Interrobang Interrogations Archives - Page 3 of 5

Interrobang Interrogation – JL Williams

Are you feeling it?! INTERROBANG: Lost in Space?! looms large on the horizon. It’s only T-2 DAYS until Saturday, 29th April at 2pm.

Fortunately, that gives us time to fit in a couple more Interrobang Interrogations. Today’s crew member donning the helmet and spacesuit is JL WILLIAMS. She’s been a dream guest for us for a while, and the timing of her appearance is most fortuitous – her timely new collection, After Economy, is out now and gets its formal launch next week. That takes place on 3 May, 6pm, at the Talbot Rice Gallery – more details on her website.

Either that, or someone's reversed the polarity — JL Williams messing with the gravity generator on the cloister level, again.

JL Williams practice incorporates expanding dialogues through poetry across languages, perspectives and cultures and in cross-form work, visual art, dance, opera and theatre. And did we mention that After Economy, her third collection, is out now with Shearsman Books? You can find out much more at www.jlwilliamspoetry.co.uk.

And here’s how she answered our questions:

?!: You’re packing before blasting off with the Interrobang Space Cadets. What item are you taking with you to represent the human race?

JLW: A pencil.

And then they all climbed out of the paper... — A pencil? That feels like it could get pretty dangerous…

?!: Sitting on the launch pad, you feel like you’re starring in a sci-fi movie. What’s your favourite piece of science fiction?

JLW: Blade Runner.

?!: Ricky Interrobang’s a big fan of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Wonder how apprehensive we should be about Blade Runner 2049?

?!: Anyway. As the Space Ship Interrobang pulls away from the Earth, you look down and see the curve of the planet. You play a piece of music to accompany this incredible moment. What is it?

JLW: Nirvana, Come As You Are.

Come to the Biscuit Factory on Saturday. We swear we don’t have guns.

?!: When the track ends, you look down again and see home is a little blue marble. For some reason, you’re hit by a vivid memory of a time you lost something down there. What was it?

JLW: My first poem – it was about a blue glass bluebird

?!: Finally, back on the spaceship, you’re looking forward to presenting a piece of poetry or prose or music to the weird-looking people you’re going to encounter with the Interrobang crew. Without being too spoiler-ific, what can you tell us about it?

JLW: Poems from my new book – an exploration of the fine line between abundance and apocalypse.

Between a great set and this cover art, you'll want one — After Economy and other of JL Williams’ work will be available at the show

After Economy sounds really intriguing! Thanks a lot to JL Williams for indulging the INTERROBANG?! Interrogation. Together with Ever Dundas and Claire Askew, she’s going to be giving the spoken word aspect of INTERROBANG: Lost In Space?! at The Biscuit Factory on 29 April (admission free, £5 suggested donation) a pleasingly chewy aspect.

Come as you are. Take your time, hurry up, the choice is yours, don’t be late.

Interrobang Interrogation – Claire Askew

To countdown to INTERROBANG: Lost in Space?! continues. T-4 DAYS until Saturday, 29th April at 2pm.

We’re very happy to introduce you to our latest crew member, CLAIRE ASKEW. We’ve been fortunate enough to see her blast off into the creative heights around town, but we’re particularly excited to hear that she’s going to be treating us to some new material.

The stars in space shine for you, etc. — And the wall, it was all yellow (sorry). Photo credit: Sally Jubb Photography

Claire Askew is a poet, novelist and general dogsbody writer-for-hire based in Edinburgh. Her first book of poems, This changes things, was published by Bloodaxe in 2016, and shortlisted for the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award and the Saltire First Book Award.

Claire’s currently completing a debut crime novel on the cheery theme of male violence and how it affects the women who must pick up the pieces in its wake. Next, she’d like to write a zombie novel about what might happen if the humans tried to negotiate with the zombies. You can follow all of Claire’s antics on Twitter @onenightstanzas.

And here’s how she answered our questions:

?!: You’re packing before blasting off with the Interrobang Space Cadets. What item are you taking with you to represent the human race?

CA: I don’t know how well it represents the whole human race, but I can’t go anywhere without my notebook. It’s full of random observations scribbled while people-watching, so it’d probably provide a useful human field guide for any aliens I encountered…

Our new alien overlords thank you very much, Claire — And the notes are bilingual, too?! Eh? Oh.

?!: Sitting on the launch pad, you feel like you’re starring in a sci-fi movie. What’s your favourite piece of science fiction?

CA: Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin, because it’s the most genre-bending book I think I’ve ever read, and it’s a story within a story within a story.

?!: As the Space Ship Interrobang pulls away from the Earth, you look down and see the curve of the planet. You play a piece of music to accompany this incredible moment. What is it?

CA: Something by Led Zeppelin, perhaps the greatest band Earth has ever produced.

?!: Mama, feast your ears, as Robert Plant might say. When the track ends, you look down again and see home is a little blue marble. For some reason, you’re hit by a vivid memory of a time you lost something down there. What was it?

CA: I try not to have regrets about things that have lost or ended… but I did once miss out on seeing Tom Waits play live, and still kick myself about it… does that count?

?!: Definitely! Back on the spaceship, you’re looking forward to presenting a piece of poetry or prose or music to the weird-looking people you’re going to encounter with the Interrobang crew. Without being too spoiler-ific, what can you tell us about it?

CA: I’m just back from a month spent on retreat on a mountainside in Inverness-shire… an experience that felt very “lost in space” at times, I can tell you! I’ll be sharing new poems written on that retreat. Some of them might be pretty NSFW, just warning you all!

Helmets on, lads! — The Zep boys have decided to join the trip now!

Thanks a lot to Claire for indulging the INTERROBANG?! Interrogation. If, like us, you want to hear a poet at the height of her powers discovering her new material, come along to INTERROBANG: Lost In Space?! at The Biscuit Factory on 29 April (admission free, £5 suggested donation)

Interrobang Interrogation – Ever Dundas

There’s not long now till INTERROBANG?! gets Lost in Space – Saturday, 29th April at 2pm, to be precise.

But if you can’t wait to hear from our awesome performers, you’re in the right place! Here’s the first of our Lost in Space Interrobang Interrogations, from the brilliant EVER DUNDAS…

*And* Ever can spell "cemetery"! — It’s a sunny day, so let’s go where we’re happy…

Ever Dundas is a writer specialising in the weird and macabre. Her debut novel Goblin will be published on Thursday 18th May. The launch takes place at Edinburgh Central Library at 6.30pm that evening. Please RSVP to Freight if you’d like to go along: info@freightbooks.co.uk. You can find Ever at www.everdundas.com, www.facebook.com/EverRADundas, and on the Tweetie Box @everdundas.

And here’s how she answered our questions:

?!: You’re packing before blasting off with the Interrobang Space Cadets. What item are you taking with you to represent the human race?

ED: Manic Street Preachers’ The Holy Bible.

Thanks for clearing that up, grandad — Q Magazine sez: “Not the new Gloria Estefan album.”

?!: Sitting on the launch pad, you feel like you’re starring in a sci-fi movie. What’s your favourite piece of science fiction?

ED: Film – Stuart Gordon’s Re-animator. Book – Arthur C Clarke’s Childhood’s End.

?!: As the Space Ship Interrobang pulls away from the Earth, you look down and see the curve of the planet. You play a piece of music to accompany this incredible moment. What is it?

ED: Chemical Brothers remix of Manics’ Faster.

?!: Turn. It. UP.

?!: When the track ends, you look down again and see home is a little blue marble. For some reason, you’re hit by a vivid memory of a time you lost something down there. What was it?

ED: My eyeball wedding ring. I got married in Venice and two hours after the wedding, as I was getting out of a gondola, I caught my ring on a golden cherub and it disappeared into the canal. I’ve since broken one and lost another. Fortunately, it’s the relationship that matters and not the eyeballs you go through.

