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  • Grayson Perry interview in S124
  • TrailriderJim
    Free Member

    Hannah was pretty disappointed after meeting him, perhaps expecting some higher plain stuff cos he’s won some art prize and he’s a quirky celeb. But I can relate to him, despite him being a bit too curmudgeonly. I get a bit fed up of media, friends, other bikers getting on the high horse of, discover, travel, experience. And if I don’t (and just want to ride my bike locally), somehow I’m missing out. It’s about doing what the heck you want to, cos you get enough pressure to conform in this life. Leave the old curmudgeon to peddle from his house and get irritated by mamils I say.

    snapperdan
    Free Member

    Yea I thought it was a disappointing read too. It focussed a bit too much on the author’s dashed expectations rather than the man himself for my liking. I’ve read interviews with Grayson Perry in other bike mags and he’s come across a lot better.

    Seem to recall he made the trophies for an XC series at Eastway – they must be a worth a fortune now!

    dawson
    Full Member

    Yep, agree with the above. Disappointing tone to the article which was a shame as I was looking forward to it.

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    endoverend
    Full Member

    This article really pissed me off too. I am completely biased as I relate to him as an artist who has also ridden all their life, as two exclusive but complementary activities – and know many artists and musicians who also ride (though they’d probably keep it quiet in the ‘art world’) but this struck me as sloppy journalism. I have nothing but respect for Grayson Perry as a wonderful artist and an eloquent, astute cultural commentator – the fact that somebody so enmeshed in the art world even has the time to engage in our shared interest is something to be celebrated, and there are a hundred interesting questions to be asked. I remember recognising him in the field at Beastway in what I believe may be the same year he won the Turner Prize.. it was that green stumpy and some brightly coloured socks that drew my attention (as I ahem..passed him) when I realised who it was I was honoured to share the field with him.

    Seems they must have rubbed each other up the wrong way….did he call her a hipster? I can also totally relate to his riding style, we really did ride in a different way back in the day when XC was mountain biking. His attitudes seem completely inline with his works questioning of ‘tribes’ and adopted stereotypes, and it’s no surprise that an artist takes something and does it their own way rather than worrying about fitting in to the perceived norms. I wonder if she offended him by not asking more about the work (be careful what you say in artists studios…) whatever it was, such negativity shouldn’t make it to print.

    tomhoward
    Full Member

    I guess ‘he’s just not that into it anymore’ didn’t fill the word count requirement.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Ooh, finally something I fancy making use of my “P” to read.

    I can kind of imagine how it goes, having read some of the writer’s other pieces.

    Rubber_Buccaneer
    Full Member

    I liked it, made a refreshing change from previous Grayson Perry magazine interviews I’ve read and I hope it simply told it as it is. I’d also be interested in knowing who actually instigated the interview since the usual format appears to be along the lines of “hey Grayson Perry may be an artist and dress up in dresses and makeup but he rode a motorbike once and actually he’s a really great bloke and just like all us motorcyclists” which is pretty boring.

    nickc
    Full Member

    This article really pissed me off too. I am completely biased as I relate to him as an artist…(blah blah blah)….but this struck me as sloppy journalism.

    Because some-one writes something you can’t “relate” to, it doesn’t make it sloppy journalism. It just means you didn’t like the article.

    I dislike Grayson Perry’s art (which is weird, as I generally like ceramic art) but that doesn’t stop me from recognising that is “important”, or that it has worth,it just doesn’t float my boat. You can disagree with Hannah’s view, but to call it sloppy is sort of insulting.

    timbog160
    Full Member

    I liked it. I know nothing at all about his art, but he seems like a decent enough chap to me, who likes riding locally on his mountain bike, but isn’t that into the modern mtb ‘scene’ or whatever it is, which is fair enough – nothing sloppy about it as far as I can see…

    richardthird
    Full Member

    Not read it, but I’ve seen him about and shared a chat climbing out of Friston, he’s a proper gent.

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    Never read it, really no interested in interviews, one of the reasons I’ve binned the mag after 113 issues.

