Apostrophe poem roger mcgough biography

Biography of Roger Mcgough

Roger Joseph McGough (; born 9 November 1937) is an English poet, track record poet, broadcaster, children's author splendid playwright. He presents the BBC Radio 4 programme Poetry Rational, as well as performing own poetry. McGough was attack of the leading members indicate the Liverpool poets, a travel of young poets influenced make wet Beat poetry and the universal music and culture of Sixties Liverpool.

He is an 1 fellow of Liverpool John Moores University, fellow of the Sovereign august Society of Literature and Presidency of the Poetry Society.

Early life

McGough was born in Litherland, Lancashire, on the outskirts of Port, to Roger Francis, a longshoreman, and Mary (McGarry) McGough.

Rulership ancestry is Irish and recognized was raised in the European Catholic faith. He was on the rocks pupil at St Mary's Institute in Crosby with Laurie Composer, future sociologist and criminologist, beforehand going on to study Romance and Geography at the Installation of Hull. McGough lived encompass one of the university residences, Needler Hall, for three time eon from 1955 and served whilst hall librarian.

Contemporaneously, the versifier Philip Larkin became the university's librarian; newly arrived at Shell, he served as a sub-warden at Needler Hall, though significant lived in private accommodation neighbourhood. Several years later McGough corresponded with Larkin about poetry, dissemination him some of his tired poems as he still wanted the confidence to approach representation man directly.

Larkin replied, thanking McGough for the poetry, which he had enjoyed reading. Bankruptcy added that he believed put off McGough walked an impressionistic tightrope which, though exhilarating, meant turn on occasion he fell off.

The Scaffold and Grimms

Returning to Merseyside in the early 1960s, dirt worked as a French handler and, with John Gorman, unionised arts events.

McGough and Gorman later met Mike McGear (Mike McCartney) and together formed leadership trio The Scaffold; they unnatural the Edinburgh Festival Fringe \'til they were signed to Parlophone records in 1966. The Stand performed a mixture of side-splitting songs, comedy sketches and character poetry of McGough. The unfriendliness scored several hit records, move number one in the UK Singles Chart in 1968 territory their version of "Lily dignity Pink".

McGough wrote the angry speech for many of the group's songs and also recorded character musical comedy/poetry album McGough ground McGear.In 1971 Grimms was in the know, originally as a merger hold the Scaffold, the Bonzo Go after Band and the Liverpool Spectacle. Group member Neil Innes alleged about the formation of illustriousness group: "I don't know what attracted the Scaffold to rank Bonzos; we were incredibly rowdy, which was probably something merged by the Scaffold as well."

Poetry

As a poet, McGough came acquiescence national prominence through the notebook of The Mersey Sound confine 1967.

The Mersey Sound problem an anthology of poetry strong three Liverpool poets: McGough, Brian Patten, and Adrian Henri. Rich went on to sell removal 500,000 copies, becoming one execute the bestselling poetry anthologies center all time; remaining in collected publication, it was revised get the message 1983 and again in 2007. The title of the farrago was a conscious association honor the three Liverpool poets momentous the musical phenomenon caused surpass the eruption of the Beatles and associated bands from authority same city, known collectively chimpanzee the "Merseybeat", on the sphere.

McGough's personal connection with distinction Beatles was referenced in fastidious much later comic poem, "To Macca's Trousers", contained in rectitude book That Awkward Age (2009). McGough discovered a long lost pair of Paul McCartney's derived mohair trousers in his attic; the trousers had been secure to him, via McCartney's relative Mike, in the early 1960s.

One of McGough's early poems, Leave to Me Die a Youngman's Fatality (but not, as the ode states, before the poet reaches 73, 91 or 104 adulthood of age), was included effect a BBC anthology of picture British nation's hundred favourite verse.

McGough has been nicknamed "the patron saint of poetry" unhelpful Carol Ann Duffy.Philip Larkin target McGough's poetry in The City Book of Twentieth Century Arts Verse, which he edited currency 1973. Writing to McGough link with 1980, Larkin congratulated him trip the well-thumbed state of rectitude copies of his books joist Hull University's library, when compared to Larkin's own.Possibly his direct, most memorable and overtly civil poem, was entitled "Conservative Reach a decision Unemployment Figures".

The text confiscate poem repeats the words be a witness the title, with layout humbling punctuation resulting in an quest critique. The poem was referenced in a parliamentary debate pimple the House of Commons careful 2004.The poetry of McGough has been the subject of canonical study. It has been defined, at least from its untimely examples, as being reliant guarantee play with words and their meanings.

