Video's online so far...

Hey

In order to make things a little easier to view I've compiled a list so far of all the video's available online. Hope you enjoy...

This was the live improvisation I did with Theatre De-Cunt. They had samples and loops, I had words, we put together and tried it out!

This was the Manorlogz slam competition winner announcement released on new years eve.

Here's a link to the piece that I wrote and performed in the final of the manorlogz competition.

http://4fronttv.com/video.php?id=30

This was the full of broadcast of the semi final programme with all the people that performed. Part of my piece in it was edited out so it's starts about half way through me performing it.

And to complete the Manorlogz video's these were the two pieces I performed after being invited to an audition, which then got me voted though to the semi final's by the judges. 

I was asked to take part in the viral advert for the Body Shop. My part was all filmed in Camden up and down the busy high street. It was a lot of fun

I only found out about this video recently - this was released just before the Body Shop advert. I come under "Street Performer"

Chima Merge filmed this, he is a fellow member of the Rubix, as well Zionite who is in the video with me, he too filmed a video that day.

This was filmed by Nial O'Sullivan, who host's Poetry Unplugged. I think this was the last time I ever performed whilst reading from a book or paper. It was one of my older pieces and the only time I ever read it.

This was filmed as part of a Christmas Special at Bang said The Gun. It marked the end of an era for me, in the way I wrote and performed. Most of the pieces I wrote were on a cd I produced called "Poems and That". I went back to the drawing board shortly after this and wrote a lot of material. 

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>

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

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.

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

Kingpin

KINGPIN

For approximately 1 minute

I was king

The feeling as the ball rolled from my hand,

arrowing straight down the centre of the lane,

maintaining a position of perfection,

as it travelled at the speed of delight,

equal distance between the two gully’s.

My own projectile missile,

Target locked on.

Upon Impact,

producing a harmonic sound of an organised crescendo of chaos,

as the ball struck the centre pin.

The catalyst for the chain reaction,

collapsing all 10 pins.

Obliterated

Nothing left

That was my moment

I'd long ago accepted my position,

as issued by God.

My rank being verbal punch-bag,

in the great order of things.

I'm the one you wonna' play pool against,

after you've just taken a whipping.

Talk to me for an instant ego boost

My social scene is like a fruit machine

My mates are like the cherries,

always in pairs.

I'm the lemon.

I turned back round,

and saw my 3 friends,

and their girlfreinds,

with their mouths open wide,

as if they were about to engage in speech,

but nothing was coming out.

I never knew silence could make a sound so beautiful

Spit and Sawdust (2010)

This piece was written as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Show I did with the Roundhosue Poetry Collective, "The Greatest poet That Ever Lived." We each had to write a eulogy based around a character we imagined to be "The Greastest Poet." 

SPIT AND SAWDUST

"Nice boys feed birds

Tough boys catch birds

Rough boys slap birds

Fact is truth hurts.

If your nice - think twice

If your tough - be nice

If your rough – eff off

Life's already saturated with you bastards"

Sound advcice,

that's all I ever got.

No matter what,

he's always stop,

take 5 minutes and ask how I am.

I'd catch flies just to hear him talk,

let alone when he used to recite.

He had a way of reaching people,

seeking their level and communicating,

without ever patronizing.

I was a lost boy,

with no shoes trying to find my feet.

he offered me the shadow of his wing.

If that weren’t enough he taught me to fly.

What did I know about poetry?

the first time I met him,

I had no idea who he was.

He'd never met me,

but he knew all about me straight away at the first glance.

Scared little boy little boy lost in London,

hiding behind a thin mask of nice lad come jack the lad.

It was just an open mike.

I'd done my piece,

the night had come to a close.

Afterward this haggardly looking man approached me and said

"You need to open your mouth more when you speak,

if you don't stretch you won't reach"

I remember thinking;

"who is this guy?!"

He then said

"don't come here next week.

Me and you,

were going for a beer.

I know a little place away from the noise.”

He gave me his number and left.

Well,

he tried to leave,

but for each inch he gained closer to the exit door,

another horde of people would crowd him asking questions,

like he was some sort of prophet.

Knowing what I know now,

I’m sure he just wanted a whiskey and a cigarette.

I didn’t think poetry people drank larger.

that was the drink of the common man, surely?

The chosen drink of my mates and I.

The first lesson he taught me?

"Dismiss anything you know.

Unless you ACTUALLY know,

and I know,

that the only thing you know,

is you,

and you’re only just getting to know you.

So for now,

don't think,

just drink your larger and listen.

P.S where I grew up,

larger is for women."

The Weakness Of Many Tellers of Tales (2010)

This piece was written during term 2, January-April, of the roundhouse Poetry collective. This particular exercise was set by Inua Ellams. We were all given a list of quotes to use as titles from the book "The Heart Of Darkness", and asked to write a short piece, which were printed onto a pamphlet and used as part of an exhibition in the cafe at The Roundhouse, where Inua had painted the whole wall with some amazing graphics inspired by the book.  

THE WEAKNESS OF MANY TELLERS OF TALES

Actions have consequences

Positive or Negative

No action other than one of the mouth

Reverberates back with the bend of a boomerang

Machine gun tongues

On the front lines of living rooms

Camped around bonfires of weed

Barricaded in boozerz

Belly flopping into pints of larger

Know it all's

Bought every t-shirt

Knew about the latest act to sign when they were still underground

Conspiracy theories about new world orders

Take this guy that I knew

For now,

Lets just call him me

Me has trod water

Flirted with drowning

Battled for ends meat

Ever since me left home

I know me

Me talked a lot

Me told a lot of tales

Ideas seem to manifest in his head

Without or without beer and weed

Hold up in pubs

Sat relaxed in living rooms

Cramped in the back of Fiat Uno's

Did me act on his ideas?

No

So where me now?

Exactly

Taking Stock (2009)

This was also another piece written during term 1 at the Roundhouse Poetry Collective, the title was given to us by Polar Bear, and this is what I wrote. I've no idea back then why I wrote everything in capitol's, which is why I have left it that way, as it's an indication of where I was at the time.

TAKING STOCK

HE KNEW HE'D GONE TOO FAR

WHEN HE WALKED OUT WITH THE HOLBY CITY BOXSET,

.......AND THEN TOOK IT BACK,

WHEN HE WAS NEXT ON SHIFT WITH THE AIR OF A DISGRUNTLED CUSTOMER

UNSATISIFED WITH THE PRODUCT

THE EXPANDING PILE'S OF DVD'S ON PERMENANT LOAN FORM WORK,

IN THE CORNER OF TONY'S BEDROOM

WAS STARTING TO RESEMBLE A MINI METROPOLIS

WITH EACH PILE A SKY SCRAPER,

TRYING TO OUTDO THE NEAREST NEIGHBOUR

IN A SHOW OF HEIGHT MEANS POWER

TONY KNEW HE'd BECOAME TOO LAX WITH HIS HABIT TOO TAX

I MEAN, HOLBY CITY?

WHAT WAS HE THINKING?

AND THEN TAKING IT BACK??

WHAT WAS HE THINKING?

