Saturday 26 September 2009

Webcam And Waffle from the morning

Sadly, didn't manage to squeeze the Fist in the Chips sequence into the final edit but the good news is that making this silly blob of a thing meant I was able to put off some much more serious stuff until tomorrow, so all is not lost.

Friday 25 September 2009

BUG 15: in the comfort of your own home.

It's Friday night. One of those special Friday nights when Adam Buxton gets himself all comfy in a little chair, grabs his lappy & trundles over one side of the stage at NFT1 to present the latest BUG.

Wait a minute! It's on early this month and you can't leave work in time to get there. You live miles away from London in some other proper city somewhere. You may even live in another country with Rupert Everett where fun doesn't get presented to you in such abundance.

Well, this is your lucky BUG because you can almost join in the fun by gently wandering through this overlong blog entry. Start reading at 6:30 pm and pretend that you are there!

Sadly, I don't have the wonderful Buckles script despite repeated requests. No, that was similar to one of those little lies that Joe likes to tell. I've never even thought of asking Adam or indeed David and if they are half the men I think they are, they would be much too scared to interact with this blog, so phew.

I am not insane enough to have ever attended both BUGs in one month so I don't know quite how reliable the claim is that each presentation is the same but here is a rough outline of what happened a week ago. What I do know is that the Greenwich Special Edition bunch were treated to a Buxton home-movie that we didn't get.

BUG 15: The Evolution of Music Video

Once you've settled into your computer-based seat, you're going to have to imagine a wonderful title sequence made especially for BUG by Miland Suman & Phil Tidy. Then Adam will rush onto the stage to be greeted with much excitement from his supplicants.

He'll start with an update on this week's personal injury or visit to the doctor, just to get the audience in his pocket and then he'll introduce little clusters of music video genius output.

I am going to link to bands' sites, Vimeo, MySpace and YouTube, depending upon what is easily available. If you want to make your evening more life-like and prolonged, you can check the comments left at YouTube and practice your Buxton-style delivery when reading them aloud. Don't forget that everything in capitals must be SHOUTED but then you can turn to your audience and apologise that the inclusion of said capital necessitated the harsh delivery.

First up is Cold Play's Stawberry Swing by Shynola (who reside in one of Riddle's shops, if you like silly bits of info like that). Poor old Shynola had to defend themselves from daft people earlier this week.

That was followed by this video from David Stringberg & Johan Bring.

Lucy And The Teenage Monster - Dance Steps.


Muto Masashi's made the next film.
Tiësto and Sneaky Sound System - I Will Be Here


Hmmm, this is where I am consumed with self-loathing because I can't remember at which point the lights went up for more hilarious Buckules banter but I think it was now.
If you happened to be in earshot of Edgar Wright's childishly invasive laughter, you will not have been able to catch all of Adam's comments but it's good to hear people enjoying themselves, isn't it?

Ben and Joe Dempsey's video for Just Jack started the next section, if I remember correctly.


and then we had Nir Ben Jacob's film

The Walkmen - On the Water.



This section ended with a film from George Wu


Depending upon how big a music video nerd you are, the next part of the evening would either have had you dribbling, genuflecting or dashing out to fetch another beer.
Tangent Alert: this event is one of the few at the BFI (or any other cinema) where you will find people wandering in and out of the auditorium to fetch bar treats, several times in one evening. The only other time you will really witness this much disrespectful clambering around is at something like the Barbican's Tropfest winners' screening or some other shorts festivals.

I digress. Tonight's special guest was Tim Pope. Adam made various papal jokes and then kindly explained them to us before introducing the man himself onto the stage. Mr Pope is an icon that defies description from someone as silly as this blogger so scoot around, look him up and take a few moments to sit in wonder at all he has brought to you over the years. His film for Soft Cell's Sex Dwarf was the crowning glory of this set and I doubt I will see the likes anytime soon.


