singer / songwriter Nick Evans, the launch of BAC HOMEGOWN on Thursday then Millwall vs Barsnley on Friday.
All the best
Paul
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
So what's 'appening?
Bon-jaw (how it would sound If I were to pronounce it)
2011 has started off well. So far so good. Keeping myself busy and getting into the habit of writing applications, which is an art in itself.
Things seem to have gone full circle for me over the last few months, re-connecting with old friends, via the medium of facebook, now that I've actually began to use it to promote myself, but also with music. I talk about music a lot as it's something I grew up with, I've referenced it often in pieces http://manorlogz.co.uk/play/Poets/Jungle_warfare and when talking to people about what I do in terms of writing and performing. It's played a massive part in shaping me as a person and continues to do so. A few months back I began the labour-intensive process of burning all my cd's onto my PC. Between the years of 1999 and 2005 I've collected a lot of Drum and Bass and UK Hip-Hop, and have been able to chart the progression of UK music just through my own back catalogue. So was delighted recently to be invited round to the studio, with Dani Marshal, of Conrad Murray, whom I know through BAC. Conrad is all things to all men, he's a producer, singer, rapper, beatboxer, guitarist, actor, director...the list goes on. http://www.myspace.com/groupro and http://www.myspace.com/theatredecunt.
Last Sunday I performed with Conrad and Pete form Theatre De-cunt and they improvised with the use of loops, breaks and samples music to one of my performance pieces "London calling". All going well a video will be uploaded at some point of the performance we did it live over in Whitchappell at a bar called Carivale which I really enjoyed. Myself, Conrad and Dani are currently working on some music so watch this space.
This Friday 21st January I will be attending, and possibly performing at a night called Mixed messages, which is down in Catford http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188002624545277 The event is hosted by Mark "Mr T" Thompson who was the winner of the Manorlogz competition, the line up is pretty good so I'm looking forward to this one.
On Thursday 27th January is the lauch of BAC Homegrown. http://www.facebook.com/BACHomegrown which I'm very excited about. This has taken months of planning with the Young Producers group I'm part of http://www.bac.org.uk/get-involved/programmes/bacs-young-producers/ Part of the reason I'm so excited about this project is that BAC are actively interested in breaking down the social boundaries associated with the performing arts by offering a wide range of workshops and encouageing everyone to take part regardless of your background.
2011 has started off well. So far so good. Keeping myself busy and getting into the habit of writing applications, which is an art in itself.
Things seem to have gone full circle for me over the last few months, re-connecting with old friends, via the medium of facebook, now that I've actually began to use it to promote myself, but also with music. I talk about music a lot as it's something I grew up with, I've referenced it often in pieces http://manorlogz.co.uk/play/Poets/Jungle_warfare and when talking to people about what I do in terms of writing and performing. It's played a massive part in shaping me as a person and continues to do so. A few months back I began the labour-intensive process of burning all my cd's onto my PC. Between the years of 1999 and 2005 I've collected a lot of Drum and Bass and UK Hip-Hop, and have been able to chart the progression of UK music just through my own back catalogue. So was delighted recently to be invited round to the studio, with Dani Marshal, of Conrad Murray, whom I know through BAC. Conrad is all things to all men, he's a producer, singer, rapper, beatboxer, guitarist, actor, director...the list goes on. http://www.myspace.com/groupro and http://www.myspace.com/theatredecunt.
Last Sunday I performed with Conrad and Pete form Theatre De-cunt and they improvised with the use of loops, breaks and samples music to one of my performance pieces "London calling". All going well a video will be uploaded at some point of the performance we did it live over in Whitchappell at a bar called Carivale which I really enjoyed. Myself, Conrad and Dani are currently working on some music so watch this space.
This Friday 21st January I will be attending, and possibly performing at a night called Mixed messages, which is down in Catford http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188002624545277 The event is hosted by Mark "Mr T" Thompson who was the winner of the Manorlogz competition, the line up is pretty good so I'm looking forward to this one.
On Thursday 27th January is the lauch of BAC Homegrown. http://www.facebook.com/BACHomegrown which I'm very excited about. This has taken months of planning with the Young Producers group I'm part of http://www.bac.org.uk/get-involved/programmes/bacs-young-producers/ Part of the reason I'm so excited about this project is that BAC are actively interested in breaking down the social boundaries associated with the performing arts by offering a wide range of workshops and encouageing everyone to take part regardless of your background.
My pastey mug also managed to get in the photo shoot too!
Thursday 3rd February I'll be performing at Rum Punch http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=146673235385730 I've not performed there before so I'm looking forward to it as it seems like a really well run event with a big reputation, and I'll be dropping some new material I've been working on.
