“I always used to think that when I pegged it, all of a sudden people would buy the records, and pretend they liked us all along. But I begin to worry that what if I peg it, and they still don’t buy the records?” Robert Lloyd, quoted from the film King Rocker, mid curry.
Scuppered by lockdowns, “King Rocker,” a film written by Stewart Lee and directed by Michael Cumming, aired on Sky Arts, on Saturday 6th February 2021. It proved to be a glorious two-hours of film and television.
As a master of extracting the illusion of structure from any narrative, the warp thread of this film is an 18ft, 1960lb fibreglass replica of the famous movie ape, King Kong.
But the true hero seems to follow the arc of the fibreglass monkeyfication – his name is Robert Lloyd, and people don’t live lives like his anymore.
While reminiscing about bakeries and trudging through ice-glazed and arrogant stone circles, Lee describes Lloyd as “fast-tracked to disillusionment.”
I’m not sure I agree, because to many, disillusionment is the fuel to giving up, or at the very least compromising. Robert Lloyd, I would suggest, is not a man that you could accuse of either failing.
What lies at the centre of this life-affirming piece, is the genuine warmth between Lee, the writer, and Lloyd, the musician.
They could be any pair of fellows, supping away in the mahogany glow of the snug; indeed they often are.
As Lloyd himself remarks, when speaking of those chaps you see in alehouses, “there was a bloke who sat over there, whose name I never knew.”
But know, thanks to this film, I know the name of Robert Lloyd, singer and poet with The Prefects and The Nightingales.
The film also reveals Lloyd’s other guises of video producer, postman and record producer. This latter role allows Lee to nod to another of heroes, the marvellous comedian, Ted Chippington. I was delighted to view this entertaining segue, and it worked well, roughly speaking.
Mr Lloyd also flirted with the possibility of writing a sitcom, before a suitably poptastic ego explosion within the circle of his collaborators. Who knows how successful “Normal” would have been? The script table read, some quarter of a century late was rendered particularly delightful by the superb energy of the actor Kevin Eldon – surely a shoo-in for a role, if ever there was one.
But for me, for all his punk energy, zero-compromise, and giant stage presence, Robert Lloyd comes across as a tremendously top bloke. Just buy him a Guinness, and sit back and enjoy to good times. Mr Lee, while a star and hero in his own right, is able to sit back and allow the warmth of his subject to shine through. It comes across as one interesting mate making a film about another. And that is what makes this piece of art so very engaging.
Well, that bonhomie, aligned with a stuffed weasel, and an eighteen-foot purveyor of form.
I enjoyed this film very much, indeed, and I would urge you to give it a watch. It will make you happy, and you may even rush off and form a band. But more than that, watch it to celebrate what makes you uniquely, as Messrs Lloyd and Lee have shared what makes them uniquely them.
An easy five stars, on my somewhat ad-hoc 5-Star scale.
Simon Gary is the author of the comic novels “Gone to the Dogs” and “Thryke: The Man That Nobody Knew,” which maybe someone will make an equally good film about one day.
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter