Emerging alone beneath the vast dome of the Roundhouse in jeans and a plain green shirt, Steve Earle looks like someone who has arrived to fix a washing machine, rather than the man who reclaimed roots rock in the ‘80s and cleared the path for the Alternative Country generation. Earle’s angry 2004 album The Revolution…
Camden’s historic counter-cultural hotbed The Roundhouse reopened in 2006, with a concrete stack of bars, holding areas and walkways appended to its tubby body, like those glaringly modern visitor centres attached to prehistoric remains at World Heritage Sites. Crossing the metal bridge from the brightly lit 21st century annexe into the darkness of the 19th…
I have recently been touring my new show, 41st Best Stand-Up Ever, before its current six week residency at the Soho theatre. The title reflects my position in a dubious Channel 4 rundown of stand-ups earlier this year. I was surprised to be placed at all, but the very existence of such a list does…
In March this year a cheap Channel 4 clip show, The 100 Best Stand-Up Comedians Ever, placed me at number 41, sandwiched in-between Johnny Vegas and Dara O’Brien. This was a hugely flattering position to find oneself in, if something of a tight squeeze. But unfortunately, it was a result of a public vote, and…
Veteran stand-up Stewart Lee explains the lure of the Fringe, 10 comics, young and old, tell us whether the scene is all smiles. And, for the punchline, a concise history of ‘alternative comedy’Rich Hall (in hat, then clockwise), Sean Lock, Stewart Lee, Tameka Empson and Phill Jupitus Next year I’ll turn 40, and for my…
“Stand-up comedy does not work on the small screen”. It’s one of the glib truisms of television and its timorous gatekeepers, the executives, the commisioners, the controllers. Look around you. Yes, there are hundreds of stand-up comedians on television. But none of them are actually doing stand-up comedy. They are playing panel games, and hosting…
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com