So Sam… Tell us about the early years.

Well I was born under unusual circumstances – In the 80’s Naples, Italy was being ravaged by mafia wars. It was a Sunday and my parents being good god-fearing Catholics were in church praying away when a huge gun battle broke out. The sudden gunshots shocked my mother into early labour and I was born onto the cold flagstone floor of the Santa Maria La Nova as bullets and bits of gangster showered down around me and my doting parents. Miraculously my family escaped the carnage.

I was dragged out to the countryside; my parents terrified that we would be caught up in the violence again. I spent my childhood on the slopes of a vineyard that my parents worked on. By the age of 8 I had developed a taste for red wine and by 10 I was chained to a bed in the barn being forced into rehabilitation by my father and the vineyard owner ‘One Eyed Roberto’. I have been T-Total since that fateful day.

Out of desperation my parents moved us again, this time to England where my father became embroiled in a kitten smuggling gang and my mother started obsessively baking flapjack. I was left to raise myself on the mean streets of Worthing on the south coast. Luckily the streets of Worthing weren’t that mean and I ended up going to a pretty good school and getting an enviable education in language, history and how to hunt seagulls with a portion of chips and a tub of bicarbonate of soda.

From there I went to university and at university I helped form The Noise Next Door, the rest you probably already know.

Amazing… What draws you to improv comedy?

What you think I’m sort of drawing? Some sort of picture that someone has put into the world to be a living caricature, dancing around like some performing pencil sketch. How dare you! Next question.

Right… What do you bring to The Noise Next Door?

Well thanks to my blood and wine soaked past I have no internal boundaries when it comes to the extreme. No joke goes too far in my mind. I would say anything to anyone… Except my hero Dennis Wise, who in my eyes should be ordained as a saint immediately and anyone who wants to mock him can come through me.

I’m also the brains of the group… We all think that. But I really am. I know about the Aztecs and quantum mechanics and Hanna-Barbera cartoons and everything.

One last question… What does the future hold for you and The Noise?

One way or the other… Global domination. I have high hopes for The Noise Next Door. I think we can make it big and everyday it feels like we are getting closer… However, if all this falls apart – I’m getting my Dad and his catnappers, One Eyed Roberto and some of my la-di-da Worthing school friends together and we are going to start an organised crime syndicate that’ll make the Crays look like a tame episode of Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men.

Thanks Sam… This has been terrifying.

Ladies and gents we are happy to announce the first imaginary release of our first imaginary soundtrack! (If you care to, you can click the song titles and listen along with us!)

The Noise Next Door – The Totally Unlicensed and Unofficial Soundtrack

1)      Kanye West – Good Morning 

When we first formed The Noise Next Door way back in 2008 the five of us took an amazing trip out to the USA to be part of FRACAS, the international improv festival in LA. Our hosts made us a mix CD for our rent-a-car and this was the first track on it. Every day we woke up this was the first track we heard. It’s a sun-drenched memory of the formative days of our group.

2)      Third Eye Blind – Semi Charmed Life 

One genre we can agree on seems to be cheery pop-punk. When it came to our first Edinburgh show ‘The Improphecy Chronicles’ we decided that ultra uplifting was the way to go for our pre-show music and this track was the one that played just before we bounced onto stage all fresh faced and eager. Granted it’s all about drug abuse but we only really figured that out much later…

3)      Smashmouth – Why Can’t We Be Friends 

Another pop-punk head-bobber and our sign off music from our second Edinburgh show ‘Otherworld’. This song is perhaps the one that is most featured on mix CDs made for car journeys up and down the country. We also like it because WE ARE FRIENDS… And sometimes we need reminding of that fact.

4)      Sub Focus – Rock It 

Bluntly put, this is what happens when you let Big Tom decide our intro music. We wanted a kick-ass vibe for our third Edinburgh show ‘Chaos Control’ and he delivered us this. Largely he is made to listen to this sort of thing in sound excluding earphones but this one slipped through to become one of our favourites.

5)      The Primitives – Crash 

Conversely this is what happens when the smaller, purpler Tom takes charge. La-la 80’s pop was the order of the day to close our fourth Edinburgh venture ‘Their Finest Hour’. We like to think that we are ‘well down with the kids innit’ but frankly this song is awesome.

6)      The Royal Republic – Tommy Gun 

In the summer of 2011 we were lucky enough to perform at Download music festival. The biggest Metal and Rock festival in the UK seems, perhaps, an unlikely fit for the guys in ties but we stormed the comedy tent AND enjoyed moshing with the best of ‘em. The united decision was that this band, were the winners of the weekend. Honourable mentions go to System of a Down (Big Tom) The King Blues (Matt) Avenge Sevenfold (Sam) Bowling for Soup (Charlie) and The Darkness (Little Tom).

