Most stand-ups secretly want to be rock stars, their ambitions thwarted only by their total lack of musical ability.

This man is unique amongst comedians, in that he’s a real musician, who has been moonlighting as a funnyman since re-naming himself after a Lincolnshire village sometime during the Thatcher era.

Cut from the same English eccentric curtain as Robyn Hitchcock, with a nod towards the acerbic chansons of Jake Thackray, Boothby’s toured the world, co-stared in a failed US sit-com alongside Desperate Housewives’ Joely Fisher, and had a proposed ’90s Channel 5 show shelved for of a series of American soft porn movies.
But five years ago Boothby had a revelation at a motorway service station, left London for Leicestershire, sold his one-liners to Omid Djalili, and concentrated on his guitar playing, proving a crowd-pleasing opening act on British tours by the Canadian alternative rock veterans Barenaked Ladies.

Boothby’s first album, 2004’s Wot Italian?, was a sparse duo with Charlie Haden and Trilok Gurtu guitarist Antonio Forcione, but his fourth is the symphonic folk-pop suite supporters suspected he had in him, suggesting the psychedelic sand-pit of Brian Wilson, had he, like Boothby, been a Butlins redcoat, as well as an LSD enthusiast.

Boothby’s cheerfully pessimistic worldview sets a consistent black comic tone, contrasted by a variety of musical approaches. Trampoline satirically spikes pizzicato strings with pro-firearm samples; the baroque guitar flourishes of the fatalistic The Captain’s Address nose dive into the bouncy acoustic pop of Hop. Dude! Have You Seen The Telly? wraps funky rhythms round abrasive riffs and cathedral chorister harmonies; Lullaby is a shaggy dog sucker punch stretched out over circling guitars and Orbital and Fall producer Jimmy Melophonic’s Salvation Army brass; the brooding Busy co-opts the extended metaphors you’d find on a mid-80s Robyn Hitchcock album; and Another Song For Boo finds universal truths in the temporary loss of a family pet.

The host of star-guests that have helped Boothby realise his vision include Barenaked Lady Kevin Hearn, who also plays keyboards for another comedy legend, Lou Reed; multi-instrumentalist and acclaimed solo artist Nick Pynn, who has served in Steve Harley’s Cockney Rebel and The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, and currently features alongside members of acid-folkies Trembling Bells in the band of Mike Heron, from The Incredible String Band; and Hollywood’s funny arab of choice Omid Djalili, on unexpected bongos.

If Bang! Is This Your Vehicle, Sir? has a fault, it’s that Graffoe has varnished every moment with a luxurious gloss of tasteful instrumentation, but this is also a virtue. Long after the jokes concealed in Graffoe’s wittily epigrammatic lyrics are revealed, the music continues to captivate.
Boothby Graffoe could be a late blooming national treasure, if only it weren’t for the handicap of his name, foolishly chosen in haste during a long night drive home past a particular Lincolnshire village, and presumably regretted at leisure.

Stewart Lee, Jan 2012

For more information please contact Gaby Jerrard at gaby@gabyjerrardpr.com or on 07808 472 139

Track Listings
1) Attack of the 50ft Woman
2) Trampoline
3) England
4) The Captain’s Address
5) Hop
6) Keith’s Song
7) Boy could she Wave
8) Dude! Have you seen the Telly?
9) Lullaby
10) Busy
11) Another Song for Boo
12) Fish with Feet
13) Zombies

Tour Dates

March 2012
Wed 7 CARDIGAN, Theatr Mwldan 01239 621200 www.mwldan.co.uk
Thur 8 SALISBURY, Arts Centre 01722 321744 www.salisburyartscentre.co.uk
Fri 9 READING, South Street 0118 9606060 www.readingarts.com/southstreet
Sat 10 LYME REGIS, Marine Theatre 01297 442138 www.marinetheatre.com
Mon 12 DULWICH, The Michael Croft Theatre www.michaelcrofttheatre.org.uk (online bookings only)
Tue 13 BIRMINGHAM, MAC 0121 4463232 www.macarts.co.uk
Wed 14 HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, Old Town Hall 01442 228091 www.oldtownhall.co.uk
Thur 15 SPALDING, South Holland Centre 01775 764777 www.southhollandcentre.co.uk
Fri 16 GOOLE, The Gate 01405 763652 / 720219 www.thegategoole.com
Sat 17 BARTON ON HUMBER, The Ropewalk 01652 660380 www.the-ropewalk.co.uk
Sun 18 SALFORD, Lowry 0843 2086000 www.thelowry.com
Mon 19 GLASGOW, The Stand 0844 335 8879 www.thestand.co.uk
Thur 22 COLCHESTER, Arts Centre 01206 500900 www.colchesterartscentre.com
Fri 23 PORTSMOUTH, The Cellars 023 92826249 www.thecellars.co.uk
Sat 24 CANTERBURY, Marlowe 01227 787787 www.marlowetheatre.com
Sun 25 BRIGHTON, Komedia 0845 2938480 www.komedia.co.uk/brighton/
Thur 29 BRECON, Theatr Brycheiniog 01874 611622 www.brycheiniog.co.uk
Fri 30 SOUTH MOLTON, George Hotel www.wegottickets.com/event/133782
Sat 31 HOLSWORTHY, The Old Market Inn www.wegottickets.com/event/134144

April 2012
Sun 1 BATH, Rondo 01225 463362 www.rondotheatre.co.uk
Fri 20 MILLOM, Beggars Theatre 0161 408 6389 www.beggarstheatre.co.uk
Sat 21 BARNSLEY, Civic 01226 327000 www.barnsleycivic.co.uk
Wed 25 LINCOLN, Drill Hall 01522 873 894 www.lincolndrillhall.com
Fri 27 SALTBURN, Community Arts Centre 01287 624997 www.saltburnarts.co.uk
Sat 28 KETTERING, Arts Centre www.ketteringartscentre.com www.wegottickets.com