Billy Childish (born Steven John Hamper; 1 December 1959) is an English painter, author, poet, photographer, film maker, singer, and guitarist. Since the late 1970s, Childish has been prolific in creating music, writing, and visual art. He has led and played in bands including Thee Milkshakes, Thee Headcoats, and the Musicians of the British Empire, primarily working in the genres of

garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock music that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is ...

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

, and surf, and releasing more than 100 albums. He is a consistent advocate for amateurism and free emotional expression. Childish co-founded the

Stuckism Stuckism () is an international art movement founded in 1999 by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson (artist), Charles Thomson to promote Figurative art, figurative painting as opposed to conceptual art.art movement An art movement is a tendency or style in art with a specific art philosophy or goal, followed by a group of artists during a specific period of time, (usually a few months, years or decades) or, at least, with the heyday of the movement defined ...

with

Charles Thomson Charles Thomson (November 29, 1729 – August 16, 1824) was an Irish-born Founding Father of the United States and secretary of the Continental Congress (1774–1789) throughout its existence. As secretary, Thomson prepared the Journals of the ...

in 1999, which he left in 2001. Since then, a new evaluation of Childish's standing in the art world has been under way, culminating with the publication of a critical study of Childish's working practice by artist and writer Neal Brown, with an introduction by Peter Doig, which describes Childish as "one of the most outstanding, and often misunderstood, figures on the British art scene".Brown, Neal (2008). ''Billy Childish: A Short Study''. ondon The Aquarium; He is a visiting lecturer at Rochester Independent College. In July 2014 Childish was awarded an honorary Doctor of Arts Degree from the University of Kent. He is known for his explicit and prolific work – he has detailed his love life and childhood sexual abuse, notably in his early poetry and the novels ''My Fault'' (1996), ''Notebooks of a Naked Youth'' (1997), and ''Sex Crimes of the Futcher'' (2004) – ''The Idiocy of Idears'' (2007), and in several of his songs, notably in the instrumental "Paedophile" (1992) (featuring a photograph of the man who sexually abused him on the front cover) and "Every Bit of Me" (1993). From 1981 until 1987, Childish had a relationship with artist

Tracey Emin Dame Tracey Karima Emin (; born 3 July 1963) is an English artist known for autobiographical and confessional artwork. She produces work in a variety of media including drawing, painting, sculpture, film, photography, Neon lighting, neon text ...

. Thirty years after Childish's first musical releases with Thee Milkshakes and Thee Mighty Caesars, a crop of lo-fi, surf rock and punk groups with psychedelic subtexts has surfaced referencing the aesthetic established by Childish in both their band names and in various aspects of their sonic aesthetic: Thee Oh Sees, Thee Open Sex, Thee Tsunamis, Thee Dang Dangs, and many others.

Background

Billy Childish was born, lives, and works in

Chatham, Kent Chatham ( ) is a town within the Medway unitary authority in the ceremonial county of Kent, England. The town forms a conurbation with neighbouring towns Gillingham, Rochester, Strood and Rainham. In 2020 it had a population of 80,596. Th ...

. He has described his father, John Hamper, as a "complex, sociopathic narcissist": Hamper was jailed during Childish's teenage years for drug smuggling. Although he had an early and close association with many of the artists who became known as " YBA" artists, he has resolutely asserted his independent status. He was sexually abused when he was aged nine by a male family friend: "We were on holiday. I had to share a bed with him. It happened for several nights, then I refused to go near him. I didn't tell anyone". He left secondary school at 16, an undiagnosed dyslexic. Refused an interview at the local art college, he entered

Chatham Dockyard Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham, Kent, Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham, Kent, Gillingham; at its most extens ...

, Kent, as an apprentice stonemason. During the next six months (the artist’s only prolonged period of conventional employment), he produced some 600 drawings in "the tea huts of hell". On the basis of this work, he was accepted into

Saint Martin's School of Art Saint Martin's School of Art was an art school, art college in London, England. It offered foundation and degree level courses. It was established in 1854, initially under the aegis of the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. Saint Martin's beca ...

