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For Immediate Release - from Neoismist Press

Another Literary Gold for Innovative Canterbury Journal

 

Literary Arts Journal Branches Out, Provides Manual

Lyttelton-based literary arts journal Catalyst is launching another trail-blazing edition as part of

The Press Christchurch Writers’ Festival 2008.

 

Exploring the resonances between music, lyrics and poetry The Original Branch Manual: Catalyst 7 presents a little audio alchemy by playing with the ‘accidental synergy’ within music, evocative poetry and the sung lyric.

 

Another 1st for Christchurch in Poetry-Music Fusion.

Defying definition and bending genres has always been a feature of Catalyst. This volume

breaks out of the book format altogether and marks the return of the spoken word CD from the

first journal in New Zealand to produce and release a ‘poetry in performance’ recording.

This second outing for the spoken word feature once again takes the lead in fusing poetry with

music in a new and interesting way. Performance poets are paired successfully with beautiful,

evocative and lyrically interesting New Zealand songs in a seamless aural landscape lovingly

prepared by musical auteur Jody Lloyd. “She'll Be Right acts are often renowned for a sincere

and thought provoking lyrical approach.” says Lloyd, “Just as brilliant lyrics come alive on the

page, brilliant poetry comes alive with music.” Editor and Publisher of Catalyst Doc Drumheller

emphasises the impact of Lloyd. “Through the skill and vision of producer Jody Lloyd, what has

resulted is a hybridised form that invites the listener to interpret layers of sensuous details.”

Doc Drumheller & Jody Lloyd aka Trillion

 

Alchemical Literary Journal Discovers ‘Accidental Synergy’

Catalyst 7: The Original Branch Manual sees the journal once more collaborating with

critically acclaimed producer, rapper and founder of She’ll Be Right Records label, Jody

Lloyd. A Christchurch stalwart and staunch ‘natural accent’ rapper, now based in Melbourne,

Lloyd brought various artists from She’ll Be Right Records together with poets gathered by

Catalyst editors Doc Drumheller & Ciarán Fox in a fresh audio-literary experiment. “We

approached poets who have had success both on the stage and the page and looked for music

by songwriters enriched by thought provoking lyrics.” says Drumheller. “We aimed for more of

an ‘accidental synergy’ instead of a deliberate crossover when fusing these elements.”

  

Featuring 7 local poets including Christchurch luminary Bernadette Hall; acclaimed author and

poet Ben Brown and exciting emerging voices Danielle O’Halloran and Sean Joyce in

performance with 7 New Zealand musical acts including Demarnia Lloyd, Lindon Puffin, John

White & Trillion. Punctuated by 7 New Zealand visual artists, the journal is taking it’s 7th  release to heart.

 

Drumheller concludes “The Original Branch Manual, Catalyst 7 is the tangible conclusion of this

experiment between Neoismist Press and She’ll Be Right Records. Now this mix of written,

visual and aural work invites you to add a kinaesthetic layer, by shaking your hips or tapping

your feet and take the project to a new dimension.”

 

Useful links:

Catalyst: www.catalystnz.blogspot.com

She’ll Be Right Records: www.trillion.co.nz

Contacts for Comment:

catalyst_queries@yahoo.com

 

Background on Catalyst

Founded in 2003 by Neoismist Press, Catalyst has focused on presenting new and emerging

New Zealand writers alongside significant writers from here and abroad. Committed to high

quality design and production as well as risk-taking and innovation, Catalyst has challenged the

conventional literary journal format. This is the 7th volume from the young upstart of the New

Zealand literary scene which is rapidly gaining international attention due to the calibre of

featured poets and its distinctive art & design. Catalyst has previously published such

internationally significant poets as South African poet laureate Keorapetse Kgositsile, founder

of Poets Against War Sam Hamill, and president of the World Haiku Association Ban’ya

Natsuishi. The Original Branch Manual: Catalyst 7 has been funded by Creative Communities -

Christchurch.