Thursday 25th I will be doing a feature set at the Almighty Bang Said The Gun http://www.bangsaidthegun.com/news/about/ this is one of the best nights around and not one I've been too in almost a year, so this should be wicked and Rob Auton is the man!!
Friday the 25th I'm very fortunate to be involved in very cool project http://www.catapultingcocoon.com/theatre which will be at the Woodstore Islington. At this stage I'm not sure what it will be as it will be a collaobtation with other artists but either way I'm excited!
I think that is about it for now, and I'm sure there will be more updates...
All the best
Paul
Monday, 10 January 2011
Happy New year
vGreeting's.
Happy new year indeed.
January is now in full swing. I swung into 2011 like a child swinging on a swing, having completed the 45 show run for The Great Escape (A Borrowers Tale) at BAC which I really enjoyed, and finishing runner up in the Manorlogz 2010 Extreme Spoken Word Competition.
http://www.youtube.com/user/4frontTv#p/u/0/5xTD0yBFUAg
I was pretty chuffed to finish runner up so thankyou to everyone that voted. It taught me to stop being so shy when it comes to self promotion, spoken word is a small scene in a small country. My pipe dream of letting the words and performances do the talking is just that, a pipe dream. Even when I smoked (don't tell Mum!!), I was never one for pipes anyway...
Congratulations of course to Mark "Mr T" Thompson who won not only the overall prize but was the people's champion as well. At the end of the day Mark stepped up and delivered as only a pro does. Having spent a good amount of time backstage with all the contestants (at least 4-5 hours), I gathered quickly that Mark is an intelligent and knowledgeable guy, and a good bloke too. You can find out more from Mark and his various projects on http://www.theccpress.co.uk/. Generally the vibe backstage was good and I enjoyed the company of everyone that performed. That was only the first show for Manorlogz and the 4front team who have set the benchmark.
I started off the beginning of 2010 deciding that I was going to quit my full time job, pay off a loan and move back to my parents by the summer, in order to peruse a complete change of direction which I've managed to do. At the moment I'm looking into some courses in becoming a mentor and youth work, which hopefully will tie into my work as a performer. It wasn't until I was 25 that I realised this is the life I wanted to lead, and be lucky enough to have the right people show some faith in me. If I can help a young mind realise their potential and calling, I'm quite sure that would provide me with far more than just job satisfaction.
I'm not sure what my highlights were from last year, there were so many, but the one's that stand out for me were the "If I ruled the World Festival" at BAC, which I helped produce and perform at, the nights I performed with the Roundhouse Poetry Collective at Shunt, Tounge Foo, the Edinburgh Fringe and the Oxjam "the Camden Incident" at the Greenote.
I hope 2011 is as good as 2010 and I continue pushing forward. The Rubix début show "House Party" is starting to take shape (we now have a page on the Roundhouse website though they spelt my name wrong http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/explore/portfolios/rubix) and I will also be performing at Rum Punch, Mixed Messages and Bang Said The Gun in the near future.
I've temporarily come off the swing for now, I must have been hogging it, but I'm twice as hungry as I was this time last year, so with a lot of learning ahead of me I'm looking forward to the challenges of the coming year.
Happy new year
Paul
P.S Fellow Rubix member and stand up comedian Sean Mahoney, and former Rubix member and poetry superstar Indigo Williams will be dropping his EP's on Roundhouse Records this month http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/explore/portfolios/roundhouse-records. Having had the pleasure of working with them both I can assure you these will both be works of ground-breaking greatness.
Happy new year indeed.
January is now in full swing. I swung into 2011 like a child swinging on a swing, having completed the 45 show run for The Great Escape (A Borrowers Tale) at BAC which I really enjoyed, and finishing runner up in the Manorlogz 2010 Extreme Spoken Word Competition.
http://www.youtube.com/user/4frontTv#p/u/0/5xTD0yBFUAg
I was pretty chuffed to finish runner up so thankyou to everyone that voted. It taught me to stop being so shy when it comes to self promotion, spoken word is a small scene in a small country. My pipe dream of letting the words and performances do the talking is just that, a pipe dream. Even when I smoked (don't tell Mum!!), I was never one for pipes anyway...
Congratulations of course to Mark "Mr T" Thompson who won not only the overall prize but was the people's champion as well. At the end of the day Mark stepped up and delivered as only a pro does. Having spent a good amount of time backstage with all the contestants (at least 4-5 hours), I gathered quickly that Mark is an intelligent and knowledgeable guy, and a good bloke too. You can find out more from Mark and his various projects on http://www.theccpress.co.uk/. Generally the vibe backstage was good and I enjoyed the company of everyone that performed. That was only the first show for Manorlogz and the 4front team who have set the benchmark.
