[ MIMICRY ]
March 12th

Hello Warpaths.

Oh my days, did I nearly forget to mention that the towering monster that is CLINIC are about to launch yet another night of poetic and artistic flair? This time it's called Mimicry, has readings from two poets connected to Popshot and is one of the most difficult themes I've come across. So if you want to test your creative broads, Camdens Lock Tavern at 8pm on March 16th may well be the place to do it. Oh and take your mother, she might enjoy it.

[ LONDON WORD FESTIVAL ]
March 9th

Hello Burger Vans.

That's right my Turkish bambotchkas, it's that time of year again whereby the LONDON WORD FESTIVAL ascends upon...London. They're only one evening old so far and with everything from music to stand-up, shadow-puppetry to performance poetry, it's an assault on the cultural face of 2010. There's some really interesting stuff on including one of Issue Three's poetic own - Helen Mort - as well as household names such as Laura Dockrill and John Hegley. Have a wander around the LONDON WORD FESTIVAL website for more information and a full line up.

[ ISSUE 3 - THE COVER ]
March 6th

Hello Alignments.

Apologies for our absence of blog presence, there's been quite a fair few things going on round these parts in anticipation of Issue 3. Within the last week we received all 24 poem illustrations and double page illustrations back from the respective and respected parties. Since then, we've had our noses stuck into layouts and have been trying our best to seek out grammatical errors and spelling mistakes - good times.
So it's with great pleasure we can now present you with the cover for Issue 3 - The Liberate Issue. The magazine will be going to print next week under the watchful eye of our amazingly attentive printer and should be back with us within a matter of weeks after it's been printed, stacked, cut and bound. In case you're of the panicy sort, don't worry, we'll keep you up to date with all the Popshot goings on right here.

[ POEJAZZI PART TWO ]
March 1st

Hello Swiftlings.

Sorry to mention this so late but it looks like a rather terrific line up. Tomorrow night, if you're in the vicinity - don't miss it.

[ POPSHOT INTERVIEW ]
February 26th

Hello 1876.

Remember us mentioning going to cool kid art scene night - OFF MODERN - a little while ago? No? Then perhaps a little roll down of the old scrollbar may enlighten you. The night has managed to attract such arty souls as the late Alexander McQueen and a couple of months ago we were also there selling Popshot from behind a rickety table, under a makeshift roof. It was wonderful.
To put it in context, I'll now be popping a post up on the Off Modern blog once a month with musings, goings on or whatever else manages to slip out of the tounge and gums machine. To introduce it, the rather dashing Will from Off Modern gave me a little INTERVIEW which is now available for your viewing enjoyment or distaste. Oh, the benefits of a free country.

[ THE 14TH TALE ]
February 24th

Hello Globe trotters.

I may well of mentioned before that the poetic twists of Inua Ellams are soon to be featured in our eagerly awaited third issue. So to beautifully coincide, it seems too foolish an opportunity to miss letting you know of a small show Inua is putting on at the rather mighty NATIONAL THEATRE called 'The 14th Tale'. The performance is the story (or tale) of Inua's journey from childhood to manhood, Nigeria to London and the mischief and events that came along with it. He's already taken the show around the country and is now at the National Theatre until March 13th - CLICK HERE to buy tickets and check what nights he's on.
As a small aside, one of the poems from the 14th Tale performance features in our 'Liberate' issue. Don't say we don't spoil you...

[ DAVID SPARSHOTT ]
February 21st

Hello Rashers.

We first tripped upon the work of David Sparshott after seeing some of his mark making for the fairly sporadic, yet fairly fantastic - MEAT MAGAZINE. His illustrations are often playful, rough and extremely intricate which made him the perfect candidate for a playful poem for our next issue called 'LBR8' by Kelcey Wells. Peep the amalgamation of letters that make up DAVIDSPARSHOTT.COM for more of his montagery fun and games.

[ STORYTELLING LAUREATE?? ]
February 18th

Hello Storytellers.

It pains me that I only just heard of this - clearly if you're looking for current news in the world of storytelling, Popshot is not the place to be. However, it is well worth mentioning that the art of storytelling now has a new face in the form of the rather eccentric looking Taffy Thomas - the UK Storytelling Laureate as of last month. Carol Ann Duffy - eat your heart out of it's cage.
Here's an ARTICLE The Guardian wrote about him back in November. Like I said, on the pulse...

