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Vanessa Kisuule-Interview #5

Vanessa Kisuule is an amazing talent, she has won several slam poetry titles. Performed at array of festivals and has supported the likes of Linton Kwesi Johnson, Kate Tempest, Dizraeli and David J.

The Interviews caught up with her for a chat.

How did you get into spoken word?

I took a gap year, as us Generation X Folk are wont to do, and I went out to Uganda where my family are from and I met my cousin there who was really into performance poetry. Truth be told, I thought it sounded pretty wanky, but he showed me a video from Def Jam Poetry and I fell immediately in love with it. I spent a few days on Youtube watching it obsessively but never really thought about doing it myself. But when I got back home from my trip and was a little lost as to what to do with my time until university started, I started writing stuff and figured I'd try out some work at The Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden. I was bricking it before it was my turn to read, but once I got started it was this reallly small but beautiful feeling of revelation. I well and truly felt I'd found somewhere I belonged.

Do you feel compelled to talk about black female issues in your work?

This is an interesting one – I used to try and steer away from it when I was younger because I did not want to be pigeonholed into being a 'black female writer' – as far as I was concerned I was a writer who happened to be black and female. I resented the idea that the themes and preoccpations of my work should solely concern these two parts of my identity and I guess I feared that I would come across as exactly what people expected me to be if I talked about those issues. However, I've come to realise that whether consciously or sub-consciously, these factors do impact my work whether I want them to or not – indeed, I don't get to choose whether being a black woman affects the way I am treated in society -it just does. I now feel a stronger sense of responsibility to speak about the experience of being a black woman purely because our voices are still being suppressed, silenced and disregarded. However, I think it's really important to portray a broad spectrum of experience as a minority to avoid the reductive idea that our lives revolve solely around exoticised narratives and romanticised oppression. I want the right to be as nuanced and three dimensional as my white and/or male counterparts

Your spoken word piece A Personal Malleable Manifesto is truly brilliant, how did this piece come about?

The internet age has spawned this incessant wave of 'listicles' – we have top ten or twenty lists of this and that clogging up our social media every day. What I didn't want that piece to be was another one of those – a faux-poignant attempt at trying to tell everyone how to live their lives. That's why the word personal is important – I am not in the business of preaching at people and I am always very quick to emphasise how everything I perform is coming from my stance and mine alone – everyone has their own context and experience and we can't apply our own moral standards to someone else's life. I wrote this piece because sometimes I need reminding that in amongst the plethora of contradictory ideals thrown at me on a daily basis, there are some simple truths that I know to be my anchor whilst everything else remains inconstant and fickle. A lot of people tell me its their favourite piece of mine and it's lovely to know that it strikes a chord with other people.

Do you think female poets are treated as equally as their male counterparts?

Compared to a lot of other performing industries, spoken word is leagues ahead in terms of its general inclusiveness. That has a lot to do with the fact that spoken word is a sort of 'counter-culture' artform, though it is slowly becoming more mainstream. It makes sense that spoken word is a tool often used by people who feel at the edges of society – I've never been made to feel lesser because of being a woman when I've been amongst fellow poets. That said, I think there is still a lot of pigeonholing in terms of what women 'should' be writing about ('women's issues) and who they 'should' be addressing (women). I think this sort of attitude is unfortunately still held in some circles, even in a progressive community like the spoken word scene. You sometimes get a spoken word event marketed as an 'all-female' poetry event, but an all male line up is just a poetry event. This implies that we are still considered novelties or fringe voices in some people's eyes.

What gives you the most pleasure; writing or performing?

They are both interlinked – they are not mutually exclusive endeavours to me. They both inform and improve the other – writing with a mind to perform makes me more aware of the rhythms and texture of the words I'm using and how I can manipulate them with tone and volume. Knowing that one serves the other and vice versa is a pleasurable and fulfilling thing.

How important do you think it is that people feel comfortable in their own skins, with the constant pressure from the media to look a certain way, how do we combat this narrative?

