As part of my big trip around the UK I’ve been keeping an eye on who is carrying the torch, culturally speaking, for the land of my birth. Germain Greer pops up occasionally in The Guardian to give her two-bob on a country she left forty years ago. Clive James emerges, blinking in the light, when he’s got a book out. And Kathy Lette is always good for an outrageous pun or three.
But out in the real world, in the cafes and the pubs and curry houses, one name keeps popping up. And it’s not Tim Winton or David Malouf. It’s Kevin Bloody Wilson.
I met a 16-year-old lad in Basildon who loved him. His uncle snuck him in to see Kev when he played The Cliffs Pavilion in Southend on Sea. He couldn’t believe someone could get away with saying the things Mr Bloody Wilson did. That gig was as much of a Damascene moment for him as Elvis Costello playing The Regent was when I was a teenager back in Sydney.
Say what you want about Kevin Bloody Wilson, he works hard for his notoriety. He just completed a 48-gig tour of the UK taking in such beauty spots as Scunthorpe, Motherwell and Dorking – just down the road from me.
And it seems it’s paid off. I was wandering around iTunes this morning and came across the chart for Spoken Word audiobooks. Four of the Top Ten were by Kevin Bloody Wilson, including 20 Years of Kev at number one.
That’s the UK iTunes store too. National Treasure Stephen Fry could only manage two entries at three and four. (And only by flogging his offerings at a bargain basement £1.79)
I don’t know whether to be proud or ashamed.
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I’ve just browed his Wikipedia page to enlighten myself. I’d never heard of KBW – not sure whether I should be proud or ashamed of that fact, even as a non-Aussie!
still waiting to see him live i heard his cds he is very funny next he on tour in derby we be there
I live in Basildon and I hope you had a positive experience here as it often gets a bad press.
Regarding Kevin Bloody Wilson he was at the local theater in November and I was going to see him but I didn’t realise he was so popular and left it to late to get tickets and he sold out. I certainly hope he comes back soon.
Substitute the spoken word chart for the pop-chart, and you’ll probably see a similar story.
Which is rather pitiful.