DESERT ISLAND DISKS: MATT KING

Image © Hamilton Hodell

Matt may well be known to most of you as the man who play's 'Super Hans' the moronic drug addict from Channel 4's Peep Show. However Matt is involved in many projects, including a part in the film 'inkheart' and a UK Stand up tour. HOLV caught up with Matt to discuss his future plans, Peep Show, and of course, music.

HOLV: First off Matt, how are things?

MK: Terrible. I’ve just drunk a litre of mushroom tea and I’m seeing things. There seems to be an antelope looking at me who I swear is a version of me in the future. He’s wearing a magical leotard made out of facts. Actually things couldn’t be better, thank you for asking.

HOLV: You've just finished filming Inkheart, can you tell us a bit about it?

MK: Apart from my missus and the birth of my son, the best thing that’s ever happened. I was filming in Italy with Brendan Fraser, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent and Paul Bettany. The village we were shooting in was like something out of a dream and everybody was so happy. We just laughed for four months. It’s a fantasy epic from New-Line who did Lord of The Rings so it should not be shit. It’s out in early 2008 and we may be doing two more next year. It’s a trilogy you see. God... I’m so happy to even be talking about it.

HOLV: Ok, moving on to music now. What are you listening to at the moment?

MK: Everything and anything as usual. I’m downloading like a motherfucker. Jonny Cash, The Kings of Leon, Besnard Lakes, and loads of old stuff from my heyday like Alien Sex Fiend and Spear of Destiny. I’m basically a goth at heart though - so I’m never happier than when I’m listening to Echo and the Bunnymen or The Cult. Strangely though I’m a massive Jimmy Buffett fan.

HOLV: In your opinion what are the five finest albums ever to have been recorded?

MK: Echo and the Bunnymen - Crocodiles, The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses, Jimmy Buffett – Meet me In Margaritaville; The Ultimate Collection (it’s just got everything on it), Japan – Tin Drum, The The – Infected. But albums are not just about the music, they’re about times in your life and all of these mean so much to me I could cry.

HOLV: And your character from Peep Show, Super Han's, how would you describe his musical taste?

MK: Predictable. Anything by The Proj or Aphex. Lots of deep house, hardcore dub and underground Polish garage.

HOLV: Lastly, what's next for Matt King? More Peep Show, tv, films, stand up?

MK: Well, series 5 of Peep Show has been given the go ahead so I’m hoping the filming doesn’t clash again like it did with the film. I could only do 5 days on the show this time so I’m hardly in series 4 at all. I miss it you know. I miss it like Superhans misses crack.

Other than that I’m in Jekyll a new BBC adaptation of Jekyll and Hyde with James Nesbitt. That’s out in June. Then more film and a big UK stand-up tour at the end of the year. Stand-up is what I’ve done for 15 years but in Australia where I lived for all that time. I’m alright at it you know and nobody here has really seen me. The dates will be announced very soon I hear.

I’m also writing my own sit-com for Objective who make Peep Show. It’ll be like My Family, only not shit and not the same in any way at all.

Is that it? Can I go now? My bitches are waiting in the van and they’ve got some wicked Lithuanian love-beads that we’re gonna crush up and inject into our eyeballs. Either that, or my son’s calling out for me and I gotta go see his beautiful face.

HOLV: Cheers and all the best

Interviewed By Hammond