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Tinselworm DVD [03 Oct 2008|02:21pm] zombiepuppet [ mood | excited ] "The long awaited release of Tinselworm on DVD is approaching. The date for your diaries is 10 November 2008." 3 Human Slaves in an Insect Nation

News Round-Up [03 Oct 2008|02:18pm] zombiepuppet September and October have brought with them the smell of a new term; a cool air of flora and fauna, far off bonfires and a whiff of double music and, with Bill back from his sell-out tour of Australia and New Zealand very soon, he'll barely have chance to knock back another cheese and ham toastie with warm lettuce (his staple diet down under) before he has to turn up for band practice. Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to The Orchestra: Brighton Dome & the Royal Albert Hall Bill will be dusting off his 13 stϋck spezial gestimmte Österreichische (Austrian Alpbells to you and me) to perform with Anne Dudley and the BBC Concert Orchestra for Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to The Orchestra. First stop will be the Brighton Dome on 4 and 8 October and then the bus will be pulling into The Royal Albert Hall for 3 nights only; 15, 16 and 17 October, so be sure to book your tickets so as to avoid being in the unfortunate position of not having booked any. Remarkable Competition To commemorate this special event, Bill has collaborated with award winning artist, Joe Magee, to produce a limited edition silkscreen print (see image, right). Each print is signed by Joe and Bill. We are giving you the opportunity to win one of these highly coveted hand-made prints by answering the following question: Q. In no more than 10 words: What's going on in Bill's X-Ray head? Please log on to http://www.billbailey.co.uk/fasthtml/remarkablecompetition.php to submit your answer. The lucky winner will be notified by 31st October 2008. The winner and answer will be posted in the December newsletter. The judge's decision is final. Remarkably good answers will be posted on the website. How very puzzling E L R U L E R R I U Q S D P U K A E S K U N K U H O L L V Z T E P M U R T I R E O B O U D J X C M I N M S S A L L E H O R N M I O A T X O F E R R E T P L U E G O C O R A N G L A I S W E H C E L L O D A N V E A L O I V S P R A H I L R E F G P T R O M B O N E P W U T I G A D D E R E V I N O O S S A B A R T N O C O T S P A C K E N S P I E It is in honour of the union of Autumn and musicality that we give you a little tea-time puzzle. Squirreled away in this wordsearch are 13 orchestral creatures nestling amongst the same unlucky amount of woodland instruments. Why not see if you can find them all when you take a break from gathering this week's tuneful nuts. Tinselworm comes to London town! Following a sell-out arena tour of the UK in 2007 and a sell-out tour of New Zealand and Australia in 2008, Tinselworm returns to the UK for a run at The Gielgud Theatre from November 10 - January 24, although with (it is assumed) at least some time off for him to spend some time with his nearest and dearest over the primary gifting period and auxiliary generosity zone. As in any Bill Bailey show, the subject matter is broad ranging; tattoos, marketing, doorbells, Emo, creationism, post-war banking secrecy, travellers' tales and the alternate reality that is Bill's world - spun together with the sparkling thread of a seasonal invertebrate. It has all the trademark Bailey elements; lyrical dexterity, tangential silliness and musical brilliance plus animation by award-winning film maker, Joe Magee, all of which combine to make this a verbal and visual treat. This will be the last time you'll be able to see this show before Bill puts it to bed. Remember...only the early bird catches the Tinselworm. For pre-sale tickets call 0844 482 5130 quoting "FURRY JAM HAT" or log on to: https://tickets.delfont-mackintosh.com/gateway.aspx?E=N&QL=S281|VGIE|RIN5|DIN2|GShowDatesCombo.aspx Tickets will be on sale to the rest of the world on Monday 6 October.   Catch him if you can... Saturday 11 October Listen to Bill on Loose Ends at 6.15pm on BBC Radio 4. Presented by Clive Anderson, rumour has it that Glen Campbell (apparently nothing to do with soup) and human beatbox, Schlomo, will also be guests on the show. Sunday 12 October Bill will be joining Tim Lovejoy in the kitchen on Something for The Weekend at 10am on BBC 2. Sitting on the sofa will also be confirmed guest Ne-Yo. Will you be able to handle this juxtaposition? Monday 13 October Catch Bill on Colin Murray's Radio 1 show at 11pm. He's supposed to be choosing 5 tracks for Colin to play, although I'm not sure if he's done his homework as yet. He'll probably leave it until Sunday night and then tell us that his P.E. kit needs washing too. Insect Nation

