A compilation of Billy Childish related groups to tie in with Ted Kessler’s authorised biography.

A compilation of Billy Childish related groups to celebrate the release of the brand-new book – To Ease My Troubled Mind: The Authorised Unauthorised History of Billy Childish written by Ted Kessler.

‘My name is William Ivy Loveday, aka Steve Hamper, aka Guy Hamper, aka Jack Ketch, aka Billy Childish. I was born on the Medway, Kent, where I still live. I left school in 1976 when I was 16. Because I have no qualifications I was turned down by art school so went to work in Chatham dockyard as an apprentice stonemason. I later managed to get onto a painting course at St. Martin’s School of Art on the basis of my paintings. Me, Bruce, big Russ, and little Russ formed The Pop Rivets in 1977 and made our first recordings. Our inspiration was punk rock, TV21 and The Swinging Blue Jeans.

I learned to play guitar the