Sam Castell-Ward
Sam Castell-Ward
“I’m still waiting for one of my poems to be read in parliament, so maybe I should just go there and perform it myself.”
Sam Castell-Ward is a singer-songwriter and poet from East London. He creates raw, meaningful folk music with a distinctive voice.
Coming in with a DIY/punk edge, Sam’s sound can be compared to Billy Bragg or Bob Dylan, with influences of metal and rock. He has a different viewpoint, a determination to fight injustice and was a black belt in Ju-Jitsu.
A bit more about Sam…
In his lyrics and poetry Sam speaks from the heart, giving a direct, personal take on big political issues. He challenges inequality, taking aim at Tory corruption, austerity, and ableism.
His influences are wide-ranging, from Lou Reed and Benjamin Zephaniah to Alice in Chains and Pantera.
Taking up the guitar at a young age, Sam played in bands til he decided to go solo and do his own thing.
In 2014 he released his debut EP ‘On Different Wavelengths’. He followed it in 2018 with ‘Living in the Real False World’. Then in 2022 he released his first poetry EP as a printed zine and a series of videos.
As well as being a musician, Sam is an artist, actor, and playwright. He has run open mic nights, acted in feature films, played in Arthur Smith's band, and performed poetry at City Hall. Sam has gigged everywhere from big venues like the Roundhouse, to tiny pubs and a Free Pussy Riot festival.
One of Sam's great regrets is that he didn't follow his childhood dream to become a wrestler.