7)      Right Said Fred – Love for All Seasons 

We know. Right Said Fred? As in ‘I’m Too Sexy For My Shirt’ massive 90’s gay icons, Right Said Fred? Yeah. This song was introduced to the group by the childhood love of one white tied Charlie and we can’t help but enjoy the jazzy organ lines and the truly ASTONISHING lyrics. It is worth noting that despite overwhelming musical evidence to the contrary, all five of us are straight.

8)      Matthew Grant – Sofa So Good 

When Matt was asked what song reminded him of the Noise Next Door it was simply a matter of deciding which of his own songs he wanted to feature. This is less to do with startling arrogance and far more to do with ‘the personal touch’ but none the less smacks of both. It was written and performed our green tied wonder and is inspired by the fun we have when we’re not gigging and more specifically when we are moving sofas.

9)      The Cast of Chicago – Cell Block Tango 

This is our surprising yet always entertaining karaoke song of choice. If you take the five of us into a karaoke bar expect to hear this one within the hour. We think it’s brilliant. We may well be wrong. Solo favourites include Elvis’ Love Me Tender (Sam), Tom Jones’ It’s Not Unusual (Big Tom), Shakira’s She-Wolf (Little Tom – We know…), R-Kelly’s Remix to Ignition (Matt) and Right Said Fred’s Deeply Dippy (Charlie – He really does love them.)

10)   Public Enemy and Anthrax – Bring The Noise 

Our man in red Sam has been banging on about us using this track since our inception. “It’s cool because it’s like it’s bringing us!” and other hopeful phrases of encouragement have been thrown around for almost four years. Well Sam, persistence has paid off. ‘Bring The Noise’ is the title of our upcoming and fifth Edinburgh Fringe show. It would seem a little rude to NOT use this as our walk on track! Yeaaaaah Boy!

Is it Episode 6 of the Improv Adventure series by The Noise Next Door set on the Isle of Wight?

It is! Uncanny!

We hope you enjoy our first LIVE adventure where your tweets kept us moving all day long… Share it with the world. Spread the love people!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VujJ6SRo7E&context=C43b766fADvjVQa1PpcFPtYl4kTnLtBXQdDYmKY974ly3ZkZQuy1k=

1)      Food: The five of us together have the combined appetite of an inner city school. We love to eat and are incredibly appreciative of any venue that is kind enough to provide us with food. Charlie is a dirty veggie, which comes with a whole range of inbuilt problems and confused looking waiting staff. Little Tom only eats burgers, which in the classy venues we gig in is never a problem. Big Tom and Sam will eat literally anything, in as large a portion as is available whilst Matt despite having the physique of a garden hoe once ate a whole cow backstage in Birmingham.

2)      Unusual Entertainment: In Nottingham we rocked out on a grand piano with Nathan Caton, in Newcastle we played ping pong with Chris Ramsey and Kai Humphries whilst in Oxford we shared our green room with a 6ft tall cuddly gorilla. We abused that gorilla. That poor, innocent toy gorilla. Finding a game backstage is like watching a cat loose it’s balance – unexpectedly satisfying. Recently the Tom’s unearthed a game of Guess Who in Brighton and spent an hour playing ‘Non Physical Guess Who’ asking questions like “Has your character ever had an affair at work?” and “Has your character ever worked as a butcher?” – Amazingly – They both got it right. Spooky.

Just a typical backstage scene... No actually, this is mental.

3)      Good People: We wouldn’t want to make a list of our favourite comedians that we have met back stage – The truth is that on our four years on the comedy circuit we have made a lot of really wonderful friends. We really are honoured to be in an industry full of people that make us laugh on and off stage. It makes our job so much easier.

4)      Caffeine: HOW DARE YOU LOOK US IN THE EYES WITHOUT BRINGING US F*%KIG COFFEE! WHAT THE F#@K IS? THIS AMATEUR HOUR? BRING US COFFEE RIGHT F^£kING NOW OR WE WILL CALL OUR AGENT AND HE WILL EAT YOUR UGLY F*@KING HEAD FOR BREAKFAST. (Or similar)

 “Call BBC3 – this show’s ready to go.” Latest 7

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Joining The Noise Next Door this month, in what has to be comedy’s most delightful line-up, are…

Daniel Sloss is one of the U.K’s fastest rising comedy stars. The Scottish star has appeared on ‘Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow’, ‘8/10 Cats’ and ‘Jason Manford’s Comedy Rocks’ and is currently touring the country with his hit solo show ‘The Joker’. (www.danielsloss.com)

Isy Sutie is the queen of British musical comedy. She is Dobby on C4’s Peep Show, Kiki on BBC’s Whites and she won Loaded Magazines funniest woman of 2011! Endlessly enthusiastic and incredibly charming Miss Suttie is one of the finest acts working in the U.K today.