It's crucial for people to be comfortable in themselves – I suspect my generation of young people has it harder than anyone else before them. Our sites and modes of comparison are much more prevalent and normalised, social media being the most powerful instance of this. I think learning to manage and interrogate the part of your brain that is comparing yourself to others is the first step to self-acceptance. More often than not it's not our results in themselves that we are dissatisfied with, it's our results when compared to the person next to us that niggles and disturbs the mind. I believe that having an essential understanding of who I am beyond external attributes like my job, my weight, my relationship status or my Facebook page stops me getting caught up in an infinite tick list of superficial goals and start seeking out the small and beautiful things that actually make me happy in myself and with the world around me.

You have written a play, One Last Thing, which you took the Edinburgh Fringe, do you have plans for another play in the near future?

I am currently working on a one woman show that will explore what it's like being a black woman in our supposedly 'post-racial' society. I'm hoping to work with other elements of performance such as dance and visual media as well as poetry to make a really dynamic and multi-layered piece.

What makes a good poet?

Pfffft, that's a big question! Depends what you mean by 'good' too – if you mean 'literary' or 'impressive' in the literary sense, there's lots of factors, some of which I don't feel knowledgable enough to list. Economy of words, fluidity, an ear for the unusual and the ability to capture the seemingly intangible. But in terms of what makes a good spoken word artist (speaking purely for myself and what I like) I admire honesty and authenticity above all else. I like poets that use their own voice, their own cadence and their own experiences. I like to be taken on a journey of some kind, ideally with a personal touch. I am drawn to the little details – I'd rather be taken into one distinct moment or feeling and be taken around it slowly than be hurtled through a broad topic or time frame in a rush. A good poet has a strong understanding of the power of language – that doesn't necessarily mean they use lots of long words – it just means they have a broad vocabulary that they can employ with care and measure. A smart poet will know when simplicity is the best way to express what they're saying.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to get into performing and writing poetry?

Erm, genuinely, just do it. Haha. It's as simple as that. Be engaged in the art form you want to be a part of, read loads (not just poetry, everything!) go to poetry gigs, watch stuff on Youtube. Develop a taste for what you like and what you don't and try to work out what you think makes an effective poem. Switch off the voice in your head telling you you're not good enough. Aim to be honest rather than impressive – the former is far more in your control than the latter. Really, you have to just go ahead and do it. You don't need anybody's permission - believe in the validity of what you have to say.

Finally promotional time, tell us what you are up?

I'm very busy at the moment, I have loads of gigs in various parts of the country and I'm in the process of writing my one woman show and applying for funding. I also have two really exciting commissions that I'm writing for, one for a company that work with young people who want to go into the arts and another for a very big and established broadcasting company which I'm super excited about. This is going to be a huge year of growth for me, I hope to have evolved a lot as an artist in the next few months.

#MeatspaceRap #Meatspace

Nikesh Shukla-Interview #4

Nikesh Shukla is one seriously talented writer. Remember the name folks.

His new novel Meatspace, is out now on the Friday Project.

It has been lauded by The Guardian, New Statesman, BBC Radio 4, The Independent on Sunday and yes even the Daily Mail, would you believe!

He is also a former rapper and I caught up with Nikesh for a quick chat.

Why did you become a writer?

I've always told stories and I initially thought I'd do this through the medium of rap. Unfortunately, I'm quite a mediocre rapper so I turned to writing. I'm much more comfortable in the spaces prose offers and I'm more able to convey space, place, time and person. Rap's too frenetic for texture.

Did you ever doubt yourself when first starting out?

I doubt myself to this day. Artistically, there's not much that's fear-inducing that spending four years writing everything you know on to a page, bleeding, rewriting, starting again, keeping it ticking, keeping it interesting, finally having to say, that's enough - we're done now and then get someone to press print, letting the world either have their say or ignore it. So the doubts are still there. I'd say, they're different doubts to when I first started out, but as you jump each hurdle, a new one approaches - so when I first started out, it was all 'will I get published?' and now it's all 'will anyone actually read it?'

You co wrote a non-fiction essay on the London Riots of 2011, called Generation Vexed: What the Riots Don't Tell Us About Our Nations Youth. What are your views on the events in Ferguson?

It's fucked up. It's depressing. It's yet another reminder that we do not live in that multicultural post-racial utopia we were promised, that whatever happens, as Ice Cube said, my skin is my sin.

