1992: BILL HICKS on SATAN, PEACE and FAMILY! | Pebble Mill | Classic Interviews | BBC Archive
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- Опубліковано 30 лис 2023
- "I talk to the audience like I talk to my friends."
Bill Hicks appeared on Pebble Mill and spoke to Judi Spiers for a wide-ranging discussion on everything from varying his comedy act for UK audiences to an idea for a screenplay involving Elvis.
Originally broadcast 29 April 1992
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As Rodney Dangerfield famously said "This man is so far ahead of his time, his parents haven't met yet"
Excellent quote!
Big L
That's big L
yeah & the future looks bright ... like a nuclear winter, he was like an older brother too.
It was readily apparent that Rodney Dangerfield was telling a joke and attempting to prop up Bill Hicks. I can't understand why Hicks is often described as being 'brave', 'edgy', 'revolutionary', and 'ahead of his time' for attacking such difficult targets as Marky Mark, Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer, and Billy Ray Cyrus. In another routine, he spends a full ten minutes slating the hard target, who is Debbie Gibson, simply because she had a number one album in the late eighties. Fearless or what?
Incredible man, we could've done with him in the last few years.
I've always felt that way about him too. And Carlin.
Imagine how he and Carlin would've RIPPED into modern left and right politics? They would be eviscerated into shock.
That's what bull shitters who push politics are REALLY scared of.
A person with a sharp wit, but with an intelligence of understanding what is going on behind everyone's fake image society performs for everyone else?
Like we're all hiding or trying to appease something or someone?
Maybe those we are weak to. Maybe our fears. Maybe ourselves.
Or maybe? We're scared of being truly who we are meant to be.
But, of course, then, we'd be as polarising as Hicks, Carlin or Lenny Bruce were?
Truth is an inconvenience.
David
Couldn’t agree more.
I hate to blow your mind, but he's been dead for 30 years. he was only 32 years old. He is basically been dead as long as he lived. We are old now I don't know how it happened.
I'm sure Hicks would've come up with a funny but dark view of that. He's up there on the great gig stage laughing at that though.@@Hoovnasty1
He’d be disgusted at the state of the world !
Scary. Saying he won’t make old age. He really didn’t get much wrong. The man was a legend.
Very prophetic unfortunately.
His final show was January 1994, which was less than two years from this interview. This was April 1992. He was dead in 94. Only the good die young. Bill was pure light.
He might of already known around this time of recording
Is
Around The time that Alex Jones started
Bill was 30 years old here, but with the wisdom, humor, and maturity of a 60 year old who has seen it all. The guy really was something else.
I think he was 32
Come on, buddy. He was 32 when he died in 1994. This was filmed in 1992. Has the education system really gotten this bad?@@JohnDoe-uk6si
He really did seem smart. Like he knew exactly what he was talking about at all times. He has a sort of a confidence about him
Wow, my comment making fun of your math skills was deleted. UA-cam really is a censorship queen.@@JohnDoe-uk6si
@@JohnDoe-uk6si He was about 30 at this interview. Died two years later at the age of 32 :(
I had absolutely no idea Bill was on Pebble mill?!
It's so bizarre seeing him on such a lightweight, safe daytime show like this lol
agreed...kind of bizarre.
Probably because one of the BBC bosses or producers being a big fan of Bill's.
@@jeshkamIt's more likely that the BBC paid better than any British TV channel back in the 90's.
In fact I'd say the BBC paid better money than most American TV channels!
I once saw Eli Roth on The One Show. That was a double take.
Exactly! Bill on Pebble Mill ! Brilliant
Bill Hicks on British daytime television? Random UA-cam recommendations. Thank you.
He looks SOOOO GOOOOD. Dam to think he had 1 more year left after 1992. R.I.P. BILL
I havent seen this before..what a shame Bill passed away at such a young age,he was a brilliant comedian.
@motorhomemick315 🤣🤣😂🤣🤣🤣
He was going through two lighters a day 🚬
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣@motorhomemick315
and now he is brilliant as controlled opposition being Alex Jones doing a good job making everyone who opposes government look crazy
It's not a shame when he didn't take care of himself.