, where he was friends with the artist Peter Doig, to study painting. However, his acceptance was short-lived and he was expelled in 1982 before completing the course. He then lived on the dole for 15 years. In 2006, Childish turned down the offer to appear on Channel 4's ''

Celebrity Big Brother ''Celebrity Big Brother'' or ''Big Brother VIP'' is an adaptation of the '' Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, t ...

''. Childish has practised

yoga Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...

and

meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique to train attention and awareness and detach from reflexive, "discursive thinking", achieving a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state, while not judging the meditat ...

since the early 1990s.

Painting

As a prospective student lacking the necessary entry qualifications, Childish was accepted into art school four times on the strength of his paintings and drawings. He did a foundation year at Medway College of Design (now the University for the Creative Arts) in 1977–78, and was then accepted onto the painting department of Saint Martin's School of Art in 1978, before quitting a month later. He was re-accepted at St Martin's in 1980, but was expelled in 1982 for refusing to paint in the art school and other unruly behaviour. At Saint Martin's, Childish became friends with Peter Doig, with whom he shared an appreciation of Munch,

Van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade, he created approximately 2,100 artwork ...

, and blues music. Doig later co-curated Childish's first London show at the Cubit Street Gallery. In the early/mid 1980s Childish was a "major influence" on the artist

, whom he met after his expulsion from Saint Martin's when she was a fashion student at Medway College of Design. Childish has been cited as the influence for Emin's later confessional art. Childish has exhibited extensively since the 1980s, and was featured in the

British Art Show The British Art Show (BAS) is a major survey exhibition organised every five years to showcase contemporary British Art. Each time it is organised, the show tours to four UK cities. It usually requires a number of venues in each city to accommo ...

in 2000. In 2010, a major exhibition of Childish's paintings, writing, and music was held at The ICA London, with a concurrent painting show running at White Columns Gallery in New York City. In October 2012, alongside Art Below, Childish presented his work at the exhibition Art Below Regents Park in

Regent's Park Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, Borough of Camden (and historical ...

Tube station to coincide with

Frieze Art Fair Frieze Art Fair is an annual contemporary art, contemporary art festival, art fair first held in 2003 in London's Regent's Park. Developed by the founders of the contemporary art magazine ''Frieze (magazine), Frieze'', the fair has since expan ...

, one of the most important international contemporary art fairs that takes place each October in London. In 2013, Childish began a painting collaboration with Edgeworth Johnstone, later titled Heckel's Horse. Since 2013, after

(who co-founded

Stuckism Stuckism () is an international art movement founded in 1999 by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson (artist), Charles Thomson to promote Figurative art, figurative painting as opposed to conceptual art.Chatham Dockyard Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham, Kent, Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham, Kent, Gillingham; at its most extens ...

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

. In 2024, Childish referred to Heckel's Horse as his "favourite work". File:BillyChildish-walkingingodsbuti-2013.jpg, ''walking in gods buti'', Oil and charcoal on linen (274.5 x 183 cm), 2013 File:BillyChildish-Clammingonmaud-2013.jpg, ''clamming on maud'', Oil and charcoal on linen (183 x 305 cm), 2013 File:Childish-in 5 Minits You'll-Know-Me 500.jpg, ''In 5 Minits You'll Know Me'' (sic), oil on canvas, 1997 File:Childish-Thumbprint-500.jpg, ''Thumbprint'', oil on canvas, 1997 File:Childish-Man-in-Snow-500.jpg, ''Man Walking in Snow'', oil on canvas, 1999 File:Childish-BC033-500.jpg, ''Hand on Face'', oil on canvas, 2000 File:Childish-Man-in-Landscape-600.jpg, ''North Beach, San Francisco'', oil on canvas, 2000 File:Childish-Chatham-500.jpg, ''St. John's Church, Chatham'', oil on canvas, 2000 File:Childish-Yellow-Clothes 500.jpg, ''Tea Drinker, High Atlas'', oil on canvas, 2007 File:Medway Steam Boat 2.jpg, ''John H Amos 2'', oil on canvas, 2008

The British Art Resistance

In 2008, Childish formed the "non organisation" the British Art Resistance, and held an exhibition under the title Hero of the British Art Resistance at The Aquarium L-13 gallery in London: A collection of paintings, books, records, pamphlets, poems, prints, letters, film, photographs made in 2008.

