Snowflake and Tornado are both on the BBC iplayer now.
The new stand-up show, BASIC LEE hits the road and the Royal Festival Hall.
Monday 6th March 2023 – Rose Theatre, Kingston – TICKETS
Tuesday 7th March 2023 – Rose Theatre, Kingston – TICKETS
Wednesday 8th March 2023 – Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes – TICKETS
Thursday 9th March 2023 – Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes – TICKETS
Friday 10th March 2023 – Opera House, Buxton – TICKETS
Saturday 11th March 2023 – Opera House, Buxton – TICKETS
Monday 13th March 2023 – Eden Court, Inverness – TICKETS
Tuesday 14th March 2023 – Tivoli Theatre, Aberdeen – TICKETS
Wednesday 15th March 2023 – Tivoli Theatre, Aberdeen – TICKETS
Thursday 16th March 2023 – King’s Theatre, Glasgow – TICKETS
Friday 17th March 2023 – King’s Theatre, Glasgow – TICKETS
Monday 20th March 2023 – Theatre Royal, York – TICKETS
Tuesday 21st March 2023 – Theatre Royal, York – TICKETS
Wednesday 22nd March 2023 – Theatre Royal, York – TICKETS
Monday 27th March 2023 – The Lowry, Salford Quays – TICKETS
Tuesday 28th March 2023 – The Lowry, Salford Quays – TICKETS
Wednesday 29th March 2023 – The Lowry, Salford Quays – TICKETS
Thursday 30th March 2023 – The Lowry, Salford Quays – TICKETS
Friday 31st March 2023 – The Lowry, Salford Quays – TICKETS
Saturday 1st April 2023 – The Lowry, Salford Quays – TICKETS
Monday 3rd April 2023 – Hippodrome, Bristol – TICKETS
Thursday 13th April 2023 – Theatre Royal, Newcastle Upon Tyne – TICKETS
Friday 14th April 2023 – Theatre Royal, Newcastle Upon Tyne – TICKETS
Saturday 15th April 2023 – Theatre Royal, Newcastle Upon Tyne – TICKETS
Tuesday 18th April 2023 – Forum Theatre, Malvern – TICKETS
Wednesday 19th April 2023 – Forum Theatre, Malvern – TICKETS
Thursday 20th April 2023 – Westlands, Yeovil – TICKETS
Wednesday 26th April 2023 – Brighton Dome, Brighton – TICKETS
Thursday 27th April 2023 – Brighton Dome, Brighton – TICKETS
Friday 28th April 2023 – Brighton Dome, Brighton – TICKETS
Saturday 29th April 2023 – Brighton Dome, Brighton – TICKETS
Sunday 30th April 2023 – Brighton Dome, Brighton – TICKETS
Tuesday 2nd May 2023 – Mercury Theatre, Colchester – TICKETS
Wednesday 3rd May 2023 – Mercury Theatre, Colchester – TICKETS
Thursday 4th May 2023 – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford – TICKETS
Friday 5th May 2023 – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford – TICKETS
Saturday 6th May 2023 – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford – TICKETS
Friday 26th May 2023 – Playhouse, Nottingham – TICKETS
Saturday 27th May 2023 – Playhouse, Nottingham – TICKETS
Saturday 27th May 2023 – Playhouse, Nottingham – TICKETS
Sunday 28th May 2023 – Playhouse, Nottingham – TICKETS
Wednesday 28th June 2023 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Thursday 29th June 2023 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Friday 30th June 2023 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Saturday 1st July 2023 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Sunday 2nd July 2023 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
Sunday 2nd July 2023 – Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London – TICKETS
WEDS MAY 17TH NERVE TUMORS BENEFIT Union Chapel London.
Stand Up for Nerve Tumours UK Comedy Fundraiser with Stewart Lee, Paul Foot, Laura Lexx, Lara Ricote, Dan Tiernan, Celya AB, William Stone with MC Jessica Fostekew.
Doors 7pm 16+ https://unionchapel.org.uk/venue/whats-on/stand-up-for-nerve-tumours-uk-comedy-fundraiser
JOSIE LONG
The absolutely brilliant stand-up is on tour
MAY 12th Berwick-Upon-Tweed Maltings,
14th Salford Lowry,
18th Trebah Ampitheatre,
19th Ivybridge Watermark,
20th Clevedon Curzon,
27th Warwick Arts,
30th Lawrence Batley Huddersfield,
JUNE 3rd Giffnock Eastwood Park,
21st Wigan Old Courts,
22nd Halifax Square Chapel,
23rd Oxford Old Fire Station,
27th Druimfin Mull Theatre,
30th Cambridge Junction,
JULY 1st Folkestone Quarterhouse,
7th Stirling Tolbooth,
9th Exeter Phoenix
TICKETS HERE
SIMON MUNNERY The Peter Cook of our generation of comics, but better.