How can we encourage more young Asian and Afro Caribbean people to become writers?

I think, changing the face and feel of the publishing industry to make it feel less like an institution for white middle class people and more of a place that embraces diversity. And not just diversity by having some Indian author write about arrange marriage - that's not diversity, that's romantic fetishisation. By having authors of colour write whatever the heck they wanna write. That's a good start. And also, it's not just the job of the black or Asian writer to write about black and Asian characters. If you think it's tokenistic to just throw in an Indian character for tokenism, fuck you, you're a hack and you think every single story ever told is about white people.

With the recent appointment of Malorie Blackman as the UK's first black childrens laureate, do you think things are moving in the right direction?

She's a true treasure. I love her so much. It feels like it's the right direction, 10 years ago - like, basically, that should have already happened by now. The first laureate of colour should not be happening in 2012. But, you know, she's Malorie Blackman and she's the best.

Tell us how you came to write your debut novel Coconut Unlimited?

I had the line 'It was then Amit decided to form a band' and then it flew.

Are the characters in your books based on people you know?

No. They're composites of people I know but no one is actually based on anyone I know.

You have also written for tv, how did you find the experience and is this something you want to pursue in the future?

I'm working on a sitcom at the moment. I'm hoping it gets commissioned. Wish well for me!

Explain to us how the lamb chop into space came about?

We were sat in a pub coming up with ideas for the book, idiotic things we could do to have a piece of social media content for a book about social media ephemera. My friend said, why don't we take the word literally and send some meat into space. We laughed, then we researched. Turns out it was easier than we thought.

Your new novel Meatspace tackles social media and how the main charater Kitab and his brother Aziz are obsessed with their internet dopplegangers. Is this something you have ever experienced?

I've definitely been nosy on other people's profiles but I've never stalked anyone. Well, there was a moment when a friend and I were talking about something. We googled it and in the image results, the first thing that came back was my friend's doppelganger. It was bizarre. It didn't take us long to find out everything about this strange guy. And that, as a writer, piqued my curiosity. How far could you make it go?

Finally promotional time, tell us what you are up to?

BUY MEATSPACE!!!!!! Apart from that, check out what I'm up to through Twitter @nikeshshukla

#Nomorepage3

#NoMorePageThree

No More Page Three-Interview #3

This is an interview I have been wanting to do for a while, finally managed it, an interview with Lisa Clarke, who is part of the amazing No More Page Three campaign. If you have not heard about No More Page Three, then you really need to read the following interview.

