‘You know those amazing occasions where a significant band’s finally unearthed first demo tape is revealed as better than anything else they ever recorded?’ go the sleeve notes to Stewart Lee’s newly-released Jazz Cellar Tape from 1989. ‘Well, this CD is not like that.’
True, but this small bit of comedy history is a fascinating curio and, despite Lee’s assertion that the set is ‘undeniably poor’, it is occasionally funny, and – more significantly – very revealing about the origins of his penchant for subverting comedy conventions.
This 27-minute set was recorded when Lee was a student of 20 in the Oxford Union’s jazz cellar. As a contemporary, I remember those Sunday-night gigs fondly if patchily. With the naitivity of youth, seeing the Oxford Revue Workshops in this intimate, smoky, low-ceiling venue seemed like belonging to an exciting, secret clique, riding the spirit of alternative comedy which, to us, still seemed fresh.
This recording – made on an old reel-to-reel tape and of the quality you might therefore expect – shows what an easily pleased audience we were. But although the jokes may be patchy there is still an unmistakably impudent, precocious attitude to Lee’s writing.
Twisting the expected formula, he gets some cheap anti-Tory cheers from what looks like a series of ‘knock, knock’ jokes, which he undermines immediately, while the riddle of why a chicken would cross the road is warped into a routine about the persecution of Iraq’s Kurds and a philosophical treatise on the meaning of life. It’s possibly more ambitious than funny, although this is clearly a young man with ideas for comedy. ‘Where have all the proper comedians gone?’ he asks, putting clear water between him and the Jimmy Tarbucks of the world; a disconnect from the mainstream he exploits to this day.
Largely his approach is similar to his contemporary persona so loved by comedy aficionados, if less sophisticated, and without the grumpy weariness of middle age that fits him so well. Talk of pulling women and being a great shag is strange, the supposed irony barely disguising the self-aggrandisement, but his comments on Christianity remain sharp.
Familiar sayings and old wives’ tales are a staple of this act, with Lee applying a superiority and logic to subjects that don’t require much in the way of life experience. Sometimes he tries to have his cake and eat it, for example by doing a deliberately poor piece of observational stand-up about the weather, but with a cheesy wink.
The content has largely weathered the intervening 22-and-a-half years well, although there is the occasional dated references to the likes of acid house (which Lee admits is already not ‘trendy’) and the Queen Mum looking well at 80. And a jibe at the undergraduates of Wadham College also shows that Lee couldn’t entirely raise his comedy scope above parochial student in-jokes.
The CD also includes a reproduction of the original poster advertising the gig (which cost 50p to Union members) and a student newspaper review of ‘Stuart’ Lee, which concludes he ‘might be bound for the host’s job in a comedy club’. And yet he’s still not a regular at Jongleurs…
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com