Richard James Allen

Richard James Allen is an English artist, musician and writer. He was born in 1966 in Wokingham, Berkshire. After leaving school he worked in factories and "dead end" jobs until his mid-twenties. He then decided to embark on five years training that culminated in him gaining a first class honours degree and starting work as a teacher. After a chequered history as an artist, activist and performer, he has now turned his back on a decade of teaching in British comprehensive schools to concentrate on releasing his writing, some of which has been waiting to be published since the early 1990's.

Richard's poetic style could be described as lyrical; his poems are quintessentially British and are often dripping with cynical humour. The influences of his heroes, punk poet John Cooper Clarke and the multi-talented Spike Milligan are never far away.

When not writing, Richard spends most of his time as a street musician and collaborating with other artists.