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Straight, simple and on the mark

He has been a big influence on Black-British writing over the last 50 years. Meet poet, fiction writer and singer Roger Robinson

PHOTO: K. GOPINATHAN

READER-FRIENDLY STYLE Roger Robinson

If there's one thing Roger Robinson understands, it's not to complicate things too much. After all, the last time this poet, fiction writer and singer tried to infuse his words with theory, by naming his debut music album Illclectica, the results were nothing short of disastrous. "When I thought of the name, it seemed a brilliant idea, but now it's become the bane of my life. Ill, he explains, is pre-MTV hip-hop jargon for good. Illclectic, is a play on the words "eclectic" as well as "collect", referencing both his diverse musical tastes — from folk to electronic to sonic experiments — and his obsession for collecting music records. And Illclectica is also a reference to electronica, which was in vogue at the time. "It was a big theory, but nobody got it," he sighs. "So for my next album, which is coming out in the middle of next year, I'm keeping things simple. The album is just called I Love Songs."

If there's one thing Roger (who was in Bangalore recently) event is good at, it's keeping things simple. Whether it's his poetry or his prose, Roger's writing smacks of a distinctly non-literary tone, reminiscent of stories born out of an oral culture. Rather than overstuff his writing with literary device after literary device, Roger writes in a conversational, everyday style. "When I tell my friends to read a Salman Rushdie, they say there are too many descriptions of trees and bushes," he explains. Investigate further, and you find that Roger's distinct writing style and perceptions are the result of his unique mixed heritage. Roger was born in London, where his parents had come to study, returned to Trinidad with his family and then came back to London for his university education. "Trinidad," he says, "is a very oral culture. They can talk non-stop, and like many Indians, they love to argue and discuss and talk about everything. Comedy, riddles and songs are a big part of the culture." London, on the other hand, is "more about restraint and emotional control. They are more outgoing now, but the culture is still very inward looking." Thus, from his Trinidad roots he found the ability to find stories anywhere and to tell them well. From his English experiences, he learnt the use of craft, of history and of literary tradition.

Roger has mixed the two heritages so well and so successfully that in 2004, he was chosen by decibel — an Arts Council England initiative — as one of the 50 writers to have influenced the Black-British writing canon over the past 50 years. "I was really surprised to be picked. I was probably number 49 out of 50," he jokes. "It's a catch-all term, which covers Black, Asian and Hispanic writing. The Black British writing tradition is strong, but not very well recognised. There are some great writers like Ben Okri, Linton Kwesi Johnson and Mustapha Matura. I was one of the younger writers being honoured. And ever since then, the older guys talk about me as if I'm someone," he laughs.

Writer's collective

As Roger talks about the other Black British writers, the strong sense of community is almost immediately palpable. And Roger too plays his part in keeping that spirit alive, as part of Malika's Kitchen, a writer's collective started by fellow writer Malika Booker. "It started off as a free workshop for people who couldn't afford formal lessons, with a multi-cultural slant. The collective met regularly, and the older writers would guide the younger ones on getting an agent, getting books published and so on," says Roger. "It's been five years now, and the first anthology, A Storm Between The Fingers, is going to hit the stands soon," he says.

RAKESH MEHAR

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