Anthony Joseph
Encyclopedia
Anthony Joseph is a British poet, novelist, musician and lecturer.
Joseph was born in Trinidad
and was raised by his grandparents. He began writing as a young child and cites his main influences as the Calypso
, surrealism
, jazz
, the spiritual Baptist
church that his grandparents attended, and the rhythms of Caribbean
speech. Joseph has lived in the UK since 1989.
In September 2004 he was chosen by Renaissance One and the Arts Council England
as one of fifty Black and Asian writers who have made major contributions to contemporary British literature, appearing in the historic ‘A Great Day’ photo and performing at the event at the British Library. In April 2005, Joseph served as the British Council's first poet-in-residence at California State University, Los Angeles.
Joseph is the author of three poetry collections. Desafinado (1994), Teragaton (1997), and Bird Head Son (2009). His debut novel The African Origins of UFOs
, was published by Salt Publishing
in November 2006. Described as an "afro-psychedelic-noir, a poetic work of metafiction, mythology and afro-futurism", the book was endorsed by Kamau Brathwaite, Linton Kwesi Johnson, and Lauri Ramey who hailed it as "a future fiction classic". Joseph subsequently received an Arts Council award to conduct a reading tour of the UK in support of the book. In 2007, the tour continued to Europe with a ten city tour of Germany and readings in the US.
Joseph also performs and records with his band The Spasm Band
. His debut album with the band Leggo de Lion
was released April 2007 by Kindred Spirits
.
Joseph's new book, Bird Head Son, his first collection of poetry since his 1997 Teragaton was published by Salt Publishing in February 2009 and coincided with the release of his second album with The Spasm Band, also called Bird Head Son
. The album was recorded over two days in Meudon, France, with guests including Keziah Jones
, Joseph Bowie
and vibraphonist David Neerman.
Joseph holds an MA in Creative Writing from Goldsmiths College
, University of London
where he is also completing a Ph.D. He lectures in creative and life writing at Birkbeck, University of London
and tours internationally.
Joseph's third album with the Spasm Band, "Rubber Orchestras" was released in August 2011. His fourth poetry collection, also entitled "Rubber Orchestras", is to be released in November 2011.
Joseph was born in Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
and was raised by his grandparents. He began writing as a young child and cites his main influences as the Calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
, surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, the spiritual Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church that his grandparents attended, and the rhythms of Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
speech. Joseph has lived in the UK since 1989.
In September 2004 he was chosen by Renaissance One and the Arts Council England
Arts Council England
Arts Council England was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council of Great Britain was divided into three separate bodies for England, Scotland and Wales. It is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport...
as one of fifty Black and Asian writers who have made major contributions to contemporary British literature, appearing in the historic ‘A Great Day’ photo and performing at the event at the British Library. In April 2005, Joseph served as the British Council's first poet-in-residence at California State University, Los Angeles.
Joseph is the author of three poetry collections. Desafinado (1994), Teragaton (1997), and Bird Head Son (2009). His debut novel The African Origins of UFOs
The African Origins of UFOs
The African Origins Of UFOs is a book by Anthony Joseph. Published in October 2006 by Salt Publishing.The text is an experimental, time shifting narrative in poetic prose and poetry that contains elements of afro futurism, metafiction, science fiction, surrealism, mythology and written in an...
, was published by Salt Publishing
Salt Publishing
Salt Publishing is an independent publisher whose origins date back to 1990 when poet John Kinsella launched Salt Magazine in Western Australia. The journal rapidly developed an international reputation as a leading publisher of new poetry and poetics...
in November 2006. Described as an "afro-psychedelic-noir, a poetic work of metafiction, mythology and afro-futurism", the book was endorsed by Kamau Brathwaite, Linton Kwesi Johnson, and Lauri Ramey who hailed it as "a future fiction classic". Joseph subsequently received an Arts Council award to conduct a reading tour of the UK in support of the book. In 2007, the tour continued to Europe with a ten city tour of Germany and readings in the US.
Joseph also performs and records with his band The Spasm Band
The Spasm Band
Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band is a band led by Trinidadian poet, novelist and lecturer Anthony Joseph. The band was formed in London in 2005 as an offshoot of his then novel-in-progress The African Origins of UFOs...
. His debut album with the band Leggo de Lion
Leggo de Lion
"Leggo de Lion" is the first commercially released album by Trinidadian poet and lecturer Anthony Joseph and the Spasm Band. It features lyrics taken from Joseph's novel The African Origins of UFOs....
was released April 2007 by Kindred Spirits
Kindred Spirits
Kindred Spirits is a painting by the Hudson River School painter Asher Durand. It depicts the previously deceased painter Thomas Cole and his friend poet William Cullen Bryant in the Catskill Mountains...
.
Joseph's new book, Bird Head Son, his first collection of poetry since his 1997 Teragaton was published by Salt Publishing in February 2009 and coincided with the release of his second album with The Spasm Band, also called Bird Head Son
Bird Head Son
Bird Head Son is a 2009 album by poet Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band. It was recorded in just two days in March 2008 in Meudon, France and produced by Antoine Rajon. It is the bands sophomore studio album following 2007's Leggo de Lion. During the sessions, 20 songs were recorded live in the...
. The album was recorded over two days in Meudon, France, with guests including Keziah Jones
Keziah Jones
Keziah Jones is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He describes his musical style as "Blufunk", which is a fusion between raw blues elements and hard, edgy funk rhythms...
, Joseph Bowie
Joseph Bowie
Joseph Bowie is an American bandleader, trombonist, and founder of the seminal jazz fusion band, Defunkt. The group has been blending jazz with funk and punk music for more than three consecutive decades....
and vibraphonist David Neerman.
Joseph holds an MA in Creative Writing from Goldsmiths College
Goldsmiths College
Goldsmiths, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom which specialises in the arts, humanities and social sciences, and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1891 as Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute...
, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
where he is also completing a Ph.D. He lectures in creative and life writing at Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It offers many Master's and Bachelor's degree programmes that can be studied either part-time or full-time, though nearly all teaching is...
and tours internationally.
Joseph's third album with the Spasm Band, "Rubber Orchestras" was released in August 2011. His fourth poetry collection, also entitled "Rubber Orchestras", is to be released in November 2011.