?!: So Luis Buñuel tells us. Back on the spaceship, you’re looking forward to presenting a piece of poetry or prose or music to the weird-looking people you’re going to encounter with the Interrobang crew. Without being too spoiler-ific, what can you tell us about it?

ED: Borderline was inspired by Andy Goldsworthy’s Stone House and Laura Ford’s Weeping Girls at Jupiter Artland. It was also written in response to the political climate and human rights – I was angry at the media and government’s ineffectual and often hostile response to refugees.

Image processed by CodeCarvings Piczard ### FREE Community Edition ### on 2014-06-11 09:01:50Z | | — “Houses are usually places of security, shelter and comfort for people. [BUT…]” Andy Goldsworthy

Thanks a lot to Ever for indulging the INTERROBANG?! Interrogation. If, like us, you’re very curious to hear more about Borderline, come along to INTERROBANG: Lost In Space?! at The Biscuit Factory on 29 April (admission free, £5 suggested donation)

Interrobang Interrogation – Nick Holdstock

Interrobang and The Ogilvie’s – A New World is TOMORROW. That’s right, TOMORROW. The Biscuit Factory, 7pm, tickets on the door for £5, or via Eventbrite.

Terribly exciting.

Our final Interrobang Interrogation….?!

Nick Holdstock is the author of The Casualties, a novel, and several books about China. He writes for The Guardian and the London Review of Books. You can find him at www.nickholdstock.com or @NickHoldstock.

?!: It’s time for A New World. What Earth-shattering thing would you invent to usher it in?

The Apple Dream Recorder.

?!: But if we’re stuck in this world for now, where in it would you like to visit to experience a sense of renewal?

My youth.

?!: And what’s the most vivid representation of a new world that you’ve seen on page or screen?

Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban.

?!: Antonín Dvořák thought the New World sounded like his ninth symphony. But what music is playing as your new world crashes into existence?

Some as yet unrecorded song by Godspeed! You Black Emperor that features a lot of screaming.

In absence of an unrecorded piece

?!: Finally (and without giving too much away!) what can you tell us about what you’ll be sharing at A New World?!

Part of my novel The Casualties, which is all about the price and pain of change. Spoiler: it hurts.

Excellent. Let’s leave on a high?!

Here are some other useful links, if you’d like to check out some of Nick’s work pre-show.

http://us.macmillan.com/thecasualties/nickholdstock

Guardian piece on Doris Lessing:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/07/doris-lessing-library-a-life-in-4000-books

New York Times review:
http://tinyurl.com/hbklb52

Interrobang Interrogation – Pauline Jérémie

It’s only two days to go until Interrobang’s – A New World?! We checked in one The Ogilvie‘s latest writers, Pauline Jérémie, to delve into the depths of her writerly psyche, finding out all manner of things…

Born and raised in France, Pauline stepped away from her native French to complete a Masters in Creative Writing, graduating with Distinction from the University of Edinburgh. She now lives and works in the Scottish capital, and currently focuses on short stories and essays. Her writing has been published in From Arthur’s Seat and The Ogilvie.

?!: It’s time for A New World. What Earth-shattering thing would you invent to usher it in?

A really cool pair of sunglasses that enables me to see all the colours I’ve never seen before, and do it in style.

?!: But if we’re stuck in this world for now, where in it would you like to visit to experience a sense of renewal?

The Canadian rockies, to remind myself of how small I am in the most serene way.

?!: And what’s the most vivid representation of a new world that you’ve seen on page or screen?

Everything mentioned in Black Mirror always struck me as terrifyingly plausible, especially in today’s society and with our use of social media. I could totally see us evolve into a world where our social class is determined by our popularity on Instagram and Facebook.

?!: Antonín Dvořák thought the New World sounded like his ninth symphony. But what music is playing as your new world crashes into existence?

Björk’s Bachelorette, for sure, to start as epically as possible. Or Drop It Like It’s Hot.

So much atmosphere?!

?!: Finally (and without giving too much away!) what can you tell us about what you’ll be sharing at A New World?!

My story won’t be so much about discovering a new world as it is about re-discovering what used to be familiar.

Thanks, Pauline! We’ll see you on Friday for a night of words, wonders and musical melodies to melt right through your ears.

Come along to Interrobang and The Ogilvie’s: A New World, this Friday 7th April, 7pm at The Biscuit Factory. You can get tickets on the door, or make it easy on yourself by getting them up front at Eventbrite.

Interrobang Interrogation – Simon Brown

Interrobang and The Ogilvie‘s A New World?! is only days away, so we thought we’d titillate your literary senses and bring to you the next tall glass of talent on Friday’s lineup. And here he is – Scottish Book Trust Award winning Simon Brown.

Photograph by ROB MCDOUGALL
www.RobMcDougall.com
07856222103
info@robmcdougall.com

Originally from the Highlands, Simon Brown now lives in Edinburgh. He’s been published in 404 Ink and recently won a Scottish Book Trust New Writer’s Award. He’s currently trying to squeeze out his third novel.

Say hello on Twitter: @SKBwrites

?!: It’s time for A New World. What Earth-shattering thing would you invent to usher it in?

A giant anti-human prophylactic because we’d probably fuck it up if we were allowed in.

?!: But if we’re stuck in this world for now, where in it would you like to visit to experience a sense of renewal?

I’d love to see Lalibela in Ethiopia, where they have these churches they carved out of the rock.

?!: And what’s the most vivid representation of a new world that you’ve seen on page or screen?

The Road. It’s such an atmospheric, claustrophobic read and I can’t wait to see how accurate it turns out to be.

?!: Antonín Dvořák thought the New World sounded like his ninth symphony. But what music is playing as your new world crashes into existence?

You’d want the first song everyone heard to be memorable, so probably Mr. Bungle. But if we couldn’t get the appropriate public performance licences, then I’d be more than happy to strum the only two chords I know on guitar.

Thanks for that, Simon?!

?!: Finally (and without giving too much away!) what can you tell us about what you’ll be sharing at A New World?!

It’s about a farmer tending to some unusual crops.

Here at Interrobang we’re all about unusual crops. We wonder if Simon will bring us along some unusual snacks?! Only one way to find out. Come along to Interrobang and The Ogilvie’s: A New World, this Friday 7th April, 7pm at The Biscuit Factory.

You can get tickets on the door, or make it easy on yourself by getting them up front at Eventbrite.

The Interrobang Interrogation – Robert McGinty

Our first regular show at the fabulous Biscuit Factory – in association with The Ogilvie – is called A New World, so it seems only appropriate that the first INTERROBANG?! Interrogation for the night comes from Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award winner, Robert McGinty. His answers are brand new, so they are…

Oh no it isn't! — Robert McGinty – Behind you! It’s… A NEW WORLD?!

Robert McGinty works and writes in Edinburgh, where he lives with his wife and son. He was a recipient of a 2016 Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award in the Children’s and Young Adult fiction category. He is currently working on a Young Adult novel called The Dead Men of Pendragon House, as well as occasional articles and stories for his blog.

And here’s how he answered our questions:

?!: It’s time for A New World. What would Earth-shattering thing would you invent to usher it in?

RMcG: A quantum-reality hopper, to get me out of this string universe and over into the one next door.

For £15?! — Quantum-Reality Hopper: patent, R. McGinty

?!: But if we’re stuck in this world for now, where in it would you like to visit to experience a sense of renewal?

RMcG: Iceland, where our world is still being forged in ice-bound volcanoes.

?!: And what’s the most vivid representation of a new world that you’ve seen on page or screen?

RM: The glowering great city of Metropolis, a city for a future that was yet to be born.

Brexit Britain?! — A city that’s ready for A New World?!

