Billy Childish on Nazis and the death of professionalism. In this edition of Soft Focus UK, Ian sits down with Billy Childish, easily the most prolific Western artist of the past century. He’s been in some ten or so bands, founded a school of poetry, founded a school of art, run a small press, written six books, and produced thousands of paintings, woodcuts, collages, and photos. He’s basically in a perpetual state of doing cool stuff, and so far has yet to put his name on anything lame. Together they discuss Billy’s first endeavors in zine-ing, and why you never see musicians goofing around in full Nazi regalia anymore. Billy explains the critical difference between him and the White Stripes for the umpteenthousandth time since their supposed “spat.” Billy also decries the impulse to “wank yourself to heaven,” about which we ardently agree with him.