Since it is a television programme, I haven’t been able to mention the latest series of Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle on BBC2, which has been required viewing as ever. Anyone who can get several minutes of breathless laughter out of me just by miming Rod Liddle eating a dry poppadom must be very funny indeed.
Lee is also a massive music fan and perceptive critic, so it was good to hear him turn up on Radio 3’s Late Junction talking to Max Reinhardt and compiling his ‘mix tape’. Reinhardt questioned Lee about his assertion that ‘90 per cent of jazz is awful’. Lee said he had ‘shelves and shelves of jazz’ but stood by the ratio, preferring ‘the stuff that you can’t dance to’. Listening to Radio 3 as a teenager had helped alert him to the 10 per cent. Before that, he’d thought it was ‘all George Benson and slap bass’.
Reinhardt mentioned Lee’s dabblings as a musical performer, working with the free jazz improviser Steve Beresford as the narrator on performances of John Cage’s Indeterminacy. Lee also discussed the relationship between jazz and comedy, noting similarities between stating a theme, meandering away from it and eventually returning to it, hopefully without losing the audience’s trust and interest.
As a comedian, Lee has made appearing to alienate large sections of his audience part of the act. On screen, he works to at least three audiences – the knowing punters in the room, despised TV executives who might cancel the show and the bovine, unsophisticated punters at home – playing them off against each other. And yet, he always gets them back.
All good stuff, but I have just one problem. When did ‘mix tape’ become currency? It’s an Americanism. In the days of the cassette, didn’t we just make tapes?
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter