:: GussetBLOG ::

:: Sunday, August 10, 2008 ::

Another Stewart Lee Post

After reading this review in the Guardian yesterday I went looking for some Franklyn Ajaye material.

This is the best example I found...

...although I couldn't find the I'm a Comedian album. Does anyone know where I could hear that?

I admire Lee's understanding and analysis of the history of stand-up. His routine about it should be interesting.

I also found this article, Lost in translation, about German humour, which I've learnt to appreciate thanks to my brother-in-law moving there and having spent more time there over the last few years. Suddenly it seems obvious that he'd pick the German Comedy Ambassador as his support on his most recent tour.



And here is Lee on Guilt-free pleasures from 2003.

Labels: Comedy

:: Dan 10.8.08 [Arc] [2 comments] [links to this post] ::
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George Carlin: Seven words that shook a nation

Read George Carlin's books for comedic brilliance

Labels: Comedy, Religion, RIP

:: Dan 24.6.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
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I was just skipping through the archives here looking for an old gig review when I stumbled across this one I wrote for a Richard Herring stand-up show in the back room on the Richmond Spring pub in Clifton in January 2005. Nothing unusual about that, until I noticed what I wrote about the support act.

"Russell Brand, who was pretty good, and whose observation that giving money to homeless people can be seen as using a scabby vending machine for karma was the highlight of the set. Very good. Slightly annoying voice."

Shit. I had no recollection of that until I reread it. I think Brand was pretty much unknown then. (He was already doing Big Brother's Big Mouth on E4 but I've never seen it so can't comment). Regardless, this was before his annoying voice became part of the public consciousness and before he found that he could pull in ridiculously large audiences of teenage girls by dreaming up ever more twee pet names for his genitalia.

I also liked him when I saw him at The Secret Policeman's Ball. Here most of his set revolved around dissecting the letters page from The Sun. It was well put together and flushed my preconceptions (or intermediate-perceptions?) about him. Although that is based on the assumption that it was a recent copy of The Sun, hopefully that day's, and not one he'd constructed out of months worth of clippings.

With that said, I have to confess to thinking he's a good stand-up, even if it makes me feel like I'm dumbing down to admit it. So why does he maintain his gossip magazine friendly, over-stylised façade and how does he think this will stand him as his audience grows up? It probably isn't something he need worry about quite yet but I'd like to think he will find a way of making the move from teen heartthrob to thinking person's political comedian ala Robert Newman rather than sink into self-parody ala Eddie Izzard. Time will tell.

Labels: Comedy

:: Dan 1.5.08 [Arc] [1 comments] [links to this post] ::
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I saw Stewart Lee's "41st Greatest Stand-Up Ever" show at the Comedy Box in Bristol last night. I was also pleased to be able to buy a copy of his '90s Comedian DVD (show reviewed here, DVD available here) from 2005.

It struck me during the show what sets Lee apart from many of his contemporaries. It's something best described in musical terms: Dynamics. His performances have dynamics. The same way classical music does and pop music doesn't. He works through a whole range of emotions, from irritation and anger to loving care and sympathy. He whispers, he shouts, he smashes the mic against the mic stand, he throws the mic down and wanders into the audience to perform un-aided (I've seen Ian Cognito do this too but he only has anger mode), he appears close to tears at one point, he looks angry about the response some material gets, he laughs and seems to be enjoying himself, and he sits and chats to fans as they leave. I can't think of any other comedians who can work through that sort of repertoire every night and that's what I think makes him worth seeing. It's honest. It hasn't had all of the personality compressed out of it to appease the masses.

Labels: Comedy, Review

:: Dan 12.4.08 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
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I promised earlier, in the Glasto'07 post, a copy of the Mark Thomas - My Life in Serious Organised Crime show from Radio 4 and I've now uploaded it. [21MB MP3]

Ra - Ev.Panic, the game!
The original video is on the video page of Ra's Page in case you've forgotten what happens.

The Roots Music Listening Room
"If you are looking for traditional folk musics, then see the link above. It has tons and tons of free downloads of really diverse traditional music. I love this sight, and the songs download right quick."
[thanks Dai]

I was recently looking for Aaron Spectre VS. Nine Inch Nails - Ruiner (Wreckstep Remix) and found it in the old No More Destruction mix on the Mash It site. I've linked there plenty of times but it's worth check for anything you don't have on there now and again.

Labels: Comedy, MP3

:: Dan 29.6.07 [Arc] [0 comments] [links to this post] ::
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Go Faster Stripe sale DVDs of stand-up shows. Hopefully they'll be adding a lot more too. If you do nothing else, get a copy of Stewart Lee's 90s Comedian DVD. The live show was reviewed here and remians one of the best shows I've ever seen.

The reviews say it all:

"Undeniable masterclass in comedy craftsmanship"
London Evening Standard

"Stand-up that should win the Booker prize"
Time Out

"Illjudged and gratuitously offensive"
Daily Telegraph

Richard Herring says:

"Just to let you know that "Someone Likes Yoghurt" is now available to buy from the good people at Go Faster Stripe. Just go to http://www.gofasterstripe.com/ and click on my face!"

Labels: Comedy, DVD

:: Dan 31.5.07 [Arc] ::
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