Jim Bob talks books, boats and box sets

We had a chat with Carter USM legend Jim Bob about his upcoming show in London, his new book and the Carter vinyl boxset:

Hi Jim, great to talk to you again. I had such a brilliant time at your gig at Shepherd’s Bush Empire earlier in the year. What are your abiding memories of the night?
It took me by surprise. I hadn’t really thought about what the audience would be like. I wasn’t expecting a sedate theatrical affair but I also wasn’t expecting crowd surfing. The singing along was insane. In a way I wish we hadn’t filmed it, because my memories are always tarnished slightly by having to watch or listen back to myself. I’m a much better performer in my mind.

Given how well it went, was it an easy decision to do another big London show in 2019?
It did seem like a logical thing to do. Especially with the new Jim Bob book coming out around the same time. I was going to go on a proper tour but I think I’ll end up doing a few festivals and all-dayers here and there instead, and pretend it’s a tour. I don’t really function as a regular performer anymore. I have no strict career path or plan. People ask me to play and I say yes or no. I’m also constantly worried about unpopularity and wary of spreading myself too thinly. The trouble with doing something like selling out Shepherd’s Bush Empire is the need to repeat it or do something even bigger, or risk looking like you’ve had to downgrade venues due to your unpopularity.

Have you started thinking about what shape the gig will take?
I have been thinking about it a lot. I didn’t want to make it radically different to this year’s gig because that was so enjoyable and simple but I don’t want to repeat myself entirely. There are too many options. A band? An orchestra? A choir? Cheerleaders? Bagpipes? I’ve considered all these things. I remember Eddie Izzard years ago, making his entrance onto the stage through a giant book and saying something about having to appear out of a big fuck off book at some time in your life. Maybe I’ll do that.

A Carter USM vinyl boxset is being realised soon! What can you tell us about it?
It’s basically a collection of eleven vinyl records that includes everything Carter ever released. Some of it hasn’t been released on vinyl before. Although I could be wrong. A World Without Dave did come out on vinyl but neither me or Fruitbat have any recollection of it. There are some nice collectable bits and pieces in the box and the box itself is really nice.

And there is a launch party on a boat? That’s exciting! How are your sea legs? Will you and/or Fruitbat be playing some songs?
I played on a boat from Hull to Rotterdam last year. Thankfully this boat is securely anchored to the bottom of the Thames and isn’t going anywhere. We’re both playing a few songs. Definitely not together though. No matter how drunk we are. I was thinking I might play one song from each of the records in the box set.

Tell us about your new book. Is it a sequel to Goodnight Jim Bob? Does it pick up from where that book finished?
Yes, it continues on from the precise point that Goodnight JB finished. It’s a different kind of book though. It reads a bit like a novel at times. It has what I’m now going to call a narrative arc. It may well be the best novel I’ve ever written. I’m really pleased with it actually. It is very much written as a funny book but it does reveal how insecure a person I am as well. As seen in my answer to your second question. There’s one drugs story.

A big London show, a lovely Carter boxset and a new book! This seems like a tremendously productive time for you. Are there any other projects we need to know about? What’s the latest with your fiction writing, for instance? Anything on the horizon there?
I am at that stage when I really don’t know what to do next. I’ve just finished writing two books. That was all I was doing, every single day for a year-and-a-half and then I suddenly stopped. I’ve written two novels that are both currently unpublished. The first one is sort of shelved for now and the latest one is out and about looking for a publisher. I find myself reading online about all the other authors and their six-figure deals and get more and more jealous. I’m almost too scared to start on a new book for fear of building up a library of unpublished material.

It doesn’t sound like you’ve had much downtime lately, but what have you been watching/listening/reading when you’ve had some spare moments?
Loads of TV. Most recently Killing Eve, Better Call Saul, No Activity, Last Chance Lawyer NYC.

The only new music I’ve bought recently are the new albums by Shame, The Lemon Twigs, Father John Misty and Idles. I love all of them. I played that Shame album constantly for a long time. I just bought the new Elvis Costello album. I’ve got 31 Elvis Costello albums now.

Hang on… I just remembered, you’ve been to Australia since we last spoke, supporting Pop Will Eat Itself. How was it? Did you enjoy it?
Very much so. I had such a good time. Apart from all the lovely Australian people, I forgot how much I love everyone in Pop Will Eat Itself. The gigs were great and Me and Mr Spoons stayed on for a few days afterwards in Fremantle. We went to Rottnest Island, which reminded me of Center Parcs. In a good way. I love Center Parcs. That’s was my reward when I finished writing the two books this year. Some authors open a bottle of champagne or light I cigar. I went to Center Parcs for four days.

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Buy tickets to Jim’s gig at the Shepherds Bush Empire, London. Saturday, 23 March 2019 HERE.

Pre-order the Carter USM vinyl boxset HERE.

Pre-order Jim’s new book HERE.