The Worm Turns [29 Sep 2008|05:43pm] zombiepuppet Kylie Northover September 26, 2008 From nature watcher to hobbit to Tinselworm, Bill Bailey's evolution makes for a curious tale. BRITISH comedian Bill Bailey, performing in Melbourne this week, is fresh from touring New Zealand, where he found himself in demand — but not as a comedian. Much to his chagrin, Bailey discovered he's the subject of an online petition put together by fans in an effort to have him cast in the coming film adaptation of The Hobbit. Bailey groans theatrically when asked about the petition, although (of course) he appreciates the absurdity of it. "Oh God, I don't initiate these things," he says, laughing. "I found out that it started off as a petition for me to be in The Lord of the Rings, and now people want me to be in The Hobbit!" Presumably it has at least something to do with his hirsute appearance, but is Bailey feeling insulted or flattered? ( Read more... ) 1 Human Slave in an Insect Nation

[18 Sep 2008|06:17pm] mykelluk NOOOOOO!! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7623854.stm 1 Human Slave in an Insect Nation

Culture: No Trace of Li8er Pickers at Big Chill [27 Aug 2008|07:01pm] zombiepuppet I'm linking instead of reposting the entire article, since this is the only part to mention Bill. Still, I thought this much was worth posting: "My highlight of the weekend was stumbling upon comedian Bill Bailey romping around the festival in a rubber chicken mask." Insect Nation

Cultural Life: Bill Bailey, Comedian [27 Aug 2008|06:59pm] zombiepuppet Interview by Charlotte Cripps Friday, 22 August 2008 Books I read a lot of books because they inspire my material. The Reluctant Mr Darwin by David Quammen is an extremely well-researched account of Darwin's life after he came back from his South American trip on the Beagle. He lived in Kent with his wife, a devout Christian, which made him question his own thoughts on evolution. I read The God Delusion. Parts of it were brilliant but Richard Dawkins loses it a bit. He says that people who are religious are not as intelligent as people who aren't. This zeal about evolution is just as evangelical as the zealots that he's trying to belittle. Born Yesterday: The News as a Novel by Gordon Burn guides you through events of 2007 but cleverly worked into a novel. Television I hardly watch television. I have a child, Dax, four, who requires a lot of entertaining. I watched the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. What made me laugh was just the fact that how on earth are we going to compete with that? Film People always talk about the latest films. I think, "Well, give me six months and I will be able to join in on this conversation." I saw Control [about Joy Division] because I'm a bit of an old punk. It brilliantly conjured up that era. I watched Cloverfield with the big monsters in Manhattan. I saw Beowulf starring Ray Winstone. I don't know if it was meant to be funny, but I found it hilarious. Music I like electronic music – Aphex Twin, Hot Chip, Justice. I finally got around to listening to In Rainbows, the new Radiohead album. I like the lo-fi nature of it. We went to the First Night of the Proms. Messiaen's organ works was overwhelming, crashing out this wall of sound at the Royal Albert Hall. There was an amazing piece of piano music by an American called Elliott Carter. He wanted to write a piece with no chords – just one continuous flow of notes. 'Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra', Royal Albert Hall, London SW7 (020-7589 8212), 15 & 16 October Insect Nation

Black Books Icons [05 Aug 2008|04:28pm] x_distorted O, hai! I've made some icons from Elephants and Hens, series 3 of Black Books. Hope you like! Previews: (Hiding behind the fake cut) Oh, and sorry about the manic x-postage... Insect Nation

[16 Jul 2008|02:17pm] zombiepuppet Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra Bill will be performing his latest show, featuring a 72 piece symphony orchestra, at the Royal Albert Hall, London on October 15th and 16th 2008. In order to be eligible to buy tickets in advance of the public sale, we will be asking fans to pre-register their interest in buying tickets for these shows. The pre-registration will be open for the next seven days until 5pm on Thursday 24th July. On Monday 28th July those that have registered will receive an email from us containing a special code word which will allow you to buy tickets over the internet via the Royal Albert Hall website or from their box office. To register your interest NOW, go to: http://www.billbailey.co.uk/fasthtml/royal-albert-hall.php Please register your interest as quickly as possible. Thank you very much for your ongoing support. 2 Human Slaves in an Insect Nation

