We had a great time at the RocknRoll Book Club last Sunday. Chris in conversation with Joe Tucker author of The Secret Painter and RnR host Mark Love. It was a great session.

Joe Tucker spoke about his new book The Secret Painter. It is a memoir and biographical account centered on Tucker’s uncle, Eric Tucker, a self-taught artist from Warrington, Lancashire, who lived a seemingly unremarkable life as a laborer and bachelor, sharing a modest council house with his mother for nearly eight decades. Eric passed away in 2018 at the age of 86, and after his death, his family discovered over 500 paintings hidden throughout his home—works he had created over six decades but rarely shared with anyone.

The book explores Eric’s life and art, depicting mid-20th-century working-class northern England through vivid, often humorous scenes of pub life, street activities, and community interactions. Joe Tucker, who had a close relationship with his uncle growing up, delves into the paradoxes of Eric’s character: a sociable yet solitary man who painted prolifically but kept his talent largely private, possibly due to shyness, a distrust of the art world, or a lack of interest in recognition. The memoir also reflects on broader themes, such as the barriers working-class individuals face in accessing the cultural sphere, the nature of artistic expression, and the hidden depths of those closest to us.

Chris in turn spoke about his debut graphic novel Anfield Road. It’s a coming-of-age story set in Liverpool during the late 1980s, specifically 1989, focusing on the working-class dynamics of Merseyside. The narrative follows Conor Sterling, a 17-year-old who lives with his grandmother, Mary, on Anfield Road—famously near Liverpool FC’s stadium. Despite this prime location, Conor isn’t a football fan; his passion lies in art, and he dreams of escaping to London to attend art college.

Mark skilfully navigated the conversation to look at how the working class fit into the art world. What followed was a great conversation about creativity in light of the recent Guardian article about how the working class are excluded from high level jobs in the arts. It was a thought provoking afternoon.

Big thanks to Mark for staging such a great event at the Traders. It was an honour to be there. The RocknRoll book club stage so many amazing events. Check them out. Also a big shout out to Dean Brannigan who did the tech and took these photos. We also had Steve Proctor spinning the decks. Ironically Steve did many music nights in Liverpool in the time period that Anfield Road is set.

If you want to buy a copy of The Secret Painter check out this link and for Anfield Road please visit here.

The second print go Anfield Road landed in the UK and will be in shops any day. To celebrate we have more events coming up with more to be announced. Chris will be giving a lecture at Cambridge School or Art on the 6th March. After that he will be North of the border in Edinburgh’s wonderful La Belle Adventure on the 22nd March. That’s not to be missed. Keep an eye out on the blog for full details.