I started off the beginning of 2010 deciding that I was going to quit my full time job, pay off a loan and move back to my parents by the summer, in order to peruse a complete change of direction which I've managed to do. At the moment I'm looking into some courses in becoming a mentor and youth work, which hopefully will tie into my work as a performer. It wasn't until I was 25 that I realised this is the life I wanted to lead, and be lucky enough to have the right people show some faith in me. If I can help a young mind realise their potential and calling, I'm quite sure that would provide me with far more than just job satisfaction.
I'm not sure what my highlights were from last year, there were so many, but the one's that stand out for me were the "If I ruled the World Festival" at BAC, which I helped produce and perform at, the nights I performed with the Roundhouse Poetry Collective at Shunt, Tounge Foo, the Edinburgh Fringe and the Oxjam "the Camden Incident" at the Greenote.
I hope 2011 is as good as 2010 and I continue pushing forward. The Rubix début show "House Party" is starting to take shape (we now have a page on the Roundhouse website though they spelt my name wrong http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/explore/portfolios/rubix) and I will also be performing at Rum Punch, Mixed Messages and Bang Said The Gun in the near future.
I've temporarily come off the swing for now, I must have been hogging it, but I'm twice as hungry as I was this time last year, so with a lot of learning ahead of me I'm looking forward to the challenges of the coming year.
Happy new year
Paul
P.S Fellow Rubix member and stand up comedian Sean Mahoney, and former Rubix member and poetry superstar Indigo Williams will be dropping his EP's on Roundhouse Records this month http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/explore/portfolios/roundhouse-records. Having had the pleasure of working with them both I can assure you these will both be works of ground-breaking greatness.
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
So what Have I been doing?
Greetings
Been a while right?
ADVERT
I had a fun afternoon filming in Camden for this Body Shop seasonal viral campain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xVeI7r2IRA
LITTLE PEOPLE
I've been quite busy of late. I'm working on an excellent show called "The Great escape (A Borrower's Tale) http://www.bac.org.uk/whats-on/great-escape-borrowers-tale/
It's probably the most fun I've had in a long time and new challenge to work with youngsters aged 7-11 but I'm enjoying it, a lot!
FINAL'S
I recently competed in both the Manologz and Farrago UK slams. The manorlogz slam is yet to be decided and goes to a public vote on December 29th, you can watch the show on Sky channel 203 on Tuesday 21st when voting begins.
I had to qualify for both slams and go through a further extra round in each, in the Farrago slam I made it as far as the semi final, congratulations to David Morgan who took the crown.
2011
With 2011 fast approaching I'm looking head. The Rubix are pressing ahead with the writing for our imminent scratch show "House Party" in April, I'm also working on some extended spoken word pieces which I'll be looking to test the water with soon.
Laters for now
Paul
Been a while right?
ADVERT
I had a fun afternoon filming in Camden for this Body Shop seasonal viral campain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xVeI7r2IRA
LITTLE PEOPLE
I've been quite busy of late. I'm working on an excellent show called "The Great escape (A Borrower's Tale) http://www.bac.org.uk/whats-on/great-escape-borrowers-tale/
It's probably the most fun I've had in a long time and new challenge to work with youngsters aged 7-11 but I'm enjoying it, a lot!
FINAL'S
I recently competed in both the Manologz and Farrago UK slams. The manorlogz slam is yet to be decided and goes to a public vote on December 29th, you can watch the show on Sky channel 203 on Tuesday 21st when voting begins.
I had to qualify for both slams and go through a further extra round in each, in the Farrago slam I made it as far as the semi final, congratulations to David Morgan who took the crown.
2011
With 2011 fast approaching I'm looking head. The Rubix are pressing ahead with the writing for our imminent scratch show "House Party" in April, I'm also working on some extended spoken word pieces which I'll be looking to test the water with soon.
Laters for now
Paul
Sunday, 10 October 2010
Manorlogz Spoken Word Competition
Hey
I had a busy day today filming 2 pieces for the Manorlogz spoken word slam here's the link http://manorlogz.co.uk/profile/paulcree
If you like it (or anyone else on there for that matter as I've seen a few and they are really good) then please vote.
I also did some people today with fellow Rubix members Zionite and Chima, at Chima's creative layer in Shorditch.
