RAYMOND MEARNS

If you're up in Glasgow, check the listings and go and see this man. Don 't go expecting Jeremy Hardy, but frankly if you go to a gig expecting Jeremy Hardy then you're a bit of a tit. What you should expect though is plenty of raucous Glaswegian observations, political sideswipes and good all round factory floor banter. Maybe I sound like a wanker here but I hope I got the message across as to how good this bloke is. The place where you can see him most often is The Stand Comedy Club in Glasgow. I think he does a show called 'Dance Monkey Boy Dance' every Monday at The Stand with a load of other comics so if you're in The Woodlands Road area of the west end of Glesca then do go in and see the show, I've heard it's very good.

ADAM BLOOM

Bloomy is about the best there is and has been for years. He's a proper comic, by that I mean that he's got great jokes, great routines and great one liners. As a performer there's perhaps no one better and he lives and breathes the job. He's funny off stage and is one of those great exponents of dark stick stuff. Some people are gratuitous and get a laugh out of the shock value but Adam can do it with all the great comedy rules. I'm not drunk writing this but talking about Bloomy's comedy does make me feel like I've had a few Scotches. There's far too many comedians want to think that they're pulling the rug away from the art, that their very decomposition of the the art makes them some sort of sage but go and watch Adam Bloom and you'll just realise that basically there's only two types of stand up; good and bad. And the good comics are the ones who have good jokes.

JEFF INNOCENT

One of my best mates in showbusiness (or the thing that we do), he's the one of the finest comics I've worked with as well. East London raised, and someone with one of the keenest observation eyes but also a fine joke writer and the best I've come across at  doing pertinent political points but in a comedic user friendly format (you only have to see that done badly to realise how difficult it is!). Often found playing Up The Creek, Greenwich (Malcolm Hardee's old club), Jeff can also be seen on The national circuit, I was in Cardiff with him recently. He can be reached on www.jeffinnocent.co.uk which is his approved website. It's one of those website that gets kept up to date (very rare as you know) so you know where he'll be working this month and stuff. Do go on and if you're near where he's playing go and see him, it's definitely worth the effort.

LES PAUL MARSHALL

You've never seen anyone as funny as this bastard! A sort of a character act, Les Paul mixes really shit banter with even worse songs. The songs though, have a William Mcconnechel feel about  them (if you know who he is you're on the ball!) and are so innane they become classics. I mean how do you think that Frank Zappa, Morrissey and The Fall had great careers when, if you analyse it, their stuff is just bollocks. But it's great to listen to though. Yes I have had a few drinks while I'm writing this but I will tell you when Les Paul is playing because he has an anarchy that's long since gone in stand up comedy and his rants aren't just there for comedy effect, they sound a bit real. I don't give a fuck if they are real, he's absolutely hilarious anyway. His song about charvers to the music of teenage kicks has to be seen to be believed. He's got another one about Les's travelling medicine show and another pastiche of Kiss's Lick it Up but to be honest I've been laughing so much, I can't remember the intricacies of the joke. Go see him!!!!!