Few performers in rock history have been as ferociously prolific as
Billy Childish. In fact, a complete discography of his work as a solo
performer and with his various bands would take up quite a lot of space.
A singer, songwriter, artist, poet, critic, fanzine editor, and guitarist
who suffers
from severe dyslexia, he's a punk-inspired Renaissance man. However,
most have never heard of him, or heard one of the over 50 recordings
he's made either solo or with one of his many bands (Pop Rivets, the
Milkshakes, Thee Mighty Caesars, the Delmonas, Thee Headcoats, and the
Natural Born Lovers), or read his over 40 books of poetry and assorted
scribblings. Surprisingly, Childish has been recording since 1979, playing
a rough-and-tumble, punk-inspired approximation of what is normally
called garage rock. Not one for elaborate production techniques, the
consistent element of Childish's music is that all of it sounds as though
it was recorded and mixed in about an hour. He values immediacy and
intensity, and frequently seems itching to move on to the next song,
or, more specifically, the next band. A truly primitive talent (due
to his learning disability, he has had little formal education)
who -- à la Jad and David Fair of Half Japanese -- eschews technical
ability for pure emotion, Childish occupies an artistic role somewhere
between mad genius and bratty goofball. Unfailingly sure of himself
and his vision, his music is as honest and emotionally direct as one
is likely to hear.
Unfortunately, he also lacks the discipline of self-editing and, as
a result, some of his lesser work rambles incoherently or simply sounds
so similar as to be uninteresting. Years after his first single, "Fun
in the U.K." (a tongue-in-cheek send-up of the Sex Pistols'
"Anarchy in the U.K."), Childish is still producing
material at an amazing rate, epitomizing the endurance and drive of
an artist who in many ways is the archetypal rock outsider.
- John Dougan (www.myspace.com/theeheadcoats) |
Plakat: Barbara Thoben
Links:
www.billychildish.com
www.myspace.com/theeheadcoats
www.myspace.com/theeheadcoatees |