?!: Antonín Dvořák thought the New World sounded like his ninth symphony. But what music is playing as your new world crashes into existence?

RMcG: A simultaneous melange of every Sixties pop hit.

Will one sixties number and one eighties number do?

?!: Finally (and without giving too much away!) what can you tell us about what you’ll be sharing at A New World?!

RMcG: I will be sharing a life moment when an old world of experience dies and a new, almost indescribable life takes its place.

Wow! If you’re not intrigued by that last answer, you need to find a new life! Thanks a lot to Robert for submitting himself to the INTERROBANG?! Interrogation. Come along to INTERROBANG?! and The Ogilvie – A New World at The Biscuit Factory on 7 April to experience new, almost indescribable sensations!

You can get tickets on the door, or make it easy on yourself by getting them up front at Eventbrite.

The Interrobang Interrogation – Chris McQueer Redux

Whenever we think about hot young Glasgow writer Chris McQueer, we think of him bringing down the house at our War On Christmas party to launch 404 Ink’s awesome ERROR. So we know he’s going to be the perfect guest for the exercise in mentalism that is But is it ART?!

Also, he gives good INTERROBANG?! Interrogation…

Whit?! — “A deid dug, ye say?” “Aye. A deid dug.”

Chris McQueer is a 25 year old writer and sales assistant from Glasgow. Some of his work has appeared in magazines such as The High Flight, The Football Pink and most recently for 404 Ink. When he isn’t writing weird short stories, selling shoes or busting queues he can usually be found spouting nonsense at a party somewhere with a bottle of Buckfast in hand.

And here’s how he answered our questions:

?!: Do you have a favourite piece of art you’d like to tell us about? It doesn’t have to be visual. Or does it?!

CMcQ: My favourite piece of art is probably the big shark Damien Hirst preserved in formaldehyde and displayed in a glass box. I remember seeing a thing about it on the telly when I was younger and the shark had this really fucked up, wrinkled face. It’s haunted my dreams ever since.

Ya wee nyaff! — The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living – WHO ARE YOU CALLING “WRINKLED”?!

?!: If ‘you’ (in whatever capacity you define that to be) could be represented by an established piece of art, what would that piece be?

CMCQ: If I could be represented by a piece of art it would definitely be the Salvador Dali painting with the melting clocks since I’m constantly late for work.

But don't tell him that! — Don’t worry, he’s on in the second half!

?! Pick a song or piece of music that you would have playing as you walk into the most important moment of your life?!

CMcQ; Sticking with the art theme, I’d have to go for Can’t Stop by Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The music video for it still blows my mind.

?!: Inspired by the One Minute Sculptures of Erwin Wurm, apparently

Now, define ‘not art’?!

CMcQ: I’d say something would be classed as ‘not art’ if the artist took themselves too seriously. Whether you’re drawing, painting, sculpting, writing or whatever you can use your creativity to represent anything in the world – don’t just use it as an opportunity to try and make yourself look dead deep and clever.

?!: Draw us a picture? Go on!

CMcQ: Here’s a drawing of my dug, Timmy:

He can draw, too?! Ib is jell. — Aw! Looks like a happy wee fella!

Thanks a lot to Chris for putting himself through Interrobang’s grueling Interrogation again. Come along to INTERROBANG – But Is It ART?! on 18 February and experience his art in the flesh!

ESAF are selling advance tickets through social enterprise company Tickets for Good.

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The Interrobang Interrogation – Ross McCleary Redux

Since Ross McCleary is an artist who writes about an artist who creates art as an artist – and we feel an appropriate amount of time has passed since his rapturous reception at INTERROBANG – The First Time?! – we thought he’d be a perfect guest for But Is It ART?!

Also, we get to ask him to complete another Interrobang Interrogation. Strap in!

We're saying he's a work of art. Keep up! — Some art. And a bunch of writing.