Another silly aside from this part of the evening is that most of Tim's output was presented to us via the Buxton Mac and once again, he treated us to an intimate view of his desktop. HOWEVER, he's got wise to the fascination the gathering might have with his private parts and made an hilarious collection of spurious folders for us to chortle at. So much so, that we were too busy looking and laughing to catch all of his warbles & he had to cover them up again. A small sample from memory.....

John Leslie's Comeback project
Barack Obama's emails/photos
Woody Allen Collaboration
Begging Letters from BBC3
Amusing Things to say at Dinner Parties (though I can imagine that Adam might ordinarily have a file with that name)
and there was one about Peter Andre. Damn my stupid memory.




When the likes of David and Phil have taken such care to present the cream of music video output to us, I feel reluctant to single out one film but this piece from Masashi Kawamura, Hal Kirkland, Magico Nakamura & Massayoshi Nakamura really is a pleasurable thing to waft in front of your eyes.

SOUR / 日々の音色 (Hibi no Neiro) MV.

If you have a bit of time, wander around the web to read a little more about this piece.

Did I imply that last film was my favourite? You must have misunderstood. How could I be so selective? This was another amazing presentation from Chris Cairns for Neurosoncs Audiomedical. Click the 'FILM' link when you get to their website. I defy you to keep your head still while this you watch this.

This next film from Eric Wareheim is best viewed after you've read as many YouTube and Vimeo comments as you can endure. If you don't have time, just remember it's 'demeaning' 'offensive' and 'racist'. Yes, of course it is. What were you thinking, Eric ?
EDITED: Vimeo seems to have taken this down and YouTube has disabled embedding so it's just an age sensitive linkie.

The final film had me moving forward in my seat (because, as you probably know, being an extra seven inches closer to the screen can actually make you become part of it). This does have an 'explicit content' heading at YouTube, so there, you have been warned.


It's going to be tricky to completely transport you to the final part of the evening. Everyone drifts past concerned looking NFT Front Of House staff as they wonder if they'll ever be able to get the mess cleared up in time for the next scheduled film. You don't have far to walk because in the last few years, the BFI realised that it's movie museum was poncey and what people really wanted was a cool bar to hang out it. Fortunately, several areas of this bar will resemble your own opulent living room, so grab a beer or bottle of wine, some chips (but don't let Joe & Edgar mistake them for canapes) and chat excitedly about all you have just seen while trying not too give too many sideways glances towards all the amazingly attractive young people milling around you.

Have I hit an all time low of over-egged blog entries?

Bit of a post script here
Thanks to the wonders of Twitter, I have been reminded that we were also delighted with this from St Sanders.

Here are the programme notes.

Finally and added sometime after the fact, the BFI have uploaded a snip from BUG14 to give you a flavour of Adam's performance.

More Wright/Cornish visual teasing

It's going to seem like a double tweet when my feed sucks this up and throws it to the birds but I'm sure my dedicated blog follower will survive.

Edgar has been away, long time. Edgar is back & up for maximum London entertainment. You'd think he'd want to catch up with all the friends he's missed so dearly. A different one each night, perhaps? Well, maybe but he can never be too far away from Cornballs, apparently (and who can blame him?). It's our great fortune that a) they are joined-at-the-hip and b) Edgar is pictastic.

Once again, my prudish, self-imposed netiquette rules won't let me steal the pic & put it here but I can't let the morning end without linking it.

Thursday 24 September 2009

Save Adam Buxton's face!

Man, this is big. This is not a Blue Peter Druggie Scandal. This is not a Ross Branding episode. This is a gross error by one of the little people and they must be brought to justice (or taken to a really nice coffee shop for a gentle dressing down).
Supreme Tweeter WickWox, alerted me to an indiscretion last night, so outrageous that it has now become a Twitterpaign.

Save Adam Buxton's lovely [sic] Face from the Castle's absolute injustice.