I find it funny that people view Bill as an angry man, when in reality he was chill AF.
I enjoyed the chemistry of these two. She gave him plenty of room and shared the joke when the opportunity arose
"Do you think you're going to sort of mellow in older age?"
My heart hurts. I was 6 when you died and crestfallen to learn as a teen that I was listening to you from beyond the grave. I am 5 years your senior now, and I think the world could use you more than ever.
I was a young man when he died. He was the perfect comedian of my time... and remains my favorite of all time. Nobody has even come close to his bitter resentment of state power and the vile class of elites that mismanage our world.
Try not to feel too disheartened…we got you in the world… and others like you
I was in my early teens when I discovered Bill thanks to a friend and his step dad. After that I discovered George Carlin and downloaded his stuff from BitTorrent lol. Class Clown is one of the best comedy albums ever. As for Bill, I've managed to everything I can manage to get my hands on. Revelations is probably my favourite of his stand up shows.
I was at Uni n Liverpool and had a ticket to see him, I couldn't make it and gave it to a friend, I said in my young naivety "I'll catch him again when he comes back" that was Oct 93, by May 94 he was dead 😢😢😢😢
Ironically he's one of the reasons I don't smoke.
What a great interviewer. She was genuinely interested and not patronising. 👍
Old school interviewer. She has an actual conversation with him without tailoring her own style or tone, unlike the modern interviewer who tries to ingratiate themselves from the word go.
"I doubt I'll ever make older age"
Right in the feels. Critical emotional damage 😢
RIP Bill. A true angel without wings. Stay golden.
They murdered him.
@@mkultra2456 who did?😮
@@ashtonhartley2662 The shadowy elite. They didn't like his peace and love stand up routine mocking them.
@@mkultra2456 huh
@@mkultra2456😂😂😂
I was fortunate enough to see Bill live just before his major ascendance (to stardom not the heavens!). I was a student at uni, I had barely any idea who he was, he turned up in a full length leather coat with Enter Sandman playing in the background, and it was one of the greatest two hours of my life. Never forget it. Legend.
Very clever man. He was ahead of his time and we need him now.
We do! His name is Alex Jones
@@ralphhayward4713 He would absolutely destroy Alex Jones, Bill Hicks was a leftist dumb dumb
@@ralphhayward4713 erm, I think Bill would have spat venom at the thought of his very existence.
Didn’t the overtly clowns in America created, satanick masonick multimillionaire deceiver sellout actor Hicks, know that he was going to masquerade as shill truther Alex Jones, on his next assignment allegedly?
@@ralphhayward4713
Didn’t the overtly clowns in America created, satanick masonick multimillionaire deceiver sellout actor Hicks, know that he was going to masquerade as shill truther Alex Jones, on his next assignment allegedly?
Given what kind of audience Pebble Mill was aimed at, I'm amazed they had him on.
Wouldn't happen now- he'd be too "offensive"❤
Bill's screenplay about Elvis coming back sounds brilliant
I wonder if there's a Bubba Ho-Tep connection?
Just watch Bubba Ho Tep
@@kubricksmithI just had the same thought… was it inspired by this, presumably?
@@kubricksmith This was my first thought when seeing this interview. I googled it and it looks like Bubba Ho-Tep was based on some guy's short story. Quite similar premise aside from the whole Mummy coming back from the dead thing
It's even-funnier when you realize that's what he did and the credulity of the audience is his mask.
Bill was much mannered and laid back in this interview, one could say charming. The man knew how to fit the situation.
Doesn’t take much observation to realise how sensitive and decent he was underneath his stage delivery… ❤️
That is Alex Jones 😂
To be fair... she's actually very good in what must've been an awkward interview for her. Bill is a legend, as ever.
He's also being very polite and kind with her.
I think she's kind of got the hots for him 😜
He was a southern gentleman at heart
This would have been the tour I missed out on because back in those days I couldn't afford £10. Ten quid to see Bill Hicks! I thought to myself, "I'll catch him next time." And of course he died. One of my biggest regrets in life.