BUT TONY WAS INDIFFERENT

INSISTENT TO HIS FREINDS THAT HE COULDANT CARE LESS EITHER WAY

IN FACT

HE SAID HE'D WELCOME A SACKING

IT MIGHT PROMOPT HIM TO DO SOMETHING WITH HIS DEGREE

TONY KNEW HE TOOK OLYMPIC GOLD WHEN IT CAME

TO INTERNATIONAL UNDERACIEVMENT

HE DID'NT SPEACK MUCH OF HIS OWN DESIRE

HE DID ONCE SHOW ME A FILM HE MADE AFTER THE CHRISTMAS PARTY LAST YEAR

IN A DRUNKEN STATE

WE PILED BACK TO HIS MUM'S HOUSE

AND I SPOTED IT HIDING IN AOUNGST THE HUNDREDS OF DVD'S

HE RELUCTANTLY AGREED AND STUCK IT ON

OF COURSE I DID'NT UNDERSTAND IT

NO-ONE DID

AND I CAN ONLY PRESUME AT THE POINT,

STEVE,

WHO'D NEVER LIKED TONY,

STEVE JUST WERNT THAT CLEVOR

BUT HE WAS CLEVOR ENOUGH TO PUT 2 AND 2 TOGETHER

AND ATTIRTUBE THE LARGE NUMBER OF DVD'S IN TONYS POSSESSION,

TO ACCOUNT FOR A LARGE AMOUNT OF MISSING STOCK

IN THE ANNUAL STOCK TAKE

IT WAS ONLY A SMALL STORE

AND SURE ENOUGH STEVE WAS CAUGHT

WELL, NOT CAUGHT, YET

INNCOCENT UNTIL PROOVEN GUILITY

THE AREA LOSS PREVENTION OFFICER

HAD HIM IN THE OFFICE,

CLUTCHING THE HOLBY CITY BOXSET

LIKE A DETETVICE INSPECTOR CLUTCHING THE PREVERBIRAL BOOK

TONY COULDANT JUSTIFY WHY HE WAS IN POSSESSION OF THE BOXSET

JUST BEFORE STORE OPENING TIME OF 9A.M

AND THE 5 STAR LOSS PREVENTION OFFICER TURNED CHEIF SUPER INTENDANT

COULDANT PROOVE THAT TONY HAD ROBBED IT AS HE WAS TECHNICALLY ON THE PREMISIES

THE LOSS PREVENTION MAN WAS BECOME MORE AND MORE FRSUTRATED

AS I COULD SEE THOUGH THE WINDOW IN THE DOOR OF THE OFFICE

THE HOLBY CITY BOXSET ATTCHED TO A HAND THAT WAS FLAPPING ROUND

LIKE A T-SHIRT ON A WASHING LINE IN A STRONG WIND

I IMAGNINED TONY WAS PROIBABLY FINDING THE WHOLE AFFAIR QUITE AMMUSING

OR AT LEAST SOMEWHAT INCONVINING

BUT WHEN HE CAME OUT

THE ONLY THING HE SAID WAS

"I THOUGHT THE FIRST EPISODE WAS ALLRIGHT, BUT THERE WAS NO PROGESSION"

HE GAVE A SLIGHT SMILE

SIGHED

IT LATER TRANSIRED THAT HE'S BEEN TEMPROAILEY SUSPENDED

PENDING INVESTIGATION

WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN WHY I SAW HIM ON MY LUNCHBREAK

BUYING A PEN, A PAD AND A COPY OF AN OPEN UNIVERSTITY MAGAZINE

The Boy (2009)

This is a poem / short story that a wrote as part of an exercise set by Polar Bear in the first term, winter 09, that I took part in with the Roundhouse Poetry Collective

THE BOY WALKS THROUGH THE AUTOMATIC DOORS

TAKING NOTE OF THE WHITE STICKER'S ON BOTH DOORS,

THEY SAY "AUTOMATIC DOORS"

