Clive James & Pete Atkin: Together at Last Again

SHOW DESCRIPTION

Australian humorist, writer and TV critic CLIVE JAMES is best known for his TV appearances and the many books that he has written. But now there's a rare chance to see him - and taste his trademark caustic wit - in the flesh when he takes to the stage.

With over thirty years in the entertainment industry, Clive has seen the world, gathering many stories in the process and he has an art for narrative, as listeners to his recent BBC Radio 2 serialisation of his autobiography Unreliable Memoirs will testify.

Although a familiar face on British television, Clive is less well known for his foray into the music business, but during the 70's, with the help of long-time chum, near-folk-legend, (and now BBC Radio 4 producer) Pete Atkin, he turned his hand to writing song lyrics and together they notched up an impressive six albums. Thirty years later, the internet is largely to thank for the huge, and somewhat surprising revival of interest in these songs. In response, all of the albums have now been re-released and some of their lyrical, emotive songs, performed by Pete Atkin, will make up part of the evening's entertainment.

"The real rapport still between the duo means that the 2002 tour of this perfect remedy to chat show doldrums should be the sell-out that it deserves." The Stage

CLIVE JAMES BIOGRAPHY

Clive James was born in Sydney in 1939 (see his enchanting biography of the early years, Unreliable Memoirs, although strictly factual accounts are not Clive’s style).  He was educated at the University of Sydney, where he was literary editor of Honi Soit and wrote for various university magazines. He was a contemporary of Germaine Greer and Robert Hughes.
 
After graduating, he worked for a time for the Sydney Morning Herald before departing for England in 1962, where he has lived ever since. Clive attended Cambridge University and received a second degree. Since then he has earned his living as a journalist, poet, novelist and reviewer.

Clive James is the author of more than twenty books. As well as three volumes of autobiography, Unreliable Memoirs, Falling Towards England and May Week Was In June, he has published collections of literary criticism, television criticism, verse and travel writing. His most recent novel was The Silver Castle. As a television performer he has appeared regularly for both the BBC and ITV, most notably as writer and presenter of the Postcard series of travel documentaries. He helped to found the independent television production company Watchmaker, and is currently Chairman of the Internet enterprise Welcome Stranger. Summer 2001 saw the publication of two books of his essays, Reliable Essays: The Best of Clive James and Even As We Speak: 1993 - 2001. In 1992 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia, and in 1999 an honorary Doctor of Letters of Sydney University.

PETE ATKIN'S BIOGRAPHY

Pete Atkin is the near-legendary British singer and songwriter who in the early 1970s made six albums of songs demonstrating a rare combination of melodic invention and evocation with lyrics of love and regret, told with ironic humour and acute observation. Pete wrote the music, and Clive James the words. Yes, that Clive James: intellectually brilliant Australian-born poet, novelist, journalist, critic, creator of the Postcard series of travelogues, and TV personality with a passion for the outrageous.

Pete's songs earned him the respect of some of Britain's best rock and jazz session musicians. He was joined in the studio and on tour by a number of them, notably Chris Spedding, Herbie Flowers, Alan Parker, Barry Morgan, Kenny Clare and Ray Cooper, and though remaining virtually unknown to the popular record-buying public he built up a huge following on the UK college circuit. After his sixth album Live Libel, he and Clive abandoned the struggle for fame, and Pete's musical career entered the 'legend' phase, which persists until today. Compilations of his work were released on LP, cassette and CD, but these are now deleted. Pete continued to write, contributing some of his own songs to TV, and after a thorough grounding in light entertainment production for BBC Radio 4 he eventually established himself as Head of Network Radio, South and West. He now works freelance, still mostly in radio production for the Beeb, for whom he created the epic series This Sceptred Isle, written by Christopher Lee and narrated by Anna Massey.

All of Pete's back catalogue (with the exception of one or two tracks) has now been reissued on CD, and Pete has just issued his first new album in 26 years, the 2-CD set The Lakeside Sessions.