Stop The Earth!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12109625

When it happened I was asleep, my sister in law ran upstairs wondering if I was moving furniture…I checked twitter to see if anyone else had felt it…and twitter was going crazy with it. Must have been real anyway. BBC news reports a 3.7 magnitude quake felt around leeds, bradford and most of yorkshire.

Once upon a midnight dreary I was watching Russell Howard’s Good News and every show he has a guest comedian come on for a bit and they are usually pretty good. So I saw Chris Ramsey appear as a guest on the show but didn’t really acknowledge how funny he really was until I saw him hosting the University of Bradford’s Comedy Night at the Bradford Love Apple. Let’s just say his jokes range from constipation to fish being a vegetarian dish…Good laughs all around. I took this opportunity to get a quick interview with the guy before he goes on tour!

So you were on Russell Howard’s good news - how was that?

It was great. I love what Russell does, and to get a chance to perform on his show was amazing. But most importantly, I went down well with the studio audience and had a great time… it was better than most club gigs to be honest.

Do you think appearing on the show has changed your career trajectory? 

I don’t know about changed my trajectory… but possibly made my trajectory and final goal seem more realistic and achievable?… maybe? The response I have had from it is unreal. As the credits rolled on the show on the saturday night/Sunday morning I had 2000+ extra fans on my facebook fanpage, and my website got such a spike of traffic that it toppled the server it was on, crashing all of the other sites that run off it… my mate who does the site was panicking.

A lot of people say comedians live a double life, happy in front of others but desperately lonely in private - do you think there is any truth to this?

With some comedians definitely, I always thought comedy would be a full-on boys club, like a load of jocks in an American high school film, but its really not. I have met some really interesting, introverted people while doing comedy. I think its because, as a comedian, you live inside your head quite a lot. But to answer your question, no, I’m really happy most of the time… like a dog chasing a fly round the house.

Hypothetical situation: You’re in a car accident, you hit your head and the region of your brain that allows you to synthesis funny comments is damaged (god forbid)…What line of work would you want to go into?

I’d work in a Zoo, 100%. There are some gigs I do where I think, ‘fuck it… hand the zoo application form in tomorrow’

What is your ultimate goal? The Apollo?

I’m playing the Apollo in October… supporting Al Murray, but yes, I’d like to have my name over the door at some point… or did you mean the TV show? Yes to both. Yes. Yes… please.

Do you have any big plans coming up that you are particularly excited about?

A couple of things really, obviously my UK tour supporting Al Murray in the Autumn, cant wait for that. But before that, I’m taking my first Solo Stand up show to the Edinburgh festival in August. Its called ‘Aggrophobic’ and is on from the 4th to the 30th August, every night at 8:30pm in the Pleasance courtyard - PLUG… thanks for asking!

How would you define time in one sentence?

I wouldn’t even try.

Who are you…in three words?

Jokes. Hair. Smile.

Boxers or Briefs?

Boxer Briefs - didn’t see that coming did you? 

A red head, A blonde and a Brunette….Who do you kiss, sleep with and marry?

It would depend if they were women or not… you havn’t specified. Too late.

It seems fitting that the title of this entry is “Big man on campus” since my last interview was with one of my childhood heroes…Danny Smith! From Big Wolf on Campus. But alas, this entry is about Gordon Brown, a pretty big man, who turned up at my university campus! He turned up at the University of Bradford, met the student union staff, made a speech and answered some questions.

Photos courtesy of @Jamy30

Here’s a video I got :D

Tonight i got the amazing opportunity to meet Zebrahead, a band formed in orange county, California. Matty, Ali, Ben and Greg were happy enough to listen to my silly questions and amazed me with the best interview i have ever done. These guys not only make a great sound, they make great company. At one point they reinacted a scene from movie “step brothers” and when they saw that i totally understood what they were saying they welcomed me as a brother of ΛΛΛ (lambda lambda lambda or tri lam) fraternity, however I turned down their symbolic offer as my brothers wouldn’t be too happy about that.

So guys, what made you call your latest album “Panty Raid” what inspired that decision?

Ali: Matty chose the name, it was inspired by the movie “Revenge of the nerds” in which a bunch of fraternity guys stole a bunch of sorority chicks panties and screamed “PANTY RAIDDDDDDDDD”.

You guys have been all around, but you have an especially large Japanese fan base, why do you think this is?

