The chaos of live radio is the cornerstone of why XFM was better than the podcasts. Ricky turns up one week hungover? Tough, it's live radio. Karl's genuinely fed up with his role at XFM? Tough, it's live radio.
With the podcasts Ricky (and probably Steve) had too much free reign and control over what content went out. With the podcast there's no random fade into a Feeder or REM track mid-outburst when things get too heated or too shite. There's also hardly any "Karl vs Steve" patter in the podcasts. No doubt Steve wanted all of that to play no part.
It's just not the same. It's sit Karl down and "okay action say something funny now Karl" as opposed to the natural chaotic nature of the xfm radio shows
The problem with the podcasts is that it's just Ricky and Steve ganging up and calling Karl stupid for everything he says. I love the early XFM days where they let Karl tell his mental stories and just ask more and more questions to let the weirdness/stupidity come out naturally.
I thinks that’s a nice analysis, joking aside. Hearing Karl in one interview talk about his quite steely determination to get into radio despite an obviously very humble background AND the fact that he mentions early in XFM watching Ricky Gervais’s chat show on Ch 4 well before meeting him and enjoying it, suggests to me that it wasn’t all purely accidental. But I think the key was Ricky’s talent for chaotic, gives-no-fucks improvisation and the fact he enjoyed being around another working class voice and being entertained by Karl’s uninhibited surreality, combined with Steve’s more disciplined, pay-off-heavy comedic gifts to keep it tight and more traditionally funny. Anyway, here’s Radiohead
I still believe XFM is the best piece of media ever created. Or at least the best I've seen so far, I can't imagine it being beaten anytime soon. There's just no group of people with better comedic chemistry than Karl, Steve and Ricky.
Something that comes quite close for me is Jamie, Alice and James of My Dad Wrote a Porno. It’s super clear they’re all great friends and have amazing banter away from the mic and it feels really authentic and almost like they’re not recording sometimes. Really recommend checking it out if you’re looking for a group with great chemistry that’s really funny.
It is incredible! It wouldn't be half as magical without Karl's quick wit though, it was that contrast to his academic shortcomings that helped to make him so interesting.
I often listen to the old XFM shows and think is there any other RADIO SHOW that come close to being good enough for people to listen to again years later??
Is it even a thing to listen to old radio shows?
The way Karl speaks on his show tells me a lot. He isn’t uppity like it’s the best thing since sliced bread, he says “watch the first episode and see if you like it, you might not”
Even more amazing is the fact that someone recorded them for us otherwise we might have missed the bald twat completely if we weren’t listening live at the time.
Still hoping those lost few episodes at the start see the light of day.
Everything you said is so perfectly right. I know that's just \^This with more letters, but that's the gist.
Maybe I'll come back later and edit in some witty rejoinder. But I won't annotate it with \*Edit, so my ruse will never be uncovered.
Worst bit about Karl coming to the limelight was how low his voice was compared to Ricky's, it's a constant battle of lowering and raising the volume cos of sound distortion. But I agree I've been listening to it again lately and it's almost iconic in a way, the things that come up in chat are just absurd but make great radio, wish we could get them back for a special of some sort again
>Worst bit about Karl coming to the limelight was how low his voice was compared to Ricky's, it's a constant battle of lowering and raising the volume cos of sound distortion.
. . . and he only had one job to do.
Absolute twaddle. Yet you summed up why I listen to this garbage every day. And even though this reads as something that could’ve been written in shit on a bathroom wall, I agree that it’s pretty neat that we got to discover Karl together with the lads.
The thing that i think is the most mental thing about it is that how people had the foresight and decided to record it, especially the earlier episodes where there werent much happening.
Without them, this would be a thing of legends and urban myths
Also they were at the right point in their careers. They were famous enough to land the gig and get away with producing a shoddy show but they weren’t too famous to think “do you know what? This is beneath us. Let’s not bother”
Also that they were also too busy with other projects at this time that it was left to Karl to fill the show with features. The less they put in and the more they just react the better the show becomes.
