PAULO HEWITT CHATS WITH PAUL STAFFORD
Mod fans are in for a treat this September 27th when the one of the most famous Mods of all Paulo Hewitt will be making an appearance at The Aspects Irish Literature Festival. The event which is taking place in The Festival Marquee in The Walled Garden will feature Paolo in conversation with local celebrity hairdresser and well-known Mod Paul Stafford.
Paolo Hewitt is an author, journalist, producer and broadcaster. He has written over twenty books covering music, fashion and football. He is highly regarded by Mod audiences for his writing in the genre, and for Aspects will read from The Sharper Word, a Mod Anthology.
Aged 19, Paolo started work as a journalist at Melody Maker. His beat included bands such as Dexy’s Midnight Runners, the Special, Madness, The Jam and American r’n’b, both old and new. In 1983 he published his first book, The Jam: A Beat Concerto and moved to NME. Within a year he was writing mainly about the emerging Hip Hop scene, later becoming the first writer to cover the Acid House explosion. Since 1990 Paolo has been freelance and has written for a number of publications in the UK, including The Guardian, and The Independent, as well being as publishing a series of well-received biographies including definitive works on The Beatles, Oasis, Paul Weller and The Small Faces.
In 2003 he published a very well-received memoir detailing his time in care entitled The Looked After Kid and since then has been an active advocate for children in care. Inspired by the book, the BBC dedicated a whole season of programmes to the issue of care. Part of the season included a documentary which focused on Paolo’s journey. In 2014 Paolo will publish the follow-up, But We All Shine On, which describes his inspiring journey to track down some of the children he grew up with. He hears their remarkable stories and makes new discoveries about himself, his friend and the power of the human spirit.
Following Paolo’s appearance, there will be a special screening by Queen’s Film Theatre of The Beatles’ classic A Hard Days Night. Made at the peak of Beatlemania, the movie chronicles a day in the life of the band as they leave Liverpool for London to perform a TV special. This new digital restoration promises to be a joy for cinema fans – a fantastic ending to a great evening’s entertainment.
Now in its 23rd year, this year’s Aspects line-up is packed with something for everyone. Running from September 25 – 28, the festival highlights include; Falkland’s War Veteran Simon Weston OBE in conversation with Gerry Kelly, Sheena Wilkinson reading from her collection of short stories The Great War, Virginia Ironside will be performing her one-woman show based on her book Growing Old Disgracefully and lots more! For the full line-up, please download a programme at www.aspectsfestival.com
Tickets are available at www.northdown.gov.uk/bookings, from the festival Box Office at North Down Museum (028 9127 1200) and from Bangor Visitor Information Office (028 9127 0069).