arts

Keith's In The Loo

I've been watching Stevie Riks for over a year now, and he just keepsgetting better. He makes all of his videos in his house outside Liverpool using costumes, props and sometimes, his wife's clothes and makeup. Not only does he do impressions of pop stars (writing his own material), he also imitates their music, playing all of the instruments and singing all of the parts himself.

If you know me very well, you know that I love "handmade" productions, or at least those that look handmade (Mystery Science Theater 3000, for example), and this is one of the charms of Stevie's videos. I have to admit that I find myself sitting on a precarious fence where his work is concerned. On the one hand I'd love to see him get all the recognition he deserves, getting his own show on television, or making a tour of the U.S., for example, but selfishly, I don't want his videos to lose the intimacy they contain, clutter, dogs, and all. Would he be as funny and gifted on a sound stage or a television studio? Certainly. Would I still watch him? Of course. But would something endearing or palpable get lost? Probably. Whatever happens to his career, I will congratulate him.

So, here's the video I selected to be the first of this series. I've laughed my ass off watching it any number of times. Hope you do too.

Steph Waller is an author and composer. Her Rock novel, With a Bullet, which takes places in lat 70s London, is set to be published in Spring 2010. Read more at Incurable Insomniac and StephWaller.com.