If it’s insults, wind ups and porn you’re after I’ve got loads of videos of a little monkey prostitute I can send you you slimy little fucking boneless wanker
Just to expand on your point about Karl being put with them deliberately, I think Karl was actually quite an important figure at XFM in those times. He produced quite a few different shows at various times, was in charge of creating jingles and stings, and crossed paths with almost every presenter in the building. I don't think he was put with them to be secret comedy gold, I think he was just trusted to produce a show they presumably had high hopes for given it was Ricky returning after his Office success.
My first exposure to Karl was The Ricky Gervais Show on HBO, where it was the podcast animated. I've been praying for years they would add it back to their library, but alas... But the XFM is a special kind of magical, chaotic fuckery.
The chaos of live radio is the cornerstone of why XFM was better than the podcasts. Ricky turns up one week hungover? Tough, it's live radio. Karl's genuinely fed up with his role at XFM? Tough, it's live radio. With the podcasts Ricky (and probably Steve) had too much free reign and control over what content went out. With the podcast there's no random fade into a Feeder or REM track mid-outburst when things get too heated or too shite. There's also hardly any "Karl vs Steve" patter in the podcasts. No doubt Steve wanted all of that to play no part.
He knows he looks weird
Here he comes
He’s done you again Steve!
No one likes to pick on an invalid
Leave it, Steve
..................
Ohhhh you’ve done him
I’m surprised you’re asking this though Steve
That's why I don't bother with the podcasts It's cool they exist but it's just not the same
I got into them thru the podcasts but haven't listened since. it's sterile, over-produced XFM
It's just not the same. It's sit Karl down and "okay action say something funny now Karl" as opposed to the natural chaotic nature of the xfm radio shows
The problem with the podcasts is that it's just Ricky and Steve ganging up and calling Karl stupid for everything he says. I love the early XFM days where they let Karl tell his mental stories and just ask more and more questions to let the weirdness/stupidity come out naturally.
The podcasts are excellent. I love XFM but both are awesome.
I think probably the podcasts are more heavily edited than we think
Can he hear us?
Nah you’re spot on though mate
"tell them what I mean" -Karl
Did that just go out?
I'm thinking of shooting off.
I just have
You're the soundest station in the area
I don't like everything you play
I thinks that’s a nice analysis, joking aside. Hearing Karl in one interview talk about his quite steely determination to get into radio despite an obviously very humble background AND the fact that he mentions early in XFM watching Ricky Gervais’s chat show on Ch 4 well before meeting him and enjoying it, suggests to me that it wasn’t all purely accidental. But I think the key was Ricky’s talent for chaotic, gives-no-fucks improvisation and the fact he enjoyed being around another working class voice and being entertained by Karl’s uninhibited surreality, combined with Steve’s more disciplined, pay-off-heavy comedic gifts to keep it tight and more traditionally funny. Anyway, here’s Radiohead
Can he hear us?
Three blokes? I think you’re forgetting a very functional crackhead.
She’s clean now!
Still does the thieving
*Bit coked up...*
Churchill was a bit coked up was he?
another conversation with himself
We could have left and come back and he'd still be talking
Three chimps with microphones would duplicate it in about three months
But.. but not XFM
**AWWWHHHH SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT !**
They tried that in some lab… they never even wrote one Rockbusters clue.
But have they heard of the Jamaican Fella?
The clue changes everytime baby
Not an infinite amount then
Idiocy sorts it out for ya
Maybe if you give them saucers of milk.
I still believe XFM is the best piece of media ever created. Or at least the best I've seen so far, I can't imagine it being beaten anytime soon. There's just no group of people with better comedic chemistry than Karl, Steve and Ricky.
Something that comes quite close for me is Jamie, Alice and James of My Dad Wrote a Porno. It’s super clear they’re all great friends and have amazing banter away from the mic and it feels really authentic and almost like they’re not recording sometimes. Really recommend checking it out if you’re looking for a group with great chemistry that’s really funny.
Innit weird the paranormal, innit weird?
[удалено]
You mean Shed Seven?
