Chaz is from art duo The London Police - originally from Chelmsford. His partner Bob got attacked by a seagull on Chelmsford Tindal Street while they were painting at Concrete Canvas. The danger of painting very high murals - territorial gulls. At school he was into drawing, and then moved into photography, especially for bands. Chaz ended up on the music scene and sold t-shirts for 90s indie superstars Echobelly, as well as touring with Oasis, PWEI and Boyzone. Becoming famous street artists meant that The London Police could live the rock and roll tour life around the world as artists. Chaz started drawing little characters while he was running merch stands for bands - which was an early version of the classic The London Police ‘lad’ character. He always loved graffiti and followed the crew ERZ (Essex Rockerz) at Chelmsford gasworks. After moving to Amsterdam in the late-90s, Chaz’s little characters started appearing on the streets as Chaz jogged around the streets with a pen. TLP got famous pretty quickly in Amsterdam at the same time as street art got popular globally with Shepherd Fairey (Obey), Banksy and Space Invader. Chaz found his own style because he could do traditional graffiti, and it helped him develop a unique style. TLP pride themselves in craft and cleanliness of their lines and marks. Concrete Canvas and street art have transformed Chelmsford into a more visually creative and inspiring City. The multiple heads on TLP characters represent structures of control and influence. Chaz draws the characters, and Bob builds the world around them with precise architectural lines and the smaller minion characters. How to manage a creative partnership? Making each other improve and step up your artistic game. How do you repair a piece of street art after a tropical storm in Miami? How do you start making money as a street artist? Brands and shops would pay money for live painting shows and murals. Pasting posters with Shepherd Fairey in Tokyo. Featuring in street art books (big up Tristan Manco). TLP painted their first big murals in Hengelo and Enschede in the Netherlands. How did The London Police mural on Prinsengracht become a piece of UNESCO Heritage protected art? Creating art that will still be around when you are not. How to spot a good spot to tag? The glory days of Shoreditch street art. How do you learn the rules of street art and where to paint? How do you find your style? Enthusiasm and mean it! Painting Dua Lipa in Kosovo. Painting a 45 metre high 14-storey building in Berlin that you can see from a plane! Meat raffle.

The London Police
TLP on Instagram

Are You Creative? recorded by Adam at Lawker Media, Chelmsford, ESSEX
Edited by Nick Hearne
Artwork by Alpaca Antenna

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Thanks to NGDA for their support

Recorded in Chelmsford, Essex, UK

Jeordie is the Programmes Lead at the charity Tonic Music providing mental health support to the music industry and music fans. School and Jeordie didn’t get on - except for Mr.Harris the sociology teacher who encouraged his path into sociology. His psychology and sociology dissertation at uni was inspired by the death of Scott Weiland from Stone Temple Pilots - why do these entertainers that give us so much enjoyment struggle with mental health? He’s since published a book chapter on mental health in the music business, and gone on to a pHD. And this led him to a job at Tonic Music. They started with music workshops for the local community in Portsmouth in 2012, and gig buddy programmes. Now it's a national charity. Tonic Rider now provides support to musicians via an online support service. They are supported by artists like Libertines, Amy Beesting (OMG It’s The Church), Barry Ashworth (Dub Pistols), and Terry Hall from The Specials. The charity is for anyone from buskers to bands playing stadiums. Musicians need support because they have to create and perform their art which brings unique stresses - regular negative feedback, performance anxiety, hyper-competition among other things. Even Sir Paul McCartney still gets performance anxiety! What is it that makes musician’s susceptible to substance use? Tonic have been providing support to venues around the country, backstage, for staff, and the audience, with posters with links for support. Cradle of Filth and Ed Sheeran - will it happen? Big up the new Essex bands - Monumental, Myopia, Pet Needs, Meffs, Gasoline Green, Bridget, She’s In Parties, Fraser Morgan, Monster Florence, Rad Pitt, Slay Duggee. Musical history suffers from rockism, where other genres like bhangra and drill are overlooked in their cultural importance. Pick up some Tonic Music merch at a gig and help to fund them, and also meet them and get talking about mental health.

Tonic Music
Tonic Music on Insta

Are You Creative? recorded by Adam at Lawker Media, Chelmsford, ESSEX
Edited by Nick Hearne
Artwork by Alpaca Antenna

Don't forget to like, subscribe, share and all the good stuff.

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Send comments, questions, or suggestions for fascinating creative people in Essex give us a shout on our Instagram

Thanks to NGDA for their support

Recorded in Chelmsford, Essex, UK

Neil is in a band with his 77 year old grandad Ken - Ken and Neil McDonnell. Playing 50s and 60s rock and roll. They’ve already made three albums in their first two years. Ken is a tough creative lead and has a clear vision of how he wants audio, image etc. for the band. He is motivated to be productive while he ‘still has his faculties’. Ken gave Neil his first guitar when he was 10, and ever since they’ve been jamming at family gatherings. There is a band with a parrot singer called Hatebeak. Chat about ALL the Black Sabbath covers bands - Mac Sabbath, Bat Sabbath, Zakk Sabbath. The joy of playing music together and bonding with your family. Big up Card Trick Music. Ken loves sending ideas for songs over WhatsApp, he doesn’t stop thinking about music and lyrics. Ken does not eat Werther’s Original, he still has too much to do in his life. Neil also plays ice hockey, for Chelmsford Reapers, but is a very gentle soul. Ken is also a very chilled guy. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles chat. Batman chat. Will Ken and Neil ever play a gig? Probably not. Ken has mostly been playing music for himself his whole life, apart from one song at Butlins. Nick has a good story about Stephen Mulhern. We talk about Take That, Clacton Butlins, Chelmsford Spectacular, Eurovision, Pitbull. Creating a digital record of older generations, recording songs and stories to listen to in the future. Neil’s Mum is deaf, and he loves that she can feel the vibrations of bass when he plays. Adelle’s picture has been on Lorraine for the Trans Is Human campaign - we're not worthy!

Ken and Neil on Instagram
Ken and Neil on Spotify

Are You Creative? recorded by Adam at Lawker Media, Chelmsford, ESSEX
Edited by Nick Hearne
Artwork by Alpaca Antenna

Don't forget to like, subscribe, share and all the good stuff.

Follow our Instagram for latest news and behind the scenes photos

Send comments, questions, or suggestions for fascinating creative people in Essex give us a shout on our Instagram

Thanks to NGDA for their support

Recorded in Chelmsford, Essex, UK