Ross is still from Edinburgh. He has had work published recently by Five2One and Constellations. He is an editor of the spoken word podcast Lies, Dreaming, helps run Inky Fingers, and is obsessed with Flat Earth memes and the Edinburgh Watch twitter account. At INTERROBANG – But Is It ART?! he will be reading from his novella published by Maudlin House.

And here’s how he answered our questions:

?!: Do you have a favourite piece of art you’d like to tell us about? It doesn’t have to be visual. Or does it?!

RMcC: My favourite pieces of art at the moment are Orange & Yellow (1953) by Mark Rothko and Sailing at Night by Mary Ellen Bartley. Abstract Expressionism is one of my strongest influencuse es. I enjoy the strength of colour and the surprising amount of depth in something seemingly so straightforward.

?!: If ‘you’ (in whatever capacity you define that to be) could be represented by an established piece of art, what would that piece be?

RMcC:

Yes, but is it art?! — Erased de Kooning Drawing by Robert Rauschenberg [?!: Well, that’s on point.]

?! Pick a song or piece of music that you would have playing as you walk into the most important moment of your life?!

?!: We like! Squelchy!!

Now, define ‘not art’?!

RMcC: ‘Not art’ is all the things that people who say “that’s not art” about conceptual or abstract art consider to be art.

?!: Draw us a picture? Go on!

RMcC:

Thanks a lot to Ross for eduring Interrobang’s Interrogation again. Come along to INTERROBANG – But Is It ART?! on 18 February and experience art in the flesh!

ESAF are selling advance tickets through social enterprise company Tickets for Good.

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The Interrobang Interrogation – Laura Waddell

We promised a treat for everyone who came to keep us company at the End of The World (Party), and here it is. She entertained and enlightened us at the show – it’s LAURA WADDELL’s Interrobang Interrogation!

Laura Waddell enjoys the Interrobang Interrogation — “Just one sip of water? This is the worst!”

Laura works in publishing, specialising in PR, marketing and editorial for indie publishers. She runs the poetry newsletter Lunchtime Poetry. She’s a writer and reviewer, with articles and short stories published in The Independent, Sunday Mail, 3:AM Magazine, Parallel magazine, Gutter, Glasgow Review of Books, and others, and is a contributor to the forthcoming books The Digital Critic and Nasty Women. Phew!

‽: So, it’s the end of the world. If you weren’t at Interrobang’s apocalyptic party, where would you be and what would you be doing? (Don’t be afraid to give us the juicy details).

LW: Eating junk food in the bath.

Ask Ricky about his "Quadrophenia" if you like The Who — No, Roger Daltrey, beans are too healthy!

‽: No reason for salads at this point. Without giving too much away, could you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the pieces you’ll be sharing with us at Interrobang?

LW: One of the pieces was written for the Dangerous Women project. Responding to statistics that show the world is often hostile to women’s speech, it’s a manifesto encouraging us to push through and speak up.

‽: Picture it – all around the world, books are being taken and destroyed, except literature that upholds our new President’s literary sensibilities. You have the chance to save three books from this Reign of Terror; what would they be?

LW: To bolster resolve, Rebecca Solnit’s Men Explain Things to Me. To find meaning and beauty in everyday surroundings, the Collected Poems of William Carlos Williams. To encourage writers to push through censorship, a blank notebook.

Also, white chickens — A beautiful thing.

‽: Pick a song or piece of music that you would have played as your personal soundtrack as the world crumbles around you.

LW: This is a great resistance song. Might as well go out fighting and dancing.

YES IT IS!!!

‽: Describe, in three words if possible, your feelings on Trump’s Presidency?

LW: Resist. Deny. Refuse.

________________

Thanks a lot to Laura for providing the fuel we need to get us through the bleak post-apocalyptic landscape. If you caught her at Interrobang’s End of the World Party at Woodland Creatures at 7pm on 21st January, you’re a lucky bunny.

For a little more Laura, sign up for Lunchtime Poetry here.

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