Music

Childish made records of punk, garage, rock and roll, blues, folk, classical/experimental, spoken word and nursery rhymes. In a letter to Childish, the musician

Ivor Cutler Ivor Cutler (born Isadore Cutler, 15 January 1923 – 3 March 2006) was a Scottish poet, singer, musician, songwriter, artist and humorist. He became known for his regular performances on BBC radio, and in particular his numerous sessions recor ...

said of Childish: "You are perhaps too subtle and sophisticated for the mass market." Childish's groups include TV21, later known as the Pop Rivets (1977–1980), sometimes spelled the Pop Rivits, with Bruce Brand, Romas Foord (replaced by Russell 'Big Russ' Wilkins) and Russell 'Little Russ' Lax. BillyChildish

He later formed a

-inspired band called Thee Milkshakes (1980–1984) with Micky Hampshire, Thee Mighty Caesars (1985–1989), The Delmonas then Thee Headcoats (1989–1999). In 2000, he formed Wild Billy Childish and the Friends of the Buff Medways Fanciers Association (2000–2006), named after a type of poultry bred in his hometown. The Buff Medways, or the Buffs, as they were sometimes affectionately known, split in 2006, and Wild Billy Childish and the Musicians of the British Empire (MBEs) were born, recording a song about one of Childish's heroes,

George Mallory George Herbert Leigh-Mallory (18 June 1886 – 8 or 9 June 1924) was an English Mountaineering, mountaineer who participated in the first three British Mount Everest expeditions from the early to mid-1920s. He and climbing partner An ...

, titled "Bottomless Pit". In early 2007, Childish formed The Vermin Poets with former Fire Dept singer and guitarist Neil Palmer and A-Lines guitarist and singer Julie Hamper, his wife. Thee Headcoats began their monthly residency at the Wild Western Room in the St John's Tavern, north London, in the early 1990s, and continued after moving to the Dirty Water Club in 1996. The MBEs played at the venue more or less once a month until February 2011. On 11 September 2009, Damaged Goods Records – Childish's current label – issued a message to subscribers stating that Childish's wife Julie (Nurse Julie, bassist in the MBEs) was pregnant. Childish has since been recording as bass player with The Spartan Dreggs, with Neil Palmer on vocals and guitar and Wolf Howard on drums. From 2013, the MBEs reunited under the name Wild Billy Childish r 'Chyldish'and CTMF and as of the end of 2014 have released three albums. In 2014, Childish produced, played on and co-wrote (with Dave Tattersall) most of the songs on The Wave Pictures album ''Great Big Flamingo Burning Moon''. Childish has been namechecked by a number of famous musicians, including

Kurt Cobain Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – ) was an American musician. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter, and a founding member of the grunge band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Through his angsty songwriting and anti-establis ...

, Graham Coxon,

The White Stripes The White Stripes were an American Rock music, rock duo formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1997. The group consisted of Jack White (guitar, keyboards, piano, vocals) and Meg White (drums, percussion, vocals). They were a leading group of 2000s indi ...

(

Jack White John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975) is an American musician who achieved international fame as the guitarist and lead singer of the rock duo the White Stripes. As the White Stripes disbanded, he sought success with his solo career, subse ...

had Childish's name written in large letters on his arm for an early ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...

'' appearance), and

Kylie Minogue Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fas ...

, who named the LP '' Impossible Princess'' after his book .

Poetry

Childish is a confessional poet and has published over 40 collections of his work. In 1979, Childish was a founder member of The Medway Poets, a poetry performance group, who read at the Kent Literature Festival and the 1981 international Cambridge Poetry Festival. There were, however, personality clashes in the group, particularly between Childish and

, who said: "There was friction between us, especially when he started heckling my poetry reading and I threatened to ban him from a forthcoming TV documentary." However, a Television South documentary on the group in 1982 brought them to a wider regional audience, though Childish's poetry was "deemed unbroadcastable". According to Childish: "Me & Charles icwere at war from 1979 until 1999. He even threatened having bouncers on the doors of Medway Poets' readings to keep me out". Childish has twice won commendations in the National Poetry Prize.

