Paul Roundhill
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page. (March 2008) |
| Paul Roundhill | |
 |
|
| Born | 25 March 1955 Edgware, London, England |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Writer, multimedia artist, drug dealer |
Paul Roundhill (born 25 March 1955) also known as "Paul Ro" and "Professor Ro", is an East London-based artist and writer. He is best known for his association with musician Pete Doherty, acting as his self-styled literary agent and previously running the website Balachadha.com, (bala chadha the Bengali for crack cocaine)[1] which was closed against his wishes by Doherty in May 2006 [2] [3]. He has been pejoratively characterized as Doherty's "svengali" due to his role in Doherty's career.[4]
Contents |
[edit] Background
Roundhill's formal training is in fine art, which he studied at the Brighton College of Art[citation needed]. Following his studies, he moved to London, and from the mid 1970s, he allegedly began to specialise in rock photography, helping to document the development of punk[citation needed]. He took both live performance and more intimate photographs of bands and musicians such as Iggy Pop, The Clash, Frank Zappa, and The Rolling Stones[citation needed].
[edit] Music and Multimedia
Roundhill developed a relationship with the musician Pete Doherty in the early days of The Libertines, an British indie rock band active from 1999 until 2004. He is an unpopular figure among fans of Doherty, due to his connection with drugs.
He maintains that he co-wrote the song "The Saga"[citation needed] which appears on the eponymous album The Libertines, which reached #1 in the UK album charts. However, there is no actual evidence of this, there are absolutely no credentials within the sleeve notes of the album.
His relationship with Doherty led Roundhill to expose him on the website www.balachadha.com claiming that fans could get a closer insight into Dohertys life. He recorded videos on a webcam of Doherty playing acoustic guitar, smoking drugs and self-harming. He charged fans a small fee to watch these videos.
Roundhill made headlines by selling off some of Doherty's notorious "blood paintings" while he was incarcerated in Wormwood Scrubs prison
Roundhill claims has been involved in the production of several documentaries, including the 2005 film Who the F**k is Pete Doherty[citation needed], and appears for all of 4 seconds in the Babyshambles music video for song "The Blinding"[5].
Paul Roundhill has been known to falsely set-up concerts advertised billing Babyshambles amongst other London indie acts. One particular incident, in 2005 where he advertised a small gig in The George Tavern, London in his magazine Full Moon, Empty Sports Bag. It claimed Babyshambles, The Paddingtons and The Chineapples would play the event, as well as spoken word performances. He charged numerous fans £15 , only for all bands not to show up. It was later revealed that the former two bands were recording albums, one of which were in another country. The latter band simply did not know anything about the gig. No fans were refunded and Paul Roundhill has never visited The George Tavern since this.
Paul Roundhill also works as a small time drug dealer to locals in Whitechapel
[edit] Mark Blanco incident
Mark Blanco, a 30 year-old actor, died after plunging 30ft to his death from a 2nd floor balcony outside Roundhill's flat in east London after being ejected by Roundhill. Blanco who had been drinking had allegedly become physically aggressive towards Doherty, a fellow guest.[6] During the altercation before he was ejected, Roundhill, who had been smoking crack cocaine[7] took Blanco's hat off and set it alight, allegedly in an attempt to distract him away from the singer. Doherty and Roundhill were interviewed by police, and neither were considered suspects in Blanco's death.[8]
[edit] Drugs
Roundhill is known to be a drug dealer[9], and alongside his links with Doherty, also supplied drugs to Boy George. Boy George wrote of Roundhill in his autobiography Take It Like A Man: “That night I made a lethal connection with Paul Cod (George’s name for Roundhill) — a pond-life dealer and junkie”.[10] In 2006 Roundhill was convicted of possessing Class A drugs as a result of the investigation of pictures published in the Daily Mirror of Kate Moss apparently snorting cocaine. He pleaded guilty to the offence and received a 12-month conditional discharge.[11]
Fiona Russell-Powell, who was a singer in ABC and went on to be a style journalist, befriended Roundhill in the 80s and became a heroin addict, only managing to quit two years ago. She said she was not surprised to hear this week that a man had died at Roundhill’s house and said: "I took one look at the headline in the paper and knew he was involved. I absolutely despise him and what he does. He is only interested in drugs and will sell anyone down the river to fund his habit.
"Lots of people have overdosed at his flat over the years. He likes to think he is some kind of bohemian writer or poet but he’s just a junkie."