[ POETRY. IT'S NOT JUST FOR... ]
February 16th

Hello Prophets.

We're currently in the process of putting together our third issue of Popshot - The Liberate Issue - but are wanting to enlist your creative assistance. Each issue we have a quote that starts with 'Poetry. It's not just for...'
For Issue Two we had THIS ONE and now we're trying to think up some new ideas for the forthcoming one. The winning suggestion will get a free copy of The Liberate Issue and global fame. Please send us your suggestions to submit@popshotpopshot.com or post them on our FACEBOOK WALL. We've already had an onslaught from the sublime to the ridiculous but the more we get, the merrier the magazine. Get your ideas in by February 28th at the latest. Peace and pancake day.

[ STACK MAGAZINES ]
February 14th

Hello valentines.

If you were foolish enough to think print is dead, here is yet another reason to show that it is still very much alive. I've been meaning to post a small something about the revelation of STACK MAGAZINES for a while and Valentine's Day seems all too good an opportunity to spread the magazine love. In layman's terms, Stack is a delivery service that collates some of the finest independently made magazines and each month delivers them straight to your door. A fairly normal concept except that every month you receive a different magazine. There are a whole host of carefully selected magazines on the Stack list so although you won't necessarily know what it may be, you will know it will be a beautifully compiled piece of magazine glory. It is a champion for independent publishing and a beautiful take on the THREADLESS T-Shirt subscription idea.
So if you love the world of independent magazines and think print is the best thing invented since trees, consider a subscription to STACK MAGAZINES. Adieu.

[ JULES JULIEN ]
February 11th

Hello birthing pools.

It's come to that time where it's most likely a good idea to start rolling out some of our illustrators that are currently using all manner of materials to begin illustrating the poems for Issue 3. First up are the leftfield workings of JULES JULIEN - a Parisien illustrator who has done work for such institutions as Diesel, Cartier and the extremely esteemed WAD Magazine. He'll be the one illustrating one of the poems for the upcoming Liberate issue called 'Head Space' by Miriam Nash. If you take a look at his work, you might see why we chose him for a poem with such a name.

[ CLINIC PRESENTS...MAGIC ]
February 5th

Hello steriles.

Popshot blog regulars will no doubt already know of the progressively growing monster that is CLINIC. We've mentioned them a few times and for good reason. However, if you're not familiar, then you ruddy should be. They're about to put on their next night of poetry and art goodness in less than a weeks time, on the theme of Magic. Check the flyer above for more details then go and hotskip towards their internet website for all the CLINIC goodness you could hope for. Peace and medical equipment.

[ BANG GOES WEEKLY ]
February 3rd

Hello pellets.

We haven't talked of Borough's finest poetry night - BANG SAID THE GUN - for a little while but since a fair few things have been going on in their neck of the forest, it's probably worth a re-mention. They recently went from being a monthly oddity to a weekly fix, which basically means you can be 4 times happier than you could be before. You don't get odds like that everyday. Not only that, but they are also getting in some gobsmackingly revered poets on the performance poetry circuit. Check the flyer for namedrops.

Their next night is tomorrow night so if you have an evening to yourself or anyone else for that matter, it comes in highly recommended to pop your clogs down to The Roebuck, SE1. Check their blog for goings on and slightly bizarre updates.

[ DONE, DUSTED AND POLISHED ]
February 1st

Hello short months.

So here is where we greet a gentle goodbye to poetry submissions for another few months. It's always with a great sense of glee that we wave the merry ship of submissions off and can stop reading poems for a little while. As always, thank you so much to everyone who submitted their poetry over the last 3 months. We had more submissions than ever before and the quality of poetry submitted was significantly better yet again, which made it even harder to judge which poems deserved to be in there and which ones didn't. Sorry if your poem didn't make it but it will have been up against stiff competition. So all 24 selected poems have now been shipped out to our 24 disgustingly talented illustrators and the ball continues to roll towards the grand creation of Issue 3. Good times.

[ NOBROW COMPETITION ]
January 28th

Hello hide and seeks.

