Colin Shaddick

Some information about me:My very good friend and mentor, Ken Sprague, well known throughout the political cartoon world as ‘The Peoples Artist’, once said to me – “Not that the Artist is a special kind of [person], but that every [person] who is not a mere idler or parasite, is necessarily some special kind of artist.”I think he was right and I would go further and say that: "FREE SPEECH IS MY RIGHT TO SAY WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR!"I'm COLIN SHADDICK, the artist formally known as Uke Stanza. I'm an "off-kilter, indie folk," poet/singer/songwriter and as far as I'm aware, the first person to name my kind of music, 'innuendocore'.'Innuendocore' was first aired by Rachael Neiman during her radio broadcast (The Rachael Neiman Experience. 87.7 Bailrigg FM) on May 23rd 2006. She had been playing tracks from my CD, 'Pheasants Will Cross the Road.'A quote by ‘Filthy Pedro’, AFUK, sums up my work very well: "... a re-discovery of folk ethics and a reaction against the rigid genre that folk became in the 60s. It's about using whatever you want to tell everyday stories, valuing humour over sorrow, storytelling over technique, and personality over polish."I very often mix poetry and song during my "punk cabaret" act. My work is more suited to an adult audience, as some of my material could be judged as slightly rude and may shock a less than world-wise audience. This strand of my poetry/song usually comments on the potentially embarrassing areas of life the majority of people want to keep to themselves. But of course, these subjects can be very funny!BBC Radio 4 asked me to be interviewed for their superb programme; Ramblings, with Clare Balding. This is what the press had to say:“... an exquisite portrait of an eccentric slice of British life." Radio Times." ... a very tall master of the haiku." The Daily Telegraph.“... a bullet-headed, six-foot five-inch haiku poet." The Observer Magazine.“... an ogre of a man whose thuggish appearance hides the fact that he is a haiku poet of uncommon sensitivity." The Guardian.“... six foot five and built like a rugby player ... uses economical words." The Sunday Telegraph.“... a six-foot five-inch, 18-and-a-half stone, shaven-headed man who keeps being mistaken for a bouncer ... is a haiku poet ... eccentric." The Mail On Sunday.“... finds inspiration in an abandoned truck, its camouflage enhanced by black seaweed... he had the requisite knack of saying less and meaning more.” The Guardian Friday/G2. "“... a shaven-headed tower of a man (again, this being a radio programme, we have to take the physical dimensions on trust) who turns out to be a gentle poet.” The Times Online.Here's how it all started: I first became involved with the jazz/poetry scene in London in the mid to late 60’s. It was a great scene then and luckily enough, poetry has made a resurgence in the last few years. It's great to get two bites of the cherry in one lifetime!I began writing haiku in the 70’s after reading Jack Kerouac's The Dharma Bums. It looked so damned easy! I'm still trying to write a good one!I was one of the first poets to join The British Haiku Society. I have had numerous works published by the BHS, as well as other small magazines.I became involved in the birth of The Plough Poets’ Gallery, in Devon and frequently perform new poetic works there, as well as sing, play guitar, harmonica, ukulele, washboard and kazoo.I also had a short play staged at The Plough Theatre.I regularly perform as part of the poetry/guitar duo, 'Picking Syllables', accompanied by acoustic guitarist Chris Ayliffe. We play at festivals, poetry venues and many pubs throughout the UK.I have been a judge at the Ottakars National Poetry Day competition.In June 2005 I completed a poetry and music tour of Kentucky. I was the guest of Kentucky poet Ron Whitehead and his singer/songwriter wife, Sarah Elizabeth.I am also an illustrator/cartoonist.