Death of a Pornographer Interview with Vincent Alexander & Nicolas C Grey

What appealed to you about the Death of a Pornographer idea?

Nic: I meet Vincent (the author) through my friend James - who wrote This Dog Barking -  The Strange Story of UG Krishnamurti.  He is his brother. Although I don’t know him as well as James, I always enjoyed his company and his laconic sense of humour. The three of us, in our pasts, have had our problems with addiction. Though no laughing matter, it’s undeniable there are some good stories surrounding that lifestyle.

Vincent worked in Soho for many years. He didn’t talk about it all that much as I think it was fairly traumatic for him, but he would occasionally share anecdotes about his time working in the sex shops . They were mostly funny, in a tragic kind of way. My father (also an artist -  Stephen Grey) grew up in Soho and I had been around that area , but unless you are involved in that sex and gangster scene , it’s a closed world, so, it was both interesting and revealing at the same time.

At first, i thought the book maybe just a collection of these anecdotes, that would have been fine, but it became clear that Vincent had a story to tell that went deeper than just some funny stories. I had no idea how the book would go, but as it developed i felt Vincent had managed to convey something almost spiritual in the story , transcendent. And in that context, in that place , with those characters, I found it quite remarkable. It’s almost like he has managed to create a feeling between the words , I’m not sure how it works . So, while I was initially attracted to just the idea of giving people a peek into this closed world , it became something else . It has kept all the humour but has this whole other mysterious layer added, which I hadn’t expected. 

Visually and artistically I was ambivalent about it. On the plus side , I knew I would get to draw lots of depressed looking people, and for whatever reason, most people I draw end up looking depressed, on the down side , it’s set in a real place , so that involves drawing real buildings and real streets and that was , I knew , going to be a challenge for me . 

What about you, Vince, why did you write the book?

Vin:  I wanted to tell a story about the decline of Soho. From what it once was, to what it is now. From a place i loved, full of life & character, to just another overpriced faceless place, &,knowing Nic & his work, couldn't think of anyone better to show this through his art. 

How did you start working in the Adult Entertainment business – was it something you always wanted to do ?

Vin: No,  it wasn’t something that i’d ever thought about. I’d moved to London after a few disastrous house moves & jobs transfers elsewhere around England. From Oxford I ended up in East London after a successful rescue mission by my brother. I started with good intentions – got a job in Bow working 12 hour shifts in a factory – it was awful – but kept it up until  set off for my shift one day – turned around on the way there & decided ‘no’ –&  headed back home – spent next few months living on , I don’t know what. But had to get a job. Applied to an agency for a job as a binman. Got it. But turned up late & had missed it. The agency guy told to me to hang about & asked ‘have you done retail?’ I said ‘yes’ & he sent me to a shop in Soho. Didn’t know it was a sex shop. I was turned away initially by the owner, he didn’t think I was right. But someone came running out to say I was. Took me back in.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE…….