If you prefer a milder comedian please ask for one or in my case.. A possible cure for Agoraphobia
Work in progress, towards a new touring show, from this popular comedian and content provider, currently fashionable amongst broadsheet newspaper critics due to his BBC2 series Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle.
Stew says, "In this show, an account of something that happened to me in a coffee shop will be used as a convenient framing device for disparate material possibly concerning English Heritage, Top Gear, The Olympics, emigration, prawns, Bella Pasta, The National Trust, farmers, DH Lawrence, piglets, cathedrals, bees, Iggy Pop, cider adverts, riots etc etc."
As usual, expect …
1) Some punchy stuff near the top 2) inexplicable hostility towards relatively innocuous figures 3) silences 4) repetition 5) sudden and/or gradual shifts in tone, velocity and volume 6) long routines experimenting with form rather than content 7) the possibility of failure 8) a quasi-serious bit at the end.
2009 is the 22nd fringe appearance by this obtuse man.
‘Lee destroys his topics with the precision, relentlessness and brutality of a medieval torturer; repeatedly and meticulously attacking the same small point until it becomes weakened to the point of collapse. Shorter jokes would be funnier, but nowhere near as transfixing, as the audience are compelled to see just how far he dare push it, and left to marvel at the man’s sheer audacity. There’s some tension as to whether it will work or not, and occasionally it doesn’t.’ Steve Bennett, Chortle
‘Apparently ill at ease with both speech and movement, Lee’s presence creates a kind of negative energy, a black hole of vacancy, pregnant with lack of meaning.’ Tim Out, Time Out London
‘His whole tone is one of complete, smug condescension’ Roz Laws, Birmingham Sunday Mercury
‘I thought, ‘I'm funnier than Stewart Lee. If he can do it, I can’.’ Al Murray, The Times
‘Even my Agoraphobia won't stop me booking to see Stewart Lee.’ Gary Walsh, domesticempire.co.uk
I hope one doesn't have to wait too long to hear confirmation of series two for Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle. Television for grown ups, I call it. And there's precious little of that about presently. The DVD of the first series is due out on September 7th, 90 minutes of additional content.
Once again Melbourne is the first race of the 2009 Formula 1 season. Moreover it's back on the BBC. Let's hope they don't balls it up. Martin Brundle is there at least, so I hope they have the the good sense to take his vast experience into account. No doubt, he's being paid enough.
With all the usual internal politics well underway and dominating the headlines, let's hope, at least, we have a good first race. Are you getting excited yet?
Coverage begins this Friday night/Saturday morning at 05:00 on BBC1 or from 01:25 via BBCi.
BBCi Red Button Interactive Service 01:25-03:05, The Australian Grand Prix - Live coverage of first practice 05:25-07:05, The Australian Grand Prix - Live coverage of second practice
BBC 1 05:00-07:15 The Australian Grand Prix - Qualifying
Jarvis Cocker has been a familiar voice on the BBC radio networks recently. Here are a couple of recent documentaries.
Zine Scene(a two-parter) BBC Radio 4/January 2008 "Jarvis Cocker explores the history of fanzines, small publications designed and produced by devotees of popular phenomena. 50.9 MB (53395488 bytes)
Jarvis Cocker's Musical Map of Sheffield BBC Radio 2/July 2008 "Former Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker takes you on an intimate tour of Sheffield. In his evocative musical map, Jarvis creates a soundtrack that drives his memories, feelings and observations about his home town. Growing up in a city that was still reeling from the loss of big industry, Jarvis recalls his childhood, surrounded by family, and listening to conversations about love and disappointment. Along the way, he introduces the music of Sheffield legends, including Joe Cocker, Cabaret Voltaire, The Human League and Artery." 51.6 MB (54146195 bytes)
*UPDATED*- see below... Peter Curran & Clive Anderson have been doing a worthwhile job since Ned's health forced him off air but Loose Ends IS Ned Sherrin as far as I'm concerned.
Another unique individual gone forever.
Increasingly the media is stuffed full of bland individuals with no understanding of their history, nothing to say and an arrogant sense of self-importance.
Oh well I suppose it's a generational thing. It's certainly not evolution as I understand it.
