Graham Fulton
Encyclopedia
History as Poet
Graham Fulton (born 8 January 1959) is a poet from Scotland. He's been writing and performing poetry
since 1987 when he first attended a writers' group run by poet Tom Leonard
in Paisley, which also included Jeff Torrington
, Brian Whittingham
and Suhayl Saadi
, and was a founder member of the influential Itinerant Poets performance and publishing group, which featured Jim Ferguson, Ronald McNeil and Bobby Christie. They produced
the Tower of Babble pamphlet in 1987.
His first major collection of poems Humouring the Iron Bar Man, was published by Polygon in 1990. Further collections include This (Rebel Inc, 1993), Knights of the Lower Floors (Polygon, 1994) and Ritual Soup and other liquids (Mariscat Press, 2002). He was joint winner of the prestigious Scotia Bar First of May Poetry Prize in the 1990s, and was an editorial board member of the West Coast Magazine
which featured up and coming writers of the time including Irvine Welsh
(short fiction). His work has appeared in numerous literary publications in both the UK and US, and has been broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland and Scottish Television. He has been the recipient of three Scottish Arts Council bursaries.
Later publications include a sequence about the Glasgow underground called Inner Circle (2008), Found Objects: a CD of photographs (2008), Suspect Novelties: order, chaos, the whole etc. (2009), Pocket Fugues (2009) and twenty three umbrellas (2009) which have all been produced by his own imprint Controlled Explosion Press which he established in 2008. These limited editions are often handmade and experimental in nature and combine poetry, photography and illustration.
Publications in 2010 were Unsaved Messages and twenty three buildings (both from Controlled Explosion Press) and Black Motel/The Man who Forgot How to which was launched by award-winning Roncadora Press in October 2010 and features monotype illustrations by artist Hugh Bryden. A major collection called Open Plan about working in an office was published in February 2011 by Smokestack Books. He also found a publisher for his father's World War 2 diaries, A Waggoner's War by Fergus Fulton, which was produced by Woodfield Publishing in May 2011. The Ruin of Poltalloch, a new chapbook about the Mid Argyll seat of the Malcolm family combining poetry and photographs, was published in June 2011.
The Zombie Poem, about attending the casting for new zombie movie epic World War Z which was partly filmed
in Glasgow, was published in October 2011. A major full-length collection Full Scottish Breakfast was published in November 2011 by Red Squirrel Press. New collections Equal Night and Upside Down Heart (featuring illustrations by artist Becky Bolton) are awaiting publication from Salmon Poetry from Ireland and Controlled Explosion Press. Brian Wilson in Swansea Bus Station is to be published by Red Sqiurrel Press, possibly in 2013.
He's read his poems live from Los Angeles in the US to Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow to the Morden Tower
in Newcastle.
Personal Life and Early Career
Graham Fulton was born in Hampton, England. He moved to Paisley
with
his mother and father, Jessie and Fergus, and older brother Gordon
in 1963. He attended Ralston Primary School and Camphill Secondary School
in Paisley. After school he studied Art and Design at Cardonald College
in Glasgow. He was also one of the writers with punk Fanzine Stagnant Pool of Disease
whose main editor Tommy Cherry went on to form cult Scottish rock band The Bachelor
Pad. Graham Fulton got a job as a Technician with Renfrew District Council in 1981.
A job which lasted 30 years. He used to run marathons. He used to play the drums. He is the great-grandson of Alexander McLardie
who played professional football with Abercorn, St. Mirren and Burnley. He married Helen Nathaniel, originally from Swansea, in 2006. They live in Paisley. Helen's uncle was Deke Layne, Welsh musician/singer/songwriter, who produced two singles on the Fontana label in the 1960s.
Graham Fulton (born 8 January 1959) is a poet from Scotland. He's been writing and performing poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
since 1987 when he first attended a writers' group run by poet Tom Leonard
Tom Leonard
Tom Leonard or Thomas Leonard may refer to:*Tom Leonard *Tom Leonard , Fianna Fáil politician from Dublin, Ireland*Tom Leonard , Scottish poet*Thomas J...
in Paisley, which also included Jeff Torrington
Jeff Torrington
Jeff Torrington was a novelist from Glasgow in Scotland.His novels draw on the changing face of modern Scotland. Swing Hammer Swing was set during the demolition of the old Gorbals. It took 30 years to write. The Devil's Carousel drew on the decline of a fictionalised version of the...