Despite an awkward first few questions, I saw some chemistry in this interview between Bill and Judi.
I agree, he was trying to impress and she seemed very open to him.
No you didn't. Quiet 🤫
ehhh
Don't worry they hooked up after the show
A truly great man who will never be forgotten. Along with George Carlin they both are intellectual and entertainment greats.
Carlin was an embarrassing, self-hating extremist. Hicks had a much broader, wiser view.
“ I doubt il make old age “ bill was as always right
That two lighter a day habit caught up.
I bet he could spell properly too.
It hurt hearing him say it again.
I saw him live in 1992 in Leicester. One of the greatest nights out!
ahhh, im jealous! tell more about it , what size venue was it, what kind of stuff did he talk about? id love to know!
Yep saw him at Tottenham Court Road, same tour, brilliant, laughed so much it hurt. Filmed by Channel 4 but most the material was unbroadcastable!
@@jamiew1664 it was a small venue for about 300 people, I think at Leicester Uni campus. He did a lot of now commonly known routines, like about Jesus and the cross and Jacky Onassis and the rifle. i recall he said something about stopping smoking and it will be the death of him. About a year later he was gone 😢
Don't care!
@@jazzfan67 shut up!
A great man. I envy anyone who saw him live here or met him.
I caught every gig I could between 1983-92 -- even the ones from his "wasted" period. Had a few phone chats with him and was slowly and casually working my way towards being friends with him. I figured there was no rush -- I had all the time in the world, right?
I'll never forget when I got the call that was going around saying, essentially "If you want to send Bill a letter saying how much he means to you, you need to send it right away, cuz he only has a few more days left." I had become pretty good friends with his producer and best friend Kevin Booth by that point, and I began working with their Sacred Cow Productions company shortly after Bill passed. So if you're one of the people who doesn't like the music bed on "Arizona Bay", you can thank me for influencing the decision to at least turn down the volume on the tuneage -- Bill's original mix had it cranked up *way* too loud!
BTW, assuming you're in the UK, you may want to try and track down a copy of "Resurrecting Bill" (2000), a very obscure indie flick featuring Wendy Wason ("Tittybangbang") and Kerry Godliman ("After Life") as young Scots lasses who refuse to accept that Bill Hicks is no longer with us and go to great lengths to prove it. Of course, I don't have to tell you that the story doesn't have a happy ending -- for sheer low budget laughs, look for Bill's chopsocky mini-epic "Ninja Bachelor Party" instead...
Thank you for posting this video!! Bill is brilliant, completely aligned with his essence as a being, and so much more well received overseas than here in the US. As an American here in the US, I am well aware of the mass ignorance, lack of consciousness, and lack of true spirituality in this country. Would love to see more content from overseas like this - thanks again! peace.
We need you more than ever Bill
OMG ,yes like other comments here ,i had NO idea bill was on pebble mill,need bill in our lives and hearts more than ever,a great guy who spoke the truth,amen to him
Bill was a legend. One of the greats. Along with Robin Williams, George Carling, Richard Prior, Dave Allen and though not a comedian Christopher Hitchens. All of them gone too soon and in a time when we need their humour and wit.
One of my heroes. Ive loved this man since I discovered him as a teen in the 90s.
Sorely missed and needed more now than ever before.
He’s Alex Jones
@@desertofthereal4062 ? Who is Alex Jones?
*_ALEX JONES FOR KING OF THE GALAXY!!_*
@@desertofthereal4062 - Stop that ridiculous nonsense.
@MOSMASTERING - Same. ❤
Credit where it's due. I never expected these kinds of interviews to resurface on the BBC right now...🎉
6:54
"If a doctor told you that you couldn't tour anymore, what would you do?"
So sad that he passed so so young. For anyone who hasn't seen it, American: The Bill Hicks Story is a wonderful documentary that details the events of his last weeks. I highly recommend it. It is very sad, in the end, obviously.
So many people could have been saved from cancer and other illnesses if big pharma hadn't hijacked the medical field.
Bill was one of a kind. We need his voice now more than ever.
I need some toilet paper. Just done a massive dump. Forgot to get bog roll yesterday.
Wish he was still around
He is. He is an actor who now plays Alex Jones.
3:50 - “I doubt I’m ever gonna make older age”
Oh Bill :’(
This knocked me back in my seat. :/
This is bit of Bill history I am sure has not been released before. Hope his estate/family become aware of it. Bill remains one of the greatest stand up comics to ever grace a stage.
I've never seen this before -- and I've had access to just about every clip of Bill out there since back when we had to pass around tenth-gen VHS copies of his stuff!
(It wasn't til years later that I found out that a Hicks tape I compiled and gave to Ed Hamell was the one that made its way into the Rykodisc offices and led to them posthumously releasing Dangerous, Relentless, Arizona Bay and Rant in E Minor on CD!)
@@KenLieck Then my thanks to you sir!
I saw this clip several years ago.
@@mairnealachamu Yeah it was forever in circulation. I think he was out of his peak here
@@owenhunt*pique
Jeez, Pebble Mill at One, that's a blast from the past! When I was a kid I could never understand why the BBC used such a cool, fun studio for such a middle of the road programme, kinda weird seeing Bill as a guest.
He did a few of these lighter interviews (well without the swearing), but he would have been the sort of person who would like to preach his art to a variety of audience, not just big stages and dingy dives.
They had the legendary Roy Orbison on one time...playing live wearing a Vegas-period Elvis jumpsuit..while damp, suburban Birmingham provided the incongruous backdrop. Crazy-Style! If only they had had sufficient vision to have booked The Cramps as well!
Wonderful human being who is hugely missed. Never seen this interview 😮 Love you bill, may we will all be together at the end of time.
The best comedian who ever lived. You won't be forgotten as long as me or any of my friends are alive... as well as any comedian worth a damn.
"I doubt I'm ever going to make older age" R.I.P Legend
Love this man........ He was truly special. I listened to him religiously for many many years. He was so prophetic..... His material is etched right through me like a stick of rock and every day something or other he's said resonates.
I was just a year or two too young to get a chance to see him, but indulging the old time machine adage; if I ever had one, the first thing I'd so is go see my ol' Nan and then head off to follow Bill around on tour.
(Never seen this clip before so thanks for posting..... Now get back in those Beeb archives and dig out the rest of your footage of this great great man!)
32 years old ... what a legacy that man left.
Every comedian today whether they like it or not was influenced by him. He was groundbreaking
Many comedians don't even know who be is..Bill Hicks had a great impact on many comedians, but he was never really mainstream.
Not funny. He was mean-spirited and punched down as often as he punched up. If by influential you mean he made it legit for mediocre white dudes to comment on effing everything, then yeah, he was influential.
George Carlin was performing social commentary in the 70s and was arrested for his 7 dirty words bit in 1972. Well, before Bill Hicks was on the scene, and I think the people who say Hicks was a trailblazer aren't giving Carlin the credit he deserves, which is most of it. The most influential comedians of all time are George Carlin, Richard Pryor, and the OG of stand-up comedy, Lenny Bruce.
@@kensho778hicks is way funnier than Lenny or George
@@KyleGravesLive I just watched a few youtubes of him and they were painfully un-funny. He was a guy who went to comedy clubs and went on pseudo-intellectual rants about politics and society. I agree with much of what he says, but it doesn't make me laugh. Also, Hicks' whole delivery was just weird to me. His sense of timing was strange and always seemed to distract me from the joke itself. I was surprised by the cult following he gained after his death. Hicks, in my opinion, is a touch overrated. In no way a Bruce or Carlin, even the much older, more miserable George Carlin, who I always considered hilariously funny.
Surprisingly one of the more enlightening interviews I've seen of Bill (with others he often just did material, as he does a little bit here).
It was always kind of awkward doing phone interviews with Bill cuz he would pepper the chat with bits, and I would just lightly chuckle because I already knew all his material by heart. And I could tell he was puzzled as to why his jokes were seemingly bombing, but interrupting him to try to explain myself would have just made things *more* awkward!