Why is the No More Three page campaign so important? Because for 44 years in our best selling UK paper, thebiggest single image of a woman has been one of her standing in her pants for the sexual gratification of men. We have yet to achieve equality of the sexes in the UK - women continue to be discriminated against in many areas 1 in 3 school girls receives unwanted sexual touching in school, 2 women a week are murdered by a current or former partner, 1 in 4 experience domestic violence, we continue to have lower pay, are underrepresented in parliament, politics and the board room and until we achieve a greater visibility in our media of the true diversity and nature of women, rather than constantly reducing them to sexual playthings we are unlikely to make any great strides forwards. Media doesn't just reflect society - it also confirms and reinforces it. What Challenges have you faced? We have had to justify constantly (and still do) our right to protest this icon of sexism in our media. The normalisation of this out of context sexual image is such that we have been accused of being killjoys, prudes, anti-sex, anti-nudity and against freedom of speech or freedom of the press etc etc etc. None of these things are true. We are exercising our right to protest the portrayal of women first and foremost as sexual entertainment in a news publication. We make no judgement about the models choosing this line of work, about sexual images in adult publications or about nudity. What we we are pointing out is that in placing this image amongst news we make access to the sexualised woman's body as much of a given as the TV listings or a crossword and we make women's place in the news one of decor rather than the active makers of news we know them to be. What are your thoughts on people who say Page Three is harmless? That they have failed to consider the context. Breasts are harmless, nudity is harmless even sexy pictures and sexy images of topless women are harmless in the right context but in real life when we are not expecting it - for example at work, on public transport, in school we are exercising other areas of our persona. When somebody in that context makes a sexual remark about you or refers to a body part for example this is usually done to belittle or harass the person not expecting it. This type of behaviour is something women experience in our society on an all too regular basis - sexual and personal remarks about their body made in the street, sexual touching and assault uninvited etc. Facing a sexual image when not expected has the same or a similar effect and we recognise this in employment law by outlawing sexy calendars etc in the workplace. Page 3 brings a sexualised image of a woman and places it in the public space rather than private domain. In practical terms this means people may suddenly be forced to accommodate this image in their lives when not prepared for it and in an institutional sense as it is placed amongst news items etc this image is in itself a form of sexual harassment on a grand scale. In amongst men in suits and sportswear featured for their actions and abilities stands a stripped and passive young woman and this reinforces an unhelpful attitude about women's' place in our society. How have you used social media to get your message across? The entire campaign has been founded and run largely through Facebook and twitter. We also have an Instagram and Tumbler accounts. From the beginning of the campaign twitter allowed us access to many, many people. It allowed supporters to reach celebrity support in those early days and throughout. It allows us to build up the momentum of signatures through the excitement of the BOOMS we get when we reach another 1000 mark or another 100 000! It has allowed us to lobby advertisers and those who sell The Sun - through this we have had success in lobbying Lego to stop it's toy promotion next to the soft porn image and have successfully encouraged 2 supermarkets to change their displays of the page 3 tabloids so that sexualised images on covers are not the first thing you see when you pop out for some bread. Facebook too has allowed a forum for sharing of articles and for debate. Again it has allowed sharing of the petition - the page can be hard work at times. During the latest boost in media attention we accrued 25 000 extra signatures but at the same time our twitter and Facebook accounts were heavily trolled an we know of supporters who received rape threats. Facebook was awash with abuse and it took some time to get on top of it but with hard work and perseverance we have regained a safe place for supporters to share their stories and views and for safe and respectful debate to take place. Although it is sometimes a source of abuse social media is the route of this campaigns success. Just about every interview in mainstream media, every engagement and real life demonstration has been arranged through it. Without it we simply wouldn't exist What kind of support do you receive from men and what role can men play? Men have played an enormous part right throughout the campaign and we think approx. 1/4 to 1/3 of signatures are from men. We have had blogs written by men, articles and support from male celebrities and we have a man in our HQ team as well as others working in and running local branches of the campaign. One father set up a petition to encourage Lego to remove its offer with the sun, whilst another wrote a huge manifesto for equality whilst on his commute to work. Yes, I think we can safely say we have a very strong male support network. Why is the media still obsessed with objectifying women? Ha! Bloomin good question. Please do let us know if you find an answer. It seems for all time women's bodies (and sometimes men's) have been recognised as a good way to draw attention and to sell things. Given that we are now more aware however of the way these images can lead to us viewing subjects (women) as objects (things) and how this depersonalisation can increase the risk of violence and abuse, it seems ludicrous that we aren't doing more to combat it. I suppose once again it is a matter of profit before people. What we hope is that the culture will begin to change and we are seeing signs of that with lads mags going out of business and page 3 tabloids losing readers faster than other print newspapers. In addition we are seeing a some gadget mags for example dropping the "half dressed woman used as gadget holder" front covers in recognition of their readership being increasingly female. Lets hope that those continuing to focus on women simply because of their bodies, because they put the bins out in tracky bottoms, because they still have nipples or were seen bent over fastening their small child into a car seat might soon start to feel as stupid as they look to the rest of us. It's really not very cool is it. What progress have you made since you started No More Page Three? Well..... it seems we have at least in part, bought about an end to page 3 will that do? ;) There has been no page 3 since 16th Jan except for the one "mammary lapse" entry so either this is a testing of the market or a permanent change only time will tell. We have sponsored 2 ladies football teams using money raised from crowd sourcing. Perhaps more important however has been the support we have garnered, the growing cultural change and individual change in so many. Supporters who have, for the first time, taken off their blinkers and started to see the media we are swimming in and the way it's portrayal of women is affecting our society and those of us living in it. We have worked with emerging feminists young and old and had the most amazing messages about how important the campaign has been to people and how it has awakened their voice and their ability to stand up against the things they believe are wrong - I believe it is those stories that have felt like our biggest victories What are your thoughts on celebrities like Beyonce for example, stating that there are feminist? We're all for it. Feminism is a simple concept - the belief that women deserve equal rights, equal representation and the recognition that we don't yet have this and things must change. When high profile women stand up and say they believe in this it allows young women and girls to do the same. Human rights should be cool. With your own campaign and other recent high profile campaigns, do you believe people are now starting to become more proactive and are taking matters into their own hands in a positive way? Absolutely! There is a huge surge in activism not just in feminism and that is amazing and important. Online activism is so easy and that has to be part of it. To lobby a supermarket or a media source might simply involve sending a tweet in your lunch hour or in your PJs when you haven't even brushed your hair. You can engage in social action without having to arrange childcare and no matter how immobile you might be. You can write a blog and share it widely - to some degree we all own the printing presses now. I do hope this means that some of the billionaires who own our mainstream media may slowly but surely lose some of their unfair influence. Has there been any dialogue between you and The Sun? Hmmmm very minimal. Well....apart form the obvious in your face pop up page 3 a week or two ago, which was interestingly tweeted unsolicited by their PR man to female MPs and journalists in a way that reinforced entirely that Page 3 can and is used as a form of sexual harassment. Some of us have bumped into Mr Dinsmore here and there and he and I did once have a brief email conversation. Our biggest influence on The Sun has come in the fact that their employees have been unable to escape questions about page 3 for the best part of the last 2 years - that must get annoying hey? Finally tell us how we can find out more about No More Page Three and even get involved? Currently you can find us on Facebook at No More Page 3 on twitter @nomorepage3 and our website is at nomorepage3.org

We visit university’s, we visit schools, we welcome all creativity and input of any kind so drop in. Come and see what we're up to - our journey is not over yet, who knows what's next :)

#Groucho'sRecordDocumentary

#Groucho'sRecords Documentary

Greig Stott-Interview #2

Greig Stott is a photographer and film maker. He is making a documentary about one of Dundee's most treasured institutions, Groucho's Record store.

The Interviews caught up with Greig to discuss his film.

Who inspired you to make films?

From an early age, I was hooked by movies and pictures. I was always really fascinated with the whole cinematography of films and documentary photography has always been my favourite type of photograph - be it by photo or video. I was brought up in a military family and lived in many different places, so I quickly realised the importance of memories, photographs and documented footage. I am inspired by cities, culture and different people in all walks of life, their stories, their memories and their character -people are so fascinating and you can learn so from much from different people's tales. Music is also a real inspiration and I have been working closely with some talented artists to help form a unique soundtrack to the film. In my opinion, the music and soundtrack to avideo or film is just as important as any dialogue, live video content or theimages that we see on screen. I have always been inspired bymusic and you are working on a huge part of the personality and the spirit of the whole story telling and creative process. Without music, our lives would be pretty eerie, that's for sure.

How did the idea come about to make this documentary?

Groucho's has meant a lot to me for the best part of 20 years, it has been in business for nearly 40 years now (est. 1976) and I have wanted to tell its story for a while and I believe this story deserves to be told in a film like this. I like to tell stories about things I am passionate about and I got in touch with the proprietor Alastair "Breeks" Brodie (summer 2014) and he was more than happy to have me on board - "We'd love to do it and are completely at your disposal..." were his words. And I was delighted, of course.

How have you financed the project?

This project is all self-funded. Although if any local organisations, investors or executive producers are out there and want to help out in any way, don't be shy to get in touch (wink, wink...). Also, anyone who has given me their time and contributed in any small way, helps me a lot - be it by speaking on camera, sharing their thoughts and memories and to some of the artists who have contributed some fantastic music to the film's soundtrack.

What story you are trying to tell with your film?

I really want to get deep into the story telling process, from Breeks and the shop's early origins, through tough, good and bad times, the highs, the lows. To speaking with family and staff members (ex and current) to the people that help keep this most amazing of institutions going - the customers and what the place means to them. This is not just a story about Groucho's, but a Dundee story, a tale of music and independent business - an inspiring story about a champion fighting against great odds to stand out from the crowd.

