after his mother's death from cancer, english spent five years working for oil companies in madagascar, nigeria and rigs in the north sea, eventually becoming a flaneur/plongeur in his brother william's restaurant in london's borough market (dining room 1980–1990). here, his brother introduced him to avant-garde film. in 1981, an interview english conducted with kenneth anger in new york was published in "time out" magazine, and was later republished in the summer 1983 edition of "on film".