Matty: Well, it’s because we took out Mothra & Godzilla, saving their country…so i guess they are just being appreciative. Yep, we took them to couples therapy.

You’ve had songs featured in computer games such as WWE and Sonic the Hedgehog and movies such as Dude where’s my car, but if you could choose a song you’ve made and put it to a recent movie what would your combination be?

Ali: Wait, i don’t understand the question

Matty: Well i’d like to see any of our songs to Beverly hills cop 1, 2 or 3.

Ali: Oh yea, stairway to heaven would go great with those! Can you imagine like Harry Potter or something?

Ben: Twilight! It’s art.

So your latest album is a bunch of covers, why did you chose to do that?

Matt: We got tired of our own music and decided “hey, let’s play music that people will actually like” let’s play songs that are already hits!

Could you describe your band in one word?

Matt, Ali & Greg (all together): Shit.

Me: No way, that must be one of your silly answers because there’s a sold out room downstairs waiting to hear you guys!

You guys are from Orange County, but you’ve been around the world…if you had to settle in one other place…where would it be?

Matt: Germany! No wait! The Keelbler Village! Those guys make good cookies.

Ali: Germany, aaaw no way, i just ruined the interview by giving you a serious answer…can i start over?

Me: Yea, of course.

Ali: Fantasy Island!

So there’s a whole community of people online who don’t like the new album because it’s a whole bunch of covers, what do you have to say to those guys?

Both: Well, we say to those people…don’t go online…but also, if you do need to go online spend more time looking at porn and less time on youtube.

*all whilst Greg is checking out porn on his mac*

Boxers or Briefs?

Matt: wait, us or the ladies?

Me: Erm, you.

Matt: Commando!

Ali: Commando!

Me: Ok, what about them?

Matt: Commando!

Ali: Commando!….boxers?

Me: Boxers on ladies can look really hot!

Ali: but doesnt commando?

*greg shows a lady in commando on his mac to the group*

Define Time in one sentence

Matt: I think thyme is a greenish plant that goes great with chicken.

Matt: Wait, can i ask you a question?

Ali: Yes, we can interview you now haha

Me: Sure thing.

Matt: Have your shoes always looked like that?

Me: Like what?

Matt: Shiny, or did you do it?

Me: Haha, I got them like this.

Ben: I nearly got some like that from HnM, but in red.

—————-

So once the interview was over, i snapped a quick picture and ran downstairs to the gig! Just in time for Orange, a band on their first UK tour. Their sound was good, the lead singer really reminded me of someone but i just can’t place who.

After Orange had played, MC Lars came on and i was blown away. I can honestly say i’ve never heard of them, but wow. Ok, so i am not one for rap or hiphop but this was amazing, there style is inspired by sci-fi with various mentions of the borg and other alien critters. They had a song inspired by my favourite poem, “the raven” by Edgar Allen Poe which made it an instant win in my eyes! They interacted with the crowd a whole lot. I demand that anyone with the slightest interest check them out on myspace.

Zebrahead came on to stage and the crowd went insane. They played a Britney cover from their newest album “Panty Raid” and everyone in the crowd sang along, they played some of their old classics like “Hello Tomorrow” and “Playmate of the year” and again, at one point…the crowd started chanting YORKSHIRE YORKSHIRE YORKSHIRE! and again, the band didn’t understand what was being said so they called upon an interpreter to help out.

Ali, as always took his shirt off…which is something Zebrahead fans are not shocked at any more. Fans were trying to get on stage throughout the entire gig and those that succeeded were thrown back into the crowd by a big man on stage.

All in all, an amazing gig. The guys are amazing and this was probably the best gig I’ve ever happened to be at. The drinks prices are the Cockpit were great, £2 for a bottle of Becks, which you might think is expensive but believe me…it’s not…I work in a hotel, believe me.

I have been really busy lately with my research project but also with two amazing side projects. The Red Ribbon and Ecoversity fashion shows. Both of these shows were organised by normal people who managed to pull of something spectacular. What is spectacular isn’t the runway, the lights, music or clothes…it’s the fact they managed to get a crap load of volunteers, a crap load of people to come watch and designers to volunteer their clothing all for charity…That deserves more of an applause than anything i can think of.

After weeks of practice and after hearing a certain someone scream at us all for so long, i am proud to say i was a part of it…and i am certain i can speak for everyone else who took part.

I thought i would show a couple of pictures to wrap this up.