Our one truly great exchange was:
Me: "Bill, did you know Andrew 'Dice' Clay will be performing here the night before you do?"
Bill: "Did I know that? Of *course* I knew that: I'm the *antidote!"*
He was the GOAT. We could have really done with him to humour us through the past five years. Miss him hugely.
Legend
Oh shut up. What a stupid thing to say
Thaaaaaaaanks for posting this, BBC! Always a pleasure seeing Bill in HD!
Love that first question. The quality bbc journalism that we're used to. Getting straight into the simple and obvious questions.
Big black @#$%?
Hadn't seen this, had the pleasure of seeing him perform, game changer.
I think he was on this show, as it was a very popular one at the time and he was doing the UK interview gamut around this time, but it is one of my faves of his, as he didn't pull out about 80% of his material, which of course is was excellent, but he was showcasing more of himself in this one, which was refreshing, but this it totally new to me, so thanks for the upload. There is one I came across on YT a good few years ago, a radio interview in Scotland, where he is being himself, with little material of his, and he is hilarious on it.
All the old entertainers used to make jokes about how tough Glasgow crowds were so that's why the audience laughed when he said the first date of the tour was Glasgow.
Thank you for this upload. What a legend of a man!
He’s looking his Sunday best here.
Brilliant interviewer and interviewee. Bill Hicks was an incredible perceptive comedian. Any comedian and musician who can make Glasgow laugh and sing the rest of Britain is easy.
It's actually easy when you play Glasgow it's a majority left wing city that likes to laugh
Omg. Footage I haven’t seen. THANK YOU.
Weird to think that I was at that Glasgow concert he was talking about. He was brilliant. Such a shame he died so young.
Don't you mean Glassgow? 😂
Bet he smashed that Glasgow show
Hicks was on the verge of having his own TV series in the UK. I was a big fan of him.
Hicks actually filmed a pilot for a channel 4 chat show, which is why I find some of the idolism of him a bit hypocritical, he wasn't the outsider people have painted him as. His image has benefited, in my opinion, from his passing before he had the opportunity to sell out.
Woah, whoa, woah. Lol. She was actually quite funny throughout . This was a very entertaining. Bill was honest soul, very authentic, affable & intelligent and wasn't afraid of being vulnerable. This was great reminder.
Bill was great. I put him in the same category as Sam Kinison and Richard Pryor, the most elite storytellers of all time.
& George Carlin
@buzby303 Yeah agreed.
Sorry but Kinison is nowhere NEAR Hicks or Pryor or Carlin@@danorthsidemang3834
He's above Kinison and Pryor. He criticized the Military Industrial Complex -- that's what gets people yeeted from their meat suit.
Adding Patrice and Norm
To y’all’s list
Bill Hicks on Pebble Mill. That is a mental sentence.
Bill was and still is great !
On a dark day like today Bill gives me strength
Wish I'd seen him live, my favourite comedian ever
Don't care!
What a great interview.
That was awesome, what a treasure, thank you BBC. What a loss, would love to hear what Bill thought about things today, I'm guessing he wouldn't be too happy.
Wow I never seen the man interviewed like this! Read and watched everything I could. What a rabbit hole to find! ❤
Bill Hicks was a brilliant comedian. I miss him and his dark comedy.
Alex Jones was way ahead of his time.
ua-cam.com/video/HmCI8tYUccY/v-deo.htmlsi=JWjeRTkcw0bbObvU
Thank you BBC!!!
Bill on Pebble Mill with Judi Spiers. Holy Cow who booked his itinerary on the 92 trip? Pebble Mill was never exactly the nerve centre for heavyweight Political, Ideological and Philosophical debate, but kudos on landing the great Bill Hicks. Looks like we've got ourselves a reader.......
Whatcha readin' fo?
The awkwardness at the end was hilarious
Bill Hicks.....Legend!
Not often I'll say a good word about the BBC but brilliant interview, done respectfully on both sides. Still miss you Bill
Bless you Bill!! One of the all time greats. The Elvis screenplay idea at the end had me cracking up 😂
It's actually a pretty great idea for a comedy. Somebody should dig it up and make it.
