The Kev, thanks for being with us today! The last time we spoke you just released your single “Cheap Hotel,” now you are back with some brand new exciting tracks like the deep yet hilarious “You Can’t Say Anything These Days.” Can you tell us more about this single?

Well, it’s not quite a single yet, because I haven’t released it on any of the streaming platforms. I wanted to write something that had a toe-tapping sing-along quality while also joking about some weighty issues. 

I think the best satire addresses subjects from every angle, so while ostensibly it is mocking political correctness, it is attacking anti-PC culture even more. 

Your music navigates between humor, sarcasm, and bare truth, sometimes being brutally honest by saying things that don’t follow the typical “Politically Correct.” This makes your music fun but also very relatable. Do you think this is becoming more and more rare in the “comic” world?

There is a culture of caution, for good reason. Most comedy writers would agree that it is wrong to punch down, for example, the way comedians in the 1970s would mock immigrants and ethnic minorities, while in the 80s and 90s, homosexuals might be the ones getting laughed at. 

Recently I saw an aspiring comedian have a disastrous set in Manchester when he tried to open with some remarks about racism and homophobia. When something is a taboo subject, all the more reason to go there. A comedian’s job is not to be on the right side of history but to take on issues in fresh and exciting ways, but the guy was clearly inexperienced. 

In today’s culture war issues, it is not always clear as to who the underdogs are or what constitutes punching down. My rule of thumb is, as long as you make yourself mostly the butt of the joke, people will appreciate that you are not a bully. 

One of your latest tracks, the brilliant “Talking about The Kev” is simply fantastic. How did you come up with the idea of this song? What’s the story behind it?

When playing full-length gigs, I found that none of my material was a cast-iron set-opener, so last year I set about rectifying it. 

The rhythm guitar work owes a bit to ‘Peace Frog’ by The Doors, but obviously, the song it is most heavily based on is ‘Shaft’ by Isaac Hayes. I thought I would spoof that. 

When I debuted the song, it didn’t really work that well because the compere had to pull out the day before the gig so I couldn’t just walk on to it, but it is a set opener that I can keep using going forward, and will be able to tweak the lyrics to keep it fresh and surprising. 

Are you planning any live gigs for 2024?

I haven’t scheduled any yet. For all the creative strides I have made in the past five years, and all the magical nights on stage, I am still an unknown, so am hesitant about booking venues larger than a barroom. 

There is also no obvious way to go about ceasing to be an unknown, assuming that that’s what I even want. This year I plan to play some comedy nights, but it is hard to find ones for which musical comedy is the right fit.