Billy Childish

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Template:Expand Image:Howard-Childish.jpg Billy Childish (real name William Charlie Hamper, or Steven John Hamper) (born December 1, 1959) is a British artist, author, poet, singer and guitarist.

1 Life
2 L.P. Discography
3 Books
4 See also
5 External links

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Life

Billy Childish was born and lives in Chatham, Kent, England. He left secondary school at 16, an undiagnosed dyslexic. Refused an interview at the local art school, he entered the naval dockyard at Chatham as an apprentice stonemason. During the following six months (the artist’s only prolonged period of employment), he produced some 600 drawings in "the tea huts of hell". On the basis of this work he was accepted into St Martin’s School of Art, where he was friends with the artist Peter Doig, to study painting. However, his acceptance was short-lived and before completing the course he was expelled in 1982. He then lived on the dole for 15 years.

Image:MedwayPoets.jpg He was a major influence on the artist Tracey Emin who met Childish after his expulsion from St Martin's when she was a fashion student at Medway College of Design. Emin ended their friendship in 1999.

Childish is a poet and novelist who has detailed his love life and childhood sexual abuse, notably in his early poetry and the novel My Fault. He has published more than 40 collections of poetry, written three novels, recorded more than 100 full-length independent LPs and produced more than 2,500 paintings.

He was a founder member in 1979 of The Medway Poets. His many groups from 1977 include the Pop Rivets, sometimes spelled the Pop Rivits (with Bruce Brand, Russell Wilkins and Russell Lax). He later formed The Milkshakes with Micky Hampshire, Thee Mighty Caesars, The Del Monas and Thee Headcoats. In 2000 he formed The Buff Medways, named after a type of poultry bred in his home town.

Childish has been namechecked by a number of famous musicians including the late Kurt Cobain, The White Stripes (Jack White had Billy's name written in large letters on his arm for an early Top of The Pops appearance) and Kylie Minogue who named the LP Impossible Princess after his book Poems to Break the Harts of Impossable Princesses (Childish's own spelling).

A consistent advocate for amateurism and free emotional expression, his aesthetic beliefs lead him to co-found the Stuckist art-movement with Charles Thomson, partially as a reaction against the perceived overemphasis on sophistication and theory in contemporary British art. He left the movement in 2001.

Image:Buffmedways.jpg A falling-out took place in March 2006 with US musician Jack White of The White Stripes. Childish criticised White in the US GQ magazine, "They don't have a good sound ... Jack's half into the sound and music, but then he wants to be a pop star as well, so you've got a big problem." White responded on the Stripes' website, accusing Childish of plagiarism and of being "the bitter garage rocker." Childish wrote an open letter to the NME saying White was jealous because he had "a bigger collection of hats, a better moustache ... and a fully developed sense of humour." [1]

The Aquarium Gallery in London brought out a spoof boxing poster advertising Jack "whingy" White v Billy "bitter" Childish. Lawyers acting for the White Stripes removed the poster from Ebay and have written to the gallery, claiming the poster violates their intellectual property rights. [2] The poster was later reissued with the photographic image of White's head replaced with a cartoon. The gallery insist that this is not to be taken as an admission that they had breached any copyright, simply an attempt to prevent the poster from being withdrawn again; a copy of the old poster was included with sales of the new. The posters eventually sold £110 each, with the Aquarium converting half the profits into gold for White to collect from the gallery.

