Why should we see Acker Bilk: Interview with Follow the Wabbit (with Old Fish, via telegram)

[Wabbit taps microphone with paw]

Old Fish: Can you introduce yourself in five sentences?

The Wabbit: I think I can.  I’m Commander Wabbit, a Secret Agent who just happens to be a rabbit. I work for the sinister yet effective Department of Wabbit Affairs to bring about the emancipation of all lagomorphs. In my adventures, I’m helped by my beloved, the Lovely Lapinette and a willing band of animal helpers. I have a most jazzy coat, and I don’t like it getting sullied in any way. Particularly by rain. The Wabbit has always been interested in jazz . Rabbits naturally gravitate towards jazz and draw close to loudspeakers –  much in the same way as cats do for reggae. That’s more than five sentences, but I am merely a rabbit and predisposed to talk in the third person and go on a bit.

Old Fish: Do you know Acker Bilk? Who exactly is he?

The Wabbit: All rabbits know Acker as the Grand Old Man of British Jazz. He is Acker Bilk, G.O.M. from the great rabbitlands of Somerset.  The Wabbit never met him, although he saw someone like him on an escalator in London Underground and hopped after him unsuccessfully. Perhaps he was going to the BBC.  The Wabbit was introduced to Acker‘s music by his father who was a jazz aficionado and his favorite tune was Basin Street Blues. Basin Street is “the street where the best folks always meet.” So said the song anyway.  [posts reminder: meet Acker in Basin Street, report back]

Old Fish: How important do you think Acker is to popular British music history? 

The Wabbit: All rabbits know that Acker is British music history!  He plays the jazz, he is the jazz. He was ahead of the great jazz revival that started in the 50s and continued through the 60s. Without Acker, many people would never have been bitten by the jazz bug [ouch!]  And like the Wabbit, he has a great coat. In fact, Acker could even be a rabbit.  He’s really hip; he’s really beat – he’s the original hopster.

Old Fish: Acker (83) is one of the oldest musicians in the world still touring around today. What do you think of that?

The Wabbit: Acker Bilk old? Surely not. But old is good. When the Wabbit looks for rare jazz records, they must be quite ancient and lightly scratched. Eventually he will acquire the Marching Union disc that Acker made for the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives. They were presented to young members who had completed a training scheme.  [“Where’s my record?” *Scrabbles in fur for crumpled union card.* “Grrr wrong union …”]

Old Fish: Why should we go to see Acker Bilk live in Oxford this October? 

The Wabbit: We must lope to Oxford with speed to see and hear a living legend – preferably at the same time! Jazz lovers should take every opportunity to experience Acker in action, no matter what kind of jazz they like.  Make your way in any way you can in vast number…  Go dressed as Acker. Look around, there will be many rabbits lurking in corners, wearing bowler hats and stripy shirts. Some will have clarinets and some saxophones, tucked into their fur.  Beware the drummers, they flail.  And if you can’t get there, get an old Acker LP from the cupboard and place it on the phonograph [you still have to wear the hat].

Old Fish: If people say, “Oh no, I don’t like Jazz”, what do you think I should do to persuade them to go? I haven’t got any guns.

The Wabbit: In his adventures. the Wabbit has a gun that shoots snail slime – and will lend it out for good causes.  Slime is ticky-tacky stuff and maybe people will ticky tacky to jazz. Send these poor misguided people along to hear Acker – and if they don’t like it, then we can always shoot them on the way out.

Old Fish: I heard that you were going to give Acker a title…

The Wabbit: He is Mister Cool to the Wabbit.

Old Fish: Thank you very much Wabbit. May I see your rabbit smiley once more, because I think it’s brilliant!

The Wabbit:    =: )  *grins with all of his 28 teeth* =: )    Now can I keep the microphone?

Old Fish: No.

The Wabbit is @followthewabbit   Lapinette  is @LovelyLapinette

Their adventures are at http://www.followthewabbit.com

The Wabbit is assisted by @CoinneachShanks  and  @LovelyLapinette and original coats by @rudywilf -  but being the Commander, the Wabbit is in charge.

The Wabbit gives a Personal Interview

We were asked to give an account of how writer and photographer, Coinneach Shanks and illustrator, Clari Csuk collaborated on development of the Wabbit Adventures. So we decided to hand the whole matter over to the Wabbit.  Well, he rather insisted ...