Just got wind that independent publishing platform for illustration - NOBROW PRESS - are looking for illustration submissions to create a new book on the theme of 'People I've Never Met & Conversations I've Never Had'. If you haven't heard of them, go check them out and heavily consider sending in something on the theme before February 15th.
CLICK HERE for details of it all and if you're feeling the good stuff, get involved.

[ LIT FUSE ]
January 27th

Hello wicks and wax.

Remember Fuselit Magazine, the pocket sized and handmade literary arts magazine that publishes poetry, short fiction and art work? If you don't, a small amount of acquaintation may be in order.
I recently got word from one of its meet the makers, Jon Stone, that they have just launched an independent press on the side, rather appropriately called Sidekick Books. They have two micro anthologies available so far with some of the poetry underground's biggest stars. Go give it your attention and should you feel compelled to buy a copy, don't resist the urge. Postage is freeeeeee.

[ LIBERATE! ]
January 25th

Hello sock droppers.

This is a small reminder to let you know that poetry submissions for our third issue on the theme of 'Liberate' close in under one week. The deadline is January 31st at the 24th hour. We recommend you don't leave it quite that late but won't punish you if you do. Remember, poems have to be under 25 lines and related to the theme. So if you think you have some words that might expand the mind and liberate the soul - send them to us pronto.

[ THE THREE STIGMATA OF PACMAN ]
January 22nd

Hello crosses.

Just got this through from London's very own poetry hero - ROSS SUTHERLAND. Not only was he recently featured in an article in THE INDEPENDENT whereby he taught a journalist how to be a peformance poet, he's also holding down a one man show throughout January, rather intriguingly named 'The Three Stigmata of Pacman'. If anything you should get down just to find out what on earth could warrant a title such as that. Check the flyer above then CLICK HERE to see it in big and detailed.

[ JOHN RYAN SOLIS ]
January 21st

Hello ephemerals.

Time to slowly show off another of our illustrators from the last issue - JOHN RYAN SOLIS.
Hailing from New York, he has a rather nifty habit of drawing girls, hair and animals, often morphed together but never showing the girls face. He illustrated the poem 'Girls Like This', a stream of consciousness that articulated the facelessness and emptiness of one night stands. How fitting.

[ THE OBSERVER ]
January 18th

Hello thins.

Although this is too late to be a warning and there is now nothing you can do about it, just to let you know we were featured in yesterdays (Sunday 17th) Observer. We were in The Observer Woman Magazine, which was themed 'The Cool Issue' and were one of the tipped new cool things for 2010. And much as you may protest, who are we to argue?

"Poetry," screams the first page of fanzine Popshot. "It's not just for tweed jackets." Oh yes? This is a sensitively illustrated and thick-paged fanzine of poems to concentrate on. "Do not read this if you need the toilet," advises the 22-year old editor, Jacob Denno. "Poetry is an art form that needs complete attention."
So despite being described as a fanzine on a couple of occasions, jolly good show all round.

[ ELLE/IL ]
January 16th

Hello phillipines.

Found this article in ELLE MAGAZINE the other day. First Vogue, now Elle - is womens fashion starting to find solace in the eloquent stock rooms of poetry? If you want to read the article, CLICK HERE to see it bigger.
On a final note, if you live in the Phillipines and visit this website everyday - why not buy a copy of Popshot?

[ OFF MODERN ]
January 13th

Hello ancients.

Tomorrow night we're going to be at this event at Corsica Studios in Elephant & Castle, sitting at a frosty stall selling (or not selling) copies of Popshot at a greatly reduced price. AMELIA'S MAGAZINE are also going to be there along with a host of zinemakers. Then it will all disperse and turn into a drunken furor that no doubt will end messily. It's being held by the lovely souls at OFF MODERN who put on nights like this every month. Go check them out and tell them they're great.

We'll be selling copies at £4 each instead of the usual £6. Get there before 10pm and entry is freeee. See you there.

[ WE HEART 2010 ]
January 11th

Hello recovery positions.

I was asked by the delightful James Davidson of WE HEART to compile a small list of people and things that I thought were going to stand out in the 2010 world of poetry and illustration. I chose 7 things that you can go and cast your eye over and either completely agree with or spit out your tea at. I would prefer the former but if it has to be the latter, make sure you're well away from soft furnishings at the time. You can read the specific article in all its rambling glory - HERE.
Thanks to James for the chance to spend a Sunday afternoon musing over the coming year and go bookmark WE HEART - it's bloody brilliant.

