The Funk Priest has landed!

If you wish to commission Howard Priestley contact +422 347338, mobile 07810 864752 or e-mail howard@priestley1511.freeserve.co.uk

Prie-Funk news! Original paintings from 1979 unearthed!! See them here!

The first Halifax Ghost Festival took place over Halloween weekend 2010, below left are some images taken from Howard Priesltey's Horror Comic workshop

All new Shock Therapy is now available!! Price £2.50 plus 50p postage!

Coming soon... BLUEPRINT: A HISTORY OF FUNK. I have been putting together a history of the funk for several years now and have started to collate the material together. At the moment there are 400 pages telling the story from its origins through to its glory days in the 1960s and 70's. The book is packed with interviews and essays on key moments in African-American history and the groups who revolutionised the sound that paralleled changes being felt in America at the time.
Here's a quote from the intro...
"It's been said that British Satire has always been strongest whenever there is a Tory Government in power. Funk seems to be the same, whenever an American President wanders off the track. Interestingly enough in the heyday of British Satire "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" was written and recorded by James Brown in 1965 and created a timeless piece of British comedy by Peter Cooke And Dudley Moore who performed a satirical skit "Mama's Got a Brand New Bag" in which the duo deconstructed the lyrics. Critics could argue that sadly, instead of trying to understand the lyrics they used it to mock the Black American style of speech, a bit like the rumour that when the movie "Kes" was shown to Southern audiences over here, it had to have subtitles. Sadly I remember seeing a documentary about James Brown in his later days when the programme did have subtitles to help the viewer understand his strong accent. We sometimes make things easier to stay divided."

I have always had an equal interest in African-American culture, the world of comic books, science fiction, television and movies. Almost at the same instance as I began my formal Art studies at Stourbridge in the West Midlands I became a regular contributor to the British Comics Fan scene with stories appearing in Comics Unlimited , The Alternative Headmaster's Bulletin, Graphixus and Pssst! A locally based 3 issue series, Shock Therapy was also produced and during this period British comic artist Bryan Talbot included a Shock Therapy story in Knockabout comics. The work from this period was credited in the book, Nasty Tales - A History Of The British Underground Comic Scene, 2000.

I have designed CD covers for Bootsy Collins, Mutiny, Mallia Franklin for whom I coined the phrase 'She-Funk' whilst developing the concept for her solo album, 'Funk Intersceptre' , George Clinton, Ruth Copeland Featuring Parliament and contributed to Rick Gardner of Horny Horns fame's Gardner Of Funk project, Dr D'Guru video and wrote the synopsis for his Music Box Suite.

I have illustrated educational books for young people and have helped to develop community radio in Calderdale, Phoenix hosting The Soul City Show every Thursday, 8pm til 10pm which has included interviews with Geno Washington, Marvin Junior of The Dells and Melvin Davis. As a writer I have written over 20 sets of sleeve notes for CD compilations as well as contributing to magazines such as Blues & Soul, Soul Express and MOJO. A history of Holland Dozier Holland, "Love Factory" has also been completed but remains unpublished.

Sections of the work have been serialised by the Soul Up North fanzine who also publish a regular Funk column, These have included a tribute to Ray 'Stingray' Davis. This aspect of my work has also allowed me the opportunity to write about such artists as Roger Troutman, Larry Graham and Sly & The Family Stone and to interview some more of my musical heroes such as Melvin Davis, Steve Mancha, General Johnson and Harrison Kennedy.

I have recently returned to spray work with local Youth projects.

So, enjoy the show and on we go