MARCH
11 – CAMBRIDGE, Junction,
16 – BRIGHTON, The Old Market,
23 – BRISTOL, Hen & Chicken,
11 – NORWICH, Arts Centre,
13 – BATH, Rondo Theatre,
18 – LEEDS, The Old Wollen,
JUNE 9 – ALDERSHOT, West End Centre
PLEASE SUPPORT THIS UNSUNG GENIUS OF STAND-UP*********** – https://www.simonmunnery.com/tour-dates
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS
The indefatigable inspirational still-ragin’ first wave punk survivors MUST BE SEEN.
MARCH 7th Livewire, Saltash; 9th Bristol Academy; 10th Cardiff Tramshed; 11th Birmingham Academy; 13th Portsmouth Guildhall; 14th Cambridge Junction; 16th Newcastle City Hall; 17th – 18th Glasgow Barrowlands; 20th Nottingham Rock City; 21st Norwich Epic; 23rd Leeds Academy; 24th M’cr Academy; 25th London Roundhouse.
THE FALLEN LEAVES
Gentleman mod-punks
MAY 13th Camden Dublin Castle,
SEP 9th Camden Dublin Castle.
ROSIE HOLT Satire’s Rosie Holt will be satirising the shit out of shit at the following places in 2023;
MARCH
9th Cambridge Corn Exchange,
16th Sheffield Leadmill,
17th B’ham Old Rep,
22nd London Leicester Sq Theatre,
24th Southend On Sea Palace,
25th Swindon Wyvern
APRIL 29th Ipswich Corn Exchange,
30th Leeds City Varieties,
MAY 4th & 5th Bristol Hen & Chicken,
May 7th Salford Lowry,
JULY 1st Oxford Festival Marquee
DREAM SYNDICATE/RAIN PARADE Unmissable double header of Paisley Underground Survivors – Dream Syndicate are currently magnificent!
MARCH 7th Bristol Fleece, 8th L’pool District, 9th Leeds Brudenell, 10th/11th Glasgow Hug & Pint, 12th N’castle Cluny, 14th M’cr Band On The Wall, 15th London Lexington, 16th London Colours
MARK EITZEL American Music Club songwriter returns MARCH 10th London St Pancras Old Church.
ONEIDA Krautrockin’ Brooklyn hipsters MARCH 11th Bristol Crofters, 12th London Studio 9294
ROBERT FORSTER The silver fox of Australian indie rock MARCH 11th Strathaven Frets, 12th Edinburgh Mash, 14th York Crescent, 16th W’hampton Newhampton Arts, 17th Oxford Bullingdon, 20th London Lafayette, 21st Brighton Komedia, 23rd Belfast Empire, 24th Dublin Button Factory
BRITISH JAZZ FILM ARCHIVE SHOW AT CAFÉ OTO LONDON March 12th
FREE TO AIR: IMPROVISED AND EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC ON BRITISH TV, 1973-1983 Café OTO, in association with the British Film Institute, presents a day-long immersion in another era: one in which there were only four TV channels, and a music community that was struggling to be seen and heard. We bring together four extremely rare programmes, scarcely seen at the time and never repeated, which show Café OTO regulars and other legends of the improvisation/jazz scene at work and in concert. Marvel at the earliest known film of Derek Bailey (Omnibus: British Jazz, 1973), Spike Milligan introducing The Tony Oxley Unit (Open Door, 1974), wild film of Evan Parker and Paul Lytton in performance (Aquarius, 1975), and Fred Frith giving a comic demonstration of his approach to sound (Jazz on 4, 1983). This event is a reflection on the struggle to get heard in the mainstream – is it better to reject a public service broadcaster, or a great way to reach the unsuspecting listener?
The Musicians’ Action Group, who made the Open Door programme, fought for better exposure for jazz musicians – but it remained a struggle, and is even more so today.