Producer: Silence in the Studio please. Commander Wabbit is just arriving ...

Interviewer: Welcome Commander Wabbit.

The Wabbit: Commander is just fine! May I press these buttons?

Interviewer: Better not, Commander.

The Wabbit: Oh all right. How may I be of assistance to your listeners?

Interviewer. Would you tell us of your rise to prominence? 

The Wabbit: It is all due to my originators, Coinneach and Clari. For some time  I was merely an idea, a whim but a substantial whim.

Interviewer: How does a whim become a reality?

The Wabbit: Through Twitter! I leapt onto the page and started calling out that I was delayed. Which I was. Everyone was waiting for the Wabbit. But before very long, Coinneach started to recount my adventures to all my followers in a blog on that Internet device thingy.

Interviewer: But we couldn't really see you Commander, could we?

The Wabbit: Well what the viewer saw was what I could see. They saw through my eyes. Coinneach used to bend down with his camera to my height but of course no-one could see me, only what I saw!  It was Clari Csuk who made me visible. First she fashioned a fine Twitter avatar and then one day Coinneach received a wonderful  portrait through the mail. It is an extraordinary thing! It clothed me in a superhero costume and conferred upon me some extra-special abilities.

Interviewer: Perhaps you could give our listeners some examples of your Clari Csuk super powers?

The Wabbit: Of course! Super hearing, hovering and a universal translator. Now I only wear the cloak for formal occasions like a Gala Dinner or marching or jumping from high buildings into heli-choppers.

Interviewer: Ah yes, your adventures. How did all the characters come into being?

The Wabbit: (laughing through his 28 teeth) The first character wasn't me it all! It was that Skratch the Cat Burglar. Coinneach's cat set off the burglar alarm one night and the very next day Clari made Skratch. He's a rogue but rather useful on occasions, even if he makes eyes at my beloved, the Lovely Lapinette. Clari modelled Lapinette on Camilla, Coinneach's partner. Now she's becoming more popular than the Wabbit, I dare say. She is very special. Clari works with materials, like fabrics, board and found objects and so we all look as deliciously 3-D as we are in real life.

Interviewer: About those colours and shapes?

The Wabbit:  Clari's colours and shapes are distinctive and sometimes I think I have never seen these shades or colours ever before. Coinneach cuts out the characters and other shapes for every episode so I am always different, just like Clari's pieces. I am very pleased that I was at the centre of Clari's most recent exhibition,

Interviewer: And your role as a Secret Agent ?

The Wabbit:  Some say we are the wabbit version of John Steed and Emma Peel in the Avengers, but of course they don't seem to have all the paperwork we do (laughs).

Interviewer: What about the shadowy yet powerful Department of Wabbit Affairs?

The Wabbit: I can offer you little comment beyond the public domain. Nothing special, all very governmental and bureaucratic. Wabbits with green filing cabinets.

Interviewer: Perhaps you can comment on autism for our listeners?

The Wabbit: Thank you. That is why I came. Clari has an autistic son Oscar. He is a great friend of the Wabbit and it is he that is responsible for administration of any mail sent to my headquarters. The Wabbit adventures are strongly against social exclusion and you may have noticed that in the stories, the Wabbit always gets included. No matter where he goes, he is accepted. That is the policy of the Wabbit and what he wants for all beings. People with autism - I hope I have that right - are misunderstood and the Wabbit wants to remedy this. Acceptance and inclusion is the way of the Wabbit and of the collaboration of Coinneach and Clari. Thank you.

Interviewer: Thank you Commander. I may assume that listeners can go to the National Autistic Society for more details?

The Wabbit: You may! Can I press these buttons now?

Interviewer: No!

The Wabbit Oh OK then. May I keep the microphone?.

Interviewer: Definitely not

The Wabbit: Grrrrr

Interview Ends

Follow the Adventures of the Wabbit at Follow the Wabbit

Many others have contributed to the development of the Wabbit stories. Thank you everyone.

(c) 2011 Coinneach Shanks, Clari Csuk

Charitable and community organisations who wish to republish the interview and also episodes of the Wabbit are granted a single license. Attribution and links are much appreciated. The Wabbit and Lovely Lapinette are available for further interviews as, of course, are Coinneach Shanks and Clari Csuk.