The Big Muddler

3.1 Gags in Space - the Cosmic Comic Intrusion

Season Three is here! - heralded by a global mystery in Seoul. A strange box has appeared on the stage of k-pop supergroup JeanStarz. Let's pray it's not an alien music box... Once again The Big Muddler brings unwholesome variety to your ears. New this season is a phone-in where the callers sound oddly familiar. But that's as far as the novelty goes. Otherwise it's the same mirthless parade of old routines. Some Listed Jokes, of course, plus marine soap opera Great Crustaceans, where Spider's got a new song that, again, seems oddly familiar. Oh, and there's a new member of the band. Our trip to Muddler Live comes from Walthamstow Folk Club, and it comes with a rare tidbit - a parody of that music hall classic If it Wasn't for the 'Ouses in Between, written by Norfolk's finest - the Kipper Family. I learnt this treat from London legend John White (who I think was 101 years old, honest, when I last saw him perform it). Oh, and apologies, again, to anyone offended by Verse Two.  This week's advertiser is Ruislip Robots, with an important product upgrade notice.  The architect of this asinine assembly is - as always - Matthew Crampton. Check out incriminating evidence at  Do get in touch via thebigmuddler(at)matthewcrampton.com. I'm also on the anti-socials: matthew.crampton [https://www.instagram.com/matthew.crampton/] on instagram and MatthewCramptonStoryAndSong [https://www.facebook.com/MatthewCramptonStoryandSong] on facebook.  Do explore the excellent spoken word recordings of Musical Concepts: https://musicalconcepts.net/genre/spoken-word/ [https://musicalconcepts.net/genre/spoken-word/] Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night (Dylan Thomas) read by Richard Burton (1955) on Poetry Classics: Great Voices Alto ALN1918 https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7990331--poetry-classics-great-voices [https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7990331--poetry-classics-great-voices] Ode To A Nightingale (Keats) read by Robert Donat (1958) on Poetry Classics: Great Voices Alto ALN1918 https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7990331--poetry-classics-great-voices [https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7990331--poetry-classics-great-voices] Crowd Medium.wav by Audionautics -- https://freesound.org/s/136978/ -- License: Attribution 3.0 20160308_07.tourist.talk.flac by dobroide -- https://freesound.org/s/339765/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 Child Laughing by SergeQuadrado -- https://freesound.org/s/636955/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Muzak 3 by TeffyD1 -- https://freesound.org/s/752531/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 Do get in touch [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464745/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464745/support]

2.6 Frolic in the Flatlands - live from FolkEast

Boy did they laugh. Yes, The Big Muddler is back before a live audience, this time at the magical festival of FolkEast, held each summer in deep, flat, golden Suffolk. It was late on Sunday evening. A sturdy, sozzled crowd had gathered to check out the fuss about this new sketch comedy podcast. Who knows what they were expecting. But what they got ...   ... was a cheeky hamper of cheap hilarity. Listed Jokes, of course, plus classic sketches from the vault - Radio Four's Shi**ing Forecast, and the Dogging Forecast too - plus an appearance from West of England Correspondent Denzel Rumpo that's just about safe enough for broadcast. What's more, soap opera Great Crustaceans made its live debut, with Cornwall's premier shellfish rockband appearing, disastrously, at the Harwich Shanty Festival. Plus!  A shout-out for local sponsor Anglia Water - 'See you on the poop deck!' - with a performance of music hall classic Down Below (The Song of the London Sewerman). Thanks (and apologies) to Becky and John of FolkEast for allowing this nonsense to infiltrate their lovely festival.  As ever, there's only one person responsible. Matthew Crampton. And he'd love to hear from you. Do get in touch via thebigmuddler@matthewcrampton.com or check him out on the socials, as I think they say.  Oh, and this is the finale of Season Two. Thanks for listening. Mr Crampton's now off to have his body re-assembled, which may take a few months. Then he'll return with Season Three, which threatens to feature Celebrity Guest Pals. Meantime, there'll be some Muddler Interruptions and maybe the odd medical update. Byeee. Do get in touch [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464745/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464745/support]

MI2 - It's the Great Crustaceans! And Spider's written a new song...

Here's a little treat while you're waiting for the next full show. It's the Great Crustaceans! We haven't heard from them in a while. But Cornwall's premier shellfish rock band have been busy doing what they do best - arguing. Bassist Squid Vicious and guitarist Razors are just settling in for their afternoon altercation, when drummer Spider bursts in with news. He's written another song! Or has he? Well, Spider certainly thinks he's penned something original. And while the lyrics of Hiding in the Weed do speak to his life experience, as a crab, the tune seems familiar. Could it be from a US indie band of the 90s? Cue ridicule from the others, and a painful profusion of piscatorial puns. Bachman Tuna Overdrive, anyone? Soon, Series Two will conclude with Live at FolkEast festival - another live recording from last summer. As ever, this confection is created by Mr Matthew Crampton. Or so he claims.  Do get in touch [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464745/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464745/support]

2.5 Folly by the Sea - live at Sidmouth Folk Festival

Welcome to The Big Muddler's Seaside Special - recorded before a bubbly crowd at the gorgeous Manor Pavilion in Devon. It's August 2025 and Sidmouth Folk Festival has bravely scheduled a live recording of this 'comedy podcast' by festival veteran Matthew Crampton. But would such strange radio work live on stage? Find out for yourself... There are Listed Jokes, a chorus singalong, two classic songs from the music hall - The Hole in the Elephant's Bottom and Your Baby Has Gorn down the Plug'ole - plus an episode of antique podcast The Rest is Jollity. These have been edited down from a full, fulsome show.  NOT included is a feature on The Unexpected Emergence of Animals in Folksongs (which appeared in The Big Muddler Episodes 2.1 and 2.3). Sadly the contribution of West of England correspondent Denzel Rumpo was not judged fit for inclusion.  And a special seaside version of soap opera Great Crustaceans will appear in the next episode - Live from FolkEast festival.  Special thanks to Ross and Nikki Henrywood of Barleycorn Productions for sound. Thanks too to Tash Daly of Sidmouth Folk Festival for booking this nonsense, and to Rosie Thomas, who nobly supports the 'talent' at the Manor Pavilion during the festival. Responsibility for the creative content of this show rests entirely with Matthew Crampton, who's very sorry and promises not to do it again.  Next episode out soon.    Do get in touch [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464745/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464745/support]

MI1 The Disastrous Interview with Sir Kreemy Knut

It's a Muddler Interruption! Sorry for the delay in regular programming, due to "A&E visits" and "an unexpected heart condition" (yeah right....). Here's a short sop to satisfy your Muddler cravings. It's a nugget from the archives - the infamous banned episode from old-time podcast The Rest is Jollity. The boys have booked a chat with confectionery mascot Sir Kreemy Knut - the face of Sharps Toffees - but the interview proves disastrous. Worthy is drunk. The guest is out of sorts. Cue fisticuffs and ripe repartee.  Once again, the orchestrator of this ordure is Matthew Crampton. More about him at matthewcrampton.com [https://matthewcrampton.com/] Soon you can enjoy Episode Five of Season Two, when The Big Muddler excites a live audience at the Sidmouth Folk Festival.  Kenneth Alford: On the Quarter Deck (from the album Favourite Military Bands of the United Kingdom) Catalogue no: ALN1986  Label: Alto Music. With permission of Musical Concepts. Thanks to Todd Landor.  Do get in touch [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464745/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464745/support]