Saturday, September 30, 2023

RIP and Special Thanks to world respected photographer Erwin Olaf

In memory of Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf, who kindly photographed me at his Amsterdam studio in 1983 when No More Walls was published in the Netherlands.

The Guardian published the following obituary:

The Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf, who has died aged 64 following a lung transplant, straddled the world of art, advertising and fashion photography with a sumptuous cinematic and painterly aesthetic. Into his meticulously staged works he introduced subtle imperfections to stir disquiet in his audience: “There should be a riddle in every powerful image, so you are intrigued and invited to look over and over again.”

Here are the portraits Olaf made for me in 1983.  Thanks for the memories!




Wednesday, December 02, 2020

Worldwide Album Launch: "James Nelson Climbs the Column!!!" by James Nelson & Cosmo

https://cosmoinnit.bandcamp.com/album/james-nelson-climbs-the-column

James Nelson is an 83-year-old anarchist from the streets. Approved schools, prison, homelessness, alcoholism, a partial lobotomy and drug dependency blighted his life, until one day in 1972 he was placed on a mortuary slab presumed dead - but then found to be very much alive! 

Since that point, he has overcome his addictions and gone on to be an author and musician. (He's worked with Adamski and all sorts). He’s also given talks around the world about his experiences to help others, and engages with young people to give them a message of hope and courage. I’m very honoured to be his friend and to help tell his story. 

This album is a spoken word / folk-punk journey into his life from despair to recovery and the redemptive nature of people, places and experiences that have made his life what it is today. You’ll find stories, rants, songs and transcendent tales from a unique perspective here within. 

All proceeds from this pay-what-you-want digital album go to the Open door Project for homeless people in St. Albans. 

You can find out more about James here: www.nelsonscolumntv.com


Thursday, October 01, 2020

"No More Walls" by James Nelson now on Kindle!



"No More Walls" by James Nelson has now been released as a Kindle-friendly e-book!  All proceeds go to support the Open Door Project, a shelter for homeless people in St Albans.
To download your copy from the Kindle bookstore on Amazon, please click here.

 

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Latest news: "No More Walls - Fourth Edition" appears at Goodreads.com

The latest news from James Nelson Books of London, "No More Walls" is now featured at Goodreads.com where you can leave your reviews and comments...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48255688-no-more-walls




Wednesday, October 02, 2019

Song about James Nelson by Mister John uploaded to Youtube


This is a song about James Nelson a.k.a. Mick the Punk, the Diamond Geezer. The song is written and performed by Mister John, the artist known for worldwide hit record Potverdekke! (It's great to be a Belgian).


For more about Mister John:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/music-obituaries/8870875/John-Makin.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potverdekke!_(It%27s_great_to_be_a_Belgian)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Makin_(singer)


Tuesday, September 03, 2019

"No More Walls" by James Nelson on the shelves at Housmans bookshop in Caledonian Road, London

No More Walls, Fourth Edition, the remarkable book with an unmistakeable cover is on the shelves at Housmans Bookshop in Caledonian Road.





Wednesday, July 24, 2019

No More Walls, Fourth Edition, accepted to be re-stocked at Housmans Bookshop in Caledonian Road, London

Housmans, the long-running radical bookshop selling new and secondhand publications on progressive politics, stocked the First Edition of No More Walls back in 1978...!

Monday, March 12, 2012

New Album available: "I Am The Diamond Geezer"

My new album, I Am The Diamond Geezer, is available here to listen to or buy in digital and CD formats. Only £10 plus P&P.

To purchase the album, click on the "Buy" button below. You can also share it on Facebook etc by pressing "Share". If you want to play it, press the "play" button, (the big, black arrow in the box below).

You can also scroll through the tracks by pressing the buttons either side of the play button.
Enjoy!



From Bandcamp:

"James Nelson, AKA Mick the Punk, is a man with a remarkable story. Born into poverty in east London in 1933, he spent much of his adult life as a homeless alcoholic until a near-death experience in the 70s caused him to sober up. He wrote a book, "No More Walls". "I Am A Diamond Geezer" is a punk slice of life based on his book. It's ferocious!"

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Be Still


Be Still is one of the few poems I've written. I am still very hyperactive and speedy and the committee is holding midnight tribunals in my head and when I play Be Still it relaxes me and I am not at at war in my head, I am at peace.

