Chapter One of The Punk Poet

Chapter One

On the morning of Christmas Day 2007 I woke up alone in a freezing cold house.

Three years earlier I had woken up next to a warm naked body, a beautiful blonde with a heart of gold and a bum that most women would die for.
The house was full of noise and laughter as our three kids called for us to watch them open their presents.
This time the bed was cold and empty and the house was silent. For the first time in my life I was alone on Christmas morning.
What could I do?
What did I do?

I could of swallowed a handful of tablets and emptied a bottle of Vodka down my neck, but I didnt.
I put on a Christmas album and started writing this book.

The sentimental slushy `Lonely This Christmas` by 70`s glam rockers Mud brought a tear to my eye, but Fairytale Of New York by The Pogues inspired me.
As I said earlier, I`ve always been attracted to rebels and preferred the teachings of Ziggy Stardust and Johnny Rotten to Jesus Christ.

Shane McGowan is my kind of rebel. A true punk and a real poet. When he sung the line "I could of been some-one" he seemed to be talking to me. His words spurred me on. I started writing this book and knew I had the strength to fight on.

I was `some-one`once and knew I could be again. I was proud to be The Punk Poet and be feted in the music press as a voice of the streets.

I left school with no qualifications - not even a English O`Level - yet I still consider myself a man of words - even a philosopher.
Groups from all over the world have sought me out on MySpace and turned my poems into rock songs.
Bands like The Business, Maninblack, Klasse Krimale and Insane Society. I am honoured and flattered.
Steve Whale called me "a genuine punk poet" and that makes me feel proud - almost as proud as I am of being a devoted dad.

My children mean the whole world to me and for that I was locked up in a top security prison, betrayed by my wife, abused by the system - but they couldnt break me.
As always I bounced back. I am proud of myself again and at last I can look myself in the mirror without feeling weak or worthless.
I have an inner strength that I didnt know I had.

And just like Chumbawumba sung "I get knocked down but I get up again, you aint ever gonna keep me down"

Two phrases are lodged in my brain "What goes round comes around" and "Never forgive and never forget".
I hope my enemies are reading this.

I once sung "Deadend Yobs got football, boxing or rock `n`roll - if there any good at to save `em from the dole"
And that`s a fact of life. They`ve also got crime. I was a bona-fide deadend yob from the arse-end of Hackney.
I tried and failed at all four and sadly now you can now add marraige to that list of shame.

My nickname is `The Nearly Man`.

Football, Boxing, Rock `n`roll, Marraige - I did my best but it werent good enough..

As for crime, well I gave it my best shot. I was out of control as a kid and fearless as a spotty teenager. but I wasnt very good and kept getting caught.
I did time in various Remand Homes, Detention Centres and Borstal and did it standing on my head.
No problem, no regrets. But at Eighteen I developed a social conscience, I decided crime does not pay for a reason. It is wrong.

Truth is, crime is a `mugs game` unless your a Ace Face or a Mister Big at the top of the food chain.
I know it`s not politically correct but I still sort of admire The Kray Twins and The Great Train Robbers.
I truly believe that Freddie Foreman is one of the greatest ever Englishmen. He is up there with Winston Churchill when it comes to leadership and loyalty. And Dave Courtney is a genuine loveable rogue and one of the most charismatic people I have ever met.
But at the same time I hate muggers, rapists, burglars, child abusers, wife-beaters and petty criminals.
When it comes to crime I suppose I`m a bit of a snob. I love genuine gangsters and colourful characters.
I`m a sucker for the Arthur Daleys of this world be they real-life or fictional.

So this is my autobiograhy. It grew out of a suicide note and the need to know why my wife left me for former pimp and pervert Richard Grimson.

What did she see in this fat tub of lard who sold women for sex and violently threatened and verbally sexually abused innocent children?

I wrote this book because I wanted the answers to every question. The Punk Poet started life UNDER ANOTHER NAME - The Banned Book - that was for legal reasons part novel whereas as this is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
I can speak out because in March 2009 at The High Court all reporting restrictions were lifted by Lord Justice Munby.