As I hope you can see from the combo-pic (click to enlarge), if you go to the Regular iPlayer you'll get the most blissful picture of the best radio duo currently on air.

However, if you try to take the Castle's kiddie-style Big Screen option for a whirl, in WickWox's words, Count Buckules seems to be sporting a 6Music Pirate Patch. Yes, it's very, very sexy but is it right?

If you stayed with the grown-ups version of the iPlayer you would have been given an option to use the Pop-Out Player.
Always a convenient little nubbin to have on your desktop while you do other important work around the net, but wait a cotton-picking minute! Who in Boggin's Basket has been allowed to make the decision that it's OK to completely flag out Buckles' beautiful smiling face?
This is made worse when you realise the Pop-Out option is the one used at the Listen Again link on the Adam and Joe page at BBC 6Music!

My pan is firmly in the hat position. We need to mobilise all Squadrons in our most important operation to date. Hopefully, Commander Cornish will call the troups to action and we can right this wrong before sundown

Saturday 19 September 2009

Now it's Adam's turn to be on Edgar's photo feed

This photo was taken by Charlie from UltraCulture, last night in Benugo. So many sweet men, so little time.

I'm not sure if I will blog about BUG15. It was almost too awesome to talk about ..........and I am balancing a pan on my head at the moment.

Friday 18 September 2009

Joe treats and Adam treats, all in one day.

First of all, a tweeted treat via Robert Popper to a tiny audio boo, Robin Cooper stylie, with Joe Cornish. I don't know what made me happier - seeing a little picture of Joe or getting dangerously close to hearing some more about Attack the Block. Made my morning coffee taste a whole lot better, either way.

This joy was followed, fast on the heels by my finally be able to sort out a double booking error. Tenacity and calm confidence always rules and nowhere is this more true that at a BFI screening.

I'd originally plumped for BUG on 25th as I thought I might have a more pressing family thing today (18th). That thing went away but my favourite film club (work it out) scheduled a screening of a tv drama on 25th at the same time as BUG. I am strangely addicted to seeing tv on the big screen (holds my concentration more in a big dark room, I guess) so I was grumped at the Clash of the Items. Today's BUG had sold out during the members booking period I believe, so every time I checked I got the blue bar of fully bookedness. I was cool. I had faith. Sure enough, they released some of those naughty seats they keep back for the special people and I got lucky. Such is my faith in being able to get tix to sold out events, I had already lined up a willing taker for next week's.

The last time I adopted this guerilla-style seat booking option at the BFI it meant that I was plonked in a seat surrounded by more media heroes than an old woman can be expected to tolerate. I was scared I might have a Roger Moore moment, but I was cool.

Just remember, 'sold out' rarely means sold out. There's always a chance & a returns line is never quite as long as you might think it is. I sat next to sweet John Schlesinger (and Anthony Andrews) at a 'sold out' k d lang concert once, just because I popped up at the right time for a return. Let me tell you, it doesn't get much more heady than that! [img]wry smile emoticon[/img]

So, I'm off to see Adam and BUG 15 this afternoon. I might even have a walk on the beach at the South Bank to calm my nerves. I won't be signing autographs today but I will be accepting drinks in Benugo's afterwards. Have you tried their pint glasses full of little sausage rolls? Nummmm. (I'll be the fat one in the corner, on my own).

I'm a bit of a netiquette narna when it comes to hotlinking or even stealing pictures but as we all know if you say you don't normally approve of something just before you do it, it's perfectly all right to go ahead.
Thank you, Robert/Robin. This gives me pleasure on way too many levels.

Monday 14 September 2009

Unrelated? What do you mean? Edgar is home

and Joe is h.a.p.p.y

the playmates are finally reunited

Pirulo news: Podcast is up & Holiday Blues available for download.

I have surprised myself with my own arrogance again by suggesting that some people look here before they might check the actual Adam and Joe blog but it's really a thinly veiled attempt to put some content on this bloomin' thing.
James has popped Adam's extraordinary "Coming Back From Holiday Blues" symphony on the blog as a hard, in-your-ear download.

