The Bonzo Dog (Doo-Dah) Band: C or D?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I generally get the impression that Comedy Music is considered a Bad Thing on ILM, but I think the Bonzos (Vivian Stanshall, less so Neil Innes) were something special. So I say: Classic. But it's jolly frightening out here.

― Sam, Tuesday, 31 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I like em but not at Much as The Rutles

― Mike Hanle y, Tuesday, 31 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

But the Rutles Didn't Write Their Own Stuff. Eric Idle did it (with George Harrison's help). Now the Bonzos on the other hand, you've got very stupid lyrics ('Monster Mash', 'Ali Babar's Camel'), you've got social comment ('My Pink Half Of The Drainpipe', 'Rhinocratic Oaths'), you've got really good style parodies ('Big Shot', 'Do Blue Men Sing The Whites'), you've got anti-macho sentiment ('Mr. Apollo', 'Sport') and some good grooves ('Tent'). Or am I just being obsessive?

― Sam, Tuesday, 31 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

but Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah band didn't write Ali Baba's Camel or the Monster Mash

― MarkH, Tuesday, 31 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

With most comedy records, the listener receives the impression that they only exist because the creators lack the intelligence or soul to make a non-comedy record - witness that whole horrible hybrid 'post-modernist' ironical indie pop craze that started with PWEI and continue through to this day with Beck and doubtless thousands of other names that I thankfully have never encountered.

With the Bonzos, it was the precise opposite. Vivian, Eric et al clearly had too much going on in their diseased imaginations to let out in a 'straighter' form... to call their music 'comedy' is like terming John Berger's 'Ways Of Seeing' an art criticism book. True, but kind of missing the point. Bonzos were parody primarily, and often cruel (the best kind). All human life is within those chuckles and miscues and bad puns and intros and outros and pisstakes of comic book adverts. And some cracking great tunes, and insightful lyrics too.

― Jerry, Tuesday, 31 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Here's my second promotion for Vivian Stanshall's "Sir Henry At Rawlinsworth End" on ILM. Now, that's pure, giddy genius!

― X. Y. Zedd, Tuesday, 31 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Mark, you make me sad. For years I have been telling people that "that monster song they had in the Simpson's" was actually by the Bonzos, actually, and now it turns out that I'm full of shit. Who did write it? And 'Ali Babar's Camel' too? C'mon! Surely only Sir Viv could be responsible for the way it blends into a Scottish reel near the end ("Give us a tune there, Jock!")?
XYZ, please please tell me where to get hold of 'Rawlinson End'. I read a transcript somewhere and giggled so much my face hurt. Especially the bit about the butler: "Old Scrotum, the wrinkled retainer."

― Sam, Tuesday, 31 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

who gives a fuck. Sinatra didnt wirte his songs

― Mike Hanle y, Tuesday, 31 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sam, I just did a little Internet research and discovered that not only did "Rawlinson" spawn dramatic (film and theater) sequels in England, it's been reissued on EMI and is available through CD Now--though I suppose it's probably easily found elesewhere, as well. I can finally ditch the crummy tape I made from my scratchy used vinyl copy!

― X. Y. Zedd, Tuesday, 31 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oh holy jeezum crow! The Bonzo Dog Band are farkin' CLASSIC! "Trouser Press", "The Intro & the Outro," "Jazz, Delicious Hot, Disgusting Cold," Rhinocratic Oaths".....unfettered genius!

― alex in nyc, Tuesday, 31 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"...& over there, looking very relaxed, Adolf Hitler on vibes! mmm, nice!" CLASSIC.

― duane (doorag), Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Their appearance in Magical Mystery Tour makes them a classic, not only on principle, but also because the film editing and the sudden donning of the masks adds an element of 'whoa, what?' to their performance. So does the stripper.

― matthew m., Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

sam, are you referring to the monster mash?

― ethan, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sam, just to be pedantic, The Rutles songs were all written by Neil Innes. Eric Idle had no involvement in the music at all.