With the news of the death of Ned Sherrin, the presenter of Loose Ends, BBC Radio 4 lost one of its best-known and longest-serving voices. Alistair Beaton presents a personal tribute to his long-term friend and colleague. For nearly 30 years the playright Alistair Beaton has been a close friend and colleague of Ned Sherrin, who died yesterday. Tonight, in tribute to one of Britain's greatest broadcasters, he offers his personal take on the peculiar genius of Ned Sherrin as revealed through twenty-two years of Loose Ends. Throughout these years, Ned Sherrin used the programme to nurture new talent and at the same celebrate the achievements of the justly famous. With excerpts that recall Ned's encyclopedic knowledge of the world of entertainment - and a few examples of his provocative wit - Alistair Beaton's Tribute to Ned Sherrin is at 6.30pm, Tuesday 2 October.
It's available via Listen Again but only for 7 days after broadcast. If you find this post some time in the future and want to hear it just leave a message and I shall upload a copy asap.
*UPDATED* Here, as requested, is said Ned Sherrin tribute programme as broadcast on Radio 4. It's in it's original RealAudio (.ra) format to preserve space. If anyone needs advice to convert it into other formats just let me know. A seperate .sfv checksum file is available if required. I also have some editions of the programme from the last couple of years which I will upload too. Not as many as I would wish but perhaps others readers could share what they have? | NedSherrinRadio4Tribute.zip 9.47 MB (9937740 bytes) | NedSherrinRadio4Tribute.sfv 329 bytes (329 bytes)
Unless I'm very much mistaken this is what Formula 1 should sound like.
Murray Walker returns to the mic for Five Live
Formula One’s legendary voice, Murray Walker will commentate from the European Grand Prix in Germany on 22 July. This is Murray’s first return to a UK commentary box since his retirement in 2001.
Great commentary as you would expect from Murray Walker today. Makes you remember why you started watching it all those years ago.
However what prick in charge of programming at the BBC with his head stuck up his arse and shit for brains thought, "Murray Walker? We've got Murray Walker commentating for us? Wow man what a coup. You know what would make it even better? During the live broadcast? During the actual race? Cut away to golf. Brilliant. That's how we'll capitalise on this great opportunity. Yeah ITV will be so jealous." FiveLive: What complete and utter cunts. Actually cunt is too good a word for them. Let's settle for lame-jobsworths-lacking-integrity shall we? I think that fair sums it up.
The BBC, for some time now I fear, has been crumbling from the inside under the weight of it's own incompetence. It's not because of this one event that I mention this, but the evidence is everywhere you look inside the BBC now. Apparently no one has the balls these days to say, "I'll show you how it should be done". Soon it shall come to represent nothing but a husk of it's past former glories. I never thought I'd say it but I no longer believe they deserve the licence fee any longer. As much as I hate to resort to such overused colloquialism, the BBC have well and truly lost the plot.
Some fine, and not so fine, audio examples to follow in a while...
Ian Dury At The BBC A Peer Production for BBC Radio 4 Producer: Alison Vernon-Smith Presenter: Paul Dodgson Broadcast 31 Dec 2005 27:33, 128kbps, 44.1kHz
Ian Dury, who died of cancer at the age of 57 in March 2000, was a true original on the British music scene. With the Blockheads, he successfully combined the energy and excitement of rock'n'roll and funk with the bawdy humour, wit and home-spun philosophy of the music hall and of his native Essex.
Coming out of art college he formed Kilburn and the High Roads in 1971, but was written off by record labels as a pub act. Then in 1977, Stiff records signed him. Surfing on the wave of the newly invigorated post-punk British music scene, he embarked on the now legendary Stiff tours alongside Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Wreckless Eric. Ian Dury and the Blockheads went on to have five Top Ten hits and two hit albums.
Ian Dury was the most articulate of pop stars, by turns poetic, witty and cheeky, he was frequently asked to appear on television and radio. He charmed and delighted interviewers and audiences.
In Ian Dury at the BBC, writer and composer Paul Dodgson presents the best of Ian's contributions to the BBC archive. The result is a rich and varied biography of the singer's life, ranging from reminiscences of his Essex childhood and early days as an art student, through appearances in radio drama productions, descriptions of literary heroes, off-beat poetry readings and stories from his life. It includes accounts of his first love - 'the first time I saw curly curliness under the arms', his desire to be a better singer and from one of his last interviews, his courage and fortitude when battling cancer.
The Last of the Teenage Idols Broadcast on BBC Radio 2 Saturday 3rd February 2007 20:00 - 21:00
Alex Lester pays tribute to and celebrates the tragically short life of Glaswegian Alex Harvey, the unforgettable front man with the Sensational Alex Harvey Band who died 25 years ago.