Podcast is up and I realise I am descending deeply into old age. There is what I suspect is a stingle (not really a jingle but too big for a sting) at 40 mins which I have a hazy memory of being at the beginning of an older podcast but each time I hear it (OK, I've listened nearly 3 times now) it sounds fresh enough for me to laugh like a horse. Is it new or is my brain very, very old?

Last week, I made a few potted, random comments about the show but that only works if you're in the moment. It's not real if you have time to think about it, I find. So I shall comment on the Podcast while I listen.......again.

1) I don't like hearing Joe talk about periods (even when he whispers it) or the way he said arse crack but I did like the sound of Adam moving his mike.

2) Love Adam being the grown-up moderator and fore-warner of silly rude bits moving into James keeping the bit where Joe sweetly asks if what they've laid down so far is going to be OK for a Castle podcast. Love Adam sensitively having the grouchy blues in synch with his wife and Joe's apparent lack of empathy.

3) Glad they finally dissed sexy bored link lady.

4) I have the "s t i n g flbldlbl" sting as my text alert so I've had phone-based disappointment three times today.

5) I nominate Joe to make a made-up fact jingle because a) he is the main guilty party and b) the show is always Adam jingle heavy. YES - he is really good at them but if I can generate a little bit of competitiveness about this, Joe is bound to accept the challenge.

6) Staggered that Joe can pronounce Des Moines perfectly but doesn't know it's in Iowa.

7) Pleased to see Boggins back in the studio but I am worried it might be a bit too silly (and you know my silly threshold is very low) I like the premise where Joe pretends Boggins in uninteligable and I thought his 'ouch' acting and general timing was as good as when we heard him wailing and crying at the start on the XFM show that he did on his own because Adam was Spooning at a festival.

8) I knew someone who's boyfriend called her kneebles Kevin and Kevina. Love Joe's giggle when they get back on track. I don't know anyone that can contain a laugh so far back in their throat. Wish I could have a look and see how he does that.

9) Song Wars is BACK! When Adam's song started I thought he'd really excelled himself with a few different features and then he went and did the talky bit and it went on a tad too long but there is SO much to commend it. Part of me thought it was going to be too good for Joe to touch even though I have no intention of voting (Don't Make Me Choose).

Joe's song is called "Bathtime for Bowie" even though the Castle doesn't list it as such. He's right, it cant touch Adam's production value but there are some lovely naughty bits and it's almost like an anthem to all their little Bowie impression phrases. Fave reaction from Adam to Joe's reigning it in comment. "Do you think you're working on Newsnight, or something?"

10) Glad to see that Adam's picked up a proper BBC2 voice-over gig tonight for a 6 parter at 9pm (Design for Life) because he really does have the most bountiful delivery basket. I also note that there's signed repeat on Thursday which he is bound to have some fun with.

11) I know it's a necessity but I always feel a little bit deflated when Joe alludes to the fact that the listener based content is filtered before it reaches him. I know it happens but I don't like to be reminded. That said, I rarely attempt to interact with them (heaven forfend) though I was one of the millions(oh really?) who screamed CARRIE at them.

12) Adam did a gentle little 'let me tell you something, baby sister' voice when Joe couldn't get his head around Wymondham. He loves him so much.

13) Loved Joe's impression of Piper Laurie and Sissy Spacek

14) So Adam has production logistic anxieties, too. I have less of a problem with tv stuff but I often have these moments invading my dream state when I'm watching a doco film in the cinema. I get it with dramatic movies too which is very troublesome because it's the entire nature of a dialogue based film. It's a curse. It's like when someone explains changeover dots to you. Life is never the same.

15) I firmly believe Joe overheard me pose the same 'is it too late to find him and punch the silly Scottish Pirulo from Alone in the WIld?' question to a friend.

