Hello beasties!
This week I am sharing with you a recent interview that I did with THE BEARGRRRIAN GAZETTE who long-time readers will know interview me probably about twice a year - and have done for quite some time now... Anyway! There are lots of questions about my writing and other creative projects; if that sort of thing interests you then I'd recommend it!
We have no news on podcasts this week - although episode 62 and 63 are due out this week. Our live episode (#62) came together well last night - with a mixture of chat-show guests and an ultra-modern satellite link-up. Ahem.
Our photos this time are mainly of the gorgeous Mr Deeley who decided to allow me to take lots of new photos of him. The ones of me were taken a couple of weeks back whilst I was recording some links for a future episode in some woods near Putney Heath.
Next time we'll be back to podcasts - and I'll be poised to head off to the country for a week of podcast recording, editing and possibly one or two appearances on other people's shows... We'll see!
That's all for now - well, except for the BEARGRRRIAN GAZETTE interview... Enjoy!!
Yeti hugs,
Paul (aka Shy Yeti) xx
Here
is a recent interview from Beargrrria’s top magazine for chat; THE GROWL
GAZETTE. They know me there partly due to my dubious connection with
Beargrrrian superstar, Charlie Grrr. This is the 12th time that they have
interviewed me in recent years – they like to check up on me every six months
or so. As usual I mainly discuss what I’m up to creatively - so here’s what
they asked and what I said in reply; straight from the yeti’s mouth, as it were!!!
Q.
Welcome Mr Yeti!
Hello… It’s great to be catching up with you again!
Q.
Please can you tell us about the books that you’re hoping to publish in the
next few months?
A.
Well, I’ve published one book already this year – my slightly delayed BEAST OF FRIENDS MOVIE-LENGTH SPECIAL or
as it is actually known, YETI DON’T FALL
BACKWARDS… This is basically a “lost” adventure with the Beast team, set in
Venice – a bit of a giallo or slasher spoof, to be honest. I also have two
other books that will be ready in the next few months with two more coming up
before the summer – the second seasons of both KENSINGTON GORE and HOT STUFF!!
I might have some other projects out later in the year – it really just depends
how these progress when it comes to the proofreading stage, which always takes
the longest!
Q.
What projects are you currently working on?
A.
I’m currently doing final rewriting on the season 3 script-books of both KENSINGTON GORE and HOT STUFF!! These might be ready before the end of the year or it’s
possible that they will be held back until the beginning of 2018. It’s too soon
for a decision, yet. Of course, the first drafts were written some time ago now
– so I am returning to them refreshed and am looking forward to getting them
released. Meanwhile, I am slightly over half-way through writing season five of
HOT STUFF!! and season four of KENSINGTON GORE. I have ideas set aside
for a sixth season of HOT STUFF!!, which
may hark back to the alternate dimension version of the show first seen in
season one. As far as the fifth season of KENSINGTON
GORE is concerned I’m considering bringing Horner back together with
Katrina and Warren for a more extended period – particularly as he now has a
history with Warren’s mother that might be interesting to explore. Meanwhile I
am also adding new prose pieces from my blog to a collection that I have been
putting together since the start of 2015 – not to mention doing the same with
all the Shy Yeti scripts that I’ve written since 2016. In slow time I am also
working on a new compilation of my poems to celebrate 25 years of my poetry.
This is pretty much going to be a compilation of my previous best-of
collections SHY YETI RULES OKAY and SHY YETI STILL RULES OKAY; although
updated to 2017 with my favourite verse from my all my collections and
blog-posts released since SHY YETI STILL
RULES OKAY in 2012. If I get time I’m also hoping to complete the proofing
on a new collection of Mouse Of Commons short stories, which were actually
written over ten years ago now.
Q. How are things
going with the Shy Yeti scripts?
A.
Very well, thank you. I am carrying them on into 2017 as I have quite a few
plots that I wanted to write with Yeti and Toppie Smellie and so I want to get
those written before I sign off the first script-book. I’m not sure yet when
I’ll finish the collection – it won’t necessarily be a case of waiting until
the end of the year – more the end of the story. I can’t say much yet – but the
real Toppie and I have been discussing a few ideas related to these sketches… More
information on that when I have it!
Q. How do you
feel about reaching your 50th episode of THE SHY LIFE PODCAST?
A.
I’m really happy about it! This was back in January – I almost can’t believe
I’ve already done so many episodes in under a year; it’s averaging out about 1
every 5 days. That said it was very much the same when I was making Sutton Park
– it felt like I was flying through every 100 episodes and by the end I’d
reached over 3200 episodes. Also when I was working on my SHY YETI ON LOCATION videos I managed to release over 100 episodes
in a relatively short time… They were shorter than the podcast episodes – but
there was a more involved process of editing involved… I always surprise myself
when I think back to how many books I’ve written too – over time all that hard
work fades away and I can no longer really remember how much effort it took…
Still, I enjoy it – so it never feels like work.
Q. What have
been your favourite episodes of the podcast, so far?
A.