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L.P. Discography

Greatest Hits (1979) The Pop Rivets
Empty Sounds from Anarchy Ranch (1979) The Pop Rivets
Talkin' Bout…Milkshakes (1981) The Milkshakes
14 Rhythm and Beat Greats (1982) The Milkshakes
After School Sessions (1983) The Milkshakes
The Milkshakes IV-The Men with Golden Guitars (1983) The Milkshakes
Sing and Play 20 Rock & Roll Hits of the 50's & 60's (1984) The Milkshakes
The Milkshakes in Germany (1984) The Milkshakes
Nothing Can Stop These Men (1984) The Milkshakes
Showcase (1984) The Milkshakes
They Came They Saw They Conquered (1984) Thee Milkshakes
Thee Knights of Trashe (1984) Thee Milkshakes
Thee Mighty Caesars (1985) Thee Mighty Caesars
Dangerous Charms (1985) The Del Monas
Beware the Ideas of the March (1985) Thee Mighty Caesars
The Delmonas 5 (1986) The Del Monas
Thee Caesars of Trash (1986) Thee Mighty Caesars
Acropolis Now (1986) Thee Mighty Caesars
107 Tapes (1986) (Early demos/Live) The Milkshakes
Live in Rome (1986) Thee Mighty Caesars
Wiseblood (1987) The Mighty Caesars
The Milkshakes Revenge -The Legendary Missing 9th Album (1987) The Milkshakes
Fun in the U.K (1987) (Compilation) The Pop Rivets
I've Got Everything Indeed (1987) Wild Billy Childish
Don't Give Any Dinner to Henry Chinaski (1987) Thee Mighty Caesars
Which Dead Donkey Daddy? (1987) Billy Childish & Sexton Ming
Punk Rock Showcase (1987) Thee Mighty Caesars
Laughing Gravy (1987) Wild Billy Childish & Big Russ Wilkins
Plump Prizes & Little Gems (1987) Billy Childish & Sexton Ming
The 1982 Cassettes (1988) Wild Billy Childish
Live in Chatham (1988) Thee Milkshakes
YPRES 1917 Overture (Verdun Ossuary) (1988) Billy Childish & Sexton Ming
I Remember (1988) Wild Billy Childish
Poems of Laughter and Violence (1988) Billy Childish
Brimful of Hate (1988) Jack Ketch & the Crowmen
Play: Capt'n Calypso's Hoodoo Party (1988) Wild Billy Childish & the Blackhands
Do the Uncle Willy (1988) The Del Monas
Thusly, Thee Mighty Caesars, English Punk Rock Explosion (1988) (Compilation) Thee Mighty Caesars
The Delmonas (1989) The Delmonas
John Lennon's Corpse Revisited (1989) Thee Mighty Caesars
Headcoats Down! (1989) Thee Headcoats
Long Legged Baby (1989) Wild Billy Childish & the Natural Born Lovers
Surely They Were the Sons of God (1989) (Compilation) Thee Mighty Caesars
19th Nervous Shakedown (1990) (Compilation) The Milkshakes
The Kids Are Square-This is Hip! (1990) Thee Headcoats
The Earls of Suavedom (1990) Thee Headcoats
Beach Bums Must Die (1990) Thee Headcoats
Live in Germany '79 (1990) The Pop Rivets
Heavens to Murgatroyd, Even! It’s Thee Headcoats! (Already) (1990) Thee Headcoats
50 Albums Great (1991) Wild Billy Childish
Girlsville (1991) Thee Headcoatees
W.O.A.H! Bo in Thee Garage (1991) Thee Headcoats
Headcoatitude (1991) Thee Headcoats
I Am the Billy Childish (1991) (Compilation) Various
The Sudden Fart of Laughter (1992) Billy Childish
Der Henkermann-Kitchen Recordings (1992) Billy Childish
The Original Chatham Jack (1992) Billy Childish & the Blackhands
Have Love Will Travel (1992) Thee Headcoatees
Caesars Remains (1992) (Compilation) Thee Mighty Caesars
The Wurst is Yet to Come (1993) Thee Headcoats
The Good Times Are Killing Me (1993) Thee Headcoats
Cavern by the Sea (1993) Thee Headcoats
Torments Nest (1993) Billy Childish
Live in the Netherlands (1993) Wild Billy Childish & the Blackhands
Native American Sampler - A History 1983-1993 (1993) (Compilation) Various
At the Bridge (1993) Billy Childish featuring The Singing Loins
Hunger at the Moon (1993) Billy Childish
Caesars Pleasure (1994) (Compilation) Thee Mighty Caesars
Live at the Wild Western Room (1994) Thee Headcoats
Connundrum (1994) Thee Headcoats
Ballad of Insolent Pup (1994) Thee Headcoatees
The Sound of the Baskervilles (1995) Thee Headcoats featuring Thee Headcoatees
In Tweed We Trust (1996) Thee Headcoats
Deerstalking Men (1996) Thee Headcoats Sect
Knights of the Baskervilles (1996) Thee Headcoats
Made With a Passion - Kitchen Demo's (1996) Billy Childish
Bostik Haze (1997) Thee Headcoatees
Chathams Burning - Live 77 & 78 Demo's (1997) The Pop Rivets
Punk Girls (1997) Thee Headcoatees
The Jimmy Reid Experience (1997) (Thee Headcoats)
Devil in the Flesh (1998) Billy Childish/Dan Melchior
The Messerschmits Pilots Severed Hand (1998) Thee Headcoats
Sherlock Holmes Meets the Punkenstien Monster (1998) (Japanese Compilation) Thee Headcoats
Brother is Dead…but fly is gone! (1998) Thee Headcoats
17% Hendrix Was Not the Only Musician (1998) Billy Childish & His Famous Headcoats
Taylor Meets Thee Headcoatees (1998) Thee Headcoatees
Crimes Against Music-Blues Recordings 1986-1999 (1999) (Compilation) Wild Billy Childish
The Cheeky Cheese (1999) Billy Childish & Sexton Ming
English Gentlemen of Rock‘N’Roll/the Best Vol.2 (1999) (Japanese Compilation) Thee Headcoats
Here Comes the Cessation (1999) Thee Headcoatees
The Sisters of Suave (1999) (compilation) Thee Headcoatees
In Blood (1999) Billy Childish & Holly Golightly
Ready Sect Go! (2000) Thee Headcoats Sect
I Am the Object of Your Desire (2000) Wild Billy Childish & His Famous Headcoats
Elementary Headcoats - Thee Singles 1990-1999 (2000) (compilation) Thee Headcoats
Live at the Dirty Water Club (2001) Thee Headcoats
This is This (2001) The Buff Medway’s
Steady the Buffs (2002) Wild Billy Childish & The Buff Medway’s
25 Years of Being Childish (2002) (compilation) Various
Here Come the Fleece Geese (2002) Billy Childish & Sexton Ming
1914 (2003) Wild Billy Childish & The Buff Medway’s
Medway Wheelers (2005) Wild Billy Childish & The Buff Medway’s
Heavens Journey (2005) Wild Billy Childish & The Chatham Singers
The Smoking Dog Presents An Evening Of Medway Blues (2005) (contributes three a cappella tracks "The Bitter Cup", "Black Girl" and "Out On The Western Plains")