As for George's involvement, of course he was in the film but Innes also played the songs for John and George before they were released incase they were offended or were going to sue him. They thought they were fine although John advised him not to release Get Up And Go because it was rather too close to Get Back. As it turned out Allan Klein (I think it was him anyway) wasn't standing for it and Innes lost the rights to all the songs, so he's never made any money out of them at all.

As for the Bonzos, not all great but classic all the same. They would be classic even if all they had done was the Intro and the Outro and the guitar solo in Canyons Of Your Mind. Plus some of their 60s TV appearances are great with false arms and silly masks much in evidence.

― MSmith, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I didn't know that Neil Innes was the Rutles writer. I guess I assumed it was Eric Idle because he wrote Python music. I am begging your pardon. "Normally I pack a rod, in pyjamas I carry only scars from Normandy beach." - Big Shot = clARSic

― Sam, Wednesday, 1 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

eleven months pass...

Actually, quite a few Python songs were done by Neil Innes too. Innes did a lot of work with Monty Python after the Bonzos broke up. You can see him as Sir Robin's Minstrel in The Holy Grail (he wrote that song), and "How Sweet to be an idiot" from several Python shows.

― Gian Perrone, Thursday, 4 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"was there not too much gristle in the blancmange!!??"

― mark s, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't know if Sam still reads ILM, but 'Monster Mash' was written by Bobby Pickett and Leonard Capizzi - it was originally a 1962 hit for Bobby "Boris" Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers.

The Bonzos were GRATE. 'Sofa Head' is the best pro-getting pissed track ever.

― Jeff W, Friday, 5 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

three months pass...

Thanks Jeff!

― Sam (chirombo), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:58 (twenty-three years ago)

i had missed this thread!
the bonzo dog band is such a CLASSIC. i wouldn't say they're a comedy band, at all. of course they have a comedy side, but the tunes are great and the songs are crafted in a way that reminds me a lot of the kinks and the best bits on momus' discography ('i want you (but i don't need you)' could be a song by the bonzos, only grosser).

― joan vich (joan vich), Wednesday, 16 October 2002 11:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

A couple of weeks ago, I found the Bonzos box set for £13 quid in HMV. Now, listening to it for the past two days, I realise this is the greatest bargain in musical history. I mean... "Look Out There's A Monster Coming"? What kinda class A white-boy reggae music hall robotic vocals mish-mash thang is this? A fucking great one, that's what.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 28 November 2002 19:04 (twenty-three years ago)

BOX SET?

*sound of feet galloping towards HMV*

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Thursday, 28 November 2002 19:25 (twenty-three years ago)

There once was a very famous man
On his famous horse he'd ride through the land
The people used to see him everywhere
When he died they put a statue in the square (hooray)

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Thursday, 28 November 2002 22:52 (twenty-three years ago)

weirdly i ALSO bought the bonzos box for £13 in t'HMV sale two saturdays ago 'cos i couldn't be bothered turning my garage upside down for the nine millionth time to find the vinyl origs. they need to be done on Church of Me, and i will do so over the weekend.

― Marcello Carlin, Friday, 29 November 2002 08:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Ok whats on the box set 'cos I've about half or two thirds of their stuff already?

The earlier, more obviously comedic records are the ones that, for the most part, keep getting cited above but surely by the time they did Keynsham the Bonzos were doing so much more.

― tigerclawskank, Friday, 29 November 2002 10:14 (twenty-three years ago)

the box set is all four original albums, "lets make up and be friendly" and a handful of early singles, some solo bonzo stuff ("labio dental fricative" and "recycled vinyl blues" from viv and neil, and "trouser freak" from roger) and the german version of "mr apollo". only doesn't have their final single "heigh ho (no matter who you vote for the government always gets in)"

oh and obviously so classic you could never believe. viv was a comic and musical genius, and neil one of the nicest blokes you could ever hope to meet

― chris browning (commonswings), Friday, 29 November 2002 10:21 (twenty-three years ago)

three months pass...

In some parallel British musical universe, Stanshall and Innes are as well-known and revered as Lennon and McCartney...
BDB; absolutely classic; everyone go out and get the *remarkable value* 'Cornology' box set, who hasn't got it... straight away dear sirs! :-)

― Tom May (Tom May), Sunday, 2 March 2003 18:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't know how I missed this before. Classic of course. Viv Stanshall was the first live act I ever saw, in I think 1975.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 2 March 2003 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

How i envy you there, Martin! I of course was seven years away from being born in 1975. ;-) Was that 'Men Opening Umbrellas' type time? (not that I've been able to hear that album as it's not out on CD...)

― Tom May (Tom May), Monday, 3 March 2003 00:06 (twenty-two years ago)

also they invented Belle & Sebastian ("Quiet Talks & Summer Walks")

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Monday, 3 March 2003 00:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I only want to hear GOOD things about them, Daniel!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 3 March 2003 00:39 (twenty-two years ago)

No it's really interesting though, since the Bonzo Dog Band were a comedy band and all that, but if someone had released that track today everyone would just go "ew, ew, twee!" and stuff. So I suppose it's a sort of prophetic parody or something (except it isn't very funny and also it's really great)

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Monday, 3 March 2003 01:28 (twenty-two years ago)

three months pass...

Daniel: but it isn't an intended parody...
There was no rule with the Bonzos that *all they did* had to be comedic parody of genre and convention. Granted, "Gorilla" and "Tadpoles" had a majority of such material (and very well achieved too), but frankly the other 3 records were straight*er* pop music (though that of course cannot sum up the scope entirely of records like "Keynsham"). Obviously they still included an element of satire at many stages... this was more pronounced with Stanshall's material ("My Pink Half...", "Bad Blood" etc.), but Innes is underrated and far from as conventional and parodic as he is perceived. Checking Marcello Carlin's CoM entry on the BDB illustrates a few things about Innes' importance.

They truly did move beyond parody, and were already beginning to do so from the debut album onwards.

― Tom May (Tom May), Saturday, 14 June 2003 00:02 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

My pink half of the the drainpipe separates me from the incredibly boring story of your life in all its minute and tedious attention to detail, and "Was it a Thursday or a Wednesday .... ?" - Well I don't know if you are normal, but if you're normal then I intend to be a freak for the rest of my life and I will baffle you with cabbages and rhinoceroses and quotations from "Now we are Six" through the mouthpiece of Lord Snooty's giant poisoned electric head.

SO THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

― Bumfluff, Friday, 6 August 2004 20:03 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

http://www.iankitching.me.uk/music/bonzos/spaceman.jpg

REVIVE-O!

Through the exceptionally good, generous graces of fellow ILM'er Abbics Abbie, I have finally aquired the above album (after merely expressing that I'd wanted to finally hear "Eleven Moustachioed Daughters" after reading so much about it here on ILM). Very nicely, she ripped the whole shebang for me, and by gosh is it ever great. All I'd heard previously were compilations, but this album really is fucking fantastic. Moreover, the lyrics to "11 Moustachioed Daughters" are truly creepy in a decidedly occult-bothering sort've way. Witness....

Eleven moustachioed daughters, running in a field of fat
The moon is high, the mandrake screams,
Please come to our Sabbat.
The changeling children shiver, round the fire their mothers dance,
With strangely painted faces,
That smile but never laugh.
The crow-pecked gibbet's victim swings broken in his cage
His hands cut down to make a crown.
To wear as our homage.
Round & round the magic ring soft figures fastly rush
And wolf-like things & toads with wings whisper wetly
"Come with us".

The fresh-plucked eye of a favourite cat,
Pulped and mixed with a white hens fat,
A lapwings' wing and lions' gall,
And Belladonna to make your eyes
Like a beasts.
To anoint the body and make it shine,
To drink & make thyself divine,
To choose another's form and make it thine.

And now they gibber blasphemy & fill the fetid air
With ancient lies & leprous cries,
This night he will be there.
A madness has them, mouths gape wide
As one they sway and moan, & every brutish face is turned,
To see our Goat-King's Throne.