These four programmes show how sympathetic producers, often fans of the music, made it possible for viewers to discover it for themselves. Our two panels will feature musicians who appeared in the programmes, viewers who saw them at the time, those who worked behind the scenes, and jazz critics then and now. Together we will dissect what we’ve lost and what we’ve gained. Above all join us for a day of great music and eye-catching films, a true blast from the past. This is a one-off reappearance for these programmes which is not to be missed.
PROGRAMME ONE From the venerable BBC1 arts show Omnibus, we present British Jazz (1973). Charles Fox (Jazz in Britain), Benny Green, Humphrey Lyttelton and others take us on a journey around the scene, all the way from trad to free. We meet Ian Carr’s Nucleus, as well as Iskra 1903 who deliver a performance on film that is almost too fast for the cameras. Open Door: Jazz… Nobody’s Child (1974) saw the takeover of BBC2 by the Musicians’ Action Group, gaining a platform to make their case for better jazz coverage on TV. Charles Fox and Spike Milligan (The Goon Show) introduce films of Stan Tracey, The Tony Oxley Unit, Maggie Nicols’ Matter in Motion, Tony Levin, and Paul Rutherford. Norma Winstone and Gordon Beck appear in the studio. + Panel TBC
PROGRAMME TWO Sounds Amazing! (London Weekend Television, 1975) is one of the most unusual programmes to go out on ITV, let alone at teatime. As TV Times put it, ‘This Aquarius film is about musical explorers who are extending the language of music in unusual ways.’ Our ‘sound poets’ are Max Eastley, David Toop, Paul Burwell, Hugh Davies, Evan Parker and Paul Lytton. In Crossing Bridges (Channel 4, 1983), a midnight special for Jazz on 4, six innovative guitarists talk about their ideas and give a studio demonstration of their music. Spend an unforgettable hour with Fred Frith, Brian Godding, John Russell, Ron Geesin, Hans Reichel and Keith Rowe. + Panel TBC
Thanks to the British Film Institute for permission to screen these programmes as part of the Performers Alliance Agreement. There is a 25% discount for entry to members of Equity, Writers Guild and the Musicians’ Union. Please present your membership card on arrival.
ROB AUTON Gifted poet/stand-up MARCH 13TH – 18th London Soho Theatre
KIM NOBLE – LULLABY FOR SCAVENGERS Rend your heart and mind once again with more of Noble’s art-comedy genius
MARCH 15TH – APRIL 8TH London Soho Theatre
ORBITAL Rave era visionary architects of sound
MARCH 16th Limerick Big Top, 18th Belfast Mandela, 28th Glasgow Galvanisers, 29th Newcastle NX, 30th M’cr Albert Hall, 31st Bristol Academy, APRIL 1st London Brixton Academy, 5th Leeds Academy, 6th Cambridge Corn Exchange, 7th Nottingham Rock City, 8th Brighton Centre.
TONY BUCK AT 60 Drummer’s birthday celebration with guests MARCH 21-23 London Café Oto
THE WAVE PICTURES Indie classicists
MARCH 22nd Edinburgh Voodoo Rooms, 23rd Sheffield Yellow Arch, 24th Preston Ferret, 25th Southampton Joiner, 26th Lewes Con Club, 30th Cardiff Clwb Ifor Bach, APR 1st Stowmarket John Peel Centre.
THE POPGUNS 80s indie-popsters return MARCH 31ST London 229
THE DAMNED/THE NIGHTINGALES 2 punk era legends of wildly differing levels of fame in one double bill.
MARCH 31ST Cardiff Great Hall, APRIL 1st Southend Cliffs, 4th Nottingham Rock City, 5th Liverpool Academy, 7th Newcastle NX, 8th Glasgow Academy, 10th Leeds Academy, 11th M’cr Albert Hall, 13th B’ham Town Hall, 15th Norwich Nick Rayns, 17th Brighton Dome, 18th S’hampton Guildhall, 20th/21st London Alexandra Palace,
ALASDAIR ROBERTS Songwriter re-wiring Scottish folk tradition
MARCH 28th London Sutton House, APRIL 1st Cambridge Blue Moon, 6th W’chester Hyde Tavern, 7th Oxford Florence Park Community Centre, JUNE 23RD London West Hampstead Arts, 24th London Barbican
DISCHARGE
Hardcore ‘77 survivors.
APRIL 7TH Newcastle Anarchy Brewery, 8th Edinburgh Bannermans, 28th Swansea Bunkhouse, 29th Corby Clubhouse,
MAY 5th London Desertfest,
DEC 23rd B’ham Castle & Falcon
ALASDAIR BECKETT-KING – The Interdimensional Alasdair Beckett-King.
