Irvine Welsh, the Scottish novelist, shares his wild and varied life experiences. His fiction includes bizarre scenarios like God turning men into flies. He previews his highly acclaimed CRIME trilogy. The episode contains lots of swearing and offers a beeped version on the website.
Welsh embraces collaborations in radio plays and eyes transition to TV for creative freedom.
Welsh values sensitivity readers for authenticity and psychological depth in character portrayal.
Welsh critiques societal abuse by the establishment, predicts Boris Johnson's downfall, and laments corrupted media.
Deep dives
Ongoing Projects and Collaborations
Ervin Welsh discusses collaborating with Brett Easton Ellis on a radio novel project, highlighting the freedom of working on radio plays and the potential transition to TV, exemplifying his openness to collaborations while retaining creative control.
Use of Sensitivity Readers
Ervin Welsh shares his positive experiences with sensitivity readers for ensuring authentic and respectful representation in his work, mentioning their valuable contributions to enhancing the authenticity and psychological depth of character portrayals in his books and TV shows.
Political Commentary and Societal Reflections
Ervin Welsh delves into societal and political critiques in his works, delving into the abusive relationship between the British public and the establishment, prophesying the inevitability of Boris Johnson being ousted and expressing concern over the corrupted state of media and publishing.
Creative Process and Inspirations
Ervin Welsh reflects on his creative process, drawing inspiration from music to set mood and tone in his writing, mentioning the influence of vernacular language and experimentation in his books, showcasing the blend of dark themes, comedy, and social commentary in his narratives.
Guilty Pleasures and Enthusiastic Performances
Ervin Welsh admits to indulging in cheesy karaoke performances as his guilty pleasure, enjoying a repertoire of power ballads and mainstream pop hits, showcasing a fun and carefree side beyond his gritty and dark literary works.
Innovation and Impact in Literature
Ervin Welsh discusses emerging young writers and the need for platforms supporting fresh voices in literature, emphasizing the importance of unique voices and diverse narratives in the evolving landscape of contemporary writing, hinting at the significance of varied storytelling perspectives for a vibrant literary ecosystem.
Junkie, DJ, punk, pill popper, petty criminal, binge drinker, screenwriter, TV repairman: Irvine Welsh has lived more lives than the average man of letters and survived to tell the tale. In his hallucinogenic fiction, God turns men into flies as punishment for wasting their lives, babies and ravers swap bodies, and tapeworms tell stories about the humans in whose guts they reside.
The most important Scottish novelist of his generation joins How To Academy to take us inside his life and world, and offer a preview of The Long Knives, the second in his hugely acclaimed CRIME trilogy.
This episode contains lots of swearing. If you would prefer a beeped version please visit our website.