AS BOTH DOORS GO TO THE LEFT RIGHT REsPECTIVLY

THE PARTING OF THE DOORS LIKE THE PARTING OF THE SEAS

THE SMELL OF CHORLINE HITS HIS NOSE,

AND THE DISTANT NOISE OF ADOLESCANT SCREAMS

TICKLES HIS EARS DRUMS

DRESSED IN JEANS AND A JUMPER

THE JUMPER FAILING TO DISGUISE THE EXCESS WEIGHT ROUND HIS WAISTE

HARDLY THE ATTIRE OF A LESIURE CENTRE GOER

HE HEADS FOR THE YOUNG LADY AT THE RECEPTION DESK

THE LADY BEHIND THE DESK,

DRESSED,

IN A SPORTS POLO AND TRACKSUIT BOTTOMS,

ANSERWS THE BOYS REQUEST,

TO COMMANDEER THE SNOOKER TABLE FOR THE NEXT 2 HOURS

THE BOY COLLECTS,

THEN INSPECTS,

THE BLACK TRAY OF SPINNING BALLS,

2 QUES AND A BLOCK OF CHALK,

AS HIS PODGY FINGERS PART WITH HIS CASH

THE BOYS TAKES A GLANCE BACK,

TOWARDS THE ENTRENCE THEN HE DRAWS A DEEP BREATH

THE YOUNG LADY BEHIND RECEPTION,

THEN BEGINS TO ISSUE THE INSTRUCTIONS,

DIRECTING THE BOY TO THE SNOOKER ROOM

BUT BEFORE SHE HAS EVEN FINISHED,

THE BOY IS A QUATER OF THE WAY UP THE STAIRS

FACE CONCENTRATED LIKE A MAN ON A MISSION

HOLDING THE TRAY FULL OF SPINNING BALLS

LIKE A WAITER BALANCING A DELICATE PLATE

THE BOY MAKES HIS WAY

HE WALKS DOWN A CORRIDOR

THROUGH THE BROWN FIRE DOOR DOUBLE DOORS

AND OUT ONTO THE NEXT CORRIDOOR

WHICH SERVS AS A PROMENADE

OVER LOOKING THE SWIMMING POOL

THE BOY LOOKS OVER THE EDGE,

4 VERICAL LINES OF SEGREGATION SLICE THROUGH THE POOL

PARTITNIONED ACCORDING TO LEVEL OF PRACTICE

THE LANE AT THE FAR END SEEMS TO CATCH HIS EYE,

BEGINNERS,

SMALL GROUPS OF MOTHERS AND FATHERS,

SPLASHING ROUND WITH RELUCTANT INFLATABLE ARM BAND CLAD KIDS

WHILST THE REST OF THE PEOPLE JUST GO UP AND DOWN,

BACK AND FORTH

THE BOY JUST TUTS AND TWISTS

THE TWO SNOOKER QUES GRIPPED IN HIS RIGHT HAND,

AS THE PROMENADE ENDS,

AND JUST BECOMES ANOTHER STERILE CORRIDOR

3 WALLS TURNED BACK TO 4

ORDER RESTORED

THE BOY WALKS FORWARDS,

AND SEEMS TO IGNOIRE

THE POSTER CLAD WALLS OF KICKBOXAISE, KEEP FIT AND PILATES

UNTIL HE STOPES AT THE DOOR THAT INDICATES "ROOM 19, SNOOKER"

HE WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR AND ENTERS THE ROOM,

HE CASTS A GLANCE LEFT AND RIGHT

ALL HE SEES IS TWO FULL SISE SNOOKER TABLES,

DOMINATING THE SPACE

HE HEADS TO THE TABLE ON HIS LEFT,

AND RESTING THE QUE'S UP AGAINST THE EDGE,

HE PLACES THE BALLS AND CHALK ONTO THE GREEN FELT

THE BOY THEN HEADS TOWADRS THE SCOREBORAD,

AND THEN SLIDES ALL THE GOLD SQUARES BACK TO 0

HE WAITS,

THEN HESITATES,

HIS EYES MOVE BACK AND FORTH TOWARDS THE DOOR

THE BOY TUTS AND THEN MUMBLES AN EXPLITIVE

AND TAKES A RED BALL FROM THE TRAY,

AND LINES IT UP ON THE D

HE PLACES THE WHITE BALL,

AT THE OPPOSIYE END OF THE TABLE,

AND ASSUMES HIS QUEING POSITION,

THE BOY SMAHES THE WHITE TOWARDS THE RED,

THE RED AND WHITE COLLIDE WITH FORCE,

AND RIQUOET OFF INTO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS

THE BOY THEN REPEATS THIS SEVERAL TIMES,

WITH EACH STRIKE MORE AGGRESIVE THAN THE LAST,

UNTIL FINALLY,

HE MIS-QUES HIS LAST HIT,

ONLY SKIMMING THE TOP OF THE WHITE BALL

THE WHITE THEN FEEBLY ROLLS TOWARDS THE RED,

POSITIONED NEAR TO A CORNER AT THE FAR END,

THE WHITE MISSES THE RED,

AND ROLLS INTO THE EMPTY POCKET,

SUNK

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.