Grill Bill [23 Jun 2008|03:02pm] zombiepuppet Grill Bill 5:00AM Saturday June 21, 2008 By Russell Baillie English stand-up Bill Bailey is returning to New Zealand with his musically inspired, hilariously rambling brand of comedy. But first he has to answer some of Russell Baillie's questions Before you phone Bill Bailey up for an interview, he needs to see your questions. Why? So he can "prepare" we're told. Oh. But this is a man who when on stage - when he's not doing brilliant comedy songs which can make Flight of the Conchords look like, well, NZ's fourth most popular folk-comedy duo - gives the appearance of making surreal stuff up as he goes along. We'd rather he do some of that in our 20-minute chat, frankly. But we dutifully send off 10 or so inquiries (yes Wikipedia may have been involved) and once he's on the line from London, he's happy not to stick to the script. So here's Bailey - a friend of British woodland creatures, avid Star Trek fan, and someone whose fans keep creating petitions to get him roles in things - on various subjects dear to his heart, and other parts ... ( Read more... ) 1 Human Slave in an Insect Nation

I want to go back to music [09 Jun 2008|11:42am] zombiepuppet Bill Bailey reveals next ambition – and it's not comedy  Bill Bailey plans to ease back on his comedy career to concentrate on music. Interviewed on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs today, the comedian admitted he was always restless for the next challenge – and said he now wanted to ‘revisit the music side of my career; [to] just to go back and play my music. ‘I’ve missed playing to a certain level for so long,’ he said. ‘In comedy I just play little bits and pieces. It’s part of the act – it’s integral to the act, but I haven’t been that serious about it. I want to go back to the piano and push myself a bit and improve it and learn more.’ He also told interviewer Kirsty Young that he first realised he had a gift for comedy as a child, when he entertained mourners at an aunt’s funeral by repeating a Les Dawson routine he’d seen on TV. ‘He played the opening of the 1812 Overture and he’d get it wrong. He’d play the first few chords and then he’d go, “Oh, I can’t think of any more.” Then I think he swore or something, “That’s all I can do, I’m knackered” And I said this when I was a kid. ‘My dad he was drinking a cup of tea, looking very serious sashe was talking to someone. He spat all the tea out and sprayed this tea all over this woman. And then my mum dropped her cup, which smashed, and someone else knocked over some cheese and pineapple. And there was this chaos.’  ( Read more... ) 1 Human Slave in an Insect Nation

Close Encounter With: Bill Bailey [09 Jun 2008|11:38am] zombiepuppet Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 08 June 2008 YOU'VE SEEN British comedian Bill Bailey, haven't you? He played deranged bookshop dogsbody, Manny Bianco, in splendid TV sitcom Black Books. Funny looking geezer. Extremely bad facial hair. A limp goatee hangs from his pasty chin and a monk's fringe of straggly locks hangs from the back of his otherwise bald head like a hair curtain. He's not tall, either, and thus quite accurately refers to himself as "part troll". If you can picture the man I'm talking about, you can perhaps imagine my distress when Bailey picks up the phone and informs me he's in the bath. You know, naked. In all his hairy glory. I am not paid enough to have to cope with mental images like this. ( Read more... ) Insect Nation

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists [07 Jun 2008|11:27am] zombiepuppet This Sunday, Bill appears in a new radio adaptation of Robert Tressell's classic socialist novel "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists". This 3 part series, which also features Andrew Lincoln, Johnny Vegas and Kevin Eldon, tells the story of a group of painter-decorators in the early 1900s who break their backs to make money for their rich bosses whilst fellow workman Frank Owen desperately attempts to convince them that their could be a better way. The first part is broadcast this Sunday on Radio 4 at 3pm, and is repeated the following Saturday at 9pm. It is also available on Listen Again throughout the week. To access this, and for more information on the programme, visit the Radio 4 website. Insect Nation

Desert Island Discs [07 Jun 2008|11:25am] zombiepuppet In this modern age of mp3 and iTunes, the life of a castaway must be pretty cushy. With several thousand tracks available at the stroke of a tiny plastic wheel, the lonely island hours must positively fly by. It hasn't always been so easy however, and this Sunday Bill will be imagining what desert island life would be like if you were able to take only 8 records (and without any playlist functionality). To hear his choices, tune in to Radio 4's Desert Island Discs at 11.15am, when he will be talking to Kirsty Young about some of his all-time favourite records, and the way they have affected his life. The episode is repeated on Friday at 9am, and make sure you catch one of the broadcasts, because it won't be available on Listen Again. Insect Nation

