The Medway Sound and the DIY Ethos
Expressionist painter, prolific poet, and uncompromising musician, Billy Childish (Steven Hamper) has spent nearly half a century doing precisely what he wants from Chatham on the River Medway in Kent. Joined by Nurse Julie on bass and Wolf Howard on drums, CTMF (named after the defensive forts of Chatham) delivers the rawest distillation of his sound: sharp tube-driven guitars, stripped-back rhythms, and direct lyrics free of any digital sheen.
The Chatham Punk Roots and the Damaged Goods Legacy
Childish's musical path began in 1977 at the Chatham Naval Dockyard when he co-founded The Pop Rivets, launching an unbroken chain of cult bands: Thee Milkshakes, Thee Mighty Caesars, Thee Headcoats, and The Buff Medways. With over a hundred albums to his nameâalmost all released on the legendary indie label Damaged GoodsâCTMF has kept the flame burning with releases like All Our Forts Are With You (2013), Acorn Man (2014), Brand New Cage (2017), Failure Not Success (2023), and House on Fire (2026), paying homage to his heroes (Link Wray, Jimi Hendrix, The Yardbirds) with raw 1977 punk urgency.
An Unrepeatable Milestone for the 20th Anniversary
Billy Childish rarely tours and shuns mainstream festival circuits, making his appearance in BetxĂ a truly exceptional occasion for the European garage scene. Experiencing CTMF live at the Sant Antoni Pop Festival is a direct encounter with the grassroots essence of garage punk: three musicians, analog sound hitting you straight in the chest, and no compromises.