Anthony Joseph is a poet, novelist, academic and musician. He was born in Trinidad, moving to the UK in 1989. His publications include Desafinado (1994), Teragaton (1997), The African Origins of UFOs (Salt, 2006) and Bird Head Son (Salt, 2009).

In 2004 Joseph was selected by renaissance one, Decibel and the Arts Council of England as one of fifty Black and Asian writers who have made major contributions to contemporary British literature, appearing in the historic Great Day photo. In 2005 he was selected as the British Council’s first Poet in residence at California State University, Los Angeles. Joseph “voodoo punk” band The Spasm Band released their debut album Leggo de Lion (Kindred Spirits) in 2007. Their most recent album is Bird Head Son (Naive/Heavenly Sweetness, 2009).

His work has also been included in several anthologies, including Identity Parade (Bloodaxe, 2010), Red (Peepal Tree, 2010) and Black, Brown & Beige (University of Texas Press, 2009). He performs and lectures internationally and tours with his band The Spasm Band. Joseph lectures in creative writing at Birkbeck College, University of London. He is an AHRC scholar and doctoral candidate at Goldsmiths College.