I saw this sharp absurdist show in Edinburgh and it is brilliant.
APRIL 8th Bath Rondo,
13th Oxford Glee,
14th Birmingham Glee,
20th Aldershot West End,
21st New Milton Forest Arts,
22nd Brighton Komedia,
27th Norwich Arts Centre,
28th Bristol Comedy Box @ Hen & Chicken,
29th Tiverton Community Arts Cent
MAY 5th Maidstone Hazlitt,
6th Cambridge Junction,
11th Fareham Ashcroft,
12th Winchester Arc,
13th Swindon Arts,
16th Newcastle Stand,
17th Edinburgh Stand,
18th Glasgow Stand,
19th Belfast Limelight,
20th Derry/Londonderry Nerve,
27th M’cr Home,
28th Leeds Wardrobe
JUNE 27th London Leicester Sq Theatre
YO LA TENGO Gods of American indie APRIL 10TH Dublin 3Olympia, 12th M’cr New Century, 13th Bristol SWX, 14th London Palladium,
SHONEN KNIFE Distaff Japanese Ramones
APRIL 12TH Guildford Boileroom, 13th Reading Sub69, 14th Cambridge Portland Arms, 15th London Garage, 16th Lewes Con Club, 18th Nottingham Rescue Rooms, 20th Edinburgh Summerhall, 21st Newcastle Cluny, 22nd Carlisle Brickyard, 23rd Hull Adelphi, 25th Leeds Brudenell, 26th Cardiff Moon, 27th B’ham Hare & Hounds, 28th M’cr Night & Day, 29th Bristol Exchange, 30th Bedford Esquires
JAYHAWKS Alt country originators APRIL 14th London Shepherd’s Bush Empire
GOAT Psychedelic Scandinavian shamans APRIL 15TH Bristol SWX, 16th B’ham Digneth Mill, 17th Leeds Brudenell, 18th Glasgow Garage, 19th N’castle Boiler Shop, 20th M’cr Gorilla, 21st Brighton Chalk, 22nd London Electric Ballroom
TONY! Tony Blair rock opera by Harry Hill and Steve Brown.
APRIL 15TH – MAY 21ST London Leicester Sq Theatre
BEN MOOR Various things, 18th April – 23rd May. The superbly gifted performance art comedian has two shows on the go. With Jo Neary he offers his amazing Russian Doll of a show BookTalkBookTalkBook, a sublime parody of literary events, at Machynlleth Comedy Festival on Sunday 30th April, and at The Hen and Chickens, Islington, London, on Tuesday 23rd May. I cannot recomment it enough. His current solo show Who Here’s Lost? is at The Hen and Chickens on 18th and 19th April.
https://www.unrestrictedview.co.uk/ben-moor-who-heres-lost/
SONIC BOOM A middle class man ruins his mind so you don’t have to.
APR 19th M’cr Band On The Wall, 20th Glasgow Room 2, 22nd Leeds Brudenell, 27th London Studio 9294
IMPRESSIONS OF JOHN COLTRANE w Alan Skidmore, Dominic Lash
APRIL 21ST London Café Oto
RICHARD DAWSON Genius art-folk-noise songwriter
APRIL 25th M’cr New Century, 26th Glasgow St Luke’s, 27th L’pool Tung, 28th Leeds City Varieties, MAY 3rd Cardiff Gate, 5th London Barbican
BLUE AEROPLANES Bristol beat poets APRIL 28TH London Electric Ballroom
THE FALLEN WOMEN APRIL 28th – The Moon, Cardiff; 29TH – The Ill Repute, Bristol.
HAWKWIND This current Hawkwind iteration channels their classic ‘70s space rock sound unashamedly, with keyboardist Thighpaulsandra of Coil, Cope and Spiritualised clearly living out a childhood dream. APRIL 28th Manchester Academy I, 29th April – Rock City Nottingham, 30th – Northern Kin Festival Durham, JUNE 16th – Hall for Cornwall, AUGUST 28th – Castell Roc, Chepstow Castle
SWELL MAPS C21 Surviving Swell Maps augmented w celebrity guests APRIL 29TH London Café Oto
ROBERT LLOYD (Nightingales), JANET BEVERIDGE BEAN (Eleventh Dream Day/Freakwater), LINDY MORRISON (Go-Betweens), MARK BEDFORD (Madness) & PETE BYRCHMORE (Membranes)
LONDON BUSH HALL, MAY 2ND
This is the event of the year in my mind – and I can’t go.