Aus/NZ Tour [16 May 2008|07:03pm] zombiepuppet As promised, we're very pleased to announce the details of Bill's forthcoming tour to Australia and New Zealand. MESSAGE FROM BILL Hello to all of you in the Greate Southerne Landes! It has been awhiles, but I am looking forward to this OZ:NZ tour very much. I have missed the pleasing pond sludge of spirulina on a crisp Auckland morning, the crystal light of a Sydney sunrise over a latte, a stroll along the Yarra on a balmy evening, the blue skies over the bay at Wellington, a spiro at 2am wandering down Collins, a snuffling echidna transfixed by the headlights of a hire car, a flattened possum on the way to Piha Beach...a Perth hangover.. All these delights and more await, so I'll see you soon. Bill TOUR DATES Bill will be performing at 9 venues in total and the dates are as follows (in case you can't see them on the poster above!): New Zealand Sunday 31 August - Auckland - ASB Theatre Wednesday 3 September - Christchurch - Christchurch Town Hall Thursday 4 September - Wellington - St James Theatre Australia Monday 8 September - Perth - Burswood Theatre Thursday 11 September - Adelaide - Thebarton Theatre Saturday 13 September - Canberra - Royal Theatre Monday 15 September - Sydney - State Theatre Monday 22 September - Brisbane - QPAC, Concert Hall Saturday 27 September - Melbourne - Arts Centre, Hamer Hall TICKET INFORMATION Tickets for all shows will go on General Sale on Monday 26th May 2008 at 9am (local time to each city). EXCLUSIVE PRESALE FOR NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS We will be distributing exclusive pre-sale links and passwords to Bill Bailey newsletter subscribers only next week to enable you to purchase tickets ahead of the general sale. This will be an excellent opportunity to buy great tickets at each venue before the general public. Each venue will have it's own link and password and you will be able to purchase tickets from 9am (local time to each city) on Wednesday 21st May. The announcement will be sent out next Tuesday when the pre-sale details will have been finalised, so if you're not subscribed to Bill's newsletter, put your email address in the box at the bottom of this page and click the 'Subscribe' button. Remember, this information will NOT be posted anywhere else! 1 Human Slave in an Insect Nation

Bill to Appear at the Eden Project [09 May 2008|01:23pm] zombiepuppet Bill Bailey is to appear at the Eden Project's first ever Comedy Session on 11th July 2008. It will be an eclectic mix of music invention and surreal imagination featuring material from the recent sell out arena tour Tinselworm. "I'm delighted to be playing the inaugural Comedy Session at the Eden Project. I hope this is the first of many. Let there be jokes among the Biomes!" - Bill Bailey This is the first time a comic act has been on the bill at the Eden Sessions which are now in their seventh year, with their gigs now established as some of the country's most spectacular. "We've been trying to get Bill Bailey to kick off our comedy Sessions for the past five years. It's a dream come true and will be well worth the wait when this great, family-friendly show comes to Eden." - Jane Montague, Eden's Head of Large Scale Events. Tickets for Bill Bailey Live at Eden cost £25 plus booking fee and include free entrance to the project. Tickets do not go on sale until 6pm on Wednesday May 14 2008 but we've been able to secure 2,000 pre-sale tickets exclusively for Bill's newsletter subscribers. To book your tickets NOW, go to: https://www.edenbookings.com/events/billbaileyfanclub/ The pre-sale will end as soon as the 2,000 tickets are sold.   General Sale Should you miss out on the pre-sale tickets, you will have another chance on Wednesday (from 6pm) to get your tickets when they go on sale to the general public. You will then be able to call the Eden box office on 01726 811972 or visit www.edenbookings.com to get your tickets. _____________________________________________ Many of you have been asking what has happened to Bill's planned tour of Australia and New Zealand. The wait is nearly over!!! We're currently finalising plans for the tour which will take place later this year (a little later than planned!). A further announcement with the full list of tour dates and information on booking tickets will be circulated next week. Insect Nation

Grand Designs [03 May 2008|11:45am] zombiepuppet  Be sure to tune into Channel 4's Grand Designs Live tomorrow night, as Bill will be popping in for a chat. Tomorrow's show is the first of a week-long run which sees Kevin McCloud attempting to build a green home in six days, and starts at 8.05pm. Later in the week, Bill will be exploring the myths around one of the grandest, and most mysterious designs of all, when he visits his spiritual (and some might claim actual) home, Stonehenge, in the first episode of new series My Favourite Place which goes out on The History Channel at 8pm on Thursday. Click here to read Bill's interview on the show in the Times. Insect Nation