Tracey Emin

During the 1980s, Childish was an influence on the artist

, whom he met in 1982, after his expulsion from the painting department at Saint Martin's School of Art. Emin was a fashion student at Medway College of Design. Emin and Childish were a couple until 1987, Emin selling his poetry books for his small press Hangman Books. In 1995 she was interviewed in the ''Minky Manky'' show catalogue by Carl Freedman, who asked her, "Which person do you think has had the greatest influence on your life?" She replied: :Uhmm... It's not a person really. It was more a time, going to Maidstone College of Art, hanging around with Billy Childish, living by the River Medway. Emin's work '' Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995'' (1995) was first exhibited in the show, and Childish's name was displayed prominently in it.

The Stuckists

In 1999 Childish and Thomson co-founded the

Stuckist Stuckism () is an international art movement founded in 1999 by Billy Childish and Charles Thomson (artist), Charles Thomson to promote Figurative art, figurative painting as opposed to conceptual art.art movement An art movement is a tendency or style in art with a specific art philosophy or goal, followed by a group of artists during a specific period of time, (usually a few months, years or decades) or, at least, with the heyday of the movement defined ...

. Thomson coined the group name from Childish's "Poem for a Pissed Off Wife" (''Big Hart and Balls'' 1994), where he had recorded Emin's remark to him: :"Your paintings are stuck, you are stuck! – Stuck! Stuck! Stuck!" 2000 Real Turner Prize Show

The group was strongly pro-figurative painting and anti-conceptual art. Childish wrote a number of manifestos with Thomson, the first of which contained the statement: :"Artists who don't paint aren't artists." The Stuckists soon achieved considerable press coverage, fuelled by Emin's nomination for the

Turner Prize The Turner Prize, named after the English painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist. Between 1991 and 2016, only artists under the age of 50 were eligible (this restriction was removed for the 2017 award). ...

. They then announced the inauguration of a cultural period of Remodernism to bring back spiritual values into art, culture and society. The formation of The Stuckists directly led to Emin severing her 14-year friendship with Childish in 1999. Childish has said: "The Stuckist art group was formed in 1999 at the instigation of Charles Thomson, the title of the group being taken from a poem of mine written and published in 1994. I disagreed with the way Charles presented the group, particularly in the media. For these reasons I left the Stuckists in 2001. I never attended any Stuckist demonstrations and my work was not shown in the large Stuckist exhibition held in the Walker Art Gallery in 2004." British artist Stella Vine, who was a member of the Stuckists for a short time in 2001, first joined the group having developed a "crush" on Childish while attending his music events.Januszczak, Waldemar
"The Paint Stripper"
, The Sunday Times, 10 June 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2008. In June 2000, Vine went to a talk given by Childish and fellow Stuckist co-founder

on Stuckism and Remodernism, promoted by the Institute of Ideas at the Salon des Arts, Kensington.Stella Vine the Stuckist in photos
. Stuckism.com. Retrieved on 2013-02-03. Vine formed The Unstuckists one month after joining, and has since said she did not agree with Stuckism's principles,Lifestyle – Scotsman.com
. Living.scotsman.com. Retrieved on 2013-02-03. and described them as bullies.Billen, Andrew
"I Made More Money As A Stripper..."
, Timesonline.co.uk. 15 June 2004. Retrieved 9 December 2008.

Kurt Schwitters

As a young man, Childish was highly influenced by Dada, and the work of

Kurt Schwitters Kurt Hermann Eduard Karl Julius Schwitters (20 June 1887 – 8 January 1948) was a German artist. He was born in Hanover, Germany, but lived in exile from 1937. Schwitters worked in several genres and media, including Dadaism, Constructivism (a ...

in particular. Childish has a Kurt Schwitters poem tattooed on his left buttock and made a short film on Schwitters's life, titled The Man with Wheels, (1980, directed by Eugean Doyan).