A lot of fun
A good days work
Paul
I had a busy day today filming 2 pieces for the Manorlogz spoken word slam here's the link http://manorlogz.co.uk/profile/paulcree
If you like it (or anyone else on there for that matter as I've seen a few and they are really good) then please vote.
I also did some people today with fellow Rubix members Zionite and Chima, at Chima's creative layer in Shorditch.
A lot of fun
A good days work
Paul
Saturday, 25 September 2010
About Me
I grew up in a musical family and played the drums as a child, developing a love and obsession for rhythm.
Though I was exposed to many different types of music from an early age, it wasn’t until I began listening to Jungle / Drum and Bass that I felt inspired enough to write lyrics.
I spent a few years Mcing at various parties and nights around the Gatwick area, as well as Brighton, High Wycombe and latterly London.
After doing this, I was beginning to find that I enjoyed the expression that writing lyrics afforded me, and moved to Brighton in 2004 where I recorded various Hip Hop and Grime tracks as a rapper, under the name of Kase One.
It wasn’t until around Easter 2007, having recently left Brighton to move to London that I first went to a poetry night, at the suggestion of my father. I knew very little about poetry, and never would have expected it to be something I'd end up being involved with.
I began to write short poems and came to enjoy what I saw as freedom. I felt I could write about what I wanted, and was not restricted to a particular flow, rhythm, tempo or subject matter as I'd found with rapping.
I attended the Poetry Unplugged at the Poetry Cafe in London, and was inspired by the likes of Nial O'Sullivan, and visited on and off for a year or two. Through writing poetry I took an interest in short stories and enrolled on a course at Birkbeck College introduced me to many different writers and helped me devolved my craft.
After completing my writing course, I by chance one day, having had a loose arrangement to meet my Sister on a day off from work, saw a flyer and enrolled in a Young People's Theatre (YPT) term at Battersea Arts Centre (BAC).
Like Poetry, I knew very little about theatre and never envisioned myself being involved with it. The theatre course was one of the best experiences I've ever had and gave me confidence as a performer I'd never felt as an MC, rapper or performing poetry. Since that first YPT term I went ton o perform in 4 shows, went to Edinburgh in 2009 and 2010, and have helped a co-ordinate a major young people's festival.
I
t was BAC who made me aware of the Poetry Collective at the Roundhouse (I'd never heard of The Roundhouse.....) who was mentored by Polar Bear, whom I heard great things about at the Poetry nights I'd been too. After looking at Polar Bear's myspace page and website (and listening to “Moves” several thousand times on repeat) I signed up at the first opportunity.
Since being involed in the Roundhouse, and having regular writing sessions with Polar Bear and the rest of the collective, it has helped push me to levels I'd never thought I'd reach, and the best thing is, I feel I am only at the beginning.
In the last year I've won slams at Farrago, Lyric Lounge and Bang Said The Gun, and performed at places such as the Roundhouse, Battersea Arts Centre, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, Richmix, Shunt, Oxford Universtity, Edinburgh Fringe Festival and many more.
Having grown up in the home counties, under the shadow of London, had several jobs and moved around so many times I've almost lost count, all of this, inspires me to write.
I sometimes have to take a reality check, and pinch myself, when I look tat he amazing people I'm so fortunate to be associated with, particularly since I became involved with both Battersea Arts Centre and the Roundhouse Theatre.
Everything I have done, every place I've been, and every person I've met on this so far windy back road that I have taken is an inspiration.
When I look around the room, at the other members of the Rubix, and take a second to observe how talented each member is, it only drives me on, and inspires me to work harder, keep pushing my ideas, and above all, keep enjoying it, because at the end of the day, I love writing and I love performing. There is nothing else I would rather do.
Paul Cree, September 2010
Welcome
Hello.
Welcome to my blog. I just got here, well, I actually 'got here' yesterday, but whilst sitting in some muggy Starbucks near London Bridge my laptop crashed and I lost the epic piece of prose that was the first blog.
Well, it wasn’t epic, and nor was it probably prose, just an introduction to whom I am and why I'm doing this.
I've started this blog because I would like to have an outlet for some of the stuff that I write. At the moment, this blog is only for me, because no one is following me, nor am I following anyone, I Havant figured that out yet, Rome weren’t built in a day though right? Not that I'm aiming for Rome though, I'd probably get sunburnt in a climate like that, and I'm not a fan of continental breakfasts (those muggy one's you get in hotels as cultured equivalent’s to cornflakes). Most of the stuff I write at the minute, which in due course will appear on here, is short stories, poems and the occasional rant. I'm an aspiring spoken word person, and writing and performing is what I love doing. This sight is more about the writing though. Yea? Cool.
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