16) both Adam AND Joe were the best this week, apparently. I think that pretty much flies in the face of the Big British Castle's trust when words like 'best' are allowed to be bandied about as if they have been demoted from their superlative status. We've had this debate with Adam's jingle.

17) I've listened three times to the giggle attack at 43 minutes and I still don't know what they actually found so ruddy funny.

18) Still thinking about Joe enjoying some lovely Tutti Frutti flavour.

19) Nice email addy work there. Situation normal.

20) Why do the Castle mice imagine that there might be any merit in listening to the Jon Richardson podcast straight after this one? How much disappointment can a person endure? My advice, listen to the Adam and Joe podcast at least three times and leave Jon alone until you have an attack of insomnia.

I do have lickle grabs from the webcam but I've waffled for too long already.

Sunday 13 September 2009

1000 Voices at Raindance

1000 Voices, the short animation film which Adam Buxton voiced is showing at the Raindance Film Festival next month.

The director has a blog here though he is less that vigorous with his entries. There's quite a bit more info from him here including a bit about Adam.
How did Adam Buxton get involved?

Adam really supports the independent film scene in London and is a particular fan of animated shorts.
He runs the BUG film night at the BFI and is also a mate of Chris from Shynola.
Andy Noble got in touch with his agent and he was really enthusiastic about getting involved. We did the VO at Berwick Post’s studio in Soho and within half an hour he had already nailed the character.


Edited to add: There's a review here and it will be at the Sheffield DocFest in November.

Saturday 5 September 2009

Wot? No Boggins?

Am I aurally retarded or was there no reference to Boggins in today's show?
The butterfly mind of a haughty Cornball has left us high and dry with no continuity but I was distracted, so perhaps I missed it.

The main thing was that I was unusually in company for the Black Squadron command so I was able to carry it out with great ease. That said, I should make it clear that solitary tickling presents few problems for me so I'm not sure why Dr Sexy thought it would be a challenge for singletons.

How lame will I allow this blog to get now that the Squadron Leaders are back in situe?
Stats are still healthy & I can always use it as a portal for 6Music blog alerts and stuff but that just seems like doubling up. I do notice that Blogger stuff comes up in searches when BBC blogs don't. I can always throw a little webcam shot up here, I s'pose. Like most of my net based mumbles, I'll add something when I really have nothing better to do, I guess.
Who knows, I might even be grand enough to offer my opinion on current A&J output!

1) v worried that the first few mins were as lame as this blog
2) deliriously happy that they got back on track at lightening speed
3) incandescent with joy at the prospect of a Song Wars next week.
4) frustrated that Joe had a jingle in his pocket that he failed to share with us due to a sudden rhyming concern - a predicament which has hitherto never halted his presentations

Wednesday 2 September 2009

Ticks and Crosses

I'm double posting in case anyone outside the UK was not able to view the latest videoblog entry because it was on a channel only available to UK ip's.
The lovely Castle Keepers have allowed it onto their huge, glistening, bejewelled channel where the entire Commonwealth, Empire and many magical lands far beyond can also enjoy it.



FYI - The SixGroupSix channel has had more views but does not seem to accept comments. The BBC one takes comments but nobody seems to have much to say.

Tuesday 1 September 2009

Is it wrong to have a dream like this?

I've been really hoping that a little video gift would pop up here but I kept calming myself with the reasoning that they'd be a bit exhausted after getting back into the early start thing & just scuttle off after doing the podcast links.

Not so! Our wonderful, perky boys gave us the treat I'd longed for - an up-to-date, physical exam. Good Times.
A little bit of thanks goes to James, too (stick to the day job, mate).



It's sweet that Joe imagines the country would only tip in the rush of departing wives when he has a tan. I can usually detect a permanent leaning as the ladies (and let's face it, some men) play a little game of Cornish-gazing relay - tan or no tan.
It's the national status quo, Joe.

(but Don't Make Me Choose)