Childish, Billy

(1959- )

   Born in Chatham, Kent, he left school at 16, worked as an apprentice stonemason at the Naval Dockyard at Chatham, then spent time at St. Martin's School of Art to study painting. In spite of suffering from dyslexia, he has published over 40 collections of his poetry, recorded over 100 full-length independent LPs, produced over 2,500 paintings and has become a cult figure in America, Europe and Japan. In his poems and in his novel (one of three) My Fault (Virgin Books, 2005), he details his love life and childhood sexual abuse. In 2000 he formed the musical group the Buff Medways, named after a type of poultry bred in his home town. He continues to live and work in Chatham. Some of his publications: The Medway Poets, 1980. Poetry Like Dirt, 1983. Poems From the Barrier Block, 1984. Poems of Laughter and Violence, Selected Poetry 1981-86, 1992. In 5 minits you'll know me, Selected poems 1985 1995. 1997. Some of his poems and lyrics: "A Terrible Thing," "Carreer Opportunities," "Girl from '62," "I Am the Strange Hero of Hunger," "The Strangest Thing."

   Sources: Three Poems by Billy Childish (http://www.3ammagazine.com/poetry/2002_jun/three_poems.html). Biography of Billy Childish: The Poets, Part 1, Billy Childish (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/heardallaboutit_poets1.shtml). The Billy Childish Home Page (http://www.theebillychildish.com/index.htm). Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia).