This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 92.40.219.55 (talk) at 02:33, 10 January 2009. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 02:33, 10 January 2009 by 92.40.219.55 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) | This article's factual accuracy is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced. (March 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Paul Roundhill | |
|---|---|
| Born | 25 March 1955 Edgware, London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, multimedia artist, drug dealer |
Paul Lee Wykes Roundhill was born 25 March 1955 and is known by a number of names, including, colloqially, "pro" to mean "professsor"
Paul Roundhill is not known to associates or his family by any name other than "Paul".
Paul Roundhill has been the continuous butt of considerable personal attacks, considering his levened public status.
Mr Roundhill continues to live under the public eye, besmirched by allegations and smear campaigns. The idea of besmirching is best shown in publicity which mentions his name in the context of more public characters. Roundhill has indeed been implicated in serious affairs, but those ffairs themselves have not been proven, nor the connexions towards Mr Roudhill.
As nothing of official biography is available, Mr Roundhill remains defenceless, save for tort of slander to press, possibly a victim of "Chilling Effects" in the same way naive "hackers" might accompilce themselves to Vichy Law, as interpreted by the cogniscance of the day.
By _association_ Mr Roundhill is severely villified in the few public articles which discuss him. To date, there has been no categorical implication of him in any wrongdoing.
Background
Paul Roundhill studied art at the Brighton College of Art.
He moved then to London in 1980. He was active in rock photography, documenting Punk Rock and the situations he was surrounded by. He took both live performance and more intimate photographs of bands and musicians such as Iggy Pop, The Clash, Frank Zappa, and The Rolling Stones.
Music and Multimedia
Paul Roundhill developed much later a rationship with the musician Pete Doherty in the early days of The Libertines, an English indie rock band active from 1999 until 2004. At 50 years of age , it was not "Pro"'s latest fascination.
Roundhill argues he co-wrote the song "The Saga", a Libetines song, which appears on the eponymous album The Libertines, which reached - as an album - #1 in the UK album charts. There is no available actual evidence of this, and according to reports, there are no credentials within the sleeve - notes of the album. "Pro" is credited however on a number of other albums and music artwork which have contemporaneous import. This dispute is corrected in editions of "Down In Albion" which were later published, where Paul Roundhill is credited.
Paul Roundhill's relationship with Peter Doherty led to a ill- construed and poorly produced website www.balachadha.com which claimed fans could get a closer insight into Doherty's life. The style of pop fanatacism is not unusual for the time of this endeavor. Doherty was at the time a subject of considerable teenage music idolatry. Paul Roundhill recorded videos on a webcam of Doherty. Press articles alleged this included footage of Doherty playing acoustic guitar, smoking drugs and self-harming. According to the same or web forum discussion, Roundhill charged fans a small fee to watch these videos, though there still exists no evidence or receipts of a transaction which would verify this...
Roundhill made headlines by selling off some of Doherty's notorious "blood paintings" while he was incarcerated in Wormwood Scrubs prison; Amy winehouse is said to have purchased, but never paid for a copy.
No-one can attest to such headlines however. Doherty did make "blood paintings" and he did give those to Roundhill. Roundhill made art copies of the paintings, and sold them, during 2008. No other information can be verified.
Roundhill claims has been involved in the production of several documentaries, including the 2005 film Who the F**k is Pete Doherty, and appears for all of 4 seconds in the Babyshambles music video for song "The Blinding".
Roundhill is also known for his association with young artists, writers and musicians. He has a eclectic style and draws on a multitude of influences, from which he attains a artistic milieu. His youtube channel "proffeserro" is known to feature Doherty and acquaintances.
Paul Roundhill has been accused of setting up concerts and advertising Babyshambles amongst other London indie acts. One particular incident, in 2005 where he advertised a small gig in The George Tavern, London in his magazine Full Moon, Empty Sports Bag. It claimed Babyshambles, The Paddingtons and The Chineapples would play the event, as well as spoken word performances. He charged numerous fans £15 , only for all bands not to show up. It was later revealed that the former two bands were recording albums, one of which were in another country. There is a lot of confusion about this event, as it has no tbeen reported in any press. The latter band allegedly did not know anything about the gig. Though it should be a simple matter of verifying with the venues' management whether a show was advertised and then cancelled, no would - be concert - goer has attested to either booking such a ticket, or receiving a refund followin cancellation.
There is presently no formal record of this, publicly or otherwise. Arranging a cancelled rock gig is not unknown as a means of promotion for a band, however.
Mark Blanco incident
Mark Blanco, a 30 year-old actor, died after plunging 30ft to his death from a 2nd floor balcony outside Roundhill's flat in east London after claimed altercations with by Roundhill. Blanco, who had been drinking allegedly become physically aggressive towards Doherty, a fellow guest.
Tabloid "Red Top" articles of the mainstream UK press insinuated that Roundhill took Blanco's hat off and set it alight, allegedly in an attempt to distract him away from the singer, Doherty. Doherty and Roundhill were interviewed by police, and neither were considered suspects in Blanco's death. .
No statements or evidence has been made public, though popular press at the time focussed on the occurance of drug taking amongst this group of acquaintances.
Drugs
Roundhill is falsely reputed to be known - by detractors - as a drug dealer, and alongside his links with Doherty, also supplied drugs to Boy George. Boy George wrote of Roundhill in his autobiography Take It Like A Man: “That night I made a lethal connection with Paul Cod (George’s name for Roundhill) — a pond-life dealer and junkie”. In 2006 Roundhill was convicted of possessing Class A drugs as a result of the investigation of pictures published in the Daily Mirror of Kate Moss apparently snorting cocaine. He pleaded guilty to the offence and received a 12-month conditional discharge.
"Fiona Russell-Powell, who was a singer in ABC and went on to be a style journalist, befriended Roundhill in the 80s and became a heroin addict, only managing to quit two years ago.
She said she was not surprised to hear this week that a man had died at Roundhill’s house and said: "I took one look at the headline in the paper and knew he was involved. I absolutely despise him and what he does. He is only interested in drugs and will sell anyone down the river to fund his habit.""
This is an anecdotal report, possibly in interview.
"Lots of people have overdosed at his flat over the years. He likes to think he is some kind of bohemian writer or poet but he’s just a junkie."
Equally, if this quotation were not so reported, in the third person, it would cross most reasonable boundaries of reportage and possibly libel.
Rampart Street arson attack
Roundhill’s flat in Rampart St, Whitechapel was subject to an arson attack in mid 2008.
See also
References
- www.albionarks.com
- ^ www.guardian.co.uk
- www.dailymail.co.uk
- [http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article74739.ece No evidence has supported that claim, nor arrests nor allegations taken up by the police or in civil prosecution. Flat owner is Pete's svengali | The Sun |HomePage|Showbiz|Bizarre]
- music.guardian.co.uk
- www.abc.net.au
External links
- Albion Arks featuring Paul Roundhill's multimedia recordings of Pete Doherty
- Roundhill's Youtube Channel Many of Roundhill's videos are available under the name "ProfessorRo"
- The Prison Diaries Edited by Roundhill and published in the Guardian