Billy Childish & CTMF with Johnny Moped - Exclusive Photos by Paul Slattery from Damaged Goods 30th Anniversary Gig

Billy Childish & CTMF at Koko - Photo Copyright Paul Slattery

I thought my Retro Man Blog colleague, Rock photographer Paul Slattery had first started taking pictures of Billy Childish when he was in The Milkshakes back in the early 80's, so did he...! But it took an email from Billy to set the record straight as unknown to Paul at the time, he had actually captured Billy at a historic gig totally by coincidence some years before. I found out more when we both met up with Billy down in the Medway a few years ago for our Retrosonic Podcast special. I started off the interview by asking Paul: "You've photographed Billy on and off for how many years?" Paul replied, "30 years" but Billy interrupted "Oh, don't forget it's actually 37 years". Then Paul explained further, "I've just given him some pictures that I took of the Sex Pistols playing at Brunel University in 1977 which Billy saw on the NME web-site and he said, 'that's me in the front row shouting at Johnny Rotten, have you got any more of those pictures?' So I looked through my negatives and sure enough, I had four shots with Billy in". Indeed, you can clearly see a young Billy Childish down there at the front clutching a monitor as Johnny leans over the audience with Sid looking on. It's a great moment captured for posterity and I can see why Billy was keen to get some copies. Paul has photographed Billy occasionally since The Milkshakes days right up to the cover photo on CTMF's recent single "A Glimpse of Another Time" and he was down the front at the show on September 6th to celebrate Damaged Goods Records 30th anniversary at Koko (or the Music Machine, as it might be better known) with special guests, Johnny Moped.

Billy Childish & CTMF at Koko - Photo Copyright Paul Slattery

Nurse Julie, Billy Childish & CTMF at Koko - Photo Copyright Paul Slattery

Billy Childish & CTMF at Koko - Photo Copyright Paul Slattery

Wolf Howard, Billy Childish & CTMF at Koko - Photo Copyright Paul Slattery

Billy Childish & CTMF at Koko - Photo Copyright Paul Slattery

Billy Childish & CTMF at Koko - Photo Copyright Paul Slattery

Johnny Moped at Koko - Photo Copyright Paul Slattery

Johnny Moped at Koko - Photo Copyright Paul Slattery

Johnny Moped at Koko - Photo Copyright Paul Slattery

Damaged Goods Records continue to celebrate their 30th anniversary with a special 7" Singles Club and more gigs in December at The Lexington including Graham Day & The Gaolers, Holly Golightly, Cyanide Pills and Johnny Moped. For more information, check out the label's web-site here. Don't forget our two-part Retrosonic Podcast special with Damaged Goods boss Ian where he tells us the history of the label and plays a selection of his releases from throughout the years. Then we have our Billy Childish special where Paul and I travelled down to the Medway to chat to Billy about his career and his favourite records which you can listen to or download directly from our Soundcloud site below or subscribe for free at iTunes:

Thanks to Paul Slattery. All photos copyright Paul Slattery 2018.