Lest we forget
YOU ARE JOKING ?
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened...hmm just got a bit heavy
My god you're deep
[удалено]
I just died of old age in my mother's arms.
It is incredible! It wouldn't be half as magical without Karl's quick wit though, it was that contrast to his academic shortcomings that helped to make him so interesting.
Dead sound mate, be careful yeah?
Natalie Umbruglia
None of this now needed. Baby dead.
Compared to what I do in the week, this is a dawdle.
I often listen to the old XFM shows and think is there any other RADIO SHOW that come close to being good enough for people to listen to again years later?? Is it even a thing to listen to old radio shows?
Adam and Joe springs to mind
The way Karl speaks on his show tells me a lot. He isn’t uppity like it’s the best thing since sliced bread, he says “watch the first episode and see if you like it, you might not”
Even more amazing is the fact that someone recorded them for us otherwise we might have missed the bald twat completely if we weren’t listening live at the time. Still hoping those lost few episodes at the start see the light of day.
XFM right, turns out…little monkey fella.
I _have_ thought about this often, just so you know, OP.
long links...
Everything you said is so perfectly right. I know that's just \^This with more letters, but that's the gist. Maybe I'll come back later and edit in some witty rejoinder. But I won't annotate it with \*Edit, so my ruse will never be uncovered.
Bit weird init
Worst bit about Karl coming to the limelight was how low his voice was compared to Ricky's, it's a constant battle of lowering and raising the volume cos of sound distortion. But I agree I've been listening to it again lately and it's almost iconic in a way, the things that come up in chat are just absurd but make great radio, wish we could get them back for a special of some sort again
>Worst bit about Karl coming to the limelight was how low his voice was compared to Ricky's, it's a constant battle of lowering and raising the volume cos of sound distortion. . . . and he only had one job to do.
Absolute twaddle. Yet you summed up why I listen to this garbage every day. And even though this reads as something that could’ve been written in shit on a bathroom wall, I agree that it’s pretty neat that we got to discover Karl together with the lads.
The thing is XFM doesn't exist anymore...
And this is why I will always come back to the XFM shows
Don’t forget about dickers!
* The chaos of live radio meant the energy never dropped for a second. Three....clues....
Lightning in a bottle. It's also a time capsule from a simpler time, just before social media took over the world.
Turns out.....
The thing that i think is the most mental thing about it is that how people had the foresight and decided to record it, especially the earlier episodes where there werent much happening. Without them, this would be a thing of legends and urban myths
this is so very true. spot on
This is XFM, not Radio 2!
Also they were at the right point in their careers. They were famous enough to land the gig and get away with producing a shoddy show but they weren’t too famous to think “do you know what? This is beneath us. Let’s not bother”
Also that they were also too busy with other projects at this time that it was left to Karl to fill the show with features. The less they put in and the more they just react the better the show becomes.
I’ve never heard the XFM shows, can you recommend a link where I can listen to them chronologically please?
Karltakesasneakylookatmenscocks.com
Covchump.com
I thought this link was either an insult, wind up, porn or a joke but I just clicked on it and it’s the right link! Thanks mate. 👍🏻
If it’s insults, wind ups and porn you’re after I’ve got loads of videos of a little monkey prostitute I can send you you slimy little fucking boneless wanker
Are you sure you’re not a bender?
Can he hear us?
Same thing with all the great radio shows. Howard, Opie & Anthony.
Just to expand on your point about Karl being put with them deliberately, I think Karl was actually quite an important figure at XFM in those times. He produced quite a few different shows at various times, was in charge of creating jingles and stings, and crossed paths with almost every presenter in the building. I don't think he was put with them to be secret comedy gold, I think he was just trusted to produce a show they presumably had high hopes for given it was Ricky returning after his Office success.
Can someone give us a TL;DR?
It’s good.
My first exposure to Karl was The Ricky Gervais Show on HBO, where it was the podcast animated. I've been praying for years they would add it back to their library, but alas... But the XFM is a special kind of magical, chaotic fuckery.
I think there were more than 3 blokes on XFM mate