, Brian Whittingham
Brian Whittingham
Brian Whittingham is a Scottish writer, editor and lecturer on creative writing.-Early life and career:Brian Whittingham was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1950. He lived in a council tenement in Drumchapel until the early 1970s....
and Suhayl Saadi
Suhayl Saadi
Suhayl Saadi is a physician, author and dramatist based in Glasgow, Scotland. His varied literary output includes novels, short stories, anthologies of fiction, song lyrics, plays for stage and radio theatre, and wisdom pieces for The Dawn Patrol, the Sarah Kennedy show on BBC Radio...
, and was a founder member of the influential Itinerant Poets performance and publishing group, which featured Jim Ferguson, Ronald McNeil and Bobby Christie. They produced
the Tower of Babble pamphlet in 1987.
His first major collection of poems Humouring the Iron Bar Man, was published by Polygon in 1990. Further collections include This (Rebel Inc, 1993), Knights of the Lower Floors (Polygon, 1994) and Ritual Soup and other liquids (Mariscat Press, 2002). He was joint winner of the prestigious Scotia Bar First of May Poetry Prize in the 1990s, and was an editorial board member of the West Coast Magazine
West Coast Magazine
West Coast Magazine . was a 3 times a year Scottish literary publication consisting of poetry, short fiction, articles, essays and reviews. Founding editors were Gordon Giles, Kenny MacKenzie and Joe Murray. The proof issue appeared in October 1987 and contained some articles and poems that did not...
which featured up and coming writers of the time including Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh
Irvine Welsh is a contemporary Scottish novelist, best known for his novel Trainspotting. His work is characterised by raw Scottish dialect, and brutal depiction of the realities of Edinburgh life...
(short fiction). His work has appeared in numerous literary publications in both the UK and US, and has been broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland and Scottish Television. He has been the recipient of three Scottish Arts Council bursaries.
Later publications include a sequence about the Glasgow underground called Inner Circle (2008), Found Objects: a CD of photographs (2008), Suspect Novelties: order, chaos, the whole etc. (2009), Pocket Fugues (2009) and twenty three umbrellas (2009) which have all been produced by his own imprint Controlled Explosion Press which he established in 2008. These limited editions are often handmade and experimental in nature and combine poetry, photography and illustration.
Publications in 2010 were Unsaved Messages and twenty three buildings (both from Controlled Explosion Press) and Black Motel/The Man who Forgot How to which was launched by award-winning Roncadora Press in October 2010 and features monotype illustrations by artist Hugh Bryden. A major collection called Open Plan about working in an office was published in February 2011 by Smokestack Books. He also found a publisher for his father's World War 2 diaries, A Waggoner's War by Fergus Fulton, which was produced by Woodfield Publishing in May 2011. The Ruin of Poltalloch, a new chapbook about the Mid Argyll seat of the Malcolm family combining poetry and photographs, was published in June 2011.
The Zombie Poem, about attending the casting for new zombie movie epic World War Z which was partly filmed
in Glasgow, was published in October 2011. A major full-length collection Full Scottish Breakfast was published in November 2011 by Red Squirrel Press. New collections Equal Night and Upside Down Heart (featuring illustrations by artist Becky Bolton) are awaiting publication from Salmon Poetry from Ireland and Controlled Explosion Press. Brian Wilson in Swansea Bus Station is to be published by Red Sqiurrel Press, possibly in 2013.
He's read his poems live from Los Angeles in the US to Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow to the Morden Tower
Morden Tower
The Morden Tower in Back Stowell Street on the West Walls of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade 1 listed building. For the last 45 years Connie Pickard has been custodian of Morden Tower, and has made it a key fixture of Newcastle's alternative cultural life...
in Newcastle.
Personal Life and Early Career
Graham Fulton was born in Hampton, England. He moved to Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
with
his mother and father, Jessie and Fergus, and older brother Gordon
in 1963. He attended Ralston Primary School and Camphill Secondary School
in Paisley. After school he studied Art and Design at Cardonald College
in Glasgow. He was also one of the writers with punk Fanzine Stagnant Pool of Disease
whose main editor Tommy Cherry went on to form cult Scottish rock band The Bachelor
Pad. Graham Fulton got a job as a Technician with Renfrew District Council in 1981.
A job which lasted 30 years. He used to run marathons. He used to play the drums. He is the great-grandson of Alexander McLardie
Alexander McLardie
Alexander McLardie was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a centre forward. He was part of the Abercorn F.C side that won the Renfrewshire Challenge Cup...
who played professional football with Abercorn, St. Mirren and Burnley. He married Helen Nathaniel, originally from Swansea, in 2006. They live in Paisley. Helen's uncle was Deke Layne, Welsh musician/singer/songwriter, who produced two singles on the Fontana label in the 1960s.
External links
- Graham Fulton, Poem: Humouring the Iron Bar Man
- Graham Fulton website www.grahamfulton-poetry.com