Comics preview Latitude festival

BILL BAILEY

1) Who are you most looking forward to seeing at this year's Latitude festival?

Elbow, because they are wonderful; Sigur Ros cos I love the grandness, the huge sounds, the slow build; Interpol cos they continue the spirit of guitar indie punk that I grew up on; Phill Jupitus is doing poetry again, which is great, what he did before anything, his first love, Mark Lamarr is playing records - what he loves - and Rich Hall is doing Otis Lee Crenshaw, but also just stand-up - we've toured together, and it's always good to hear what he has to say. John Hegley is performing who was an early inspiration.

2) What can people expect you to bring to the festival?

I will bring my Bouzouki-Saz Hybrid and I will act on the impulse of the crowd

3) If you weren't doing this what would you be doing?

Holding up shells to my ear.

TIM MINCHIN

1) Who are you most looking forward to seeing?

Foals cos they're young and I met that lead-singer dude and he amused me; Franz Ferdinand cos I ain't yet seen em; anything Stewart Lee does cos he's smart and funny and grumpy, anything Robin Ince does cos he's smart and funny and grumpy; Michael Nyman because he does what I used to want to do; some poetry, because it's so poetical sometimes.

2) What can people expect you to bring to the festival?

Comedy that will rock harder than the rock bands and a bearsuit, maybe.

3) If you weren't doing this what would you be doing?

That.

STEWART LEE

1) Who are you most looking forward to seeing?

Julian Cope, John Hegley, Ken Campbell and Steward Lee, who is listed on the adds as being on in Robin Ince's Book Club. He has almost the same name as me so I am looking forward to seeing what he is like.

2) What can people expect you to bring to the festival?

I will be doing 20ish minutes of old material on the big comedy stage and lots of little sets of new stuff at the Book Club.

3) If you weren't doing this what would you be doing?

Staying at home working

ARNAB CHANDA

1) Who are you most looking forward to seeing?  

Most excited about Blondie I think. Life is sad sometimes because everyone dies eventually, except me, I'll probably live because I pray a lot, but sadly Blondie will die too so I want to see them before that happens because they're such an amazing legendary band. And Rich Hall as well. When you watch him you realise he's in a superleague of comedians along with people like George Carlin and Chris Rock. It’s a privilege to watch.

2) What can people expect you to bring to the festival?

People can expect me to bring my legs and head and face. Anything beyond that is a bonus. I may have jokes, which may or may not work. who knows?

3) If you weren't doing this what would you be doing?

I'd be Superman.

LUKE WRIGHT

1) Who are you most looking forward to seeing?  

Stewart Lee is always a treat, so I'm hoping to catch him in the comedy arena. I've also never seen Blondie so I'm looking forward to that. As programmer of the Poetry Arena I'll be spending a lot of time there .

2) What can people expect you to bring to the festival?

I'll be compering for about eight hours a day in the Poetry Arena. I have a stack of new poems planned.

3) If you weren't doing this what would you be doing?

Going on holiday. But who needs sun loungers and trashy fiction anyway?

Published: 30 Jun 2008