Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Yossarian on October 15, 2011, 08:16:01 AM
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Nicked from The Grauniad (http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/oct/14/benjamin-zephaniah-poet) this morning. Check out about half way down;
Benjamin Zephaniah, 53, was born in Birmingham. He left full-time education at 13 and by 15 was well-known in the area for his dub poetry. At 22, he moved to London and published his first collection, Pen Rhythm. He is current poet-in-residence at Keats House in Hampstead and this year he has published his autobiography, My Story, the non-fiction Kung Fu Trip and a children's book, When I Grow Up. He lives in Lincolnshire.
When were you happiest?
In 1985, in St Elizabeth, Jamaica, sitting on the veranda with my grandmother, people-watching, and listening to poetry and local gossip.
What is your greatest fear?
Growing old alone.
What is your earliest memory?
My first day at school. I was trying to be cool and fit in, but my twin sister cried all day.
What was your most embarrassing moment?
Going on Celebrity Mastermind.
Aside from a property, what's the most expensive thing you've bought?
My ex-wife.
What is your most treasured possession?
My body, and my 100-year-old typewriter.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Sometimes I wish I wasn't so recognisable, so I could observe people like I used to.
If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you choose?
The cave lion. I like the idea of a European lion that spends a lot of time indoors because it's chilly outside.
What was the best kiss of your life?
I was at an Aston Villa match and when Villa scored this stranger of a supermodel kissed me. I was waiting for Villa to score again. But we lost.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Juliet Stevenson. She told me she performed one of my poems at an event. Now, if she got the rhythm and flow to do that, she can do me.
What is your most unappealing habit?
I like ironing my socks.
What is the worst thing anyone's said to you?
"I have no choice but to give you a custodial sentence."
Cat or dog?
I don't believe in discrimination when it comes to animals.
To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?
To my mother for having to bail me out when I was young. And the half a crown I took from her purse.
Which living person do you most despise, and why?
Stephen Donald Black. White supremacist, founder of racist website Stormfront, member of US Nazi party and so-called Grand Wizard of the KKK. Do I have to say why?
What is the worst job you've done?
I tested whistles for the police.
What has been your biggest disappointment?
Not having children.
If you could edit your past, what would you change?
The (short) time when I was a bit of a male chauvinist pig.
How often do you have sex?
This is a secret between me and my internet service provider.
What is the closest you've come to death?
In the middle of a shoot-out in a club. I hid in a speaker box. Three bullets hit the box but missed me.
Where would you most like to be right now?
Birmingham. Best city in the country, with the best curries, the best canals, parks, hip-hop and reggae.
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Shame about the "but we lost".
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I got a hand-job in the Witton Lane stand. But there wasn't a game on.
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I got a hand-job in the Witton Lane stand. But there wasn't a game on.
Does doing it yourself count???
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I've been hugged a million times by random strangers when we've scored but only ever been kissed in Villa Park by the wife.
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A big fat beer breath chap with a 3 day bristle on his face gave me a full smacker on the cheek when Zat Knight equalised against Arsenal is the nearest.....
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A big fat beer breath chap with a 3 day bristle on his face gave me a full smacker on the cheek when Zat Knight equalised against Arsenal is the nearest.....
Sorry about that, I got a bit excited!
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Once spent an entire match fondling the young woman who accompanied me to the match - it was great until we scored* - I leapt into the air, my braces twanged and I was left with my obvious arousal exposed!
*We beat Manure 3-2
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I got a hand-job in the Witton Lane stand. But there wasn't a game on.
I recall the headlines ......................... "Percy bashes Bishop in Witton Lane toilets!" :)
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"Aside from a property, what's the most expensive thing you've bought?
My ex-wife".
Legend! :D
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How come Zepheniah is never mentioned as a celebrity fan?? At least he has genuine talent unlike most of the oher tossers who claim Villaship...(NK excluded).
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A big fat beer breath chap with a 3 day bristle on his face gave me a full smacker on the cheek when Zat Knight equalised against Arsenal is the nearest.....
Sorry about that, I got a bit excited!
I didn't say I didn't like it ;)
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I like the idea of a European lion being fussy about the weather.
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Who the hell is Benjamin Zephaniah?
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Who the hell is Benjamin Zephaniah?
He's a poet and you didn't know it.
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Never heard of him either. What is his poems like ?
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All you need to know (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Zephaniah)
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Who the hell is Benjamin Zephaniah?
He's a poet and you didn't know it.
Poet, no wonder I've not heard of him. Is he related to Pam Ayres?
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Who the hell is Benjamin Zephaniah?
I think that's what the kids would call an "epic fail".
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Top guy!
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Who the hell is Benjamin Zephaniah?
I think that's what the kids would call an "epic fail".
Isn't it just?
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More from the man:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/may/18/seven-deadly-sins-zephaniah-villa
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Once with a random hot female stranger.
Many times with women i've been dating at the time.
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Who the hell is Benjamin Zephaniah?
I always fail to see how anyone with access to the internet, as we all must have to post on this forum, needs to ask this question.
Look it up for fucks sake!*insert smiley thing*
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How come Zepheniah is never mentioned as a celebrity fan?? At least he has genuine talent unlike most of the oher tossers who claim Villaship...(NK excluded).
I've seen him mentioned many times as a celebrity fan.
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I got a hand-job in the Witton Lane stand. But there wasn't a game on.
Does doing it yourself count???
larf!
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It sounds a bit conceited for him to say he wishes he wasn't so recognisable.
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A 'passionate' embrace at the Villa:
http://bit.ly/qboMBi
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I love this bloke. Proper Villa ambassador, like Nigel K.
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A big fat beer breath chap with a 3 day bristle on his face gave me a full smacker on the cheek when Zat Knight equalised against Arsenal is the nearest.....
Exactly the same thing happened to me when Gabby scored the winner at West Ham in April!
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It sounds a bit conceited for him to say he wishes he wasn't so recognisable.
A lesson in quoting people out of context.
What he said was that he wishes he wasn't so recognisable because he very rarely gets the chance to observe people going about their day.
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Mr Zephaniah is a top bloke and his thoughts on Villa and being a Villa fan are always worth reading.
Great thread, this. Far more interesting than watching football this season.
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It sounds a bit conceited for him to say he wishes he wasn't so recognisable.
A lesson in quoting people out of context.
What he said was that he wishes he wasn't so recognisable because he very rarely gets the chance to observe people going about their day.
Point stands, if he walked into my local I'd bet I'd be the only one to recognise him....given a hint or two.
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Who the hell is Benjamin Zephaniah?
I always fail to see how anyone with access to the internet, as we all must have to post on this forum, needs to ask this question.
Look it up for fucks sake!*insert smiley thing*
No, can't be arsed. He's a poet, so what. I'm not that bothered in trying to find out anymore about him.
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Who the hell is Benjamin Zephaniah?
I always fail to see how anyone with access to the internet, as we all must have to post on this forum, needs to ask this question.
Look it up for fucks sake!*insert smiley thing*
No, can't be arsed. He's a poet, so what. I'm not that bothered in trying to find out anymore about him.
He's a Villa fan.
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So is everyone on here Leeg but I'm buggered if I want to know their background. Same goes for most of our celeb fans.
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The understandable diddain for 'celeb' fans shouldn't extend to Benjamin as he actually has some discernable talent.
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I got a hand-job in the Witton Lane stand. But there wasn't a game on.
Leicester away in the FA cup 1977 I think, we won 1-0 with Andy Gray scoring the goal. Me and my mates went to the game direct from a party in Didsbury, Manchester. I was 16 at the time, really hung over, felt sick, looked very sick and wished to be anywhere else apart from standing up watching my team such was my state of being.
Mid way through the 2nd half I felt a small hand enter my trouser pocket. I assumed someone was trying to rob me but the hand was a friendly one, very friendly. The presence of the hand took my mind of my current state but I thought it better to look at what was on the end of the hand. It was older than me, female and not what you would describe as pretty. It didn't stare me in the eye but instead looked vacantly into the roof of the aging stand as if inspecting the rivets that secured the metal frame together. As the game went on the hand removed itself from time to time but always returned until a surge in the crowd dispersed me and the surrounding crowd to a different area.
So there I was, unsatisfied and feeling sick once again.