The Noise Next Door’s Comedy Lock-In

Thursday 23^rd February

8.00pm

Komedia, 44-47 Gardener Street, Brighton, BN1 1UN

Tickets: £10 (standard), £18.50 (meal deal ticket)

Book Online at www.komedia.co.uk/brighton

We’ll play any sport that becomes available to us. In the past on the road we have played pool, table tennis, basketball (“I’m better at Netball” Matt – We assume he went to an all-girls school), football, touch rugby, snooker, high diving (“Never again, you bastards” Charlie – He got his hair wet), darts and golf (“I’m built for war not pissy sticks and balls” Big Tom – He’s really bad at golf… He’s also definitely not built for war. He’s built for cake). But if the mood strikes and no sporting equipment is to hand we are more than happy to launch into some makeshift athletics… Broom-Javelin, Round-The-Green-Room Chair-Hurdles and Compact Discus (“Use my One Direction album, I really regret buying it.” Little Tom – He’d already put it on his iPod. He loves it) have all been huge successes. We love games… Once we played hide and seek for nearly an hour. (“I can’t believe you didn’t find me” Sam – Sam played for nearly two hours.)

It’s not all manly displays of sporting prowess (It’s never that, if we’re honest), we also get the brain engaged. Cryptic crosswords, the incredible quiz app Sporcle (Do check it out Trivia fans) and various card games keep us sharp. However the thing that takes up most of our time is preposterous hypothetical questions. If bored consider these…

-“If we knew the earth was going to be destroyed by a giant meteor 100 years from now how would you go about trying to evacuate mankind?”

-“Explain, in detail, your superhero alter ego – Name, Powers, Costume, Origin Story, Nemesis, Allies, Transport and Greatest Act.” (Also works well with supervillain)

-“Could the five of us beat a bear in a fight?” (We think yes if we follow our tactical battle plan, in which Matt will sadly, almost certainly die.)

We hope these dscussions fill some time on a long journey for somebody… Also included here, for your amusement, is Sam and Charlie planking a Mercedes. I mean, why not? May the games continue!

Those guys look heavy... They might even weigh a plank tonne. (Why?)

December’s Winter Warmer show features not only some extra large helpings of The Noise Next Door but also the comedy stylings of Joe Lycett and Andrew Lawrence.

Andrew Lawrence is the multiple award winning star of Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow. A true legend of the UK comedy circuit, Lawrence uses his incredible vocabulary and uniquely frustrated outlook on life to weave some of the most impressive comedy routines ever written. www.andrewlawrencecomedy.co.uk

Joe Lycett is possibly the most charming man in comedy. One of the fastest rising stars of the last few years, Joe has already appeared on ‘8 out of 10 Cats’ on C4 and co-hosted the BBC’s ‘Epic Win’! Expect silliness abound and a ruddy good time indeed. www.joelycettcomedy.co.uk

What festive fun does The Noise Next Door have in store for their guests?

How will Lycett and Lawrence fair in the now infamous Comedy Mastrmind?

And in creating next year’s Christmas number one, just how far will the guys in ties go?

The Noise Next Door’s Comedy Lock-In: Winter Warmer!

Date: Thursday 30^th December

Time: 8.30pm

Place: Komedia, 44-47 Gardener Street, Brighton, BN1 1UN

Tickets: £10 (standard), £8 (concessions), £18.50 (meal deal ticket)

Book Online at www.komedia.co.uk/brighton

Please support the guys by donating on their official charity page. You can support them by CLICKING HERE!

In other comedy-tache related news The Noise Next Door are performing as part of an all lip-bearded comedy extravaganza on the 28th of this month. ‘Comedians With Cookie Dusters’ is set to be an amazing night of comedy and an even more amazing of fundraising for a great cause… Details can be found HERE.

Enjoy a real life castle and the various misadventures of Big Tom and Charlie as they embark on the epic quests suggested by the good folk of Twitter and Facebook.

Enjoy Episode 3 right here… ‘In Your Fantasy’

The second in our Improv Adventure series has arrived! ‘Fearmonger’ is a very spooky Halloween themed episode with all sorts of undead goings on, horror movie rip-offs and some very sexy witches.

Please watch it and tell your friends!

Improv Adventure 2 – ‘Fearmonger’

Episode 3 is on it’s way soon…