Wearing his trademark black and white striped t-shirt, Harvey epitomized early rock and roll, his life the typical blend of success and sorrow. One minute Alex was headlining the Reading Festival, the next mourning the loss of his brother who was electrocuted on stage playing with Stone the Crows.
Insight and anecdotes are shared by Billy Connolly, Noddy Holder, Lulu, Jim Kerr, Harvey's widow Trudy and band members Zal Cleminson, Ted McKenna and Chris Glen.
Last Of The Teenage Idols Size: 54.8 MB (57,537,700 bytes) Length: 55m50s MPEG 1.0 layer 3 136kbit (VBR), 128260 frames 44100Hz Joint Stereo
This is the version that has been re-voiced by Brad Pitt. Not that I doubt the sincerity of Pitt's interest in Drake's music, his narration doen't really lend itself to the subject matter. BBC Radio 2 link.
It's delivered in very flat matter-of-fact manner, the tone of which would be more in keeping with one of those faux reverential AutoQueue induced awards speeches that never sound right even on Oscar night. I don't dislike Pitt but he doesn't really suit this sort of thing (is that coming across?).
I think the desire to enlist an A List celebrity on the project far outweighed common sense, or at least the stabilising influence of a BBC producer on hand. I'm pretty sure I have the original broadcast with the producer's original narration on a cassette - somewhere...
UPDATE 1: The original version of this programme was called "Fruit Tree - The Nick Drake Story". Broadcast on 20th June 1998, BBC Radio 2. It was presented by bass player Danny Thompson. A good quality bootleg of this does exist. Hopefully, soon, here.
UPDATE 2 (2009.11.21): Apropos the original broadcast, I found the transcript here. "Danny Thompson tells the story of Nick Drake, the singer-songwriter who died unknown at the age of 26 but posthumously influenced a new generation of artists, including REM, Kate Bush and Paul Weller. With contributions from his actress sister Gabrielle Drake, producer Joe Boyd and engineer John Wood." Now where's that bloody recording?????
*** UPDATED 21st may 2008 ***
Over to Andrew once again:
"Couple more to see you through to the weekend."
Kitchens of Distinction and Babes In Toyland 12th September 1992 3hrs (almost)
12th September 1992 part one (rapidshare) * new link *
12th September 1992 part two (rapidshare) * new link *
12 ...
Music should be primal and intuitive. So no convoluted reviews discussing age/catalogue, and all the other self-congratulatory bollocks so beloved of hack reviewers. Just listen to this taster track from the new album. Then buy it. It's great!
| We Call Upon The Author mp3 8.32 MB (8728068 bytes) ...
On BBC Radio 2 this Friday at midnight this seminal group play live in session. Is this news to you? It is to me. I had no idea they were a going concern once more.
According to Wikipedia, "In 2007, The Sonics reunited again, this time for the Cavestomp garage rock festival in Brooklyn (November 2 ...
Today is Official Moving Out Day:
Let me see now, have I forgotten anything?
Bags are packed, I've cancelled the milk, gas and electric are off.
Got my trusty, anti-political-correctness-electric-cattle-prod, my Bill Hicks sanity kit and my Stuart Maconi dartboard - blimey that's looking a bit ...
Although the clean-feed policy is targeted solely at "vulnerable" children, official statistics show that a large majority of internet-connected households in Australia have no children under 15.
According to ABS research (Household use of information technology2006-07), the number of households wi ...
When we heard the 7.30 Report was preparing a report on the clean feed policy, we were hopeful that a serious piece would highlight some of the major concerns with the policy. When the story opened with "A monster is loose in suburbia", it was obvious this was not to be.
Although the ABC interviewe ...
Whirlpool's Australian Broadband Survey for 2007 included a question about the clean-feed policy. The survey was completed and verified 17,881 times, and the results prove what we've been saying all along - very few Australians want a filtered connection.
In response to the question "Do you suppor ...
The Labor budget is out, and - to our dismay - there is enough money in there to be dangerous when it comes to the clean-feed. About $150m is allocated to "cyber-safety", a lot of it for more sensible measures such as education and policing of illegal material. However, there is an ominous chunk of ...
The ACMA has released a report (PDF here) on their limited trial of filtering software. Not surprisingly, it has been hailed by Senator Conroy as a success and a blueprint for a pilot, and, eventually, the entire country.
If you haven't been keeping up with current events, yes, this means what you ...
WIDGETIZE