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A popular poet who actually earns a living at it rather than sitting in a garret feeling sorry for himself - The Observer ATTILA THE STOCKBROKER Sharp tongued, high energy, social surrealist rebel poet and songwriter. His themes are topical, his words hard-hitting, his politics unashamedly radical, but Attila will make you roar with laughter as well as seethe with anger...... Inspired by the spirit and the ÔDo It Yourself' ethos of punk rock, and above all by The Clash and their overtly radical, political stance, he 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 ÔMelody Maker'. He hasn't looked back since! Attila is official Poet in Residence/PA/Announcer/DJ at his beloved Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. and (as the leader of ÔSeagulls Ska') got to Number 17 in the Top 40 on 9th January 2005 with a new version of the Piranhas' ÔTom Hark' - part of the campaign for the Albion's new stadiumÉ. The 25th anniversary of his first gig as Attila was September 8th 2005, he celebrated with a massive tour of the UK and Europe and a half hour programme on BBC Radio 4 called ÔGiving It Lip' and he's currently writing his autobiography! He 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, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Finland, Denmark, 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's 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 two festivals. As well as all his solo gigs, where during his songs he accompanies himself on mandola, Attila plays violin, bass guitar and a variety of early music instruments and from time to time gigs with his band, BARNSTORMER, a unique and energetic mix of punk and early music! Attila and the band have 4 songs and live footage in a major German feature film, ÔDoppelPack' which was released across the German cinema network on August 17 2000. His third album with Barnstormer, ÔZero Tolerance' was released in April 2004, following on from ÔJust One Life' (2000) and ÔThe Siege of Shoreham' (1996) In addition to his new solo DVD, ÔLive at the Heartland CafŽ' recorded in the US, and album ÔLive in Belfast' Attila currently has two solo ÔBest Of' CDs on release, ÔPoems Ancient and Modern (A Live Anthology 1980-1999)' which is his definitive spoken word release to date, and ÔThe 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. Attila has published 4 books of poems: ÔCautionary Tales for Dead Commuters' (Unwin, 1985) ÔScornflakes' (Bloodaxe, 1992) ÔThe Rat Tailed Maggot' (Roundhead, 1998) and ÔGoldstone Ghosts' (2001) PO Box 668, Portslade, E. Sussex BN42 4BG, UK http://www.attilathestockbroker.com attila@attilathestockbroker.com |