    Wally
    Full Member

    I have met Mr Perry at Brad’s tea hut Epping Forest, he was an absolute gent.

    endoverend
    Full Member

    Ok I retract ‘sloppy’, don’t want to cause offence. I imagine the interviewer caught G.Perry on a bad day, and got their own back. It wasn’t sloppy, just disrespectful, and read quite out of odds with what I always enjoy from the mag.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    I always struggle with how to comment on other journalists’ work that I’m not fond of. As I put myself in their shoes reading it.

    I can see what she’s trying to do here. I don’t think it’s really worked and I wonder if she’s getting sufficient feedback from an editor.

    Hope that doesn’t come across like it’s all about me. Which would be ironic.

    Scienceofficer
    Free Member

    I’d be more I interested in what Geoff Apps has to say about MTB tbh.

    sirromj
    Full Member

    Doesn’t really come across like they got on like a house on fire.

    Can also understand the dislike of driving to go ride my bike. I can remember a few sunny weekends where I’ve driven somewhere to MTB after cycling to work and back (between 3-10 miles) all week and with feelings of guilt for contributing to what I imagine* to be a panoramic exhaust haze. *imagine/believe/suspect, I don’t know.

    On the other hand I have recently learnt to trackstand 😀

    Went to an exhibition of his in the Turner Contemporary. Really like it. Loved the detail in those maps he did.

    beej
    Full Member

    Phew, not just me then – when I read an interview with someone I find interesting I want to hear what they have to say, not the thoughts of the interviewer. I wouldn’t call it sloppy, just an approach that didn’t work for me. Maybe I relate more to GP’s view of MTBing than Hannah’s.

    On a positive note, I thought the rest of the mag was one of the best in ages and ages.

    roverpig
    Full Member

    I enjoyed it. A refreshing change from the usual puff pieces.

    BruiseWillies
    Free Member

    I’d been wondering if anyone else had read it a d I have to say I completely agree with #beej on this. It came across as a missed opportunity and I think I learnt more a out Hannah than Grayson. However…….I completely accept the possibility that there wasn’t much to go on for an MTB mag.
    There was a Geoff Apps interview in an old issue of Privateer that was interesting; I wonder if he’s been up to much?

    kayak23
    Full Member

    It didn’t read like an interview with Grayson Perry. It read more like someone’s tainted experience meeting him, which it was of course, but it felt much more about the journalist than the actual subject.

    I imagine something caused them to get off on the wrong foot, which then turned the piece a little retaliatory.

    I like Grayson. I like Hannah. I like bicycles.

    martinhutch
    Full Member

    I’m going to have to buy the mag now. I do like a bit of interview awkwardness and grumpiness.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    I do like a bit of interview awkwardness and grumpiness.

    Do you mind which side the grumpiness is on?

    Harry_the_Spider
    Full Member

    It was a bit of a strange one, but I thought it was an interesting read.

    If GP came over as being a bit grumpy and negative and gave her no material to work with then I’m not sure what else Hannah could have done. Should she have made up some lies to “jolly” it up or cut it down to a couple of paragraphs about how he chases down MAMILs on a dutch ladies bike and can’t be arsed driving anywhere?

    I can see GPs point of view, but then I don’t invite print journalists round just so that I can say that I’m a bit miserable and middle aged.

    andytheadequate
    Free Member

    I thought it was one of the most interesting interviews I’ve read. I don’t want to read something that sounds like it’s from a PR company, or a football manager speaking to the press after the game.

    I do wonder what he thought about the article though. He seemed pretty happy with his choices and style of riding so probably wouldn’t complain about the content as such, but it didn’t sound like they got on very well

    tomd
    Free Member

    I read it this morning. It was a strange one. On one hand it was nice to read something that wasn’t gushing, but it felt like the main issue was he wasn’t buying into the whole “cultural identity” of being a mountain biker. Outdoor sports can be a bit like that – you assume that because you share an interest in surfing/climbing/running/biking/caving etc you must have some broader affinity. Which is not always the case, it’s a broad church.

    binners
    Full Member

    Not had chance to read it yet, but I read one of his previous interviews in the Guardian, specifically about his mountain biking. He’s always interesting

    ‘Cycling is the perfect sport for transvestites’

    If we’re doing awkward interviews then this one of Mark and Stuart interviewing Father John Misty takes some beating. He does come across as a total prat to be fair

    mccraque
    Full Member

    For me it was also disappointing. Maybe not a fair reflection of what went down but it seemed that it was going to fill x amount of pages regardless of content.

