Philip Elston started performing his poetry in a bar in Düsseldorf on a snowy February night in 1985. His spoken word was accompanied by a bass guitarist.

From this simple line-up a band gradually formed. Drums and keyboards were added to form the seminal eighties band, The Crippled Flower. Several years of gigs followed, many in unusual locations such as Heartbeat, the specialist record shop in downtown Düsseldorf. The small circle of bands associated with that shop later released the independently produced cassette, A Heartbeat Rendezvous. Philip's group also played in Cologne and Amsterdam. In 1986 they were chosen to support Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians at Düsseldorf's ZAKK concert hall.

The Crippled Flower split in 1988, leaving the German element to eventually become To Rococo Rot. Meanwhile, Philip returned to the UK to study German at university. His dissertation was entitled 'The Role of The City in German Expressionist Poetry'. He continued with The Crippled Flower Project using backing tapes and slides to accompany his performances.

In 1994 he teamed up with Attila The Stockbroker on a tour of Europe, beginning with an anti-fascism benefit gig in Amsterdam. Later that year Philip moved to the Land's End peninsula where he contributed greatly to the festival and cabaret scene. As one half of the poetry duo Spare Parts he travelled to perform for Manchester Poets and the Dartington Literature Festival.

Philip has written for newspapers, music magazines and animal rights publications and has worked as a film extra. Now based in Hampshire, he continues to write and has performed at the National Vegan Festival in the Bertrand Russell room at Conway Hall, London.



Email: philipelston@animail.net