Billy and the Chatham Singers. Photograph © Rikard Osterlund

Billy is back in town!

Billy Childish last performed at Hastings Storytelling Festival in 2012 – talking about his artwork and performing his songs at St Mary in the Castle. Kent born and bred, Billy has visited Hastings many times over the years, as a musician and artist – and to support Hastings Pier after the fire in 2010. Erica Smith catches up with him on the eve of his performance this Saturday at the White Rock Theatre.

I first heard Billy Childish perform in the 1990s when I was living in Brighton. Since then, his songs, books, poems and visual artwork have always been part of my life. He was the biggest name in Tracy Emin’s tent of Everyone I have ever slept with 1963–1995, and Kylie Minogue named her Impossible Princess album after his poetry collection Poems to Break the Harts of Impossible Princesses.

When Billy performed in 2012, he wore a pair of reading glasses he’d bought at ‘East Sussex Kitchens’ for a pound. He remarked on them because he was horrified at how cheap the glasses were. Meanwhile, I was delighted that he’d solved a riddle I had been puzzling over for years – what does ESK stand for?

Below, Billy has answered some of my questions about what he has been up to recently. Billy is dyslexic – which both adds to the beauty of his writing and his importance as a performer at Hastings Storytelling Festival.

Q: You were last in town for the Hastings Storytelling Festival in November 2012.
At that time you’d been working on a series of paintings of barge / water dwellers.
I’ve just seen a limited edition screen print to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ICA – What else have you been up to more recently?
A: Thats a hard one – an endless list. im playing in five groups and releasing something in the order of six LP Records a year (we did 21 LPs records over lockdown.
Im werking on 2 novels for the past 13 years. i have 2 colections of poetry due to be published. there was a painting show over summere at Carl Freedman galley Margate, and art fairs NY Paris london las week. it gets a bit strange listing what i do as it seams too much.

Q: Can you tell me a bit more about Vipers Tongue press and the Vipers Tongue Quarterly.
A: The press is a cheap as chips pamphlet version of Hangman Books and the qauterly is based on the old style small press stuff/ poetry mags a new as a young man but have seamed to all slip away.

Q: What art and music are you looking at and listening to at the moment?
A: i dont do either, though i here radio 3 a bit in the car or studio. i hadnt read a novel in about 7 years – but started crrime and punshment again.

Q: What can we expect from you and the Chatham Singers this Saturday at the White Rock Theatre?
A: we’er a blues group in the 1962 style.

Q: You’ve designed an exclusive tote bag for the gig – will there be other Billy Childish goods available on the night – and where else can we get hold of your publications and music?
A: L-13 have some stuff, Tangerine press, and Damaged Goods Records.

Q: Have you got any other gigs or exhibitions coming up in the near future – if so, what and where?
A: we have a few shows  CTMF – Gulbenkian – Canterbury on the 27th Oct   Poetry Folk Medway Little theater 4th NOV
Chatham singers  – rocherster catherdrial 15th nove. Poetry folk and blues 27th jan – Lexington  london.

Q: Anything else you want to share?
A: Im trying to acheive nothing and convince no one.

Billy Childish and the Chatham Singers are at White Rock Theatre THIS Saturday – 22 October at 7.30pm. Tickets are £18.00.
You can book tickets here.
Visit L-13 to leaf through Billy’s pamphlets, books and artwork, and Damaged Goods to check out his music.

You can read the Hastings Online Times 2012 interview with Billy Childish here.

Also in: Music & Sound