Wednesday, 30 November 2011

BUG Radiohead Special

With the help of a tireless team of behind the scenes content filterers and fixers, Adam Buxton has taken the Antenna format's fragile pupa on a colourful journey through chrysalis to what has now become more of beautiful butterfly than the common or garden BUG described in the logo.

Last night, that robust lepidoptera flexed it's wings and left it's pheromones all over Leicester Square for what I believe is the biggest BUG event thus far.


Demand for a BUG Special featuring Radiohead was bound to be high and fortunately, the organisers audaciously secured the enormous auditorium at Odeon's flagship cinema. Whilst it may not be the biggest screen in town, it packs around 1680 seats, give or take and was so flummoxed by the ticket buying frenzy on the night the event was announced that even the staff in the box office couldn't resuscitate the booking system until the next morning.

If that's doesn't discolour Adam's wolf pants, nothing will.


In the actual event, Adam was at his most warm and comfortably confident.

Regular BUG attenders will be fondly used to technical hitches and indeed, some regulars are so blasé about this that they habitually arrive after the scheduled start time. As I wandered up the beautiful, building-site-themed* approach to the event with only ten minutes to spare, there were long lines of people waiting to collect tickets from those stubborn machines and the charmingly interactive Box Office staff.

Despite that, the show started pretty much on time with most people already in their seats.

A delay of no more than a couple of minutes did sadly mean Adam's helmet-cam cycling-to-the-venue film had to be paused with only about 90 seconds to go but perhaps they had good reason. Unlike most other BUG events**, Adam had devised the dreamy title sequence film himself and that gave way to a masterful entrance only marred by the intoxication of the spotlight operator rendering a reaction delay of some few seconds which continued to punctuate other parts of the evening. Adam functions best under these conditions because his comedy reflexes automatically toddle him off in the direction of verbal cover-up which usually results in his audience convulsing and, in some cases, being hospitalised or sedated.

He was mindful of the potential number of BUG virgins so to avoid any confusion, made a slide to demonstrate his name, severally.





From the lovely Rob McDougall with his kind permission. Please visit Robmac.net





Once he'd dealt with a few house rules, like how to be rewarded with cake for humiliating anyone rude enough to film any of the night's proceedings by shouting and pointing at them, he introduced the first three films, with the helpful note that there is a black space between them carefully placed to allow for whooping and cheering.

I'm not going to embed these because it will make the post lumbering and clunky but the links are all there.

Creep: Directed by Brett Turnbull
There There: Directed by Chris Hopewell
No Surprises: Directed by Grant Gee ***

At this point, Adam showed us some samples of what the YouTube community felt about this work. This is Adam's forte. Many people may look at what he does here and think it's a great idea and ripe for imitation. I don't believe anyone can seek out and deliver these comments with the brio that Adam brings and I seriously doubt anyone else would have the tenacity to trawl through them all.

Weird Fishes/Arpeggi: Directed by Tobias Stretch (One of the winners of the Aniboom Animation Contest For Radiohead's In Rainbows)
Street Spirit (Fade Out): Directed by Jonathan Glazer

I believe it was at this point when Adam introduced Jonny and Colin Greenwood to the stage for some chats. It should be noted that there was a picture-in-picture bringing a close-up of this interview to the very back of the highest of the high seats. Poor Jonny was clearly very ill at ease when he discovered this, with good reason because he is uncomfortably pretty.

Adam has an interviewing style which, like his presentation method, makes his audience feel as though they've sneaked into a private evening with a few friends, a bowl of Twiglets and some mulled wine. Happily for us all, on this occasion Adam didn't even seem to be hung up about time.****

He showed us embarrassing pictures and videos, mercurial nuggets and shared private memories of the days he and Garth spent in Oxford preparing and filming for their Webcast.

A lot of this material is online for those keen to seek it out but I feel bound to link this wonderful piece in which Adam's camera defaulted into demo mode while Ed was reading his moving poem. I can report that last night's audience totally destroyed any poignancy herein with their completely disrespectful and raucous laughter when all the nonsense began. It was feckin' hilarious but I think Adam would have preferred a little more chin fumbling consideration.

Kid A 'blips' for possible tv project: Directed by Shynola (there are several of these if you poke the links)
Pyramid Song: Directed by Shynola
Jigsaw Falling Into Place: Directed by Adam Buxton

Adam finally released Jonny and Colin from their blissful trauma on stage to make way for the charmingly besuited Garth Jennings, a beloved BUG regular and dear friend of Adam's. They continued to talk about the Webcast material and the making of Lotus Flower. If there's one glaring omission to this evening's programming it was no doubt done with humility but I would love to have seen Adam's rendition of Lotus Flower one more time. I'm sure he will never be able to put it on his channel but it's a joy to behold....or did I just dream he made it?

Lotus Flower: Directed by Garth Jennings

Adam read some more YouTube comments from Lotus Flower which, if memory serves is an edit from the time when he showed it at BUG last January, including some turrets and Jodie Foster. You had to be there.

In the absence of Adam's film, please do seek out the multitude of fan homages to this piece. Adam showed this one.

He finally eased Garth back to his seat and wound up this triumphant evening with these last two videos.

Karma Police: Directed by Jonathan Glazer
Just: Directed by Jamie Thraves (yeah - he of The Low Down and Treacle Jnr. fame)

I do hope Mr Knight and the people of BUG don't mind me displaying a reproduction of their lovely programme notes below but I'm sure they're too busy celebrating the success of the evening to pop them at their own site for the time being. Do take a minute or two to read them.


I don't usually review the work of Adam and Joe in any great depth because I assume and believe that my unashamed adoration of the pair would render any comment impotent but I felt this event was such a milestone in BUG's history that it warranted documenting. I am fairly sure that I was not viewing the room through rose tinted goggles when I say that everyone from the furthest reaches of my peripheral vision was enthralled by the entire programme and delighted with Adam's presentation. In my capacity as his self-appointed, in no way related Aunt, I was so proud of the way he handled this massive room. It's enormous. Have I said that before? I hope everyone heard him clearly and saw as much as they were expecting. He was utterly magnificent. Oh no, now I've gone too far.

I think that the brief sortie into three BUG BFI shows last year will need to be reinstated for the Spring sessions.

I'm shamed to note that it is more than a month since I waffled in this blog. I am diligently keeping notes to interesting bobbles in my link locker and will address this oversight at my earliest convenience. Given that it's the season of far too many films to see, I have no idea when that might be.

* I have no idea why they picked this theme for such an event. *****
** Usually created by Miland Suman whose work can be found here and around here.
*** Is it rudely inappropriate of me to link a runner-up fave video from the Adam and Joe Radio Show Video Wars competition? It's a thing of beauty.
**** Previous BUG and 6Music Radio Show reference.
***** You know that's my feeble attempt at a joke through gritted teeth as I loathe the time these works are taking and the tedium they thrust upon a film goers most beloved of London squares?
...and please excuse the Attack the Block reference. While I was writing, I did think it was apposite.

Adam puts an enormous amount of effort in everything he does. Turning up on the day is not something this man can countenance as his recent hosting of Never Mind the Buzzcocks will attest.

However, BUG is devised and curated by David Knight of Promo News etc with the help of Phil Tidy, Ballistic, Locomotion and the BFI.

Every other month, BUG looks at the most weird and the most wonderful music videos to emerge recently, thrusts them up on a big screen which is bookended by two delightfully ponce-laden bars. Each event has at least two versions, the first one of which normally invites a guest director onto the stage for some insightful chat, giggles and degree of embarrassment.

Adam's status as a dedicated family man also ensures that he gives a quarterly version of BUG closer to his golden mansion in the Norwich Playhouse and over the last year, since Joe released him from the burden of non-stop radio shows, he has had the opportunity to take a Best Of version all around the British Isles and beyond. His next run of shows takes him all the way down to that special place, AUSTRALIA.

If Radiohead brought you to your first encounter with BUG and Adam Buxton you may have thought you were imagining things when you detected the faintest hint of a catch in Adam's voice when he bade us a happy festive season and gave his goodbye. No, that was not your imagination. He loves his audience and it breaks his heart to leave us. Well, he loves me. He's not so keen on you over there with the funny hair and the strangely tainted breath.

