once an angry young man and enfant terrible of the London poetry scene, he turned his back on ambition to pursue a more spiritual life. He is no less passionate about poetry: in fact, probably more so, but now his approach is different. In this interview Jay talks about his journey from the darkness into the light; and he reassures us that there is much to be optimistic about, even in these troubling times.
talks about her holistic approach to poetry, informed by her spiritual sensibilities and shamanic studies. Originally from Tasmania, Australia, she arrived in London in the swinging sixties and has lived in the UK ever since. Now, with her family all but grown up, she is looking forward to doing an M.A., the chance to concentrate on her writing and maybe some world travel to boot.
discusses whether or not drugs have any currency in the creative life, talking candidly about his problems with addiction as well as his passion for poetry. Not given to pomposity or self-promotion, Harrison can barely bring himself to submit his work to literary magazines, which is why you might never have heard of him, but I for one believe he has an extraordinary talent and will one day be 'discovered'. Watch this space...
endures yet another round of questions about his background, his political affiliations, his writing and especially about his debut novel, 'Lanark', which was published in 1981 and put Glasgow and Scotland back on the cultural map, after many years in the wilderness.
tells me how he blagged a cushy little number, working as assistant to the eccentric and now legendary Scottish author, Alasdair Gray, giving me an insight into Gray's working life and forthcoming projects. Rodge also talks about his own novel, 'No Fireworks', which will be published by Faber in July 2005.
lets me know exactly why he doesn't consider Benjamin Zephaniah, Carol Ann Duffy or Andrew Motion to be poets. In fact he suggests they might be 'anti-poets'. He also challenges my rather hippy stance that we will eventually reach a caring-sharing, touchy-feely Communist Utopia through aspiration, education and evolution, suggesting instead that we take up the Kalashnikov and follow in good old Uncle Joe Stalin's footsteps.
explains that he isn't bitter about being overlooked because he chose to do figurative, imagist art at a time when abstract expressionism, minimalism and so-called conceptual art were the prevailing fashion. Undaunted, he continues making art because he must. He is equally unfazed by prospect of recognition, which - long overdue - may be coming his way at last.
tries to persuade me he hasn't got a secret cloning machine in his garage. Considering his prodigious output as a writer and artist, the collaborative projects he's been involved with, the publishing empire he built from scratch, the magazine he edits, the magazines he regularly contributes to and his day job as a writer-in-residence, I remain unconvinced. How does he do it?
gives me the lowdown on why he turned his back on the glitz and glamour of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle and tells me what floats his boat nowadays - making music in his home-studio, writing poetry, enjoying being with his family, and even making a cup of tea exactly the way he likes it to taste...