The Chatham Super 8 Cinema

In 2002, along with Wolf Howard, Simon Williams and Julie Hamper, Childish formed The Chatham Super 8 Cinema. The group makes super 8 films on a second-hand camera Wolf Howard bought at a local flea market. In 2004, Childish released a 30-minute documentary titled ''Brass Monkey'', about a march undertaken in Great War uniform commemorating the 90th anniversary of the British retreat from Mons in 1914.

Discography

Solo LPs

*''I've Got Everything Indeed'' (1987) *''The 1982 Cassettes'' (1988) *''"i remember..."'' (1988) *''50 Albums Great'' (1991) *''Torments Nest'' (1993) *''Made With a Passion – Kitchen Demo's'' (1996) ;Compilations *''I Am the Billy Childish'' (1991) *''Der Henkermann – Kitchen Recordings'' (1992) *''Native American Sampler – A History 1983–1993'' (1993) *''Crimes Against Music-Blues Recordings 1986–1999'' (1999) *''25 Years of Being Childish'' (2002) *''My First Billy Childish Album'' (2006) *''Archive From 1959 – The Billy Childish Story'' (2009) *''Punk Rock Ist Nicht Tot – 1977–2018'' (2019) ;Spoken word albums *''Poems of Laughter and Violence'' (1988) *''The Sudden Fart of Laughter'' (1992) *''Trembling of Life'' (1993) *''Hunger at the Moon'' (1993) *''Poems of a Backwater Visionary'' (2007)

Collaborations

*''Laughing Gravy'' (1987) Wild Billy Childish & Big Russ Wilkins *''Long Legged Baby'' (1989) Wild Billy Childish & the Natural Born Lovers *''At the Bridge'' (1993) Billy Childish with The Singing Loins *''Devil in the Flesh'' (1998) Billy Childish/ Dan Melchior *''In Blood'' (1999) Billy Childish & Holly Golightly

with Sexton Ming

*''Which Dead Donkey Daddy?'' (1987) *''Plump Prizes & Little Gems'' (1987) *''YPRES 1917 Overture (Verdun Ossuary)'' (1988) *''The Cheeky Cheese'' (1999) *''Here Come the Fleece Geese'' (2002) *''Muscle Horse Was in the War'' (2002) *''Dung Beetle Rolls Again'' (2012)

with ''The Pop Rivets''

*(1979) ''Greatest Hits'' *(1979) ''Empty Sounds from Anarchy Ranch'' *(1985) ''Fun in the U.K'' (Compilation) *(1990) ''Live in Germany '79'' (Live) *(1997) ''Chathams Burning – Live 77 & 78 Demo's'' (Compilation)

with ''Thee Milkshakes''

; LPs *(1981) ''Talking 'Bout... Milkshakes'' *(1982) ''Fourteen Rhythm and Beat Greats'' *(1983) ''After School Sessions'' *(1983) ''The Milkshakes IV – The Men with Golden Guitars'' *(1984) ''Thee Milkshakes vs. The Prisoners'' *(1984) ''20 Rock & Roll Hits of the 50s & 60s'' *(1984) ''Nothing Can Stop These Men'' *(1984) ''They Came They Saw They Conquered'' *(1984) ''Thee Knights of Trashe'' *(1987) ''Thee Milkshakes Revenge – The Legendary Missing 9th Album'' *(1992) ''Still Talking 'Bout... Milkshakes!'' ; Compilations *(1984) ''Showcase'' *(1990) ''19th Nervous Shakedown''

with '' Thee Mighty Caesars''

; LPs *(1985) ''Thee Mighty Caesars'' *(1985) ''Beware the Ides of the March'' *(1986) ''Thee Caesars of Trash'' *(1987) ''Acropolis Now'' *(1987) ''Wiseblood'' *(1987) ''Live in Rome'' tudio recordings with overdubbed 'live' effects*(1987) ''Don’t Give Any Dinner to Henry Chinaski'' (1987) emos*(1989) ''John Lennon’s Corpse Revisited'' *(1992) ''Caesars Remains'' (demos etc) ; Compilations *(1987)''Punk Rock Showcase'' *(1989) ''Thusly, thee Mighty Caesars (English Punk Rock Explosion)'' (LP Comp U.S.) *(1989) ''Surely They Were the Sons of God'' (C.D. Comp U.S.) *(1994)''Caesars Pleasure'' (CD Comp)

with ''The Delmonas''

