Stewart Home-Rebellion a la mode

Want to turn my attention away from ranting like a lunatic for at least one post and return to a favourite topic of mine, writing. In particular, I'd like to highlight a writer who I think has contributed a great deal to art in general and seems to be totally overlooked by the casual reader-even if he is praised incessantly by critics.

Stewart Home, let's be clear on this to start, is brilliant but also completely mad. He's the author of books such as "69 Things to do with a Dead Princess", "Red London" and the title to remember "Whips & Furs-My life as a bon vivant, gambler & love rat ‘by’ Jesus H. Christ."

If I ever read a title that could infuriate the Catholic Church more, I'll assume Stewart's writing under a pseudonym.

As he has many a time. Home is a cultural commentator and political radical-leaning into the anarchist/left-wing spectrum that I can't pindown. And a very highbrow prankster. For a time, he was the writer in residence at the University of Strathclyde and I'd often sit and listen to his stories of being chased down Brixton by a baying mob for handing out "Necrocards"-a consenting card that your body can be used for sex after death. No, honestly.

Looks like the family rating for this blog just died a death. Stewart paid a now-legendary visit to my club night Cargo and promptly talked about any taboo subject between stories about alien invasion, Marxist prostitutes and the history of funk music. To which the reaction was muted and a little stunned to say the least.

Home is immensely entertaining. He very kindly gave me a bundle of pamphlets he produced (including one which now means I own what is effectively terrorist propaganda, woop de do) and his novel "Down and Out in Shoreditch & Horton" which is great. He's giving readings here and there at the moment, a few discussion panels too and he's the Tate Modern Gallery's writer in residence.

Anyway, he comes recommended by me (and with parental guidance) so go explore his site for good humour, advanced thinking and art criticism like nothing else you've read.

If you're feeling a bit rebellious after reading and aren't too busy burning your local town hall to the ground, check out some books on fatbuddhastore that you might dig.

For anarchic advertisers, this is a great one. I've been flicking through this book in the shop for months now for inspired ideas.

This book covers new wave in all its edge-music=brilliant. legwarmers=bad.

Basquiat is the real counter-culture 70s monster-very influential and I'm sure Mr Home would approve.

Till next week, keep on keeping on. Ciao,

Mark