For three years my partner, Jorge Betancourt, and I had a clothes shop on Old Compton Street, Soho called Dirty White Boy (just below a rather popular brothel).
Between serving sugar daddies and rent boys, I wrote a rather rambling blog about Soho which, much to my surprise, those lovely people at Cleis Press have decided to publish, thereby ruining their reputation forever (release date Nov '08).
The book is entitled Dirty White Boy: Tales of Soho and for the price of a cheap cocktail you can order it now from Amazon.
‘Original anecdotes and real life stories told with a Hogarthian incisiveness – a sort of unofficial tourist guide evoking a vivid portrait of an area that is like no other.’ (West End Extra)
‘A collection of witty and piquant vignettes.’ (The London Paper)
‘His book is not sensationalist, but neither does he shirk from airing dirty laundry: he is not writing for the tourists…Dirty White Boy is a warts’n’all year of seedy beauty, faded glamour and real danger….It is honest: writing without preconceptions, Clayton stayed true to himself, and so his book stays true to Soho.’ (reFresh magazine)
‘As evocative in it's own way as Isherwood's take on that other sin bin, the Berlin of the 1920's...probably the best book about one section of Soho life...a twenty first century love story to Soho.' (Clarion magazine)
'When writers try to make art that is universal and not personal they always fail - it’s being personal which makes it universal in the end. Clayton Littlewood’s book is tender, warm and full of humanity. Soho is like an upturned dustbin and he like a drunk rummaging through it. He shows us all that glitters is not gold. And all that smells is not garbage. ' (Sebastian Horsley, author of Dandy in the Underworld)
'Your book is not nearly as bad as I was hoping you cunt.' (Sebastian Horsley)
'Like the queer descendant of Samuel Pepys, Clayton Littlewood captures the day-to-day drama of his London in all of its demented glory.' (Michael Thomas Ford, author of Alec Baldwin Doesn’t Love Me and Last Summer)
'Clayton Littlewood recreates the real Soho, from its beauty to its underbelly…insightful, humorous, heartbreaking.’ (Arthur Wooten, author of On Picking Fruit and Fruit Cocktail)
'A hilarious and poignant fly-on-the-wall view of Soho. Clayton Littlewood is the wisest fly you will ever meet.' (Josh Kilmer-Purcell, author of I Am Not Myself These Days)
And you can read excerpts in The London Paper (click below). Soho Stories
Oh and if you click below you can hear my podcasts.
Or click down here instead. I thank you.
....
Who I'd like to meet:
Here is a quick clip from my first book reading at the Between the Covers literary event that was held in Soho recently. The character of 'Leslie' is played by the very talented Mr Benson (see my Top Friends list).
Oh and here's a bit about me...
Clayton Littlewood grew up in sunny Weston-Super-Mare and moved to London in his teens to join a band called Spongefinger as the lead singer. After being rejected by every record company in the UK (and many in the US), Clayton turned to pirate radio, hosting a comedy show where he posed as a female West Country aromatherapist by the name of Doctor Bunty. This led to an MA in Film and Television and writing a tv comedy script, which inspired one agent to say 'This is the most disgusting piece of filth we've ever read. Don't ever contact us again.'
Clayton's latest incarnations have been running the shop Dirty White Boy in Soho with his partner Jorge, writing the Soho Stories column for The London Paper and being a regular contributor to BBC Radio (although I suppose I should add I have now been escorted from the building on two occassions for saying rude words).
Apologies for being spammy, but just to let you know that myself and
the Pope proudly announce the release of my second album, Murder Music,
out now on Cherryade Records.
"Prepare
yourself to be modestly outraged - McCabe is kicking against the
pricks, and declaring homosexual cliche's bankrupt" - Artrocker
"If you like punk, you'll love this. If you're queer and like punk,
you'll spunk your pants. Ste McCabe is authentic and brilliant." - Boy
George
me neither! finished it a few years ago (was there when you were finishing yours actually!) the whole thing was a bit of a joke I agree and put me off from studying anything else...
Lol shame on you!!! :) But I trust that the lack of mel-love indicates that somebody has been very busy? :) I hope so Clay, you really deserve it!
Things are going well, just working hard... this year has been a funny one, had it's ups and downs!
Would love to come and see you sometime! I did actually try to stop by the shop one time but got there and it had closed... :( I was quite upset, I can tell how much you loved the place just by your blogs.
Anyway, sorry for the long message, am trying to get it all in :P
I sure am, Clay! It's now holiday time. :) Next (school) term I will help them with the auditioning and Directing of the school play. At least I won't be in charge this time and I can relax. I wrote up a blog about the last few days of our show if you want some light reading in between learning your lines. How are you doing with your anxiety? Just remember not to look at the audience...... This is where it is good to be short sighted....I can't see them so they can't possibly see me. LMAO
Hey Clayton! How are you holding out before your show? Remember to keep breathing..... I have finally finished mine! It took us about 7 hours to put up the stage lights - that was a LONG day.I had expected an audience of maybe 50 of family and friends of the children....we had to put more chairs out...must have had about 100!
Online Now!