*''Dangerous Charms'' (1985) *''The Delmonas 5'' (1986) *''Do the Uncle Willy'' (1988) *''The Delmonas'' (1989)

as Wild Billy Childish & the Blackhands

*''Play: Capt'n Calypso's Hoodoo Party'' (1988) *''The Original Chatham Jack'' (1992) *''Live in the Netherlands'' (1993)

as Jack Ketch & the Crowmen

*''Brimful of Hate'' (1988) as Jack Ketch & the Crowmen

as '' Thee Headcoats''

*''Headcoats Down!'' (1989) *''The Earls of Suavedom'' (1990) *''Beach Bums Must Die'' (1990) *''The Kids Are Square – This is Hip!'' (1990) *''Heavens to Murgatroyd, Even! It's ! (Already)'' (1990) *''W.O.A.H! Bo in Thee Garage'' (1991) *''Headcoatitude'' (1991) *''The Wurst is Yet to Come'' (1993) *''The Good Times Are Killing Me'' (1993) *''Cavern by the Sea'' (1993) *''Connundrum'' (1994) *''The Sound of the Baskervilles'' (1995 – Thee Headcoats featuring Thee Headcoatees) *''In Tweed We Trust'' (1996) *''Knights of the Baskervilles'' (1996) *''The Jimmy Reid Experience'' (1997) *''The Messerschmits Pilots Severed Hand'' (1998) *''Sherlock Holmes Meets the Punkenstien Monster'' (1998 Japanese Compilation) *''Brother is Dead…but fly is gone!'' (1998) *''17% Hendrix Was Not the Only Musician'' (1998) Billy Childish & His Famous Headcoats *''English Gentlemen of Rock'N'Roll/the Best Vol.2'' (1999) ''(Japanese Compilation)'' *''I Am the Object of Your Desire'' (2000) *''Elementary Headcoats – Thee Singles 1990–1999'' (2000 – compilation) *''Irregularis (The Great Hiatus)'' (2023)

as Thee Headcoats Sect (with
The Downliners Sect Downliners Sect are an English R&B and blues-based rock band, formed in the 1960s beat boom era. Stylistically, they were similar to blues-based bands such as The Yardbirds, The Pretty Things and the Rolling Stones, playing basic R&B on their ...
)

*''Deerstalking Men'' (1996) *''Ready Sect Go!'' (2000)

as ''The Buff Medways''

*''This is This'' (2001) *''Steady the Buffs'' (2002) *''The XFM Sessions'' (2003) *''1914'' (2003) *''Medway Wheelers'' (2005)

as ''The Chatham Singers''

*''Heavens Journey'' (2005) *''Juju Claudius'' (2009) *''Kings of the Medway Delta'' (2020)

as ''The Musicians of the British Empire''

*''Punk Rock at the British Legion Hall'' (2007) *''Christmas 1979'' (2007) *''Thatcher's Children'' (2008)

as ''The Vermin Poets''

*''Poets of England'' (2010)

as ''The Spartan Dreggs''

*''Forensic R & B'' (2011) *''Dreggredation'' (2012) *''Coastal Command'' (2012) *''Tablets of Linear B'' (2012) * ''Archeopteryx vs. Coelacanth'' (2014) * ''A Tribute To A. E. Housman'' (2013 – CTMF & The Spartan Dreggs)

with ''CTMF''

* ''All Our Forts Are With You ''(2013) * ''Die Hinterstoisser Traverse'' (2013) * ''Acorn Man'' (2014) * ''SQ1'' (2016) * ''Brand New Cage'' (2017) * ''In The Devil's Focus (10" BBC 6 Music Sessions)'' (2017) * ''Brand New Cage'' (2017) * ''Last Punk Standing...'' (2019) * ''Brave Protector'' (ltd ed) (2019) * ''Where The Wild Purple Iris Grows'' (2021) * ''Failure Not Success'' (2023)

as ''The William Loveday Intention''