What role does Groucho play in the local community?

I believe that Groucho's is so vital and important to the city of Dundee - its culture and its people. It is more than just a Record Shop and that is what has come across when speaking to people on camera so far, that it is a place where people can get inspired, where bands form, where you can make new friends, discover music (new and old) and you can be taken back in a time machine to your childhood and enjoy that little bit of nostalgia and something tangible. It is a place where you can escape for a wee while and be around some like minded people. What is the quote from the Cameron Crowe film? Something like; "if you ever get lonely, you can just go to the Record Store and visit your friends..." Penny Lane. Without Groucho's - Dundee would just not be the same.

Why do think Groucho’s has survived when many independent record shops have closed?

I would say through sheer hard work, determination and perhaps a little stubborness. There is also that amazing personal touch that you have when speaking with Breeks and the Groucho's staff, there is a real friendship and connection with the shop and its customers. And that is why so many people continue to return to Groucho's - as they feel valued, like they are part of a family almost. It is quite amazing how Breeks and Groucho's are still around and have continued to survive against huge odds and pressure at times.

What have you learnt about yourself while making this film?

First and foremost, that I LOVE telling stories and sharing them with others. I was already aware of how important Groucho's is to many people, but it is an even bigger institution than I ever realised before, it really is a special place. Also, that speaking to people is a lot easier than you would think and it is rather satisfying too. Maybe this will help me actually get over this tiny little bit of social anxiety that I have developed in recent years.

Diversity is really important in any field, how can the film industry in this country address the lack of diversity?

We need to have a more level and open playing field, allowing fresh ideas and giving more platforms and opportunities for the talented and creative people to have the chance to flourish. Elitism is an ugly thing and it certainly does exist in many areas of the arts and that can be very off putting and intimidating for people looking to make their way. If people want to create art and make films, they should definitely not be denied that chance, nor discouraged and should definitely get involved and give themselves the chance to do so. Get out there and just do it I say, show people what you can do and keep doing it and doing it. Your art will shine through.

What obstacles have you had to overcome?

Time. Between juggling other work commitments and being a family man with a young daughter. Toddlers demand lots of your time and attention, which I don't mind. But this film is not being rushed, I am taking my time to put all the story telling elements together and great art is never rushed and I believe we can make something really special with this film.

What are your plans with the film once finished?

Once completed, I obviously would like to speak with people (in the know) about promotion and distribution. I will have an inital private screening with people who helped to make it happen and gave me their time. I also plan to try and get some local screenings for the film and also submit it to indie and documentary film festivals and I guess time will tell if we have a story that will entertain, be loved and that people can connect with.

Finally promotion time, tell us where we can find out more?

Please check out the film's official facebook page and also Youtube channel

Groucho's Record Store - a documentary film

https://www.youtube.com/user/PicturesqueVids

#Groucho'sRecordsTrailer

#HollieMcNish #spokenword

Hollie McNish-Interview #1

Hollie McNish is one of the UK's leading poets and spoken word performers. She has released two poetry albums, Touch and Push Kick both to critical acclaim. She has also written a first collection of poetry called Papers.She has appeared at Glastonbury, Ronnie Scotts Jazz Bar, London's South Bank Centre and Cambridge University. And Benjamin Zephaniah is a fan!

Hollie took the time out of her busy schedule to talk to me.

What was the last poem you read or heard that had a lasting impact on you?

I think probably Vanessa Kisuule’s poem on Pregnancy, One Minute. It's just such a needed look at how complicated feelings can be. Sort of the opposite of Suli Breaks poem on abortion, which just makes it look like the woman doesn’t care less. I’ve been praying for some sort of other spoken word poem on those feelings for a while and I think this is a good one.

What gets you angry?

Deliberate misinformation - whether that’s in politics, adverts, whatever.

Mathematics was the first poem of yours that I came across, a beautiful and powerful poem which addresses racism. Do you feel it’s important that your work has a social or even a political message?

