Adrian Henri

Adrian Henri was a British poet and painter best remembered as the founder of poetry-rock group the Liverpool Scene and as one of three poets in the best-selling anthology The Mersey Sound, along with Brian Patten and Roger McGough. The trio of Liverpool poets came to prominence in that city's Merseybeat zeitgeist of the 1960s and 1970s. He was described by Edward Lucie-Smith in British Poetry since 1945 as the "theoretician" of the three. His characterisation of popular culture in verse helped to widen the audience for poetry among 1960s British youth. He was influenced by the French symbolist school of poetry and surrealist art. He has the distinct claim to have been the hip host for the young Liverpool lads who became The Beatles turning them onto avant-garde art, happenings, poetry, film and music. His career spanned everything from artist and poet to teacher, rock n roll performer, playwright and librettist. Besides the Beatles, he could name among his friends George Melly and Allen Ginsberg. Unlike McGough and Patten, Henri turned his back on the trendier London scene, and chose to remain in Liverpool, saying there was nowhere he loved better. This heavily illustrated biography, edited by Thurston Moore, with foreword by Jarvis Cocker and written by Adrian's partner of 15 years Catherine Marcangeli, this is a true celebration of Henri, Liverpool and The Liverpool Scene.