[ OUT TO LUNCH ]
January 9th

Hello elbows on the table.

This update is entirely copy and paste. If you think this is a copout, go buy your grandmother some eggs. Thank you.

Inspired by the crafty resourcefulness of the Black Market and a cult tv show about a dusty bookshop and a taciturn, alcoholic Irishman, trans in association with the Black Market, present a new, grass-roots book fair. With a cacophony of stalls manned by book-sellers, zine writers and literary enthusiasts and an afternoon of word-based entertainment, Black Books is a revival and a celebration of the multiplicities of language and printed word. Stalls will include new and secondhand books, zines, rare books & antiquities, comicbooks, magazines, papers and children’s literature.

So go and have a hoke through some dusty old books sitting side by side with cutting edge writing from both the local and international avant-garde. Readings, spoken word performances, DIY publishing workshop and zine-related film screenings in the Black Box Café throughout the day. To find out the necessary details go have a hoopla at the OUT TO LUNCH FESTIVAL website.

[ MAGIC ]
January 7th

Hello rabbits in hats.

Welcome to a demonstration in the power of nature, my snowflaked friends. It appears a few inches of white powder has the tremendous ability to throw an entire nation into absolute chaos and the whole charade has already been dubbed 'Frozen Britain'. Strangely, despite the apparent millions of pounds being lost in the economy over the next few days, everyone is a whole load more friendly when the ground is white. So that above all can only be dubbed 'Good News'. Heres some more good news...I mentioned before the youthful poetry and art collective - CLINIC - who held a night called 'Fear' a few weeks ago. Well, it's now time for them to start collating material for their next event:

"Our new theme has been decided. An amalgam of our collective love of all things kitsch and pearlescent, and our longing to use smoke machines for a night has led us to...

/ / / M A G I C / / /

You have until Friday 29th January to conjur, whether it be prose, poetry, illustration or photography. Send all submissions / enquiries / proposals to CLINICPRESENTS@GMAIL.COM. The climax of this brief will be an exhibiton at Clinic Presents on Feb 11th at the Amersham Arms, and a zine which will be sold at the event."

[ POEJAZZI ]
January 4th

Hello zz's.

Poejazzi? Year of the poet? A beautifully designed flyer? What on earth is this?
In short, it's a 12-month programme of events to highlight and celebrate the brilliance of the spoken word and music scene, during which POEJAZZI will team up with many of the UK's foremost live entertainment venues. Confirmed venues so far include the Camden Crawl, the Ministry of Sound, the Southbank Centre, and The Roundhouse. This night is the launch of it and starts with two musicians and two poets - one of whom is the rather quick tounged ALEX GWYTHER whose spoken word masterpiece 'Saturday Night Fever' is well worth listening hard to.

POEJAZZI is presented and promoted by three of the UK's finest performance poets, Joshua Idehen, Musa OkwongaPast and Inua Ellams. One of Inua's poems has already been chosen for our 'Liberate' issue thanks to it being ruddy wonderful, so feel free to trust his judgement. You have 11 days and counting, visit their MYSPACE if you want to know more.

[ RESOLUTION ]
January 2nd

Hello fresh faces.

Welcome then my soft lighted cherubs, to another new year. A fine opportunity to make a selected list of goals that you will of probably forgotten by June. Don't let this put you off though, the fine art of resolution making lies in making few and specific goals. Perhaps my first should be practice what you preach. Many sneer at the mere idea of setting goals although I can't help feeling it's a necessary exercise. Compile away.

You may also of noticed that the website has had a bit of an overhaul and clean up. We hope you like it and it makes getting around and keeping up to date with Popshot goings on, that little bit easier. Trying to make a website work well seems to be yet another fine art but I hope we're not too far off. If anything is blatantly wrong, please do let us know. We've now stuck the blog onto the frontpage so you can keep up with the verbal vomit without having to click any more buttons - we call it effort efficiency.
So happy new year and may it be the best year yet.

THE BLOG OF 2009 >>