Anyway, thanks again Abbie and let's hear it for the Bonzos.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 6 October 2004 23:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I foolishly sold my original pressings of this and The Doughnut in Granny's Greenhouse when I was young. "I'm the Urban Spaceman," "Beautiful Zelda," "Rockaliser Baby" - CLASSIC!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 7 October 2004 00:03 (twenty-one years ago)

"Beatufiul Zelda" reminds me a great deal of Robyn Hitchcock (who, I'd wager, was probably a big fan).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 7 October 2004 00:05 (twenty-one years ago)

The Keynsham album was maybe even better.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 7 October 2004 00:09 (twenty-one years ago)

"How long will it take to clean this shirt?"
"Three hours."
"But the sign says 59 minute clean!"
"That's just the name of the shop."

― Sasha (sgh), Thursday, 7 October 2004 02:11 (twenty-one years ago)

"Randy turned in on himself. No mean feat for a 40-stone man."

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 7 October 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I believe that Keynsham is the key album for them. Possibly their White Album? "The Bride Stripped Bare By Bachelors" has to be the greatest "rock band on tour" song ever. Bitter as hell. Plus, the title track is one of those Neil Innes songs that's just a joy to listen to. Anyone know who he's trying to parody? Musically, I'm thinking maybe Traffic. The lyrics are just classic nonsense.

"Lipstickgleam
Hexachloraphene
Cling cling a ring
Clang clang she sang
It's tragic magic
There are no coincidences
But sometimes the pattern is more obvious"

― everything, Thursday, 7 October 2004 17:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Classic! Anyone can be funny using WORDS; but like Spike Jones (and unlike Frank Zappa), the Bonzos could be MUSICALLY funny too. Roger's solo on the electric shirt collar ("New horizons in sound!") can make me smile just by thinking about it like I am right now. And who could forget Eric Clapton on ukulele? The Count Basie Orchestra on triangle? and Roy Rogers on Trigger? It's just too bad that (aside from "The Intro And The Outro") Gorilla usually gets overlooked, probably because it's got several outside compositions. It's still a great one that makes me want to shout out, "Hurrah!"

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 7 October 2004 19:16 (twenty-one years ago)

the funniest thing about "eric clapton on ukulele" is that it actually was eric clapton on ukulele!

also "eleven moustachioed daughters" has uncredited backing vocals by germaine greer.

― Marcello Carlin, Friday, 8 October 2004 06:57 (twenty-one years ago)

eleven months pass...

What year did "Mr. Apollo" come out and did the Bonzos invent glam rock?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 29 September 2005 05:11 (twenty years ago)

OK, August of '69 so maybe.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 29 September 2005 05:13 (twenty years ago)

hooray for the Bonzos! i was watching the DVDs of "Do Not Adjust Your Set" and the bits with them are awesome (well apart from the one where they are in blackface. oh dear.)

― zappi (joni), Thursday, 29 September 2005 06:12 (twenty years ago)

two months pass...

guys, guys:

2006

Saturday 28th January

Neil Innes and Friends
(The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band Revisited)
FEATURING
Rodney Slater
Roger Ruskin Spear
Legs Larry Smith
Vernon Dudley Bohay Nowell
plus special guests
THE ASTORIA
LONDON
Doors Open 1800hrs

Tickets are still available from

STARGREEN BOX OFFICE
Credit Card Hotline 020 7734 8932
www.Stargreen.com

hooooold me back!

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Sunday, 11 December 2005 17:52 (twenty years ago)

Oh holy shit....someoe must go to this!!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 11 December 2005 17:55 (twenty years ago)

and let that someone be me.

i saw neil innes at the melbourne comedy festival in 2003 - he was every bit as wondrous as i'd hoped. (i was the youngest person there by about 20 years)

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Sunday, 11 December 2005 18:02 (twenty years ago)

I saw Neil Innes a few years back, he does a good show. That Bonzo old boys line-up is something else.

― Falling down the stairs again (noodle vague), Sunday, 11 December 2005 18:13 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 116 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Got a mono "Gorilla" on Saturday!

― Mark G, Tuesday, 5 June 2018 12:10 (seven years ago)

look out there's a monster coming

― Hazy Maze Cave (Adam Bruneau), Tuesday, 5 June 2018 20:10 (seven years ago)

one year passes...

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/bonzodogbanned/

― frustration and wonky passion (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 6 July 2019 15:41 (six years ago)

Wow, what must it feel to have your legacy stolen from you.

― Dan Worsley, Sunday, 14 July 2019 10:10 (six years ago)

It's getting there...

― Mark G, Sunday, 14 July 2019 15:35 (six years ago)

one month passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFK980rXCyA

― Boulez, vous couchez avec moi? (Tom D.), Thursday, 22 August 2019 06:47 (six years ago)

The Bonzos are so great. Absolute classic for anyone who loves The Beatles, The Kinks, or British whimsy. Also, The Incredible String Band.

If you love the Bonzos, you'll adore this album:

https://img.discogs.com/QTjnzGveKAyjo8jSU7Wt0RADyJw=/fit-in/480x480/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-709666-1275289286.jpeg.jpg

― 3×5, Thursday, 22 August 2019 23:46 (six years ago)

Also Syd Barrett

― 3×5, Thursday, 22 August 2019 23:47 (six years ago)

four months pass...

Neil Innes RIP

― Alba, Monday, 30 December 2019 12:08 (six years ago)

Ouch! :(

― The Soundtrack of Burl Ives (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 30 December 2019 12:18 (six years ago)

It's a blow, for sure.

― Soup on my lanyard (Tom D.), Monday, 30 December 2019 12:30 (six years ago)

oh fuck really?

― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, 30 December 2019 12:39 (six years ago)

"... and stunned!"

― Mark G, Monday, 30 December 2019 13:19 (six years ago)

my daughter is 3 and likes the Beatles. As i generally can get sick of 'em fast, I thought it would be a good idea to play her the Rutles. Five months after doing so, she demands Rutles music more often that she does that of the Beatles or "let it Go" or "Barbie Girl" or "what does the Fox say?" I suppose I'm not unlike the dad that forces his kid to listen to Remain in Light, but I can't deny that I like that she's very likely the only child who loves the music of Neil Innes within 100 miles of where we live…

― veronica moser, Monday, 30 December 2019 20:38 (six years ago)

Innes always struck me as a guy whose talent maybe went unnoted a bit because he was, at times, the straight guy in the Bonzos. But he was a great one; his Bonzos songs include some real proto-glam in things like "Beautiful Zelda," "Rockaliser Baby," and "Mr. Apollo" and I think he was one of the best at the old-timey stuff like "Hello Mabel," too. His songs on Keynsham would have fit right in on a Kinks record from the period.

― timellison, Monday, 30 December 2019 20:59 (six years ago)

Story time, and yes it did happen!

Back when, our Alice came home from Brownie Camp. She said she'd had a great time etc, oh and she'd won the talent competition. I said ah fine, what did you sing? "The Equestrian Statue". I did wonder if I'd ruined her social outlook, but the rest you know! (well, some of you)

Anyway, just now we both caught the bus back from town together, and I mentioned I was going to share this tale. She said she didn't remember winning, but she did remember doing it and that "it was very untogether". Ah, I said, I would have expected so, to be quite honest...

― Mark G, Monday, 30 December 2019 21:55 (six years ago)

Can we talk about how amazing this is?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eFk9bAXzkI

Or how beautiful this is?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-Uuvb3zctA

Or this? This is the weird prog sound of my childhood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzByBZs4c0A

― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, 30 December 2019 22:03 (six years ago)

That is great. I've never heard that 1972 album.

― timellison, Tuesday, 31 December 2019 00:38 (six years ago)

Goodbye Nasty

― The Soundtrack of Burl Ives (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 9 January 2020 02:29 (six years ago)

two weeks pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9SQ7GeiGh8

― TS: Kirk/Spock vs. Marat/Sade (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 26 January 2020 16:24 (six years ago)

icymi

Ira Kaplan joined Gaylord Fields on WFMU for a 2-hr tribute

http://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/91049

― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Monday, 27 January 2020 18:17 (six years ago)

Imi, so thanks. Haven’t crossed paths with Gaylord in ages. Maybe last time was at LaLa Brooks show in Astoria at which Ira and Georgia were in attendance as well.

― TS: Kirk/Spock vs. Marat/Sade (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 27 January 2020 18:31 (six years ago)

Glad the playlist features the tune whose title derives from part of my screenname.

― TS: Kirk/Spock vs. Marat/Sade (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 27 January 2020 18:34 (six years ago)

if WFMU web pages still look like that, you should still be able to save the m3u, open it in notepad, copy the mp3 address and put that in getright. they're not playing fair imo.

― don't care didn't ask still clappin (sic), Monday, 27 January 2020 20:48 (six years ago)

ihonestly do not care what web pages look like

― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 29 January 2020 20:52 (six years ago)

I'm 100% in favour of radio station playlist pages still being done with tables in Composer, I just want to be able to still take the audio away and listen to it while walking or doing the dishes

― don't care didn't ask still clappin (sic), Wednesday, 29 January 2020 21:58 (six years ago)

two years pass...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKXsrWrmbAg

― When Harpo Played His ARP (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 6 September 2022 19:23 (three years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLQ7ds90xDw

― everything, Tuesday, 6 September 2022 20:33 (three years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlXXUmssNGI

― Ride On Proserpina (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 20 September 2022 13:54 (three years ago)

RFI: A long time ago a friend lent me a Bonzo Dog Band dubbed cassette, and it had a track on it that used a tape loop - an early sample, really - of pool balls being hit, and also one of a chainsaw. Does anyone know what this is and where it can be found?

I'm afraid I'll go to my grave not knowing what this was. It's possible that it wasn't even a BDB song and was just apended to the cassette, I guess, but it was very similar in style to slush in my memory, sort of a slow, 12/8 feel to it.

― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Tuesday, 20 September 2022 14:15 (three years ago)

one year passes...

#OnThisDay 1973: Roger Ruskin Spear, formerly of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, unleashes his “robots” on presenter Joe Melia and the British viewing public.

Straining plastic dolls, baffling games and a Patrick Moore machine are amongst the highlights. pic.twitter.com/ZPM62E3a64
— BBC Archive (@BBCArchive) April 7, 2024

Roger Ruskin Spear demonstrating some of his creations.

I love stuff like this and Tim Hunkin's Novelty Automaton/Under The Pier Show, Sam Smith - it all seems of a piece. Does anyone else make things like this? Some of Vic Reeves stuff is similar I guess.

― soref, Sunday, 7 April 2024 08:52 (one year ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeN275kLtaE

this documentary about Sam Smith is great, seems like it might be of interest to fans of the Bonzos

― soref, Sunday, 7 April 2024 08:53 (one year ago)

more Roger Ruskin Spear

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0l1hXdp5Zk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwZ_hMDzKmE

― soref, Sunday, 7 April 2024 09:04 (one year ago)

and Bruce Lacey, or course

― soref, Sunday, 7 April 2024 09:08 (one year ago)

Wilf Lunn was a mainstay of children’s TV in the 70s, similar absurdist hippy vibe as Ruskin Spear.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/wilf-lunn-protest-bike/zh9y6v4

― Dan Worsley, Sunday, 7 April 2024 09:10 (one year ago)

Worth watching to the end to see his worm catcher.

― Dan Worsley, Sunday, 7 April 2024 09:12 (one year ago)

Wilf Lunn is great, it's funny how there was this moment where you had stuff like Vision On where children's tv and experimental stuff could cross over, like Sylvester McCoy dividing his time between kids tv and the Ken Campbell Roadshow. Various Clive Doig shows as well

― soref, Sunday, 7 April 2024 09:22 (one year ago)

eight months pass...

