Paul B Edwards - known as the Rock 'n' Roll Poet -  is a very experienced professional comic. His jokes, songs and poetry are in demand all over the planet. Paul headlines at major UK clubs and regularly appears on national TV & Radio. 

Right Paul - how did you start performing comedy and what keeps you doing it?

I started performing comedy at university. I was telling jokes in the union bar to my mates when this guy walked up and asked me if I’d like to compere their comedy nights. I said "No". he offered me £35 a week and as much Red Stripe as I could drink. I gave up my pub job and never looked back. Ten years down the line I’ve done over a thousand gigs and still get the same buzz out of making an audience laugh that I did the very first time.

What part do you think promoters play in encouraging the growth of new comedy? Is it enough to offer open spots, or is there more?

I think promoters are actually too keen to get people on the stage for nothing. Everywhere I go I see some hapless open spot who isn’t a natural comic and wouldn’t know a good joke if it smacked them in the face. I think the London circuit especially breeds frustrated, bitter ten-minuters who will stab their mothers in the eye for a paid spot at the fuckwit and firkin or wherever it is they’re after. Good comics will always rise through the ranks and will always get the opportunity to be successful. All the also-rans do is clog up the lesser clubs and put comedy virgins off ever going to a gig again. I know this sounds harsh but I’ve been the only paid spot on the bill on numerous occasions and you get dragged down with them. The headline act should be on stage to top off an already great show, not save it from being a complete disaster.

What do you find is the best way for you to approach/contact a promoter - and are there any kinds of spots/clubs/promoters you'd avoid?

The best way to approach a promoter is to call them and see if they can get down to watch you. Failing that a video is great if you’ve got one that’s good enough to show. Five minutes on a camcorder will NOT do. I happen to think that as the circuit becomes a closed shop with agents filling up their seasons booking each other’s acts, a recommendation from a good comic will often get you slotted in far quicker - it’s also a good idea to give your available dates to people - they might never programme you in to a season but if they’re desperate at Seven o’clock on a Saturday and you’re free - they’ll have you. That’s how I started working for both Avalon and Off The kerb… the same week!

As for promoters to avoid - I wouldn’t approach Jongleurs, The Store, Up The Creek in fact all the major clubs until you’ve got a really solid twenty under your belt. You’re just wasting both your own and their time. These are the best clubs for a reason - they generally have the best acts.

Comedy clubs need five things. Good lighting, good sound, a seated audience, a paying audience and a competent host. If I’ve got all those things I’m impressed and will only have myself to blame if I’m not well received. If any of those things are missing and I fuck up, I’ve got an excuse. On a lighter note, dressing rooms near the stage are a right fucking result. I’m also impressed when I can park near or at the venue. Too often comics are treated the same as the crowd. They haven’t paid to watch some twat off the street yet nine times out of ten we’re treated like that. Buy us a beer, get us some chips and we’ll be in a better mood when we go on stage - it’s not rocket science. Noel at the Caf’ (Comedy Cafe) has got this down to a fine art - one reason he’s so popular.

How do you see yourself progressing in the comedy world - and ending up where, one day?

When I started doing stand up I thought I’d be famous in five years. I’ve been doing comedy twice as long as that and I’m nowhere near. I wrote a very good hour’s worth of stuff very quickly and started resting on my laurels but over the last twelve months I’ve given my act a bit of an overhaul and have written a load of new material. I’ve never really had a sniff of the tried and tested route to the top - and I sometimes wonder if I’d got a decent agent sooner than I did, whether things might have turned out differently. This business is a funny thing, though - I know acts who banged their heads against brick walls for years and then suddenly everything clicked into place. Don’t forget, Morecambe and Wise had been on the cabaret circuit for nearly twenty years before they got onto telly. The simple fact is that my act is best seen live - it always has been, so I’m slightly restricted. There’s also a current trend to pick competition winners for everything and I’m not allowed to compete!

This Summer I’m doing an eight week tour of Australia and New Zealand so we’ll see how that goes. Comedy has taken me all over the world, but then as the saying goes… with an act like mine, you have to travel.

Final question - if you had one key piece of advice for new acts, what would it be?

Don’t rush it, enjoy every second of it and don’t nick any of my gags or I’ll kill you.