Bill Bailey Opens New Mill [21 Apr 2008|05:31pm] zombiepuppet 13:26 - 17 April 2008 Comedian and wildlife fan Bill Bailey is joining RAMM on Exeter Quay today to open the Devon Wildlife Trust's new headquarters at the Cricklepit Mill. As part of the celebrations visitors will be able to watch two working waterwheels, tour the visitor centre and grounds and enjoy a range of activities from 12.45pm to 5pm. The event is free to enter and people can drop in whenever they want. For more details call RAMM on 01392 666309 or visit www.exeter.gov.uk/ramm 1 Human Slave in an Insect Nation

Stars Out To Aid Helen House [21 Apr 2008|05:30pm] zombiepuppet Stars out to aid Helen House By Hayley Cover Comment James Campbell Comedy fans turned out in force to watch a star-studded show in aid of Oxford's Helen and Douglas House hospices. About 1,800 people from across the county, and beyond, saw stars Jimmy Carr, Bill Bailey and James Campbell at Oxford's New Theatre on Sunday night. Early indications estimate that Childish Things 4 raised more than £45,000. The audience, which included TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson, who lives near Chipping Norton, ranged from children to pensioners. Comedy lovers reported a lively atmosphere with continuous laughter throughout the show. The night was hosted by Mr Carr, star of 8 of 10 Cats, who joked to the crowd: "What an honour and privilege it is to be here - for you I imagine!" He introduced act Idiots of Ants - a comedy sketch group - followed by 22-year-old singer-songwriter Ally Craig, from Grove, near Wantage. The youngster who had stayed at the hospice, delighted the audience with his performance. And, to the delight of the crowd, Mr Bean star Rowan Atkinson made a surprise appearance. Bill Bailey, comedian, musician and star of BBC 2's Never Mind The Buzz- cocks also proved a hit. He said: "Thank you Oxford for coming. What a fantastic cause this is for." The evening finished with a Helen and Douglas House ensemble taking to the stage to sing John Stewart's Daydream Believer. The one-night event, which has been running for four years, has raised tens of thousands of pounds for the specialist hospices, which care for children and young adults with life-limiting illnesses. Jeremy Rossiter, who bought his tickets for the show last October, said he particularly enjoyed Mr Bailey's performance, describing it as "absolutely brilliant". The 42-year-old from Oxford, said: "Last year's show was very funny. This year's was different but just as good. I think my favourite had to be Bill Bailey. He was extremely funny - particularly when making jokes about Devon." Tickets for Childish Things 4 sold out more than a month in advance. Helen and Douglas House events co-ordinator Lizzie Pickering said: "We couldn't have wished for the evening to have gone any better. "Standing backstage and listening to the audience roaring with laughter was a great feeling. "There really did seem to be something for everyone in the show and, judging from the feedback, people seemed to go home very happy." Petronella Seccombe from Kiddington, near Woodstock, said: "I am a great supporter of Helen and Douglas House. The charity does such an amazing job. I thought the show was incredibly entertaining - and for the calibre of people willing to give up a night out of their schedules for this show was brilliant." *Tickets for Childish Things 5, to be held on Thursday, May 14, 2009, are now on sale between £20 and 27.50. To book call 0844 8471585. 6:13pm today Insect Nation

The Guardian - 22nd March 2008 [20 Mar 2008|02:25pm] zombiepuppet Check out The Guardian newspaper this Saturday to find an exclusive article written by Bill. The article is in the Travel section and is all about Bill's travels to North Sumatra and Los Angeles with his family. Assuming this doesn't end up online, I'd really appreciate it if someone could either post it here or otherwise send it to me. --Z Insect Nation

Cannizaro Park Festival [20 Mar 2008|02:25pm] zombiepuppet Though spending time outdoors may be a slightly grim prospect at the moment, we must look forward to sunnier times and to this July, when Bill will be appearing at the Cannizaro Park open-air festival in Wimbledon. The festival is located in an idyllic Italian walled garden just outside of Wimbledon Village and features a number of other comedy acts, as well as music, theatre and other live events. It takes place in a specially constructed open-air theatre, with the audience located either in theatrical-style covered seating or a picnic area just in front of the stage. Bill will be appearing on Tuesday 22nd July at 8pm. Tickets are priced at £26 for covered seating and £24 for the picnic area, and can be booked at the website. Several nights sold out last year, so book your tickets early. Insect Nation

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