* ''People Think they Know Me But They Don't Know Me'' (2020) * ''Will There Ever Be A Day That You're Hung Like A Thief?'' (2020) * ''The New Improved Bob Dylan'' (2020) * ''Set of 8 lathe cut 7″ singles released by L-13 and Hangman Records'' (2020) * ''The Bearded Lady Also Sells the Candy Floss'' (2021) * ''Blud Under The Bridge'' (2021) * ''The New Improved Bob Dylan, Vol 2'' (2022) * ''Where The Black Water Slid'' (2022) * ''Cowboys Are SQ'' (2022) * ''The New Improved Bob Dylan, Vol 3'' (2022) * ''They Wanted The Devil But I Sang Of God'' (2022) * ''The Baptiser'' (2022) * ''Paralysed By The Mountains'' (2022)

Various artist compilations

* '' Time's Up Live'' (2001) * The Smoking Dog Presents An Evening of Medway Blues (2005) (contributes three

a cappella Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...

tracks "The Bitter Cup", "Black Girl" and "Out on the Western Plains") * '' Children of Nuggets'' (2005) (two songs included by Mickey and the Milkshakes – "It's You" and "Please Don't Tell My Baby")

Books

Selected fanzines and early written works

*Chathams Burning (1977)　 *Bostik Haze (1978)　 *Fab 69 (1978) *The Kray Twins Summer Special (1978) *The Arts and General Interest (1978) *Hack Hack (1978) *Goat Gruff (1979) *Book of Nursary Rhimes (1979) *Kinda Garten (1980) 　 *The Cuckoo's Cukoo (1980) *Mertz in Chatham (1980) *Shed Country (1980) 　 *The Cheesy Bug Gazet – with Sexton Ming (1980) 　 *Bo-Pug – The Six Tails – with Sexton Ming (1980) 　 *Mussel Horse in Holland – with Sexton Ming (1980) *Dog Jaw Woman(1981)

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 Puerile 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) *The River be My Blud: Medway Poems (1980-05) *This is My Shit and it Smells Good to Me (2008) *Old 4 Legs (2008) *Where the Tiger Prowls Stripped and Unseen (2008) *Gods Fantasic Colours (2008) – Hand stamped covers. ''Note: some copies appear with different titles and
different author and publisher: 'Art War, Man Taken from Guts' and 'Insolunce in the Face of Art' being examples.'' *Unknowable but Certain (2009) *Paraffin Van (2011) (Also published under the title "I Fuckt Frida Kahlo" as a Faber and Faber lookalike.) *the sudden wren or painting lessons for poets and other mediochur cunts (2013) *In the Teeth of Deamons (2015) *1 of the rist (2016) *The Uncorrected (2018 *If you fly with the crows... Selected Poetry 2015 – 2019 (2019) *Vipers Tongue Press Poetry Pamphlets (2020) – includes '100 yds of crash barrier' (Pamphlet 001), 'Cancer of the gallows' (Pamphlet 002), 'Poems nobody wants' (Pamphlet 003)

Fiction

* ''Conversations with Dr X'' (1987) * ''Cannon-fodder'', by Louis-Ferdinand Céline. Trans. K. De Coninck and Billy Childish (1988) * ''The Silence of Words'' (1989) * ''9 Stories of the River Medway Recounted in the Language of Idiots for People of Little Discernment'' (2005)

Novels

*''My Fault'' (1996) *''Notebooks of a Naked Youth'' (1997) *''Sex Crimes of the Futcher'' (2004) *''the idiocy of idears'' (2007) *''Bombs, Buggery and Buddhism or Diaries of a Mock Human (Part one)'' (2010) *''The Stonemason'' (2011) *''The Ward Porter'' (2015) *''The Student - a novella in 13 parts'' (2021-2022)

Lyrics

*''Child's Death Letter'' (1990) *''Gun in My Fathers Hand: Selected Lyrics 1977–2006'' (2006)

