HIGNFY Guest interview: Stuart Maconie
Regular Guest Host Alexander Armstrong is hosting tonight's show, so we decided to interview Have I Got News For You first-timer Stuart Maconie instead. HIGNFY: Stuart, this is your first time on HIGNFY, what on earth have you got yourself into?Ìý
Stuart Maconie: Well, that is a question I have been asking myself ever since the liveried footman arrived bearing the scrolled invitation. I'm imagining it will be a bit like jury service but without having to examine any murder weapons and stuff.
HIGNFY: If Paul and Ian entered the HIGNFY studio to theme songs, like boxers, what tunes should they be?
Stuart Maconie:
Ian - The Final Countdown, Europe
Paul - Gertcha, Chas and Dave
HIGNFY: You're a Northern Soul, but do you think there are any real differences between North and South?
Stuart Maconie: No. We are all brothers and sisters under the skin. Ebony and Ivory. Together in perfect harmony. I believe that children are our future too.
HIGNFY: In your NME days you originated an urban myth about presenter Bob Holness. What was it?
Stuart Maconie: I said that Bob had played the saxophone solo on Gerry Rafferty's Baker St. It was the kind of madcap thing I did at the time, often for money. It was in a section of the paper called Believe It Or Not where I made stuff up and passed it off as amazing 'Did You Know?' style facts. I also said that David Bowie invented Connect Four which I've had people in pubs tell me is true.
HIGNFY: you coined the phrase 'Britpop'. Did you think it would catch on?
Stuart Maconie: Yes, that was me. It's not exactly TS Elliott's The Wasteland though is it? Nice of you to bring it up though. Like Erica Roe and Ken Tynan it's the one thing people will remember me for I guess. It lasted longer than the music it described I suppose - I'm very keen on Latvipop at the moment.
HIGNFY: As a professional music journalist did you sneer or smile upon the recent Eurovision song contest?
Stuart Maconie: I would never sneer. It would be like eviscerating a little harvest mouse with a scimitar. It's rubbish though, obviously, but fun if you're gay or drunk. Possibly both.
HIGNFY: You've been described as a national treasure, how does that make you feel?
Stuart Maconie: Like Thora Hird - but more 'bleeding edge'.
HIGNFY: Tell us more about the inspirations for your recent book: Adventures on the High Teas?
Stuart Maconie: I'd written a book about the North and I fancied doing another British travel book, but with more scones.
HIGNFY: You've been a teacher, DJ, authour and a TV presenter but whats your biggest career high to date?
Stuart Maconie: Dancing on a podium at the British Comedy Awards with Sophie Dahl and the Chuckle Brothers.
Stuart Maconie can currently be heard as one half of the Radcliffe and Maconie Show on Radio 2 and in the Freak Zone on 6 Music.
Comment number 1.
At 23rd May 2009, scribbler7 wrote:I think you will find musician and music journalist John Robb first coined the phrase Britpop.
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