Nightingales frontman and post-punk steamroller Robert Lloyd (the star of the doc King Rocker that Michael Cumming and I made) has a long term sideline in brilliant blue collar country songs, like a Cannock Lee Hazelwood offering black country country and western.
Under lockdown he hatched a plan to document this other facet of his talent with Janet Beveridge Bean, of the legendary Chicago bands Eleventh Dream Day and Freakwater, on vocals.
And for one night only – May 2nd – they are performing this amazing soon-to-be-released set of tearjerkers at London’s Bush Hall, accompanied by a veritable Blind Faith made up of members of many of the bands I love the most in the world.
The Go-Betweens’ rightful drummer Lindy Morrison sits behind the traps with her trademark fills, Pete Byrchmore of The Membranes is on guitar, and the bass is Mark Bedford from Madness – and if you remember his playing on Robert Wyatt’s Shipbuilding you’ll know he’s adept at the sensitivity required here as he is at holding down a rocksteady rhythm.
DO NOT MISS THIS. IT CAN NEVER BE REPEATED.
Here’s a flyer. Tell your friends. 0208 222 6955. Or the Dice.fm ticket ap.
OTOBOKE BEAVER Japanese noise-girls
MAY 2nd London Electric Ballroom,
4th M’cr Club Academy,
5th Glasgow St Luke’s,
7th Belfast Empire,
8th Dublin Button Factory,
10th Bristol Fleece
LAUREN CONNORS & ALAN LICHT – Lucid guitar duo MAY 5TH/6TH London Café Oto
GAVIN BRYARS never failed us yet MAY 15TH/16th London Café Oto
HOUSE OF ALL M’cr post-punk supergroup, a kind of 6 Music evening show Asia, hit the road.
HANLEY HANLEY GREENWAY BRAMAGH!
LONG RYDERS Alt country pioneers return, again
MAY 19th Leamington Assembly,
20th London 229,
21st Leeds Brudenell,
22nd Glasgow Oran Moor,
23rd L’pool Cavern,
25th Brighton Patterns
LOOP Heavy psyche survivors
MAY 20th Dublin Wheelans, 21st M’cr Deaf Institute, 22nd Glasgow Room 2, 23rd Leeds Brudenell, 25th London Garage, 27th Norwich UEA
AMON DUUL II ‘70s originators of commune krautrock. Can they really still rock?
MAY 29th London Jazz Café, 30th M’cr Blues Kitchen
CHUCK PROPHET Chisel-cheeked Alt Country guitar-slinger
MAY 31st London Garage
JUNE 2nd Nottingham Metronome,
4th Oxford Bullingdon,
6th Leeds Brudenell,
7th Glasgow St Luke’s,
10th N’castle Cluny,
12th B’ham Hare & Hounds,
13th Bristol Fleece,
14th Southampton 1865
LAURA CANNELL Hypnotic fenland dronemadchen JUNE 17th London King’s Place
THE CHAMELEONS Most convincing line-up for years of the always emotionally edifying Big Music should-have-beens.
JUNE 20th Leeds Old Woollen,
21st L’pool Hangar 34,
22nd N’castle Riverside,
23rd Edinburgh Liquid Room,
24th Glasgow Garage,
26th Aberdeen Lemon Tree,
28th Norwich Epic,
29th Cambridge Junction,
30th Leamington Assembly,
JULY 1ST London Islington Assembly,
3rd Bristol Fleece,
4th Brighton Chalk,
7th Castleton Devil’s Arse,
8th Holmfirth Picturedrome
MUSIC FROM SUMMERISLE Various artists play the Wicker Man s/track, including Magnet (!), and Alasdair Roberts JUNE 24th London Barbican
BMX BANDITS Also-beens of classic Scottish indie JUNE 30TH Edinburgh Voodoo Rooms
ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN Another tilt at the infinite horizon from the cosmic scallies SEPT 12TH Nottingham Royal Concert Halls, 14th Edinburgh Usher Halls, 16th L’pool Bank Arena, 18th London Royal Albert Hall
BRITISH CRYPTIDS ON YOUTUBE In 1974 the producer of Hereford Wakes, David Emlyn Edwards, made a series of films about unknown animals in the United Kingdom.
The films were presumably destined to be sold to a UK broadcaster – either BBC or ITV – but they seem to only have been shown at schools and ended up languishing in public libraries.
