Book of a Lifetime: Little Goes a Long Way by Syd Little

From The Independent archive: Robin Ince on how the TV funnyman’s autobiography sparked a change in fortunes

(Getty)

When I tell you which book had a lasting effect on my life, you may presume I am being facetious. I would like to declare that the book that truly altered the course of my life was Zola’s The Beast in Man, a book I adore. Sadly, but honestly, the book that has had the greatest impact is Syd Little’s Little Goes A Long Way. Seven years ago, I put on a show called The Award Winning Robin Ince, Star of The Office, Series 1, Episode 5 (First bit). I played a psychotic version of myself explaining in rabid tones how I was responsible for the best in UK TV and radio. I had imagined that maybe 5 per cent of the audience might really believe the man on stage was a lunatic.

A few days in, I was horrified to discover that upwards of 80 per cent believed it was real: I was Antonin Artaud reimagined by Heat magazine. They even believed the bit where I furiously punched a melon that represented Vernon Kay’s head until it exploded. My “spirit guide” in the show was Syd Little. I would read from his autobiography while the music of Philip Glass played in the background. This helped dramatise the story of Syd musing on how much Cliff Richard liked curry. To distract myself from my disaster, I took to turning up at late-night clubs with my Syd Little book and a variety of portentous tunes. I would stand in front of the pleasantly drunk crowds and read Syd as if tackling Macbeth.

( Harper Collins)