Be Still can be puchased £7.00 or $14.00 from http://cdbaby.com/cd/jamesnelson


Simply what is need Reviewer: Avery

Lyrics and music come together to induce what is suggested in a most powerful way; haunting, hypnotique and happy-making. A unanimous choice for every circumstance -- alone or together, quiet or tumultuous,inside or out-of-doors. Tell you mates. Better yet, give them their own disc. Keep writing, James.

An absolute M Reviewer: Mickey Jones

The most spiritual song I've ever heard. The lyrics are astounding. The song is spellbounding. the work of a genius.

Wow ! Am I Still, - now . Great music !Reviewer: Ned N.

Be still has brought me more release from tension and anxiety than any other event in my life. And, it's good music too! I can't tell you how many times I've played it. I just leave it on repeat. Thanks James. Be still, mate.

Monday, September 24, 2007

I AIN'T GOT NONE










This article was an interview with the editor of Spare Change in Vancouver where I was in 1991 I was there for three weeks. I was kicked out of a Salvation Army hostel becuase I was writing about them.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

health service what is that if you cant paid


this was taken outside the royal clollege of nurseing me and the health care worker for CHAR which was trying to educate them. the single homeless need health care whats changed from 1980 1n the last 27 years? There is no national health service ?

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

THISWAS MAYFILED GRILS SCHOOL PUNTEY

this is a head shot photo of me and a pupil at the mayfield girls school where i did a lesson about homeless people

NEW YORK 1989 WHATCHANGE


This is agoup of church and homelss workers from Britain on a fact finding tour of New York in may 1989. Spot me in the photo.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

THIS WAS A DELAGATION OF UNLEASH A CHURCH UMBERLA GUUP FROM BRITTIAN OUT SIDE A CHUCH IN NEW YORK IN MAY 1989

IM NOT A SLEEP


THIS IS ME AS YOU CAN SEE IN LAMBETH LIBRARY IN LOWER MARSH IN WATERLOO I AM NOT A SLEEP

THIS WAS THE START OF MY RECOVERY


As a founder member of the Open Door Project this is me and two of the people that I was interviewing on the interviewing panel to employthem in the seventy's.

THIS IS A FLAT I USED TO LIVE IN


This is a flat I used to live in Waterloo I am as you can see I am still hanging around.

Monday, August 06, 2007

DAYS GONE BY


This is outside the central criminal court some time in 1960 i was inside three times and not as a visitor!

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Me, Outside Institute of Psychiatry


This is a photo of me outside the Department of Child and Adolecent Psychiatry, as it was part over the Maudsley Hospital, Camberwell.
I was an out-patient there from the age of 12 till the age of 36.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

DOWN AND OUT - WHO SAID 1978


THIS IS THE ARTICLE PRODUCED BY THE PECKHAM PULSE WITH EXTRACTS FROM THE BOOK NO MORE WALLS PLUS INTERVIEW

NO MORE WALLS BOOK LAUNCHING 1978




This isa window display in the Peckham bookshop in Peckham High Street, South London is of the launching of the first edition of No More Walls on June 10th 1978, the book got to number 4 out 5 top best selling book list in the "Book Seller" which is a trade magazine. This at the time was mindblowing.

National Homless Demo May 11th 1980


These two photos were taken on the day just after the band who had been entertaining the roughly the two /three thousand crowd I am the third on the left on the platform.


Rez Band Greenbelt Festival 1993


When I went to the Greenbelt Festival in a August 1993. This is a band I interviewed. They are called Rez, and are from the USA. They were great a mixture of rock and gospel. I also did a personal interview for radio Northants.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

THE WEDDING OF THE YEAR 7JULY 2007













mike oxley on the 6 of july 2007 at his stag partey looking very dapper












THIS IS RENE AND ME. RENE IS MARION'S SISTER




THIS IS A PHOTO OF MARION AND ME AT THE WEDING RECEPTION WHICH WAS HELD ON A FARM NEAR ST. ALBANS


THEASE PHOTOS WHERE TAKEN ON 7 OF JULY 2007

















































Tuesday, July 03, 2007

DOWN THE TUBES


This film was made of me walking from my home to Chalk Farm tube station onto the train to the Bank tube in a lift and up and down stairs to show what difficulties a disabled person has in accessing public transport as i have had to have an escort I when I travel on a bus.







