{"title":"Wild Billy Childish","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"from-fossilised-cretaceous-seams-a-short-history-of-his-song-and-dance-groups","title":"From Fossilised Cretaceous Seams: A Short History of His Song and Dance Groups","description":"\u003cp\u003eA compilation to celebrate the release of the brand-new book – To Ease My Troubled Mind: The Authorised Unauthorised History of Billy Childish written by Ted Kessler. When the idea for the book was mooted Billy wanted to put a succinct double album compilation together to summarise his 47 years of making music. This is the result.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"My name is William Ivy Loveday, aka Steve Hamper, aka Guy Hamper, aka Jack Ketch, aka Billy Childish. I was born on the Medway, Kent, where I still live. I left school in 1976 when I was 16. Because I have no qualifications I was turned down by art school so went to work in Chatham dockyard as an apprentice stonemason. I later managed to get onto a painting course at St. Martin’s School of Art on the basis of my paintings. Me, Bruce, big Russ, and little Russ formed The Pop Rivets in 1977 and made our first recordings. Our inspiration was punk rock, TV21 and The Swinging Blue Jeans. I learned to play guitar then in 1979 I worked for four weeks at Oakwood Mental Hospital as a ward porter, then me, Mick and Bertie formed The Milkshakes. Our inspiration was Link Wray, the Beatles Live at the Star Club LP, the track ‘Gotta Get the First Plane Home’ by The Kinks and our hatred of new romanticism. Then I was expelled from St. Martin’s School of Art for writing what was described as “the worst type of toilet wall humour.” I beat my father up on his release from prison for drug smuggling. We never paid ourselves in The Milkshakes and put all the money back into making our own records. I kept the money in a bank account under the name of Kurt Schwitters. I lived on the dole for 12 years. In 1985 we formed Thee Mighty Caesars. Our inspiration was Bo Diddley and The Troggs. I became a member of Greenpeace. In 1989 me and Bruce formed Thee Headcoats. Our inspiration being Son House and Downliners Sect. In 1999 me, Wolf and Johnny Barker formed The Buff Medways. Our inspiration was Jimi Hendrix in Beatle boots and The Who before Roger Daltry started wearing his nan’s curtains. Around 2008 me and Julie formed The Musicians of the British Empire. That morphed into CTMF. That blurred into The Chatham Singers. Our inspiration was based on us. Next up it was time for me and Neil to form The Spartan Dreggs, inspired by Homer and A. E. Housman. Other groups arose and fell - making sure no one knew who we were or why. In 2019 The William Loveday Intention emerged - the inspiration being Hollis Brown and the Mississippi Sheiks. Guy Hamper showed up once again, joined by Jamie on Hammond. Some of these group remain; many have departed for distant shores with sharp hidden rocks.Mainly I paint and write poetry and novels. Along with the music I play nothing I do has ever been particularly fashionable but that is rather the point. Even in 1977 we enjoyed saying no. Then, when punk turned into new romanticism, we descended backwards into early rock ‘n’ roll and the blues. In The Milkshakes we were told that we released too many LPs and were committing commercial suicide, so we released four different LPs on one day.Every now and then someone famous comes along and a small crumb rolls across the table and splashes into our tepid soup. Other times nobodies emulate us and prove to be only better. I love pop, but not pop stars. I am only interested in sound and colour and being small scale. I don’t hide behind volume and off stage mixing. I don’t need to play a show because I prefer to sit and have a cup of tea. My work belongs low, close to the ground, to instinct and the elemental. I believe in homemade music, homemade art and homemade cooking. I want to bring back the tram and the horse. Music has been a rewarding hobby over the years. I have met and worked with many good friends, and God saved me from fame.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTRACKLISTING \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e['Thee Mighty Caesars – You Make Me Die', 'The Buff Medways – Archive from 1959', 'The Milkshakes – For She', 'The William Loveday Intention – You Gotta Move', 'Thee Headcoats – Fingers in the Sun', 'The Spartan Dreggs – Headlong Fly the Achaens', 'Thee Headcoats – Punk Rock Ist Nicht Tot', 'CTMF – Last Punk Standing', 'CTMF – Bob Dylan’s Got a Lot to Answer For', 'The Buff Medways – Troubled Mind', 'Billy Childish and The Singing Loins – I Don’t Like the Man I Am', 'Billy Childish and Holly Golightly – Upside Mine', 'The Guy Hamper Trio feat. James Taylor – Moon of the Popping Trees', 'CTMF – All Our Forts are With You', 'The Musicians of the British Empire – Christmas 1979', 'The Delmonas – I Feel Like Giving In (French)', 'The Musicians of the British Empire – Thatcher’s Children', 'Thee Mighty Caesars – Lie Detector', 'The Pop Rivets – Fun in the UK', 'Thee Headcoatees – Hurt Me', 'CTMF – A Song for Kylie Minogue', 'The Shall I Say Quois feat. CTMF – It’s so Hard to be Happy', 'Jack Ketch and The Crowmen – Brimful of Hate', 'CTMF – Failure Not Success (ALT)', 'Thee Headcoats – Davey Crockett', 'The Musicians of the British Empire – Joe Strummer’s Grave', 'The Buff Medways – Medway Wheelers', 'CTMF – You Can’t Capture Time (Slight Return)', 'The Spartan Dreggs – A Shropshire Lad', 'The William Loveday Intention – Sex and Flies', 'Thee Headcoats – The Same Tree', 'Thee Mighty Caesars – Cowboys are Square', 'Billy Childish and The Singing Loins – Song of the Medway']\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Damaged Goods","offers":[{"title":"2LP - Black","offer_id":50440824062283,"sku":"2197027","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"2CD","offer_id":51066500612427,"sku":"2197028","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_1f509e78_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1732986542"},{"product_id":"failure-not-success","title":"Failure Not Success","description":"\u003cp\u003eNew studio album by Billy and CTMF! Featuring Billy at his song writing best! Includes covers of Richard Hell and Jimi Hendrix songs, along with a newly recorded version of \"Bob Dylan’s Got a Lot to Answer For\"! We asked Billy a few questions about this mighty fine album… \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQ: It will seem counter-intuitive to some but why do you favour failure over success? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA: \"If the Pop Rivets (the first group I was in in 1977) had been “successful” in the formal sense, then it would have been a disaster - no learning about sound, growth, and independence. Luckily, we considered ourselves successful from the outset by doing what we wanted the way we wanted. We believed the hype of punk rock – do-it-yourself and lived it, unlike the “successful” leaders of the movement. I’ve always wanted small gigs where your open and exposed. The same with recording - excitement, mistakes, humour, and hopefully joy. The reason to become “successful” is to cut yourself from your origin and roots. In short, we'll decide what success is, not a critic, the world, or public opinion.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQ: The album opens with a cracking cover of Richard Hell’s ‘Love Comes in Spurts’. You’ve previously recorded this with Thee Headcoats on Brother Is Dead… But Fly Is Gone! from 1998. What made you want to revisit the song? Has Richard heard it? If so, what did he think? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA: \"I forgot that we did it with Thee Headcoats. If I had that LP, I’d give it a listen. I do remember covering it live with The Pop Rivets in 1978. Richard said he liked it a lot and told his girlfriend he only wants my tunes at his funeral. I said, “not too soon I hope.\" He assured me he's well.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQ: We’re digging the instrumental track \"Walk of the Sasquatch\". Is this track in honour of the North Kent Sasquatch Research Group? What do you know about that mysterious organisation? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA: \"The track is more about the pacific Northwest cousin of the English version (the Woodwose). The North Kent Sasquatch program has gone a little quite of late, but I believe they are still trying to get Cobham Woods - nearby across the river - to be designated as a reserve, though of course this poses some danger to the public during the spring breeding season.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQ: The album closes with a version of previous single ‘Bob Dylan’s Got a Lot to Answer For’. What would you say is the biggest thing Bob has to answer for? And what do you most admire him for? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA: \"It’s a different take from than the 45 version. The single was recorded in full lockdown.  What has Bob got to answer for? I guess a lot and nothing. It’s not his fault he is famous, it is the fans and enablers that should be strung up for turning poor little pop stars into demi-gods. He seems to be one of the few in the mainstream music industry, who has remained in charge of his own recordings, sounds, and writing. Besides writing a few very good songs, I also liked his pronouncement: “I made bad records on purpose.” Now that’s a great line - so maybe he deserves his Nobel prize after all.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQ: You have a couple of CTMF shows coming up at the Lexington in London in February. Given you have such a great hat collection, have you decided what stage gear you’ll be wearing yet? \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA: \"Billy’s “fashion box” will have to be investigated. I first got “into” fashion in thee Headcoats days. Thee Headcoatees started attracting members of the gay community to our gigs, that’s when I saw an opportunity to “go for the pink pound.” There was much excitement in the dressing room, pre-show, especially from Holly, to see “what fashion Billy might have in his bag this week.” Hats are of course top of all fashion requirements, and I’ll give my best thought and attention on the day.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Damaged Goods","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":50505711944011,"sku":"2007475","price":22.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50505713647947,"sku":"2007476","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/wild_billy_childish_failure_DG588_a867f969_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727816165"},{"product_id":"step-out-alt-version-upside-down","title":"Step Out (Alt Version) \/ Upside Down","description":"\u003cp\u003eA top notch 7 inch 45 containing two recordings, recorded at Jim Riley’s Ranscombe Studios. An alt version of \u003cem\u003eStep Out\u003c\/em\u003e, with Juju taking lead vocals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eC\/W ‘Upside Mine’ a favourite at the gigs.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Spinout Nuggets","offers":[{"title":"Black 7\"","offer_id":50951967834443,"sku":"2235729","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/unnamed_-_2024-12-09T124619.558_de2b309b_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1733751896"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/wild-billy-childish.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}