Attila the Stockbroker : 0161 Festival, Manchester, 01/05/2016

Attila the Stockbroker, live at 0161 Festival, Moston Miners Centre, Manchester, UK, 01/05/2016.

Bio

Sharp tongued, high energy, social surrealist rebel poet and songwriter. His themes are topical, his words hard-hitting, his politics unashamedly radical, but he aims to make you roar with laughter as well as seethe with anger……

Inspired by the spirit and the ‘Do It Yourself’ ethos of punk rock, and above all by The Clash and their overtly radical, political stance, Attila started as a punk bass player in 1977 and took the name Attila the Stockbroker in 1980, blagging spots for his poems and songs in between bands at punk gigs. He quickly got a couple of John Peel radio sessions, a deal with London independent label Cherry Red Records and before very long was on the cover of ‘Melody Maker’. He hasn’t looked back since! His 30th anniversary as Attila was September 8th 2010.

Attila has performed his work across the world at literary and music festivals, rock venues, arts centres, pubs, universities, schools, folk clubs and punk squats in the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the US, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Holland, Belgium and the Basque Country – and more improbably in Romania, Bulgaria and a hotel basement in Stalinist Albania.

He can and does gig just about everywhere. He has created his own global network, and organises most of his hundred plus performances a year himself, as well as running regular spoken word/music events and the Glastonwick Beer Festival in his native West Sussex. As well as all his solo gigs, where during his songs he plays on mandola, violin, bass guitar and a variety of early music instruments and from time to time gig with his band, BARNSTORMER, a unique and energetic mix of punk and early music!

Himself and the band have 4 songs and live footage in a major German feature film, ‘DoppelPack’ which was released across the German cinema network on August 17 2000. His latest album with Barnstormer, ‘Bankers and Looters’ was released in 2012. ‘Zero Tolerance’ was released in April 2004, following on from ‘Just One Life’ (2000) and ‘The Siege of Shoreham’ (1996) and a live DVD of the band has just been released (2006). In addition to his solo DVD, ‘Live at the Heartland Café’ recorded in the US, and album ‘Live in Belfast’. He currently has two solo ‘Best Of’ CDs on release, ‘Poems Ancient and Modern (A Live Anthology 1980-1999)’ which is his definitive spoken word release to date, and ‘The Pen & The Sword’ (Selected Songs 1981-1995)’ which documents his best songs up until the formation of his band, now the main vehicle for his songwriting. His latest solo CD release is ‘Live in Norway’ (2007).

He is the official Poet in Residence/PA/Announcer/DJ at his beloved Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. and (as the leader of ‘Seagulls Ska’) got to Number 17 in the Top 40 on 9th January 2005 with a new version of the Piranhas’ ‘Tom Hark’ – part of the campaign for the Albion’s new stadium….

To date, he has published 7 books of poems: ‘Cautionary Tales for Dead Commuters’ (Unwin, 1985) ‘Scornflakes’ (Bloodaxe, 1992) ‘The Rat Tailed Maggot’ (Roundhead, 1998) ‘Goldstone Ghosts’ (2001) ‘His Poetic Licence’ ( 2008) ‘The Long Goodbye’ (2010) and the latest, ‘UK Gin Dependence Party’ in December 2013.

He celebrated the 35th anniversary of his first gig with the publication of his autobiography ‘Arguments Yard’ in September 2015. ‘Arguments Yard’ is available from his web site.

Links

Attila the Stockbroker :

http://www.attilathestockbroker.com/
https://www.facebook.com/attilathestockbroker
http://www.youtube.com/user/attilastockbroker1
https://www.twitter.com/@atilatstokbroka
http://www.reverbnation.com/attilathestockbroker

iTunes : https://itunes.apple.com/artist/attila-the-stockbroker/id82681338

0161 Festival :

http://www.0161festival.com/
https://www.facebook.com/0161Festival/

Moston Miners Community Arts and Music :

http://www.theminers.org.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/arts.music.community/

Attila the Stockbroker