Punk Site Poetry With Cherry B: In Bed With John Peel

Our punked up pumped up performance poet, who has been described as the The Punk Pam Ayers and The Cockney Cooper Clarke, has returned with In Bed With John Peel, her latest exclusive poem for The Punk Site. Cherry B straddles the Shakespeare themes of comedy and tragedy, teasing with laughter, then taunting those undesirables in society. One half of the unique Cherry & Peesh, who have embellished the punk ‘n folk scene with melodical tales and catchy tunes for the past four years. Travelling all over the country, performing at prestige gigs and festivals. Author, writer, poet, psychotherapist, professional swearer, dyspraxic and opinionated, words that define and illuminate qualities that feature within the personality of Cherry B.

“I wrote this last week to coincide with playing at The John Peel Centre with Attila the Stockbroker on Thursday. It’s a beautiful building in Stowmarket run by his widow, fantastic place to play. There is a consensus for people over a certain age, who like alternative music to be influenced by John Peel. For all he did, in encouraging and promoting music.” (Cherry B)

This is the 14 year old me,

Awkward anxious, with no TV.

Where I’d hide in my room writing a song

It was the place I felt I could belong.

 I always had my radio blaring

And the black clothes that I was wearing.

I discovered a DJ that inspired and promoted

New styles of music, that I quickly noted.

A new routine was now on my heel

I rushed home to be in bed with John Peel.

New music, from bands I’d never heard

Rejecting popular hits, Is what I preferred

I heard of people like Robert Wyatt

I wanted the record so I’d go and buy it

Echo And The Bunnymen I’d recite at school

But they weren’t impressed, so I was never cool

I hated the charts and it’s mass appeal

I just wanted to be in bed with John Peel

I went to school with a new vocabulary

Made other kids my new adversary

Cos I knew of music out of their reach

That no school could ever teach

That gave inspiration and made things real

That’s why I was always, in bed with John Peel

There was Aztec Camera, Bauhaus, The Fall

Birthday Party and Danse Society, just a few I recall.

Each different tune that turned me on

Like my ears to mainstream had truly gone.

I had my own secret club, I was the only member

Non of my peers would listen, that’s what I remember

For once in my life, it was music I could truly feel

That’s why I was always in bed with John Peel.

Cherry B‘s collection of poetry and lyrics, Job Lot Of Rhymes, is now available via Flapjack Press. Job Lot Of Rhymes spans three decades of Cherry B’s performance work. Political, societal and inclusive, it is uncompromising and passionate punk ’n roll poetics firing from the belly of social conscience. Cherry B also appears on her monthly radio show on Totally Wired Radio, Poetry Is The New Rock ’N Roll, that offers an hour of lyric led, spoken versed, genre smashing, musical adventure into the exploration of hidden poetry, that is often camouflaged behind powerful rhythms and riffs. Named after one of their own songs, Cherry & Peesh will travel through the decades and diverse styles to discuss and dissect the meaning of rhyme as reflected by songwriters.