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Books

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Poetry

Back on Red Lite rd (1981)
2 Minits walk from 10am (1981)
The First Creacher is Jellosey (1981)
Black Things Hidden in Dust (1982)
You Me Blud N Knuckle (1982)
Big Cunt (1982)
Prity Thing (1982)
7 by Childish (1982)
Will the Circle be Unbroken (1983)
10 No Good Poems of Slavery, Buggery, Boredom and Disrespect (1983)
Noting Can Stop This Man (1983)
The Unknown Stuff (1983)
Poems from the Barrier Block (1984)
Tear Life to Pieces (1985)
Poems Without Rhyme, Without Reason, Without Spelling, Without Words, Without Nothing (1985)
Monks Without God (1986)
Companions in a Death Boat (1987)
To the Quick (1988)
The Girl in the Tree (1988)
Maverick Verse (1988)
Admissions to Strangers (1989)
En Carne Viva (1989) Spanish/English
Death of a Wood (1989)
The Deathly Flight of Angels (1990)
Like a God i Love all Things (1991)
The Hart Rises (1992)
Trembling of Life (1993)
Poems of Laughter and Violence -Selected Poems 1981-1986 (1993)
Hunger at the Moon (1993)
Days with a Hart Like a Dog (1994)
Poems to Break the Harts of Impossible Princesses (1994)
Big Hart and Balls (1995)
This Purile Thing (1996)
In 5 Minits You’ll Know Me -Selected Poems 1985-1995 (1996)
A Terrible Hunger for Love (1997) Unpublished poems 1982-84
“I’d Rather You Lied” Selected Poems 1980-1998 (1999)
Chatham Town Welcomes Desperate Men (2000)
Evidence Against Myself (2003)
The Boss of All English Riters (2003)
Calling Things by Their Proper Names (2003)
Knite of the Sad Face (2004) Chap Book
The 1st Green Horse God has Ever Made (2004)
The Man with Gallows Eyes - Selected Poetry 1980-2005 (2005)