Thursday 21 October 2010

THE HEARTLAND - BBC RADIO FESTIVAL POEM BY SALENA GODDEN



THE HEARTLAND: Poem written for the BBC Radio Academy, RadioFestival 2010 -
‘Festival Gatecrash’ Performed and written yesterday in response to the question ‘What’s wrong with radio?’ and delivered live on a panel plucked from the world of politics, piracy, philosophy and social media. Other 'radio rebels' on the panel included DJ Johnny Jay (Pirate Radio) John Morter (Save 6 Music and the mastermind of the Rage Against the Machine Christmas number one campaign) Andy Spinoza (SKV) and Ken Livingstone among others. The debate was chaired by the brilliant Mariella Frostrup and recited in front of packed theatre audience of senior executives, programmers and producers from the BBC, commercial, local, community and internet radio stations. Video footage on YouTube and BBC website links soon come.

THE HEARTLAND 
 it’s been nearly 20 years since i first held a mic
put it to my lips and said what i like
and in 20 years i bared witness to the evolution a literary explosion,
the publishing revolution but the revolution will not be televised
slipped between art and comedy and demoralised
poetry is all cream tea and margarine-a-lised
rinsed and bleached and sanitised
 its not what’s wrong with radio
but surely what is write right
but it seems so scripted and stuffy and far too polite
for at festivals it’s the writers who stay up all night
and there is a rise in literary salons where words really bite
There is a heartland in-between the rap dream;
the coming of age teen and the rock and roll scene
and the booker prize winner in the back of a limousine
and the struggling poet drinking ink and gasoline
know what I mean?
all we hear is radio ga-ga
lady ga-ga in a meat bra
all we hear is radio ga-ga
lady ga-ga in a meat bra
all we hear is radio goo-goo
elton john and lady lulu
lady madonna, now there’s a lady
 graham norton and paul o’grady
will the real slim shady please stand up,
please stand up, please stand up!
The revolution will not be televised
 but its resonating on Resonance podcast and twitterbooked
The revolution will not be televised
its there on my i-tunes and overlooked
The written word spoken with honest intentions
even though its not mainstream or in the times lit. sup. mentions
Actions speak louder than words
the pen is mightier than the clean page
there is this heartland of undiscovered writing
between the underground and the hay-on-wye stage
what is required i feel
 is a literary john peel
 to open the gates and let in some air and light
 because this revolution should broadcast
and that’s what’s right with radio right?
write, right, write, right!

 © 2010. Salena Godden


*Hey, there wasn’t time to thank the radio shows and producers who do programme slots for poetry and short fiction - but you know who you are and this poem salutes you. Thank you to Radio 4's Today programme for asking me along, kinda scary, but great fun!

Friday 1 October 2010

THe BCB Returns to HOSB, Autumn series 2010 - Oct.8th - GOLD PARTY!



Dear BCBoutiquers,
It has come to my attention that we will be instigating an offensive of Books, Booze and Boogie-Woogie on the House Of St Barnabas in the Englandtown of Soho next Friday October 8th at 7pm. Cleverly we will cover our tracks, cunningly disguising ourselves in gold and shiny things and all things that glitter like stars. This will put them off the scent. They will gaze upon the shine and glamour of our golden attire and completely forget the ghastly war. What i need to know is will you please all get naked and spray yourself gold and dance like the lady from 'the tales of the unexpected' please? Kidding? Come to The Book Club Boutique GOLD show... We will hear a five star, gold star, sneak preview of NIKESH SHUKLA's debut novel 'Coconut Unlimited'



And we will celebrate the launch of THE MECHANICS INSTITUTE REVIEW, MIR7 published by Birkbeck featuring new work from BERNADINE EVARISTO, XAVIER LERET, JOHN LUCAS, SALENA GODDEN and out this month too + we will high-five and salute the debut album of the utterly fabulous DEAN ATTA's "Missing Piece' too! Plus as if all that isn't exciting enough this will be The Book Club Boutique Band's FIRST gig with a NEW mystery member to the army...our NEW guitarist...mysterious indeed....but ALL will be revealed...!!!


 Dress Code GOLD - Goldfinger to Bollywood - think golden oldies, think golden brown and all that glitters is...And of course upon entry you will be served specially designed free 'Midas Touch' cocktails, liquid gold, golden nectar? yum! love.life.live.long.alive-o The General and now a short commercial break:

ARE YOU MISSING THE SUMMER? As you know in August at Standon Calling Festival The Book Club Boutique curated the BCB's own stage for the first time - 3 days of Books, Booze and Boogie-Woogie - dressed as gangsters and cigar-chewing molls.


We also produced the first Book Club Boutique Radio shows live on Diesel Radio. Here is a half hour clip, a taster of our summertime! Hosted By Salena Godden &Max Doray, featuring BCB stars, live interviews & live on site! http://www.mixcloud.com/dieselumusic/book-club-boutique-live-at-standon-calling/ 



WHEN IS THE NEXT BOOK CLUB BOUTIQUE? Remember, Remember, the 5th of November...

"Books Booze & Boogie-Woogie..." in The Bookseller: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/124748-page.htmlwww.myspace.com/bookclubboutique 

Please visit the BCB facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=55814894329
twitter: @BookCBoutique

"The Book Club Boutique is the bomb: It's not as much as on the grapevine as the entire vineyard." LEMN SISSAY 

"The Book Club Boutique is single handedly bringing the literary salon back to its gloriously pissed-up Soho-basement roots.” DAZED MAGAZINE