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