http://www.archive.org/download/DownTheTube/MichaelUnderground1.mov

days and years of my life


This is me at St. Benedicts Approved school Mortimore Reading on June 2nd 1953 Coronation Day. I was aged 15. I was there from October 1952 'till December 1954.
My mum and dad an two friends year unknown

Monday, June 25, 2007

BE STILL













My name is James Nelson I am nearly 71 years old, a punk rocker. With a group of friends, and at a recording studio, we recorded 'Be Still' I /we are in the procces of recording a 4 track cd which we hope to be ready if we get into a studio. It will hopefully be finished by November December 2007 if things go according to plan. If you want to buy Be Still, log on to: www.cdbaby.com/jamesnelson
To listen to Be Still, click the following link: http://www.archive.org/download/BeStill_90/BeStill_90_64kb.m3u


Best wishes james nelson

Monday, April 23, 2007


This is a photo of me taking in the Castle Day Centre near the Elephant and Castle in 1969 just after my labotomy.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Southwark Unemployment Centre Peckham






These two photos were taken of me in the centre at a business meeting and of me rolling a fag! This centre, like a couple more were not controlled by the TUC, and struggled for funding as independent centres. The centres survived on donations to keep the centres open. This was in 1980 the year of the people's march for jobs on May 1 from Liverpool to London where it arrived on May 31st.







I walked from Liverpool to Manchester, and because of illness, left the march and rejoined it from Wembley to Hyde Park, then on to Trafalgar Square. It was estimated that a 1/4 million people were on the march from Hyde Park and Tralfarar Square.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

St Patricks Day in Kentish Town

This is yours Truly outside Geenwood, where I lived. I believe it was in 2002, and I know it was the 17 March on St Patrick's Day. There are two flags, the Cross of St. George at the top and the Irish Tricolour.

Monday, March 12, 2007

ONCE AGAIN, IT'S MINE AND NOT THEIRS


In 1994, James Mirriam Promotions and Putting Our House In Order were the forerunners of Intercontinental Promotions. I believed it worked for some time but due to lack of money, people's egos, and people being used, made it fold. I believe Intercontinental Promotions was the Phoenix that arose from the ashes of "James Mirriam Promotions" and "Putting Our House in Order"


ONCE AGAIN, IT'S MINE AND NOT THEIRS


In 1994, James Mirriam Promotions and Putting Our House In Order were the forerunners of Intercontinental Promotions. I believed it worked for some time but due to lack of money, people's egos, and people being used, made it fold. I believe Intercontinental Promotions was the Phoenix that arose from the ashes of "James Mirriam Promotions" and "Putting Our House in Order"


Tuesday, March 06, 2007

BLASTS FROM THE PAST, AND BACK TO SCHOOL


THESE ARE TWO PHOTOS THE FRIST IS ME TALKING TO AT MAYFIELD SECONDARY GIRLS SCHOOL IN PUTNEY WEST LONDON IN 1978. THE SECOND IS IN A DAY CENTRE IN SOUTH LONDON IN 1984



Monday, March 05, 2007

THEY CAN'T TAKE MY LIFE HISTORY FROM ME


This is yours truley with my exhibition in Peckham with Southwark Tenants Association in the 1970s.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

this was the third world convention of aa


This was the third world convention that I attended, The first was San Diago 1995, 63000 people registered in Minneapolis in 2000, 50,000. In Toronto, it was estimated that there were 70,000 people in the Sky Dome , with members coming from 142 countries, home of the Toronto Blue Jays basball team the experience blew me away (some of the information is from my experience only)

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

GOING DUTCH 1983 - JAMES NELSON





















These two photos, one full length, one half length were taken in Amsterdam Holland at the launch of the Dutch translation of No More Walls, in 1983 they where taken by Erwin Olaf who took the famous photo of Bianca Jagger on a Leopard Skin rug, copyright James Nelson if you whould like copys there cost is £3.00 each

Monday, November 13, 2006

AUSTRALIA






















I BELIEVE THIS WAS A DISPLAY OF ANIMALS ENTERTAINING VISITORS INCLUDING ELEPHANTS PLAYING FOOTBALL IN THE RAIN FOREST IN AUSTRALIA












THERE SAY FISH DONT SMOKE NOR DO I.





THIS IS IS ME AN A FRIEND IN TOWNSVILLE AUSTRALIA IN 2004