Art

*Hendrix was Not the Only Musician (1998) *Paintings of a Backwater Visionary (2005) *Thoughts of a Hangman – Woodcuts (2006) *Field Trip Kraków/Auschwitz (2008) – under Guy Hamper *Field Trip High Atlas/Marrakech (2008) – under Guy Hamper *i am their damaged megaphone (2010) – neugerriemschneider, Berlin *Field Trip Dockyard/Estuary Dreck (2010) – under Guy Hamper *Love the Art Hate (2010) – L-13 London *The soft ashes of Berlin snowing on Hans Falladas nose (2010) – neugerriemschneider, Berlin *Frozen Estuary and Other Paintings of the Divine Ordinary (2012) – No.1 Smithery, The Historic Dockyard Chatham *Billy Childish (3 Volume Catalogue Set in Slipcase – details 3 exhibitions at International Art Objects Galleries, Los Angeles, Lehmann Maupin, New York and neugerriemschneider, Berlin) – co-published & distributed by all 3 galleries and Koenig Books *walking in god's buti: selected paintings 2013–2014 *unbegreiflich aber gewiss – Complete Catalogue of Paintings 2014–2017 (2017) *skulls wolfs nudes rope pullers and a nervous breakdown – neugerriemschneider, Berlin (2020)

Critical

*''Billy Childish: A Short Study''; By Neal Brown (2008) *''Levity and Mystery: an introduction to the films of Billy Childish'' by Neil Palmer in ''No Focus: Punk on Film'' (Headpress, 2006)

Photography

* Photo Booth (2003) * Dark Chamber- Pinhole Photography from the IGPP – contributor - (2007) * Dark Chamber 2 – Pinhole Photography from the IGPP- contributor - (2008) * Billy Childish Photography 1974 – 2020 (2020)

Selected films

*''The Man With Wheels'' (1980) *''Quiet Lives'' (1983) *''Cheated'' (1993) *''The Flying Mustache'' (2002) *'' Shooting at the Moon'' (2003) *''Brass Monkey'' (2004) *'' Billy Childish Is Dead'' (2005) *''Wild Billy Childish & CTMF Live in Margate DVD Box Set'' (L-13, 2019)

References

External links

Guardian Interview 2009

Art Basel 2010 – Billy Childish interview at Theartnewspaper.tv

Slashstroke Magazine 2011 – Billy Childish interview and photoshoot

Heckel's Horse
{{DEFAULTSORT:Childish, Billy 1959 births Living people Alumni of the University for the Creative Arts 20th-century English painters English male painters 21st-century English painters 21st-century English male artists 20th-century English novelists 21st-century English novelists English male singers English male poets English punk rock guitarists English punk rock singers People from Chatham, Kent Punk blues musicians Sympathy for the Record Industry artists British indie rock musicians Alumni of Saint Martin's School of Art Musicians from Kent English contemporary artists English male novelists 20th-century English male writers 21st-century English male writers English male guitarists 20th-century English male artists

Background

Painting

The British Art Resistance

Music

Poetry

Tracey Emin

The Stuckists

Kurt Schwitters

The Chatham Super 8 Cinema

Discography

Solo LPs

Collaborations

with Sexton Ming

with ''The Pop Rivets''

with ''Thee Milkshakes''

with '' Thee Mighty Caesars''

with ''The Delmonas''

as Wild Billy Childish & the Blackhands

as Jack Ketch & the Crowmen

as '' Thee Headcoats''

as Thee Headcoats Sect (with The Downliners Sect Downliners Sect are an English R&B and blues-based rock band, formed in the 1960s beat boom era. Stylistically, they were similar to blues-based bands such as The Yardbirds, The Pretty Things and the Rolling Stones, playing basic R&B on their ...)

as ''The Buff Medways''

as ''The Chatham Singers''

as ''The Musicians of the British Empire''

as ''The Vermin Poets''

as ''The Spartan Dreggs''

with ''CTMF''

as ''The William Loveday Intention''

Various artist compilations

Books

Selected fanzines and early written works

Poetry

Fiction

Novels

Lyrics

Art

Critical

Photography

Selected films

See also

References

External links

as Thee Headcoats Sect (with
The Downliners Sect Downliners Sect are an English R&B and blues-based rock band, formed in the 1960s beat boom era. Stylistically, they were similar to blues-based bands such as The Yardbirds, The Pretty Things and the Rolling Stones, playing basic R&B on their ...
)