Surely They Were the Sons of God

Right then. Billy Childish. A man who makes Robert Pollard look like Boston. More primitive than Jad Fair and more misanthropic than Mark E. Smith.

Since 1977, Childish has released something like 10,000 (slight exaggeration, but not by much I'd suspect) records, cd's, singles, books, god knows what else. He's the British lo fi genius of such groups as The Pop Rivits, The Milkshakes, Thee Mighty Ceasers, Thee Headcoats, Blackhands, the Singing Loins and now the Buff Medways. Not to mention recordings under his own name and with Holly Golightly, Sexton Ming and Dan Melchior.

You'd think with all the output over the years, there'd be a few lapses in creative control, or a turn towards the worst of the Rolling Stones, slogging off stale versions of past glories. No, instead, and like The Fall, every release carries it's own personality and bristles with barely controlled energy. Equally influenced by rockabilly, soul, trashy r'n'b, and punk, it's hard to pin down exactly what Mr. Childish is. A legend of sorts, surely, and highly influential on a generation of autistic mutterers, howlers, and bedroom three chord wanderers. Oh, yeah, he's a published writer on non-rubbish books as well. Go here for more info. And he makes pictures. A regular Renaissance man for the Dark Ages.

Picking tunes to feature is almost impossible. So enjoy the following, not as a summation, but as a fragment of a sample of the world that is Thee Billy Childish.

Billy Childish and Dan Melchior: Bottom of the Sea (mp3)

Thee Mighty Ceasars: I Was Lead to Believe (mp3)

Please consider honoring the spirit of Billy Childish and purchasing yr musical goodies locally and independently. Or buy direct. A discography with links can be found here.