The Shambles: Drag. Death. Cows. Shambles.
You may not know the name, in fact, you may even be asking your computer screen, “isn’t that Kate Moss’s junkie ex-boyfriend’s band? “ (That’s Babyshambles, though that’s neither relevant nor pertinent information).
The Shambles- better known as Sos, Valvo and Lynchy- are a cult Melbourne comedy trio who have burgeoned, nay, blossomed, from a low-budget Channel 31 show to…well, a low-budget Channel 31 show, but with two full-length DVDs in stores, a few truckloads more adoring fans and a slew of comedy festival shows under their belts- that is, when they are actually wearing pants- not to mention accolades (and guest spots) from comedy titans like Shaun Micallef, Russell Gilbert and Tony Martin. The show has also spawned the now much-loved offbeat characters like Rave Boy, Wanky Uncle, insane rockstar burnout Ian Melly and the scaringly realistic Skyline Man. Not bad, eh?
“Hi, can you hear me, the most important one?” laughs Nathan Valvo, the elder statesmen of the group at a ripe 24. The boys have been comedians longer than they’ve been legally allowed to drink, something fans will vouch as a stake of their success. So, what can one expect from your latest comedy festival show (Big Time, Small Time) then, boys?
Sean Lynch, better known as self-professed comedy nerd Lynchy: “You can expect lots of drag. And lots of inappropriate sexual references. There’s gonna be a lot of audience interaction, it’s a more intimate venue this year. Everyone’s gonna have a chance to do something, which I think makes it more fun and interesting”
Valvo: “I think our show can advertise “more fuck ups than any other show in the Melbourne Comedy Festival”
Lynchy: “…guaranteed…or your money back!”
Valvo: “Things’ll probably fall, people will trip over…people may die…”
Lynchy: “….of laughter!”
Tish-boom.
Anyway, if this were a melodramatic American doco (maybe called something like, Behind the Laughter: The Rise and Fall of The Bundoora Comedy Scene) we’d need to fill you in on some back story: Valvo?
Valvo: “We met in high school, Lynchy and Sos (Anthony Ziella: “the wog one”) did a radio show on Syn for a few weeks, realized it was shit, so they called me (laughs). I was in Milan doing a shoot, but I got back in time. Then my dad won a camera in a raffle and we applied for a Channel 31 show…and we got it!”
Lisa: “That was a shit story, make up a better one”
Lynchy: “We were birthed… out of a cow…”
After an unprofessionally lengthy conversation about school kids playing their entire catalogue of loud and irritating ringtones on the train, there is the old “influence” question. I naturally assume crack and amphetamines, but, comedically…?
Lynchy: “That old chestnut...”
Valvo: “If anyone’s seen our show, they’ll know…”
Lynchy: “Derivative, that’s the word (laughs)”
Valvo: “It’s basically a cut and paste of all the things that we’ve loved”
Lynchy: “Conan…”
Valvo: “Micallef, he’s our man. If Micallef can’t do it…..then they’ll probably hire Rove to”
Lynchy: “D-Generation…Mal Walden…”
Valvo: “One of the most exciting things when our DVD came out on Shock, was that Micallef was also on the label, and I’ve always had this image where I walk into the offices one day and he’s just there in the foyer, and he says “I like you!” and…you know…gives me a job (laughs)…”
Lynchy: “…Then he kisses me, and then we marry!”
Alright, alright, settle down, kids. Part of the Shambles boys’ charm is their interface with their audience; there is no pretension, no distance, it feels more like you are sitting with old friends, telling jokes and having a chuckle with them as well as at them. Seeing as most Melbourne homes can’t even tune into C31 without a bent coathanger and some strategically placed gaffer tape, the boys have come along in leaps and bounds. But is epic mainstream success on their agenda?
Sos: “No, we don’t like money at all”
Valvo: “We don’t wanna sell out, we don’t want huge mainstream success, all we want is to, one day, have a money fight. We just wanna get a deal where we can withdraw all the money, go into a room and throw it at each other”
Sos: “Would it be like Scrooge McDuck…?”
Lynchy: “No, coins hurt!”
Valvo: “All we wanna do is tape the windows up and have a fricken’ money fight, and if that’s what you call selling out, well, I’m gonna have to call you back because Pepsi is on the other line”
Interesting…so what would the Shambles endorse?
Sos: “Anything. I wanna take over Ian Turpie’s job…he’s selling wills…”
Lynchy: ““Do you think you’re immortal? Of course not! You need a will!””
As much as I’m enjoying this interview more than the busywork I have waiting on my desk, I figure I better hit the road, Jack; any last words for your adoring public, boys?
Lynchy: “Tickets from Ticketmaster, bring ten friends”
Valvo: “One of the guys from Tripod put it really well, he said; there’s a lot of international acts, but don’t forget there’s also a bunch of Joes who are local that you should go and see”
Lynchy: “Plus it’s at a bar, so you can get pissed if you really don’t enjoy the show”
Something tells me I will.
