If you're not familiar with the work of David Shrigley, look up Blur's "Good Song" video. The scribbly animation of a lonesome fairy who finds love with a squirrel, only to die after his lover regrettably mistakes his head for a nut, is the sort of sweet, blunt, wretched humour typical of Shrigley. Even if you're not a fan of Blur, when the last thirty seconds of the song is drowned out by an over-zealous leaf-blower, you'll be recommending the video to everyone you know. Shrigley is a Glasgow-based artist whose work ranges from drawings, animations, sculpture, photo, and publications, all of which are very-- for lack of a better word--funny.

Out this September by Redstone Press and Chronicle Books is Shrigley's most recent publication, The Book of Shrigley . I contacted Shrigley for a chat, here's most of what we talked about:

SA: So what's the book about?

DS: It's a sort of compendium of my work from the last 15 years as well as some found material. Most of it is previously unpublished and it's the ideal gift for a family member at Christmas time.

SA: Even though you're famous and people love your work, are there ever days when you think, "I'm really crappy"?

DS: My work is full of self-doubt, but usually about one's worth as a human being rather than an artist. I do have days of being down on myself. Sometimes I get sick of the sound of my own voice. When I feel like this I usually just go for a walk.

SA: I get sick of my voice too. Sometimes I just stop mid-sentence and act like I lost my train of thought. I especially hate hearing it when it's been recorded.

DS: I hate my own voice recorded too. I did the narration to a short animation that I have just finished. I hated my voice so much that I got an actor to do the voice instead. Though it was perhaps a more objective judgment on my part since the actors voice was better than mine.

SA: Your work is hilarious and dark and dirty and all those things they say in the essays and art catalogues. Are you the centre of attention when you go out with friends? Do people say things like, "Ha HA! Nice one David!" even when you're talking about taxes?

DA: No. I still have the mostly the same friends I've always had. Some people tolerate more nonsense from me than others, but that's probably because they don't know me that well. My real friends just tell me to shut up. I suppose fame is a relative thing. Most people still don't know who I am.

SA: So are the people who tell you to shut up all the time the ones you consider your good friends? Because I could tell you to shut up, but then this interview wouldn't get very far, would it? So is it a bad thing that people don't know who you are? You certainly don't strike me as a media slut.

DS: You don't think I'm a slut? Well that's good. You can tell me to shut up if you like but I draw the line at being called a slut. If you called me a slut I'd put your e-mail address in the spam jar and never speak to you again.

SA: I'll get off the slut thing. What kind of music are you listening to?

DS: On the pile right now are: The Fall - Complete Peel Sessions box set (blinding), The Monks - Black Time (re-issue from the 1960's on Vinyl. Check them out if you haven't heard them before), Bonnie Prince Billy and Matt Sweeney - Superwolf (I'm seeing them on Sunday at the Edinburgh Festival), and J & Friends Sing and Chant for Amma (A strange CD I picked up. J Mascis from Dinosaur Jr sets the chants his Guru taught him to music--surprisingly good).

SA: Thanks Davio.

DS: No probs.