It’s a cop-out answer – but I will say that I’ve enjoyed them all for different
reasons – after all it’s my show; although having said that I’ll now tell you
my favourite-favourites… As much as it is nice to interview or chat with guests
– I really revel in having the guests do silly things or play silly characters.
I’m not saying that I would necessarily want that every week – I’m happy to let
the show guide itself, but I do enjoy putting together those dafter episodes! It’s
especially great to get to record with Toppie Smellie on a regular basis as we
do have a lot in common; he’s good to talk with and do ad-lib skits with too…
I’ve a two episode special coming out soon where I’ve actually scripted lines
for Tim from Tastes Like Burning and Jay The Hauntcub from LOTSL. I can’t say
any more for now – although Toppie appears too as an evil bus driver!! It
should be worth a listen… I hope!!
Q. Is it true
that you are now doing a monthly live edition of the podcast? How did that come
about?
A.
Yes, indeed – well, it was as simple as asking the scheduling folk if I could
have a slot at the weekend on Pride48. There aren’t THAT many shows that do a
live show every day, so it wasn’t that difficult to manage and the timing of my
show works well, in that it’s late afternoon on a Sunday in the States – and
about nine o’clock here in the UK. At one stage I was wondering about doing a
show more than once a month – but having done a few now I think once a month is
enough and a live show in my episode schedule works well as it is quite
different from the usual shows that I do. It is always nice to get one or two
people in the chat-room – but what I really enjoy is recording the show and
seeing what I come up with in the live format – in the same way as I do when I
go on Radio Wey. In both situations we may not get too many listeners at the
time – but there will be a fair few who will later download it. Initially I
wanted to be able to do a live show so that I could join in whenever the next
Pride48 weekend of shows is – as I didn’t want to end up doing that for the
first time on the night. I found it surprisingly easy to learn the ropes and it
would appear that I’ve partly inspired one or two other podcasters to successfully
sign up to live shows too!
Q. What is the
difference between the live shows and your regular episodes?
A.
As I’ve already touched on – it’s mostly just the unpredictability of
broadcasting live, really. I recently recorded an episode pretty much in one
take and that was fun – but it’s not quite the same as doing so when there’s a
live audience. I’m able to interact with the chat-room which is a good source
of chat – but I always prepare plenty of material – even if it’s only reading
more poems if I run out of things to say. I usually aim to be on for an hour –
but then usually broadcast for more like eighty minutes. When I release the
audio as a podcast I occasionally edit out coughs or errs or add slight effects
– but keep it chattier than one of my usual episodes. I also like to record
additional content which I add to the finished podcast the following week.
Q. How do you
see the future of the show?
A.
Extremely positive – I can’t believe that I have already released over 60
episodes of the show and that I am nearing the first anniversary! I have plenty
of episodes pre-recorded – so that is also something that allows me never to
have to rush to record something new; although, of course, I love recording –
so just try and stop me! I really like how you never really know what sort of
episode is coming next… I very much enjoy collaborating with the one off guests
and also with our semi-regulars (the real ones and the “possibly” fictional
ones!) and I especially enjoy the more fantastical elements of the series.
Whereas THE SMELLCAST often tells
actual stories – almost like radio plays, THE SHY LIFE PODCAST sort of allows the fiction to creep up on the
listener and these fictions are often quite extended or gradual. I’ve recently started
to call it ad-fibbing – a mixture of ad-lib and fiction; or fibbing as
initially I am attempting to pass it off as a form of truth!
Q. Is it true
that legendary Beargrrrian celebrity Charlie Grrr has recently joined your
cast?
A.
This is true – although he’s a very busy bear – so I’m not sure how long he’ll
be available for… We’re recording as much with him as possible whilst we have
access to him; he mostly talks about pies anyway – so his repetoir is slightly
limited! One had hoped that he would have had a little more to say about his
career – but, as yet, we’ve not been able to get anything more from him. Pies
are his obsession! To be fair pies ARE pretty darn good…
Q. What do you
have in store for us over the next few months of 2017?
A.
Oh golly – well, you’re speaking to me now in late March and I’m already
beginning to record bits for episodes that definitely won’t be heard until
April or May. I pretty much have all my shows in one stage or another for the
next couple of months and am actually about to go away for a solo week of
recording and editing where, amongst other things, I’ll be recording a good
spooky Halloween episode. Sure, recording in April for an October episode does
seem a little like over-doing it – but I wanted to get it in the can whilst I
was in a suitably spooky location. Last year I did lots of Halloween- themed
chats and so this year I want to do something different and maybe a little less
specific… As listeners will have already heard I prepared a Valentine’s episode
and am about to release an April Fool’s episode – but those are probably the
last two “holiday” episodes that I will need to focus on until October – which
is good. I guess I could do a summer holiday show, but we’ll see about that!
Q. Are you still
collaborating with Toppie Smellie from The Smellcast?
A.
