Interview Pete Murray
Are you in the UK already? because weren't you supposed to be playing at Boardmasters?Yeah, no I'm in the UK already... Read more...
10th Nov 2012 9:24am | By Alasdair Morton
Where did your show’s title, The Man With The Flaming Battenberg Tattoo, come from?
The show tells the story about how this tattoo [of a flaming cake] changed my life.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was around at the time, and was quite big. It’s not a parody, but an obvious nod.
Is it about trying to mellow out?
I am trying to be a bit calmer. All my life I have been an argumentative, contrary little shit and I am trying not to be like that so much.
It is difficult as it is who I am and this is about how that tattoo has helped.
How has the tattoo changed you?
A couple of years ago I would not have admitted to being like that, but now I am coming to terms with who I am.
Being that person never had any redeeming side to it – it has always been a bane of my life and I denied it – but now, as I am making money from it through stand-up and I’ve made a career out of it, I am starting to see a positive side.
I still hate being like this, though.
So what annoys you?
Any given thing at any given time – it could be the smallest, most petty thing. Often it’s marketing that gets me. In this new show I read out letters I’ve written to companies in the past that have pissed me off.
And politics winds me up, despite the fact I don’t know much about it.
That’s my problem – rather than being someone who knows about everything and responds rationally, I just respond passionately and from the heart, but don’t know much about what I’m on about.
Who’s felt the Rhod wrath?
First Great Western [train company from London to Wales], Innocent smoothies, Braun, The Body Shop … it can be anything.
Announcing over the Tannoy in the quiet carriage on the train for everyone to be quiet – it’s just pointless.
Did anger management classes help?
I talk about it in the show, some of which is taken from the anger management diaries I wrote during those sessions.
You’re meant to write about all the little incidents that have annoyed you, but I’ve used it as a device for this show like documentary evidence.
You didn’t start stand-up until your 30s – what prompted you then?
I had no interest in comedy before, never been to a comedy show, but this girlfriend I had been with for eight years just nagged.
I’ve known two things all my life: one, I am an argumentative person and two, I’ve always tried to make people laugh.
I’ve never had much interest in anything else. She spotted that and kept on at me saying: “You should do something with this.”
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