    Hannah interviews seemingly disinterested celeb with no real interest or current enthusiasm for cycling, other than a hatred for Rafa clad MAMILS.

    What was the point of it? Or had they invested so much time and effort that they just had to print it anyway?

    fasthaggis
    Full Member

    Raced at Eastway with Grayson (we were in the same age cat) back in the day. He tried pretty hard in the races and usually came to the pub after (Princess of Wales on the Lee). I never knew about his other lifestyle or that he was an artist,he used to talk more about bikes and motorbikes than anything else. I liked him.

    IvanMTB
    Free Member

    Read it, didn’t liked it.

    Nothing wrong with GP himself – he is who he is after all- but didn’t like pushy and judgmental comments of interviewer.

    Flattest point of otherwise good issue.

    Cheers!
    I.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    On a lighter note, judging by his comments I reckon he’d fit in great on this forum. He may even have a log-in anyway.

    *squints suspiciously at female usernames*

    Rubber_Buccaneer
    Full Member

    Forget username gender, just look for the triple chainring zealots

    DezB
    Free Member

    Preceded by an article about some pedals. But no-one complained about that, oh no. I know which one I found more interesting!

    timbog160
    Full Member

    Actually I thought that pedals article was good!

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Forget username gender, just look for the triple chainring zealots

    Ha!

    And the vehement Rapha haterz, obvs.

    zippykona
    Full Member

    Used to be totally consumed by biking, Would read all the magazines cover to cover, Every weekend I’d  be away biking, I used to get embarrassed if I met another biker and I was on my bike that wasn’t XT.

    Then life catches up and I’m happy to go social biking if time allows. 99 % of my riding involves an off road commute to work and longer versions of that. I’m just happy to be on my bike. None of my bikes are dripping in the latest stuff, I sold my dropper because nowhere I ride is steep enough to warrant one. I wouldn’t go on a social ride if it was raining because it wouldn’t be fun. I get wet on my commute, I don’t need to earn hero points anymore.

    The interviewer had a downer on Grayson as his riding fits in with his life, his riding is not his life.

    mccraque
    Full Member

    The interviewer had a downer on Grayson as his riding fits in with his life, his riding is not his life.

    Which is totally fine. But just makes for an odd interview in a magazine about bikes and biking.

    I mean…I cook myself dinner from time to time, and more so in days gone by… but you really wouldn’t read a 3 page article about me not really enjoying making my evening meal in The Great British Food Magazine.

    funkrodent
    Full Member

    I enjoyed it, part of a really good issue. Thought GP just came across as a normal guy who just likes bombing around on his bike. Suspect the interviewer was maybe disappointed that he wasn’t some svengali of cycling, personally I like the fact that he still races MAMILs. Many moons ago I held the wheel of some lycra clad roadie from Leiden to The Hague (about 40k) whilst on a single speed Dutch contraption with a binbag for a raincoat. Still makes me smile. Also hooned around Epping Forest as a youth. Come to think of it, his whole attitude of just riding his bike and not being that bothered by the modern scene is actually quite zen..

    binners
    Full Member

    mccraque – Have you not got a slow cooker or an outdoor pizza oven?

    Mal-ec
    Free Member

    Terrible interview. Really interesting guy and all you come away with is that. Missed opportunity.

    eviljoe
    Free Member

    I was disappointed too – hoped that after all his work around tribes, thought maybe he might have more to say about our own little 2 wheeled gang..

    I wonder of they had promised the readership the interview, and then felt they had to deliver said interview, even if it was pretty meh?

    Next time perhaps send Jo Burt-that’s a conversion I’d like to hear (might not get delivered on time though)

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