Very much so. Toppie and I usually record every other month – although it’s
more like every month at the moment. We also have one or two crossover stories
that are beginning to develop – most notably the friendship between Bettina Du
Pres (from my show) and Aunt Tappie (from his show). I am glad to say that
Toppie and I work very well together when we ad-lib and Toppie picks up very
quickly what is going on without much direction. We’ve done some very silly
sketches in recent episodes and it’s been hilarious recording them with him;
especially the one involving hiding inside a Trojan Poodle where I was
literally coming up with the ideas as we went along! Toppie giggled a bit but
carried on – this is why he is truly the “lost” Sutton Park cast member.
Q. And are you
still making music for your show?
A.
Oh yes, it’s great fun to do – the only trouble being that I’m so busy with
other projects that means that I don’t have so much time to be doing it very
often. In a way this is good or else I’d probably be dropping a new tune every
day of the year. At the moment I either try to make new music when I’m
commuting home or when I’m relaxing in the bath – as I can use my phone to make
the tunes on Garageband with my earphones in and nobody needs be disturbed.
Q. Have you
appeared on any other podcasts recently?
A.
I was a guest on LOTSL (or as we’ve
christened it on our show, Life On The Poo List) again back in December, which
was very nice and I’m about to make another appearance any day now! I very
pleased that Jay is back on the team as he’s a good pal of mine. Other than LOTSL my only other appearances have
been via messages sent into podcasts – either the alien sketches on Tastes Like
Burning, occasional messages on Vera Speaks… For Real, various inane chatter on
Big Fatty Online (from jokes to accusations about Poodle McNoodle being an
actual poodle!) or by sending weird sounds in to THE SMELLCAST for their Stick
It Out Your Backdoor section. Still, my pursuit to invade the podcasting
universe moves on apace! ;)
Q. Have you been
back on hospital radio since we last chatted?
A.
It’s funny you mention that – at time of chating I made my last appearance on
Saturday 11th February for a pre-Valentine’s Day show with Tim and
Nathan. My Valentine’s poems are never especially cheery and mostly far better
suited to those who are single or bitter or both; still – they’re usually
bordering on amusing too – so it’s not all bad! I’m hoping to go back in mid-May
– we shall see. I included the poems that I performed on the show on my 5th
LIVE PRIDE48 SHOW – three of them on the show and three of them as extras. So
yes, I rebroadcast another radio show – surely things like that threaten to
break the internet! No?
Q. And are you
still making music for your show?
A.
Yes, indeed. It’s such fun! I don’t get to do as many new tunes as I’d like to
what with everything else going on – so it’s a real luxury when I get around to
it! If I’m honest, it often happens when I’m commuting – or more often still
when I’m having a long laze in the bath. I’ll hopefully get a bit more time to
make some new tunes when I’m away over Easter, when I am planning a relaxing
week of podcasting adventures and the like.
Nothing
at the moment, I’m afraid – but I am keen to press on and get, at least, one of
my two Mouse projects completed this year – but I’ve been saying that for a
while now. I did write a short Mouse script as my Christmas Special and that
was reproduced in YETI DON’T FALL
BACKWARDS – so I am still keen to keep Gladstone and Ollie busy, as it
were. It may be that they end up appearing more in my SHY YETI scripts or somesuch, as they were never really written
with a youth audience in mind; I used to say they were more targeted at “big
kids!”
Q.
Will there be any further poetry projects?
A.
If they happen – they happen. I am still writing prose pieces and poems for my
blog when they occur – it’s just that it’s been more prose pieces than poetry.
I’ll be putting together a collection of all the poetry and prose that I’ve posted
on my blog since 2015 at some stage – not to mention putting out a 25th
anniversary compilation of my favourite self-written poems during 2017. At the
moment I’m probably working more to preserving the work that I have already
written – also performing the poems that I have rarely performed before during
episodes of the podcast.
Q.
Do you aim to do any live shows in 2017?
A.
I would like to do another Poetry Café show during 2017, but we will have to
see how things go price-wise with arranging that – the café has been closed for
refurbishment for a while, so I’m not sure whether prices to hire might go up. We
shall see! I’m definitely up for taking part in any of John Smallshaw’s
open-mike nights, should I be free and, of course – although I sadly missed in
March one due to issues back home; as mentioned I still regularly perform my
older poetry during my podcast episodes. I’m also due back on Radio Wey in the
middle of May.
Q.
Would we be right in saying that your blog is still going strong?
A.
Yes, indeed. I try and post weekly – in fact I usually have 3 or 4 posts that
I’m working on at one time – which was never the case back in the day. A
typical post (in the last year or so) would include brief discussions about
current podcast episodes – with news on other things that have been going on
(writing and in life) and also photos from behind the scenes on recent
recording sessions and often a new prose piece, yeti script or occasionally a
poem.
Q. Will you be
taking your creative projects on location this year?
A.
Absolutely. Most of my trips are now booked – but I’ve haven’t really announced
anything too much, as yet. I’m expecting to mainly be holidaying in the UK –
but there will be one or two trips overseas or off-shore. I will, of course, be
recording, writing and photographing when away! How could I not!?!
Q.
Exciting news! Thank you for talking to us, Mr Yeti. See you again later in the
year!
This post and all contents are Copyright Paul Chandler, 2017.
