Steve Tasane is a critically acclaimed performance poet with a wide ranging repetoire and reputation. He has been broadcast on BBC 1, Channel 4, BBC Radio 1 and Radio 4, and was previously National Events Co-ordinator for Apples and Snakes. He is currently working on poetry films.
He is the master of tongue-twisting, mind-boggling alternative poetry. Over the last ten years you could have caught his dynamic performances almost anywhere: Glastonbury Festival Jazz Stage, The Barbican, Ronnie Scott’s, Hamleys Toy Shop, even Battersea Dog’s Home
Steve's first novel for young adults, Blood Donors, has been published by Walker Books for 2013. This is in the same style as his story in the anthology 'How To Be A Boy', available from Walker Books
Steve rap-funks for everyone from primary schools to May Day anarchists, successfully combining radical poetry for adult audiences with primary school work, and with excluded pupils. He is a 2009-2010 Associate Artist for Lit Up, and is presently a children’s writer-in-residence for Bexley Playbuilders scheme.
Steve is based in Hastings and works extensively with young people in classrooms across the UK. For its 7 year duration, Steve was a mentor for young slam poets in Ken Livingstone’s RISE Festival.
He was Writer-in-residence for Dickens 2012, based at the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum, where he produced a 20 minute ballad adaptation of The Old Curiosity Shop.
Prior to that he was writer-in-residence for London’s famous Lambeth Walk, Cockney rhyming slang a natural treasure trove for his tongue-twisting verse:
“Had a bull & cow with me trouble & strife – a blazing row with me beautiful wife,
so I put me dustbin lids to Uncle Ted – sent me kids off up to bed,
& took a Duke of York down the frog & toad – went for a walk, straight down the road
for a tiddly wink down the rub-a-dub – a little drink down the local pub…”
His 2009/2010 UK Tour featured a screening of his poetry video album, Talkies.
He’s performed on BBC1’s Battersea Dogs Home programme, toured nationally his one man shows for the Arts Council and – of course- was a member of Atomic Lip, poetry’s first pop group with the legendary Speech Painter, Joelle Taylor, and Patience Agbabi.
Right about now, he’s preparing for the launch of his first novel, Blood Donors (Walker Books) on October 3rd – a splatterfest with a social conscience. He’s been working on urban poems by Blood Donor’s hero, a mouthy teenager in an inner-city tower block – check them out on the blog: http://stevetasane.wordpress.com/ or enjoy some of the poems at tonight’s gig.
Reviews
"Steve is abrilliant poet and performer who moves swiftly and deftly. - Petersfield Herald
"Guest Prerformer....Steve Tasane wowed the audience." - Petersfield Post
“Eminem has not got sh*t on Steve. Top bloke. Top class.” Dwane, HMP Horfield
"From toddlers in toy shops to convicts in prison, from updating Dickens to Doin’ the Lambeth Walk, Steve’s poetry appeals to one and all."
“I took my six year old grandson. He was transfixed! It was such fun…” Alexandra Jefferson, Grandparent, V&A Museum of Childhood
“Steve, thank you for coming in and sharing your amazing talent with us. I will remember this for a long time. I really was in my element, it was wicked” Emma, HMP Eastwood Park (young women’s prison)
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