I wouldn’t say it addresses racism, we need to be careful. The guy is anti-immigrant, whether those are people from Pakistan, Turkey, Poland etc. It’s not a poem about racism, although I think someone with that angered attitude likely is going to be slight racist too. It’s about xenephobia and misinformation about what drives a job market and how employment and job markets work. It is literally about a conversation I had with someone who continually slags off anyone that moves or who has ever moved from one country to England. That's not necessarily about race alone.

I don’t think it’s important my poetry has any message, no. I just write about what I’m looking into at the time, what I’m doing. When I wrote that poem I’d just read about 100 pages of documents about the economics of the job market and the impact of migration into Britain! So that’s what I wrote about. I only shared it with other people like 2 years later. I just write, and sometimes I share that writing, sometimes I don’t, but I write all the time, every week. I just like writing rhymes.

Do you believe it’s important that young women have strong role models?

Yeah. Just yeah. What defines a ‘strong’ role model is trickier though, cos it depends what you’re into. A strong women is often shown as someone who’s the CEO of a company, strong in the powerful sense. But it can be someone who is caring, loving, who is a deep sea diver, who is a teacher, whatever.

Not just young women. Old women too. I’ve just turned 30 and suddenly I see so few older women in the media to look up to. Once we reach 40, it’s like that’s it, get them off the screens. But outside the media, I see strong women all over.

It’s important for any under-represented group though. I reckon I have more strong female role models available than working class role models, for example. Especially in politics. It’s about the most underrepresented group in society, whether those working class people are women, minorities or white men. I think it’s important we have a balance in general, at the moment it’s wealthy, white, middle class male everywhere I think

With talk of a revolution in the media, what are your thoughts on how we can change things for the better for those who are not represented by mainstream politics?

We need more people in politics. Russell Brand talking about Revolution though is just one man. I think he’s cool, but it’s not like most people are talking like that. Have a look at Bolivia right now and all the socialist changes – only country getting more, rather than less equal – Evo Morales. That’s what interests me, it’s what I want to understand more. But, yeah, nothing will change unless minority groups, whether from race, class, gender, sexual orientation or a mix of all (which everyone is) get more power. Others want to get rid of the system entirely, which I can understand. But right now, to make immediate change, we need politics to not be so hard to get into. Top up fees, university degrees necessary, free internships for those wanting to get into politics, it all makes it very hard for people to access.

Are you surprised by the increased interest in poetry and in particular spoken word?

No, I think it’s great! With people like Sabrina Mahfouz, Dean Atta, Stephen Morrison Burke, Bridget Minamore, Deanna Rodger, Kate Tempest, Keisha Thompson, Ross Sutherland, Luke Wright, Vanessa Kisuule, Raymond Antrobus etc etc it’s no wonder. I think there are so many great poets out there, that it’s no surprise at all. And by reading the poetry aloud more and more, I think it makes it more accessible for people who like hearing, as well, or rather than reading. Or for people who don’t find reading very easy, which is a lot of people. And social media helps.

Where does your inspiration come from when writing?

Everything and anything. Really, whatever I’m doing. Or a lot of the time, whatever I’m reading about. I like reading fact rather than fiction, and I have always written poems when I read about stuff. All my life.

With the lines blurred between music and poetry would you ever consider making an album?

I have. About a week ago! It’s a double album. One CD of straight poetry. The other of music and poetry.

What is the best advice you have ever received in relation to your craft?

Erm. Luke Wright once said ‘Don’t be shit’ before I went on stage! That was quite helpful and made me wanna hit him at the same time!! He’s given me lots of good advice actually.

People say ‘try to enjoy it’ but I get too nervous to do that. I think it would be ‘don’t take yourself too seriously’. I think that’s possibly the best advice I’ve been given in general in life.

If you had to choose a poem from the ones you have written, which one would you say is your best work and why?

I have nooooo idea! Really, no idea at all. It totally depends on who’s reading it. I’m pretty bored with most of them. I prefer listening to other people’s stuff!

Finally promotional time, tell us what you are up to?

Album, as I said above and I go on tour again in April / May-details are here: http://www.kililive.com/artists/hollie-mcnish

Album available on ITunes here: http://po.st/HPDownload and Amazon here: http://po.st/HPAmazon

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