There's a film called Bubba Hotep which has striking similarities starring Bruce Campbell as Elvis. Worth a watch just for the commentary track with him in character all the way through the film.
@@Lord_Narcowookie I didn't know that Bruce Campbell did an in-character commentary for Bubba Hotep. Man, I've had that dvd for years, but never even noticed the commentary. Watching immediately. Thanks!
@@EvanFowler you're welcome, hope you enjoy it as much as I did
The gig he's talking about in Glasgow, I had the opportunity to go to that but didn't because I didn't have much money at the time. I figured there will be plenty other times to see him. I'll always regret not going to that show.
I love this man. I hope he's out there watching Hendrix on harp tonight 🙏
I had a ticket to see Bill Hicks while I was at Lpool Uni, I couldn't make it so I gave it to a friend, this was Oct 93, I naively said to my friend "No bother, I'll catch him again when tours again" by Feb 94 he was dead 😢😢😢😢😢
I'm a big fan of Bill Hicks, one of the originals. The afterlife must be a funny place with Bill Hicks, George Carlin and Richard Pryor etc. ❤👍
Yeah but the time is coming when Nish Kumar will ruin all that
all paying homage to Lenny Bruce, of course
@@rabbieburns2501 👍
One of the greatest storytellers of all time was a comic called Ron shock.
He made Richard Pryor look like an amateur.
@@shaunigothictv1003 I'll look into him, thanks.👍
Brilliant man! He would've had a field day in these times
This man reminds me of Bill cooper alot
I saw him 3 times. He’s one of my all time favorites. He joked about my hideous laugh and remembered me a year later at another show.
This is awesome thank you. 😊
Alex Jones bill hicks never got seen in same room together just sayin'
Loved you in 1990 used to nick your lines and have people in hysterics. Listening to the radio in 1994 and one of the DJs said "Bill Hicks checked out yesterday" ill never forget that moment i couldnt believe it and in the days before the internet couldnt get any information. Slowly magazine and TV docs came out. I hope you weren't too frightened or in too much pain at the end. I know you had your family around you and your friends near. You didn't die alone od'd in some hotel in nowhere ville. Plenty of time to clear out the old porn collection before mom finds it pal...🤣🤣. You gave me laughter and a left field questioning mind....oh and Bill i found out about the mushroom. Lol. You were right. I now know that time is an illusion and so you are still there in time. Vibrant and full of life and fury! I hope to meet you someday. Probably won't look like you, but ill know. It's just a ride Bill, glad you were on it with us. ✌️
"I love being here, it's a refreshing silence" made me laugh!
A pure genius ahead of his time.
Bill, we miss you 'now' more than ever...
Thanks for posting this BBC Archive. You're doing god's work.
That Elvis movie actually sounds like a really good idea! We need that made!
Bubba Ho-Tep is the closest you'll get to it. Good movie.
Miss this man so much. We need you now more than ever Bill.
Bill Hicks was one of the greats. Truthful take on life.
Regarding the question of whether his routines evolved, I would recommend the book Love All The People which documents his performances over several years and illustrates perfectly how they did exactly that in the most fascinating way.
I have my book on me wherever I go, always.
It’s crazy seeing Alex jones back in the 90s.
No.
Really enjoyed that. thank you
Used to listen to him all the time. His head would explode if he was here today.
Bill you are so missed, R.I.P. Sir.
Before Alex, we had Bill.
Bill Hicks was the best stand up comic, period. Fearless and relentless, just like his special said. And, man, do I wish I could see that Elvis movie become a reality.
He was such a good sport through out the interview but it seemed like he really wanted to finish the Elvis come back story. Brilliant guy, is missed 😢 but will be never forgotten. 😊
He's been funnier since he started playing Alex Jones.
The resemblance is uncanny
@JanuszUfamTobie very suspicious that his death was raised in Parliament as well. A cult comic with a small following, being mourned by Parliament. Very, very strange.