Passage of time hasn’t dulled lyrics
DR RICHARD WITTS, reader in sound and music at Edge Hill University and former lead singer of influential Manchester band The Passage, showcases his lyrics in his new book.
The Passage: Post-Punk Poets, which is published by Eyewear Publishing, was launched on Friday, March 17 at The London Review of Books showcase.
It collects the lyrics for the first time, publishing them as poetry.
Actor and producer Graham Duff introduces the book, which also includes an afterword by Richard and rare photographs of the band.
The lyrics revolve around Richard’s poetic exploration of power, fear and love, infused with relentless energy.
Combining hazy visions of an ’80s nightclub at 3am and an unflinching eye for satire and political commentary, they are as pertinent and forceful today as they were during the writer’s post-punk hey days.
“This project is entirely the idea of the distinguished poetry publisher, Todd Swift of Eyewear,” said Richard.
“I wrote the 40 or so lyrics for the post-punk band I was in, between 1979 and 1983, and Todd heard them as poetry.
“To me they have a job to do in association with music, but Todd believes that they have another life – in print.”