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Artist

Billy Childish

Billy Childish (born Steven John Hamper; 1 December 1959) is an English painter, author, poet, photographer, film maker, singer, and guitarist. Since the late 1970s, Childish has been prolific in creating music, writing, and visual art. He has led and played in bands including Thee Milkshakes, Thee Headcoats, and the Musicians of the British Empire, primarily working in the genres of garage rock, punk, and surf, and releasing more than 100 albums.

Billy Childish

Billy Childish with Thee Headcoats at Shinjuku Loft in Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan, early 1990s

Masao Nakagami · CC BY-SA 2.0

Name
Billy Childish
Birth Name
Steven John Hamper
Born
1 December 1959
Birthplace
Chatham, Kent, England
Occupation
* Singer
Spouse
Julie Hamper
Nationality
United Kingdom
Fields
garage punk
Movements
contemporary art
Education
Saint Martin's School of Art · University for the Creative Arts · Kent Institute of Art & Design
Languages
English

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gnd · 10309092-7 · wikidata · Q863049 · wikipedia · Billy Childish

In this article

  1. 01Biography
  2. 02Visual art and other activities
  3. 03Recordings and discography
  4. 04Archives and collections
  5. 05Notes, references and evidence

The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.

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