The Gospel According to Blindboy

About the book

Sunday Business Post Book of the Year Blindboy Boatclub is one half of the Rubberbandits, Ireland's foremost satirist and now the talented author of a collection of brilliant short stories and visual art. Published to critical acclaim, his first collection is powered by big themes and even bigger ideas. There are stories about a van fuelled by Cork people's accents, Tipperary's first ISIS recruit, a sexually aggressive banshee and a fridge dragged heroically through the streets of Limerick. The Gospel According to Blindboy questions and challenges the complacencies and contradictions at the heart of modern Ireland. Whip-smart, provocative and animated by his unmistakable dark wit, it is one of the most original collections of short stories to emerge in recent years. 'Mad, wild, hysterical, and all completely under the writer's control - this is a brilliant debut.' Kevin Barry 'There is genius in this book, warped genius. Like you'd expect from a man who for his day job wears a plastic bag on his head but something beyond that too. Oddly in keeping with the tradition of great Irish writers.' Russell Brand 'If you've ever witnessed (there's no other word for it) a Rubberbandits video you'll be anxious (there's no other word for it) to read this collection of short stories from one of the originators. I hesitate to use the word author as the experience is as close to reading a traditional short story as being burnt by a blow torch. Essential, funny and disturbing.' Danny Boyle 'One of Ireland's finest and most intelligent comic minds delivers stories so blisteringly funny and sharp your fingers might bleed. In language so delicious you can taste it, we're shown holy and unholy Ireland: a land of lock-ins, nettle stings, stone-mad Cork birds, gas cunts and Guiney's jeans. No one is safe - we all have the unmerciful piss ripped out of us and there's no escape from the emotional gut punches, expertly dealt.' Tara Flynn 'Demented, dishevelled and deeply surreal - Blindboy Boatclub's book will shock and delight.' Irish Independent 'It's not for the faint-hearted.' Joe.ie 'You won't be disappointed. It will take you to places unexpected.' Ryan Tubridy

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Blindboy Boatclub Biography

David Chambers, commonly known as Blindboy Boatclub, is an Irish satirist, musician, podcaster, author, and TV presenter. Boatclub is from Limerick and is best known as one half of the Irish comedy hip-hop group The Rubberbandits, who wear plastic shopping bags as masks to conceal their identities. He regularly discusses mental health, masculinity, and other socio-political issues.Since 2017, he has been making The Blindboy Podcast, a podcast featuring interviews and coverage of social issues. He has also published two collections of short stories, and appeared on a number of television and podcast programmes. Between 2018 and 2019, he produced a BBC Three documentary series, Blindboy Undestroys the World.

Personal life

David Chambers was born in Limerick in 1984, where he attended secondary school in Ardscoil Rís. While at school, he met Bob McGlynn and formed the satirical comedy pairing The Rubberbandits (performing under the pseudonyms "Blindboy Boatclub" and "Mr Chrome" respectively). Chambers later attended the Limerick School of Art and Design.Chambers was diagnosed with autism in his 30s following comments from Blindboy Podcast listeners.

Podcast

Originally touring and performing as part of a duo, Chambers (under the name Blindboy Boatclub) has produced a number of "solo" works, including a podcast which covers topics such as mental health, politics, culture, music, and history. In the Blindboy Podcast, Boatclub sometimes provides "hot takes" and social commentary alongside personal stories and "absurdist riffs". The podcast has also included interviews with people such as Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, Spike Lee, Emma Dabiri, Colm O'Gorman, Cillian Murphy and other comedians, activists and academics.The podcast reportedly has 250,000 weekly listeners in Ireland and over a million worldwide listeners monthly. Boatclub has also played live tours of the podcast around Ireland and the UK, also touring in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

Twitch stream

Beginning in 2020, Boatclub began a regular Twitch stream, which to date has featured him playing Red Dead Redemption II, while also creating live music using a combination of guitars, keyboard, drums, cowbell and his own ad-libbed vocals, and interacting with fans. From January 2021, he reduced the stream to just Thursday evenings, in order to concentrate on other work.

Television

Boatclub made a five-part documentary series called Blindboy Undestroys the World for BBC Three which explored contemporary issues in the UK. The 2018 pilot episode, which covered the housing system in the UK, was long-listed for a BAFTA award. This was followed by a four-part series in 2019 which looked at precarious employment, anxiety, the internet, and modern slavery.Boatclub has also appeared on several Irish programmes, including The Late Late Show and The Tommy Tiernan Show. He has also appeared on Russell Brand's Under the Skin with Russell Brand and The Trews web s ... Read full biography