The music for the series was written and produced by Hereford Wakes’ Thorsten Schmidt, continuing his professional collaboration with David Emlyn Edwards.
The latest restoration to be released is ‘The Woodwose of Cannock Chase’. If you enjoyed Hereford Wakes, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this too! https://youtu.be/loZwFNT8H_s
Ruggero Deodato (Junk genius, 1939)
Kelly Monteith (Lucky pants stand-up, 1942)
Alan Rankine (Associate musician, 1958)
Darryl Hunt (Pogue bass, 1950)
Jeff Beck (He happened ten years time ago, 1944)
Jane Suck (punk chronicler, 195?)
Yukihiro Takahashi (Sadistic Mika Man, 1952)
Ronald Blythe (Akenfieldsman, 1922)
Piers Haggard (hack genius of Claw and Quatermass, 1932)
Van Connor (sturdy psychedelic tree, 1967)
David Sutherland (Bash Street basher, 1933)
David Crosby (Byrdmaniac, 1941)
Tom Verlaine (Sui generis genius Televisionary, 1949)
Burt Bacarach (Musical cheesnius, 1928)
Eugene Cheese (chucklin’ cheesenius moocher, 1944)
Betty Boothroyd (croaky speaker, 1939)
A note on Eugene Cheese (1944-2023). Paul Jay was not a household name.
The child of travelling entertainers, he ran the Chuckle Club at a number of venues around Central London from the mid-80s onwards and was an unforgettable character, lugubrious but loyal and lovable, and blessed with a keen eye for the quirky acts that sometimes put him at odds with prevailing trends. On a good night the atmosphere his insanely weird opening slot (a deranged rhino bellow through Cab Calloway’s Minnie The Moocher) would set the tone for the show to lead to some riotous evenings.
He had a small part – as Arnold Brown’s wife – in series 1 of Comedy Vehicle and, though he made you work for years to get out of open spot purgatory into his coveted paid slots, once you were there Paul was a keeper, and the comedy world is poorer for the loss of yet another of that first wave of great Alternative Era eccentrics. (See Iceman, below)
My thoughts and condolences to friends and family, and especially to Margaret.
The brilliant Robert Wringham has written a new book about legend of the alternative comedy scene with an outro by me and an intro by Simon Munnery
Alternative comedy legend The Iceman has been immortalised in a new book. The performer, real name Anthony Irvine, was a regular on the comedy circuit in the 1980s and 1990s with an act that involved melting blocks of ice in a variety of ways – including salt or a blowtorch – while delivering corny jokes to the audience.
Shrek star Mike Myers has cited the Iceman as one of his all-time comedy favourites; Bill Bailey describes him as ‘a legend’ and Jo Brand describes him as ‘a true performance artist’.
He played Malcolm Hardee’s Tunnel Palladium, Simon Munnery’s Cluub Zarathustra, and Ivor Dembina’s Red Rose Club as well as being a regular at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Now comedy historian Robert Wringham has compiled an extended pictorial interview with Irvine, entitled Melt It! The Book of the Iceman, which is published today by indie label Go Faster Stripe.
The author says: ‘I wrote a book about Cluub Zarathustra ten years ago. Everyone I interviewed remembered the Iceman but I couldn’t find him. Like so many other fringe acts, he was simply gone.
‘When [alternative comedy blogger] John Fleming put me in touch with Anthony, I suggested my book idea. We spent a day together at Battersea Arts Centre where I grilled him to see what made the Iceman tick.’
The book features a foreword by Munnery and an afterword by Stewart Lee, who says: ‘I am so glad this book exists … another of Wringham’s essential mini-masterpieces.’
Alongside the interview, Wringham, who calls the book ‘an alt-alt comedy history bonanza’ presents 56 Polaroid photographs of Irvine’s 1990s ice block.
Chris Evans of Go Faster Stripe said of the 168-page title: ‘It’s right up my street. And if it’s something I’d like to read, hopefully there’s more people like me’
Stand-up turned comedy historian Oliver Double says: ‘I’ve long known about the legend of the Iceman, but I’m sorry to say I’ve never seen his act nor shared a bill with him on the circuit.
‘As a teacher, I’m keen to give examples of speciality acts so I’m always scouring for stuff about the Iceman. This book sounds brilliant.’
Melt It! The Book of the Iceman is available from Go Faster Stripe, priced £15 for a physical copy or £5 as a download.
GET IT HERE.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube