Making magazines, tea and coffee based science experiments, river swimming & other outdoor pursuits, any music video with "vs" in the title, any narrative about emotion being overwhelmed by logic, left-handed people, autistic nerds, gas explosions, identical twins, Data from ST:TNG, Gordon Kaye's accident, before and afters, the opening credits on superhero films, shopping, make-up, obsolete hardware. I like the impressions men and women do of each others' voices. I like doing impressions of those cats people teach to miaow like they're saying "I love you" and I like the idea of recreational nudity. Now you're listening.
Music
Magazine, Luxuria and Devoto solo stuff, Buzzcocks, Rachel Sweet, Wreckless Eric, Furniture, PiL and John Lydon solo, Lene Lovich...some of the other more angular and unpleasant stuff to come out of the Stiff stable (not the fucking Pogues, thanks), Jonathan Coulton, Wire. That's basically it.
Movies
Almoldovar, Woody Allen, The Machinist, Akira, Best, Superman Returns, Stormbreaker, 9 Queens, Third Man, Gregory's Girl, Back to the Future, Primer, Cube trilogy (but not Hypercube!), Saw 1&2 (certainly not 3 or 4) Dog Soldiers, The Host (and loads of other cheap horror), Detroit Rock City, Legally Blonde & LB2, Clueless, any formula high school heartwarmers, Breathless, Happy Feet, anything with zombies except the shite new Romero one, anything with cars exploding and con men.
Anything with dogs, but especially Lady & The Tramp.
Television
I watch reality tv for a living, but I like makeover programs, ST:TNG (not the Borg episodes), House MD, Dexter, US version of the Office, Sex and the City, Neighbours 15 years ago, X Files (not the story arc episodes, just the monster and time travel ones), anything with baby animals or before and afters. I don't know why I'm telling you all this, we barely know each other.
Books
How To Worry Friends and Inconvenience People, Raymond Carver, Louis Marin, Douglas Adams, John Wyndham, Graham Greene, Angela Carter, Doris Lessing, Stephen Melville, Ira Levin, good science fiction that's not boring political stuff about alien worlds, Marley and Me.
I do read books, but almost all fiction disappoints me these days. I don't want to talk about it.
Heroes
They comprise my ideal self: Howard Devoto, Lene Lovich, Simon Munnery, Cory Arcangel, Spencer and Allsopp, John Lydon, Richard Feynman, Linda Nochlin, Jane Goodall, Dolly Parton, Martin Hannett, Candy Darling, Francis Bacon (not the 16th Century one), Wreckless Eric, Adrian Searle, Michael J Fox, Dana Scully, Armando Ianucci, Natasha Walter, Caitlin Moran and Gaby Wood (the amazing journalists), Joel Ronson, Hadley Freeman, Ruby Hammer.
University of Cambridge
Cambridge, E
Graduated: 2006
Student status: Alumni
Degree: Master's Degree
Major: analysis of critical theory (what am I trying to prove?)
I've written for Sandi Toksvig on Radio 4's "The News Quiz" and doing "The Now Show" this month (Nov 08).
Always working on pitches for various things.
and finally... I favour music from the post-punk era and welcome messages from fellow fans. But you should know that I probably don't like XTC as much as I should.
Here's a short film of my guest spots on Sky News, and some other credits from '08...
...and here I am reading an extract from my new book Enemy of Chaos, out Sept 09. I'll be doing these every Thursday so come back next week (or subscribe on YouTube!)
Who I'd like to meet: Women (fabulous old lushes preferred, but I'll take what you've got).
Women to take part in my Elstree and Borehamwood ladies' fight clubs.
A willing young apprentice to eventually take my place.
Anyone prepared to challenge my outrageous Myspace claim that I'm of 'Black/African descent'.
Seriously though, I'd like to meet everyone. I like meeting people.
A special DVD set of the February shows is now available to pre-order at the wire-sound shop
This strictly limited edition 2 disc, region free, PAL format DVD set will be shipped in June.
The ‘Real Life + Thereafter’ DVD contains the entire concert filmed at Manchester Academy …
PLUS … Extra features include ‘Feed The Enemy’ filmed at the rehearsals, an alternate take of ‘A Song From Under The Floorboards’ and exclusive images from the period …
PLUS … On the second CD disc, you get an audio recording straight from the desk of 11 songs from the show at The Forum, London …
PLUS … In the package, you get a free tour T-Shirt in any size you like ranging from Super Small to Mighty XL and all stops in between.
... starring Alan Moore, Steve Aylett, Josie Long, Stewart Lee, Jeff Vandermeer, DH Wilson, Mr Solo, Robin Ince, Leila Johnston, 7-Inch Stitch, Bill Ectric, Mitzi Szereto, Mo Ali etc. Out late 2009 maybe.
It's good to see that you still remember my interest in fatty tissues and tuberculosis! But seriously yeah that's awesome.
I really enjoyed my mohican, I felt it suited me a lot. Sadly in my current job it wouldn't really help me out, and I fear that pretty soon I won't actually have enough hair for one.
I'm afraid my lack of health started a couple of years early, currently trying to get into this healthy living lark to burn off some weight and feel like maybe being single again isn't so bad after all. Not working so far.
I do still go out a bit, it's more gigs than clubs nowadays though. I find them boring mostly, not the clubbing thing but more the fact that they still play the same music as when I was 20. Enough already.
We should totally go to Wendy House, though we won't be the oldest there - Leeds has become old goth central, they're a dying breed I think. I didn't know PVC could get cellulite.
Me too - turning 28 very soon and feeling every day of it! Sadly my age is showing through male pattern baldness, which I am assured is a sign of virility but which I'm afraid is just a sign of having no long hair ever again.
nah, it's not cartoonish, it's just not in any doubts about existing. Unlike some women who remove all distinguishing features until their face is as blank and featureless as an egg.
It is indeed. No idea who the little black furry dude is though.
Ahaha. Yes. That is the new kitten, who spends his days chewing through vital cables, climbing any convenient vertical surface and harassing the older cat until he gets a vicious beating from said older cat.
I find the trick is to start exposing yourself to strangers, friends and family. At least that way the state pays for your lodgings and you have an interesting story to tell new friends while basketweaving.
Me too, it's bringing me closer to my inner clown. Not to mention my inner strongman, who wears a fetching leopardprint leotard and has a curly waxed moustache. His name is Klaus.
This is moving out of witty banter and towards psychoanalysis.
Yeah I was thinking of something fetching in red and yellow stripes, perhaps with a merry-go-round type contraption on my head. I could even hum jolly circus tunes to complete the image.
To be fair, I think goggles and netting is definately the fashion choice for a younger, slimmer Matt. I'm slowly getting to the stage where all I can sensibly wear is a circus tent.
Leila. Nice to meet you. I enjoyed your review of our Teabag bin. Thanks for the beta testing. (We are having the slot size increased as I write this.) Deano