You've been privileged enough to be introduced the perfect blend of music, visual joy and warmly served giggles. I hope it brings you to the next London BUG at the BFI on February 9th & 16th or one of the many other shows.

Tickets always go on sale to BFI members on the first Tuesday of the month prior to the show and non-members can book a week later. There are usually a small number of last minute seats available on the night but this event always sells out online.

Programme Notes


Since originally putting this post together, several more photos have come from the lovely people of Twitter. I hope Buckles and the boys (or indeed the photographers) don't mind me gathering these here. I can take them down again but they're all on FB and Twitter. There are almost too many to post here but some links follow:
Great stuff from Ian Davies
One
Two
Three
Four
Jessings pictures:
Dr Buck's Suitcase
YouTube comments
Greenwoods Picture in Picture

Dominic Yard has a shot of the helmet-cam film, as does Humphrey Walwyn and Ross Matthews.

From Michael Rosser:
Interview
More Buckles In Rainbows

Another interview picture from Rachael Irwin on the far right. She has this one too.

Buckles from Christopher Mahon and Euan McGrath's view from the back of the circle.

Scott Rowlan took these:
One
Two


...and I just found this lovely thing from Petra.

Thursday, 13 October 2011

Newest Nuggets

From my point of view, the biggest news nuggets of the week are:

The Adam and Joe Radio Show for 6Music won the Best Radio Show or Podcast Award at the British Telecom Digital Music Awards!

...during an interview in Sitges, Joe Cornish said he'd got all his material together for his next script and just needed to sit down and write it. Another tweet implied that some post production might take place with him in 2012. This may have referred to Ant-man but it's all good news. I wouldn't want to guess how many of these themes will be covered.

To finally see Joe standing with the wicked Sitges logo behind him makes a silly old Auntie very happy.


...Adam Buxton hosted an episode of Never Mind the Buzzocks which will air this coming Monday. This is such delicious news. Hosting the show is both prestigious and I would imagine far less daunting than sitting on the bench, wondering how you can make an awesome contribution whilst firing off your panic neurons. It's my guess that Adam will seem very comfortable in this position and I have spent the last couple of nights re-enacting a fly-on-the-wall scene wherein Adam is asked to be the permanent host for the foreseeable future and a vast some of money with pension benefits. Of course, the BBC don't work like that but I made it clear this happened during my sleep time, didn't I?

.....and these glorious ingots of information spurred me on to make another turgid blog update. You know the format. There might be something in here for you but don't hold your breath.

Our favourite idiotholes are busy doing such diverse things that I've started to attempt an event diary type of things*. Big of the E&OE with this one.

Sitges continues to run until Sunday and Attack the Block is in competition. If Twitter is a trustworthy social witness, it has already taken gold in the hearts of everyone who attended one of the three screenings. Joe topped up the tan on his otherwise lily-white limbs by introducing the weekend screenings and holding one of those 'panel' things to the clear delight of everyone around. There are photos and videos in the wonderfully saturated Sitges diary on days three and four.

Joe is in New York today and will talk to Museum of Modern Art goers about his film tonight. Luke Treadaway will join him. At the weekend, Joe is joined by John Boyega for a panel at the New York Comic Con and Marvel will be streaming an interview with him on Saturday at 11am EST.

Nick Frost joined Joe in Berlin for their festival. I need few excuses to feature Joe's Giant Robot t-shirt.


Attack the Block won a couple more awards in Europe and has been nominated for a Writers' Guild of Great Britain award. Since my last blogpost, the film came out on DVD, Blu-ray, On-Demand and some Sky channel or other. The discs had exclusive covers and booklets, depending upon where you bought it. HMV had a huge poster by their escalators for a week. It went straight into the top three of both charts. It sold out in Sainsbury's by the Tuesday.

New cities in the States are taking it on still, even though the discs are released in a couple of weeks. It's been added to the festivals down under in Canberra and Brisbane, where it is the Opening Night Film.

She may have only seen the film a paltry five times but Kartina Richardson has made a lovely blogpost. I am woefully behind with my side-blog dedicated to the film but I have all the links stored & will get around to it. There's a lot of lovely poster art out there.

Before I leave the film I want to link this competition (now closed) because there are some cool things to listen to. I hope Joe is proud to have inspired such a thing.

Adam is BUGging all over the place so check my silly calendar to see if he's anywhere near you.



He made a wonderful blogpost the other day, proudly sporting a shot from the BT DMAs and a lovely banner advertising his King's Place gig.

You can catch him chatting on Dave Weekly and you can hear some chat about his gig at the Queen Elizabeth Hall here.

Uncle Dave posted some sweet teenage pictures via Twitter. I'm not sure how public he wanted them to be so see if you can find them without my help.

Even during this open-ended hiatus, Black Squadron are inspired to rework jingle jongles.
Text the Nation (In the style of Tom Waits) by Pete MacDonald

*If you're too frightened to click on my calendar, here's a rough idea of what Adam and Joe are up to over the next couple of months.

Thursday, 13 October 18:30 JC: Attack the Block Free Screening
Thursday, 13 October 19:00 JC: New York - MoMA Screening + Q & A
Friday, 14 October 16:30 JC: Rio de Janeiro - Festival Screening & 21:30 JC: Rio de Janeiro - Festival Screening
Saturday, 15 October 12:00 JC: New York Comic Con Panel for Attack the Block
Monday, 17 October 21:00 AB: Leeds: Bug Special
Monday, 17 October 22:00 AB: Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Tuesday, 18 October 18:30 AB: Liverpool - BUG Special & 20:45 AB: Liverpool - BUG Special
Wednesday, 26 October 18:30 AB: Manchester - BUG Special & 20:30 AB: Manchester - BUG Special
Friday, 28 October 10:00 JC: London Screenwriters Festival
Saturday, 29 October 10:00 JC: London Screenwriters Festival
Sunday, 30 October 10:00 JC: London Screenwriters Festival
Thursday, 3 November 19:00 JC: Brisbane Film Festival
Thursday, 3 November 19:30 AB: Hull - BUG Special
Friday, 4 November 20:00 AB: London - Introducing Anyone Can Play Guitar
Saturday, 5 November 20:30 JC: Canberra Film Festival
Saturday, 5 November 21:00 AB: Cheltenham - BUG Special
Sunday, 6 November 16:00 JC: Canberra Film Festival
Wednesday, 16 November JC: Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards
Thursday, 17 November 20:45 AB: London - BUG 28
Friday, 18 November 20:45 AB: London - BUG 28
Saturday, 19 November 14:30 JC: New Zealand Screening of Attack the Block
Sunday, 20 November 14:00 JC: New Zealand Screening of Attack the Block
Friday, 25 November 20:45 AB: London - BUG Special - onedotzero

Friday, 16 September 2011

Roll Up, Roll Up! Get Your Fix of Adam and Joe Stüffe

In this week of equilibrium, a balanced newsburst is the least I can offer.

Joe's film is primed to be thrust into your living room apparatus and Adam is taking his joy to the people of the North West again.

This time, Adam and the BUG Special Crew are bound for Liverpool and to the FACT which contains a Picturehouse wherein he shall be giving the full power of his delightful nonsense not once but twice in the same night. Not many men of his age can boast such an achievement.

The glorious Picturehouses (or City Screen in Urbanese) take pride in lovingly teasing every frame of a film through their cotton-gloved fingertips before they allow the eyes of their beloved punters to view it. Much of this night's footage will be supplied on DVD, which they will feel compelled to make into an attractive mirror before the night is through. If you're still wondering whether you should buy that ticket, take a listen to indie movieland's most accomplished podcasters as Sam and Simon chat to Buckles himself. Note that Adam speaks of doing a Big Mixtape Christmas Show which will be wonderful but makes me even more doubtful of getting an Adam and Joe Christmas Show.

You must be thinking that the Picturehouse group sound too good to be true but you do not know the half of it.

Back down in smokey London town, The Ritzy is not only showing Attack the Block on the big screen again but they're doing it for FREE as part of the Brixton Reel Film Festival. I would simply implore you to only snag one of these seats if you fully intend to use it. My heart would break if the auditorium was half empty because chancers were too lazy to turn up or not release their seats. This is not a shonky, money-grabbing multi-plex. It's a palace of dreams with a beautiful sandman at every turn.

If you can't be bothered to venture further than your front room you'll not miss out. Attack the Block will be available from 19th September on a disc. That's this Monday, in old money. If the effort of finding your credit card is all too much for you, there are several chances to win a copy. Count 'em.

one
two
three
four
five
six
six
seven

I guess if I was a little more active online, they would have sent me a stash to give away. I'll put a bit more effort in with Joe's next film.

If you can't wait to win a competition or you want something a little bit special, don't forget that Play.com have an exclusive Glow-in-the-Dark cover version. The novelty will wear off but you can boast about it to your grandchildren.

The news stand mags have lots of lovely features which you can get a sniff of from my Facebook page but why not dip into The Incredible Suit's closet for a tantalising résumé.

I'm not sure what the 2 Disc DVD set has to offer and is showing as out of stock at Play so perhaps it's a placeholder for a sexy, extended extras version containing press tour footage and fan-made homages. Amazon are only showing a 2 Disc DVD or the Double Play set so I'm guessing the DVD ships as a 2 discer, regardless.

If all else fails, SKY Movies Box Office start showing it on Monday too.....from 7am and finally, if you're in the States, your discs are being rush-released on 25th October.

Finally, attention all young DJ's. Here's your chance to win £500 worth of gear and A LOT of DJ props.

Adam has previously presented a small BUG show at the BBC Music Video Festival (19th September to 1st October) but he has his regular Norwich BUG #8 shows (2nd date now added) scheduled for a few days after it ends so he may just wander eagerly around in the audience this time. It's worth noting that Jamie Thraves, director of The Low Down (briefly featuring Adam and Joe) will be at one of the events.

Tickets are not on sale yet but Adam will be introducing a very special evening at the BFI in November.

If you're a member of Oz Squadron, you'd better get yourself signed up here.

Alex Grace took some photos of Adam and Joe for the forthcoming World of Wonder 20th Anniversary book.

I'm not sure if this will be a worldwide trend but Tintin has concession fodder as detailed here. I have yet to see the bookends fashioned with a likeness of the writers.

That's all the future news. Here is some trapped wind from the past:

Adam returned from Edinburgh drenched in the love he so effortlessly engendered. Please note that Adam's blog now allows you to comment at him. Be nice.

Blockbuster had a exclusive Attack the Block rental offer starting on the 9th September and the fools didn't pimp it once. No wonder they're closing down.

BUG put a page of their besties together.

If you haven't listened to Richard Herring's Edinburgh Podcast with Adam, please do so now and read the warm words he shares on his daily blog. Adam also did an unexpected turn at the Comedy Club for Kids while he was up there.

Surely, there must come a time when Adam can be referred to as All of Bug and Joe as Half Writer, Half Director? In fact, Time Out were already on the case. Several reports confirmed that Joe was in the audience at the lovely Queen Elizabeth Hall gig. Sadly, on this occassion, I was not. Mark George reviews Adam's Greenwich show here.

There's a ton of Attack the Block stuff to share but I'll confine most of it to my reference blog when I get a moment. I just wanted to put this Q&A video here, filmed from the audience in Berlin at the Fantasy Film Festival.


I can't compete with pretty ladies like this. Is it any wonder I skulk in the corner?

Just because we need it:


You can see the extraordinary Chris Salt in his lair during this piece for BBC Click.

Lovely Jude Adam Mason had her little baby girl, Milly on 24th August. You'll remember her giggles and her constant battles to produce an Adam and Joe Radio Show that wouldn't get them all fired.

This made me chuckle:


It's very amusing to read Laura Marling referring to her 'scorn bucket'.

If you've spent the last couple of years dreaming of how cool it would be to own some really practical merchandise from Duncan Jones' film MOON, why not click your support at this poll.

..........and if you've been horribly let down by your internet DVD store of choice, fill the waiting time giggling at this offering from Funny or Die.

Thursday, 18 August 2011

The Lost Update

As the title implies, this is a rebuilt update from one that seems to have evaporated mid-construction.

Joe's pace of promotional commitments is finally slowing down (although that included a trip to Locarno, he's in Berlin with Nick Frost today and there's strong rumour of Sitges Film Festival) but Adam's public performances continue at an orderly pace.

Recapping the latest events in Adam Buxton's gig-list:

25th to 29th August 2011 BUG Special 10:30pm at The Pleasance in Edinburgh -Tickets here (if they're not sold out).

29th August 2011 2:00pm On the afternoon of Adam's final Fringe BUG he will join King Richard Herring's Edinburgh Fringe Podcast at Stand One in Edinburgh. If you can't get there, the podcast will be available for free here.

4th September 2011 BUG Special at The Vision Sound Music Festival, South Bank, London SE1.

9th September 2011 BUG Special at The King's Place Festival, London, N1. Apparently sold out already.

10th September 2011 BUG Greenwich Special at The Greenwich Comedy Festival. Tickets here.

22nd & 30th September 2011 BUG 27 at the BFI, London. Only two shows this month...both at 20:45. There will be more tickets available by phone on the day.

6th October 2011 BUG 8 Norwich at The Norwich Playhouse. Tickets here.

3rd November 2011 BUG Special in HULL at Quality Royal Hotel, Hull. Tickets available now.

5th November 2011 BUG Special at the Cheltenham Film Festival.

You can also check The Wonderwall and Adam does have a sort of calendar at his website.


Silent Library has pretty much come and gone since my last blog post but it was well enough received to be talking positively about a second series. For his sake and ours, I hope they retain Adam for the commentary and perhaps Five will drag it onto their terrestrial channel...if that's not too old fashioned a suggestion.

BUG Music Videos put their breakdown of BUG26 on-line with unaccustomed and eye-watering speed this time.

Apart from the vast swathes of media about Joe Cornish and his film Attack the Block, the following delights have also popped up..........

Lamenting the loss of the Adam and Joe Show, Roger Miller and friend(s?) made some beautiful warbly sounds.





Drew Worthley also made this melancholic folk style Text the Nation jingle. I still reckon, despite Adam's protestations, that this jingle is the most homaged and reworked of the lot.

The Daily Telegraph insisted that Adam shared imaginings of how his stint in Edinburgh might pan out and there's a review of Adam's visit to Bristol last month. His Latitude appearance gets a nice mention here. Someone snapped him singing his Birthday Song to a Woman or two.

For an 'individual' style in podcast presentation from two Americans looking at British tv comedy, click here. Show 94 includes their Adam and Joe segment.

The BBC interviewed A Salt with a Deadly Chris-p the other day and if the meandering track of memory lane is in your mind, look at what Craig, Megamix Genius & other friend-of-the-show has made from Song Wars Vol. 2!



HeyUGuys covered the Tintin panel at Comic Con last month

Scroll down to 15th July 2011 Radio Academy entry and listen to James Stirling talking about how he deals with podcasting when it comes to Adam and Joe.

Getty Pictures had some of the few shots of Joe at the BAFTA Brits To Watch event last month and here's one from Zimbio.

There's a silly bit of romantic nonsense here.

Last season's resident artiste, James Hood chats about his craft here.

A tiny snatch of The Footie Song was heard on the BBC's new Saturday evening show.

Would you just take a look at Adam with this lovely bunch of friends?

The awesome Chris Milk is humbly hosting this divine piece of work from Tron Thighs (with Adam's help) on his own YT Channel.




Adam has also exploited his superior fathering technique which he's generously shared with Me Books and tiny children everywhere.

Me Books - A cracking new storytelling app from Made in Me on Vimeo.




Lots of tweeters are hearing Adam's voice on this Wrigley's ad but I'm still not entirely sure it's him.

I am certain this is Adam, however.



I've covered far too much Attack the Block media in my Block Blog but it might amuse some readers here to note how much nonsense can pitch up on the interwebs if they are left to their own devices. Here's a nutty translation of this original piece for Hollywood Chicago.

Right in the middle of the phone-hacking scandal, this seminal debate rocked the nation to it's core.



Just when you thought you'd heard everything Joe has to say about his film, he licks his finger, swipes it along the bottom of his nugget box and comes up with a handful of sticky crumbs, none more gratifyingly represented than in Jeff Goldsmith's lovely podded interview.

I won't sicken everyone by compiling all the luvverly plaudits about Attack the Block from industry gods but the beautiful Duncan Jones spread his excitement out over four cheeky tweets which has to be noteworthy, doesn't it?

Joe's most recent public appearances in the UK were for the Film4 Summer Screen and Empire Big Screen. By way of a swan song, I meant to do a potted review of these events but the loss of this earlier blogpost has probably made that a less attractive proposition. There are various snippets and pictures around and about. Charlie Lyne gratifyingly snapped this wonderful evocation of the moment when the music builds to punch the title logo into our eyeballs.

As Adam and Joe's wonderful, giggly producer Jude, from both XFM and 6Music days, patiently awaits the birth of her baby**, I thought it would be nice to look at this again.

Joe remains rather quiet in this one as Edgar regales us with precious little news about Ant-man.



Nik Monroe has a lovely recap of the Ritzy's special event for Attack the Block back in May.

BaaadDad himself contributed to Open Country last month and you can listen again here.

Finally, I was recently reminded there's a sweet snippet from Adam in this Pixies documentary.



** updated to add that Jude had her baby girl while I was writing this.

Tuesday, 16 August 2011

The only slightly provocative thing about Attack the Block is that it's optimistic #JoeCornish

When Joe came on stage to answer questions after viewing Attack the Block at Empire Big Screen, it was inevitable his opinion of the recent disturbances, some of which took place in that part of London he loves so much and calls home, would be sought.

Someone has kindly sent a transcript of his response. I've been unsure whether to share this because as always, the timbre of Joe's voice gave more quality to his reply than the words on this page can convey. He answered with clear thinking, humility, lucidity, calm concern, reserved passion and inevitable humour.

Q: Given recent events in London like rioting and stuff and the kind of comment, usually by the media and things that young children are watching these things do you ever worry that the film might come out in a negative light?

Joe: No, I think it's got a very positive message, this film.

It starts off with them doing wrong and we make no bone about that but as soon as they do something wrong, shit falls from the sky and punishes them and then it's actually even more hard core than Mr Cameron ....(while he defends his action)......but they get killed..... I don't know if you noticed.

It's a story of redemption. You know, Moses sees the error of his ways.

I think the only possibly slightly provocative thing about Attack the Block is that it's optimistic and it's positive and it's unafraid to be positive about kids who've done something genuinely bad. If that's controversial then I'm cool with that. I think what's very important right now is to be positive and inclusive.

Aside from that I don't see that it's got a huge amount of connections. I actually think what happened over the last few days is a big cluster of all kinds of issues, part of which is connected to what Attack the Block is talking about and indeed what a lot of British urban movies have been trying to communicate over the last ten years. I hope people do listen to young people a bit more after what's happened.
(e&oe)


This was probably one of Joe's last opportunities to discuss his first feature film with an eager audience in the UK. I've been stupid and yet fortunate enough to attend several of these events over the last few months and have come to realise that one of the main obstacles to him returning to 6Music is that he seems to have slowly acquired a level of of aplomb, devoid of ramshackledocity that simply will not do for the radio show.

We can only hope that a few months at home, attempting to write his next feature but procrastinating with only the cat to talk to will restore the muddle to his brainium and reduce him to the idiothole-cum-ponce that can deliver more award winning nonsense to our wax-filled earholes.

If you want to read more from Joe and his film, have a rummage around here.

Friday, 8 July 2011

Joe will meet TRHs Wills & Kate and Adam's voicing a new show for Five*

I've not done with Glastonbury yet, you know.

Adam was kind enough to make this shoutout for #TwitSquadron and Kimika while he was at Glastonbury and I hope to have an album of tweeted photos up very soon.

The Guardian were expecting a healthy amount of Stephenage around the Stone Circle.

Speaking of Stephen! Some of you may know that the originator of this worldwide phenomenon is none other than
Steve Curran but it turns out that just before Stephenage reached it's peak, Joe met with another Mr S Curran. You'll hopefully remember that he joined in a podcast for One Life Left back in January 2009. One of the OLL regular contributors is Ste Curran. I like silly things like that.

The lovely team at 6Music made a
gallery of photos from Glastonbury. Those really do look like rather uncomfortable working conditions to spend three hours a day in. It seems they hardly had enough room to perch opposite James, there. Hopefully, we will soon see James Hood's final picture and perhaps some photos sent in by Black Squadron members who were lucky enough to meet their Commanders at Glastonbury.

The admirable row created by those troupes has been blended with the now all too familiar images.



If you remember how the Taffin thing started, you'll remember other wonky deliveries in films were discussed and
Funny Or Die have put many of those mentioned together in one page.

We may not have been able to see much of Adam and Joe during their Glastonbury broadcasts but they left their mark in the
Portakabin if you look to the right of Robin Ince (his left)

Jaguar Skills has been noodling with with Adam's wonderful Podcast Grooves. I do recommend you spend some time poking around his channel.

Simon Naylor clearly has even more time on his hands than I do as he's been compiling Spotify playlists from the 2011 Adam and Joe shows.

Andy made little edit mash-up thingumy from a 6Music show and some Labyrinth footage.


Here's a reminder of
The Sabotage Times' roundup of their favourite Adam and Joe bits.



By Royal Appointment:

Joe's filmic achievements will be celebrated with 41 others at the inaugural "Brits to Watch" event held by BAFTA LA and attended by BAFTA’s President, HRH The Duke of Cambridge, and his spanking new wife person, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge as part of their current tour.

Hollywood must beside themselves with Willie and Katie anticipation so I can only imagine how Joe must be feeling. I doubt he could have envisaged this back in the days when he was working on 'Attack the Estate'.


The New Beverley Cinema showed Attack the Block for their Independence Day film on Monday. Joe joined Edgar on stage afterwards for a Q & A.


Trina Marie made John Boyega's day by tweeting this.

John was named as one of Screen International's
Stars of Tomorrow last week. He has been taken on by one of Hollywood's most prestigious agents and gave this exclusive interview to Hollywood.com.



He also joined Edgar Wright after a screening at the L.A. Film Festival for a Q & A. This film shows a brief clip from it.


Lovable Tramp News:

Silent Library, for which Adam is doing the commentary, airs it's first episode next Tuesday on Five's digital channel, Five Star. This season will run for six weeks and they have optimistically referred to it as 'Series One'. You can follow the show on Twitter too.

Returning to the Bowie Basket,
Den of Geek have rightfully placed Adam at the top of their list of on-screen Bowie impressions.

Tim Lewis includes a quote from Adam in this piece about OK Go!

Somebody tweeted about a 'top secret' project that Adam is involved in but it's top secret, you see. We shall be given details when they're good and ready.

In the meantime, Adam blogged about his
Edinburgh trip and looked back at some older videos.

Tickets for the Norwich based
BUG8 are on sale now and Adam will also be taking BUG to the Cheltenham Film Festival in November.

Just before going on stage for BUG25 at the BFI, Adam spoke to Hannah Clark about life and stuff in this beautiful
interview. Take a few moments to read this as it's lovely, candid stuff.

Adam cycled through torrential rain to show his support for the
National Autistic Society's special evening at the Carter Steam Fair on Eel Brook Common and recorded this message.



Janine Shroff made the wonderful
Adam and Joe Guide a couple of years ago and her work has been used in both the top and bottom banners of the 6Music website. She has been working on a couple of updates including a wonderful Scorn Bucket and a Boggins page.


The other night
Rupert live tweeted from the Rooftop screening of Labyrinth. I should have been cross that he was shining his torch phone all over the area but I have to admit is was a bit of fun.





Amongst all the excitement of Attack the Block's UK release, I managed to miss this priceless offering from Chris Salt.


If all that isn't enough of a diversion, I need to make sure that every living soul on the planet has now seen this at least once.


Finishing up with a
Vimeo link to David Wilson's Nokia N8 commercial. It's a gorgeously silly thing.