The story of Billy Childish, the most famous artist you have never heard of, is to be told by legendary music journalist Ted Kessler.
The new book “To Ease My Troubled Mind” has been created from more than year of interviews with Childish, as well as with close family, ex-girlfriends, band members past and present, friends, foes, collaborators, even his therapist.
Ted Kessler’s relationship to Billy Childish stretches back to 1990, when he first interviewed Childish for Lime Lizard fanzine before subsequently profiling him for NME, Q and The Observer. Childish also contributed a chapter for Ted Kessler’s anthology of writing about fathers My Old Man .
The new biography is described as “an unflinching, yet frequently spiritual and funny portrait of an artist whose obstacle-strewn upbringing formed the backbone of his work: raised in a broken home and abused as a child, Childish was an undiagnosed dyslexic in remedial class at school who is nevertheless now Britain’s most prolific and uncompromising creative force.”
In 1977, 17-year-old Steven Hamper was a stonemason in the dockyards of Chatham, Kent. His heart, however, beat in sync with the punk rock tremors of the era, seduced by its celebration of amateurism. So, in a gesture of revolutionary defiance, he took a 3lb club hammer and smashed his hand, vowing to never work again. In doing so, Steven Hamper metamorphosed into Billy Childish, a true renaissance man.
Childish has since remained steadfastly true to punk’s DIY cred, becoming one of the most recognisable and authentic voices in whichever artistic endeavour he undertakes. He has released over one hundred and fifty albums of raw rock and roll, punk, blues and folk, written many volumes of searing poetry as well as several autobiographical novels. But what he is perhaps best known for in recent years is his painting, for which he is now critically, commercially and internationally feted. He hasn’t changed course in any of his disciplines, though. The world just caught up with the sheer volume of his brutally honest work.
‘I found Ted Kessler’s book about Billy Childish’s life very moving, life-affirming and it’s made me feel less on my own’
Jason Williamson, Sleaford Mods
‘Increasingly in life I ask myself, “What would Billy Childish do?”. Thanks to Ted Kessler’s kaleidoscopic, inspiring and affectionate portrait of this complex true original I think I now know the answer’
Ben Myers, author of Cuddy
‘To negotiate the convoluted life of Wild Billy Childish in text is roughly the literary equivalent of attempting to count the hairs on a copulating Yaks back. But somehow Ted does it brilliantly – with style and grace. A story of domestic violence, abandonment, misunderstood artistic integrity, dyslexic poetry…and guitars. Lots of guitars. Battered vintage guitars. And Beatle Boots. Billy told me he probably won’t read this book. If so – he’ll be missing out’
Marc Riley
‘Kessler’s ability as a storyteller results in a profound portrait… it’s cosmic dust given form’
Terri White
‘Ted Kessler gets as close as anyone is ever likely to get to one of the most enigmatic artists of the modern age, with an electric text that brings in multiple voices and viewpoints to present a complex portrait of a damaged boy alone with his art against the world. It is a touching, sad, sometimes hilarious, and ultimately inspirational work’
David Keenan
‘A wildly compelling narrative. Packed with equal parts trauma and joie de vivre – plus Jimi Hendrix, Tracey Emin, HMS Temeraire and the Weeds Wood Estate. A fascinating, all-but-unbelievable story’
Roy Wilkinson, Sea Power
‘Compulsively readable and hugely inspiring, Kessler’s book is an overdue tribute to a man who not only contains multitudes but projects them relentlessly into the world’
Guy Picciotto of Fugazi
‘Ted Kessler has elegantly, wittily documented Billy Childish’s maverick life, achievements and persona with insight and skill, never allowing himself to be slavishly captivated – or repelled – by Billy’s dangerous charisma’
Miki Berenyi