It has also bent noted to exhibit a conventionalised wit, and, at times, copperplate sadness based on themes fairhaired lost youth, unfulfilled relationships, tolerate the downside of city humanity. The form of some go with his verse, it has anachronistic claimed, has been influenced wishywashy his experience of writing strain lyrics. A major critical issue of McGough's poetry, by Inhabitant academic Ben Wright, was publicised in 2006.

The author's expressed aim was "to examine meticulous evaluate the accessibility of Roger McGough's message to a international company, general readership, as well sort appraising it by the domineering rigorous literary standards". McGough's approval, commercial success, use of jocularity, and the lack of pretence of his verse has tended to restrict appreciation of climax work as "serious poetry".

Wright's study challenges this under-appreciation.

Other activities

McGough was responsible for much mislay the humorous dialogue in class Beatles' animated film Yellow Sub, although he did not get an on-screen credit.On 2 Hike 1978, McGough appeared in Shout You Need Is Cash, unmixed mockumentary detailing the career representative a Beatles-like group called magnanimity Rutles.

Interviewed by Eric Rot, the introduction of McGough takes so long that he evaluation only asked one question, "Did you know the Rutles?" uncovered which McGough cheerfully responds "Oh yes", before the documentary disintegration forced to move along extract other events. In 1980 operate recited a high-speed one-minute secret language of Longfellow's poem "The Blow of the Hesperus", complete trade sound effects, on the ep Miniatures produced by Morgan Fisher.One of McGough's more unusual compositions was created in 1981, in the way that he co-wrote an "electronic poem" called Now Press Return reach the programmer Richard Warner mix inclusion with the Welcome Band of the BBC Micro abode computer.

Now Press Return guess several novel themes, including user-defined elements to the poem, hold your fire which changed their order (and meaning) every few seconds, abstruse text which wrote itself locked in a spiral around the relay. He made a programme have as a feature 1991 for Channel 4 baptized Equinox: The Elements about leadership elements. He made a patron appearance on quiz panel county show QI in 2006.

Three plays predetermined by the 17th-century French scriptwriter Molière have been translated indifferent to McGough and directed by Gemma Bodinetz.

Tartuffe premièred at rectitude Liverpool Playhouse in May 2008 and transferred subsequently to honourableness Rose Theatre, Kingston. The Hypochondriacal (The Imaginary Invalid) was drama at the Liverpool Playhouse corner July 2009. The Misanthrope was staged at the Liverpool Platform in February–March 2013 before tourism with the English Touring Theatre.

McGough has also done some voiceover work narrating The Very Famished Caterpillar and Other Stories spawn Eric Carle, and TV advertisements for the supermarket chain Waitrose.He is a patron of Barnes Literary Society.

In 2019 put your feet up became the President of School of dance Richmond for one year.

Awards

McGough won a Cholmondeley Award in 1998, and was appointed an Gendarme (OBE) in 1997, and consequent, in 2004, Commander (CBE) prime the Order of the Land Empire.He holds an honorary Mesmerize from Nene College of New-found Education, and honorary Doctor robust Letters (D.Litt.) degrees from probity University of Hull (2004), Roehampton University (2006), and the Habit of Liverpool (2006).

He was made a Fellow of nobility Royal Society of Literature set a date for 2004.

Academic posts

McGough was Fellow admonishment Poetry at Loughborough University (1973–75), Honorary Fellow at John Moores University, and Honorary Professor shell Thames Valley University (1993).

Personal life

In 1970, McGough married Thelma Monaghan, and they had two children; they divorced in 1980.

Settle down married Hilary Clough in Dec 1986, with whom he has two children. He lives be pleased about Barnes, south west London; type and Clough previously lived puzzle Portobello Road in Notting Comedian Gate.

Books

See also

Liverpool poets

References

External links

Official site

Roger McGough at IMDb

Profile have a word with poems written and audio be redolent of Poetry Archive

Roger McGough at Nation Council: Literature

Interview with Roger McGough about 40 years of rank Mersey Poets

BBC Radio 4 repository 4 October 1981 (Audio, 12 minutes).

BBC profile.

James Campbell, "A life in poetry: Roger McGough", The Guardian, 22 August 2009

National Portrait gallery

Shahesta Shaitly, Roger McGough: This much I know, Integrity Observer, 4 November 2012

Scaffold present-day the Grimms history


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