Look Out, There's a 17 CD, 3 DVD Monster Coming

https://www.amazon.com/Still-Barking-Bonzo-Doo-Dah-Band/dp/B0DHLLZ5NN

Seven years in the making and put together with band's full co-operation, 'Still Barking' includes: 17 CDs documenting a spectacularly entertaining career featuring:
- Stereo versions of all of the band's original albums, carefully remastered to capture their idiosyncratic charm.
- Additional remastered versions 'Gorilla' and 'The Doughnut In Granny's Greenhouse' in their original mono mixes.
- A newly compiled remastered CD of all the band's singles.
- Two discs of demos, rehearsals, and outtakes.
- A single disc of backing tracks.
- Three discs of BBC Sessions that capture the band's eccentric live energy.
- Two live discs: Studio Bellevue, Amsterdam. Recorded: November 1968. Fillmore East, NYC, 17 October 1969.
- A CD featuring a live show from London's Marquee Club and additional material of band rehearsals from the Manor Studios in Oxfordshire.
- Plus: Three DVDs of TV performances, including the complete 'Do Not Adjust Your Set' shows, 'Colour Me Pop', 'Beat Club', and more. Highlights include rare appearances, short films, and vintage footage from the height of their career.
- 148 page hardback coffee table book featuring an essay by Bonzos authority Chris Welch and an in-depth Day By Day Chronology/Cornology by noted author Andy Neill (The Who; Ready, Steady, Go!).

― Hideous Lump, Wednesday, 11 December 2024 05:38 (one year ago)

*faints*

guess i'll have to start saving. wow.

― no lime tangier, Wednesday, 11 December 2024 06:30 (one year ago)

there's a big article in the new Ugly Things magazine where they interview surviving members.

― Thus Sang Freud, Wednesday, 11 December 2024 11:12 (one year ago)

six months pass...

Amazon.de are knocking this set out for €140 or thereabouts

― Mark G, Tuesday, 8 July 2025 19:33 (seven months ago)

What does it normally cost?

― Blake the Messenger (Tom D.), Tuesday, 8 July 2025 20:24 (seven months ago)

~£250

― Dan Worsley, Tuesday, 8 July 2025 20:29 (seven months ago)

I’m not a huge fan but feeling tempted.

― Dan Worsley, Tuesday, 8 July 2025 20:30 (seven months ago)

I'm a fan and not feeling tempted.

― Blake the Messenger (Tom D.), Tuesday, 8 July 2025 20:39 (seven months ago)

I'm a fan and I'm not spending €140 on any music, but if I had a lot more money to spare then I'd be tempted.

― Proust Ian Rush (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Tuesday, 8 July 2025 20:52 (seven months ago)

Exactly.

― Blake the Messenger (Tom D.), Tuesday, 8 July 2025 20:54 (seven months ago)

For the curious, find the first boxset they did, Cornology. Has all the albums, singles & b-sides without any bells or whistles. Second hand copies go for about $20.

― business, Wednesday, 9 July 2025 01:03 (seven months ago)

I slsked the new box to hear the live and TV stuff. It's great but often feels like you had to be there. Lots of versions of the famous numbers and fewer unheard songs. Lovely that TV recordings have slowly been made available.

Just a fascinating band though. My introduction was as the 80s era cassette compilation on MFP which was all their A1 fun and jazzy material. I couldnt get anything else by them for ages and eventually found the 1974 comp "History of the Bonzos" which presents them as a darker, more abstract and less relatable band, despite a significant overlap in tracks.

― business, Wednesday, 9 July 2025 01:25 (seven months ago)

When the albums were re-released on cd together (with bonus tracks, etc) they turned up in our local recshop for a fiver each.

I played them in the car taking Amber and Alice to dance and swimming lessons, particularly "Gorilla" and "Tadpoles" - they loved them and would sing various tunes around the house. Alice was particularly taken with "Monster Mash" so I recorded them via a downloaded karaoke backing track. I did share it on here back in the day, but its now unavailable as they are both in their mid-twenties..

― Mark G, Wednesday, 9 July 2025 02:50 (seven months ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.