THE CONCERT FOR GEORGE HARRISON

[Jemble Fred]

HMV may not have had the Secret Policeman's Ball DVDs, but they did have this, for the executive price of £29.99 (well, it goes to the Material World charity I suppose and the packaging's nice) and it was an awesome experience. Paul and Ringo playing together for possibly the last ever time, Dhani Harrison just an unbelievable double for his Dad circa 1960, and all in all I stared at my TV in rapture for nearly three hours. Remarkable stu...

What the fuck is this doing in the comedy forum? The happy clappy git's dead, and it's not as if the Beatles were any good, is it?

Cunt.

The point is, as you may be aware, there's a Monty Python section in between the Indian music and the Rock & Roll, and I'm shocked that it hasn't been mentioned on here before.

Jones, Gilliam, Idle and Innes performed Sit On My Face (complete with sexaginarian arses) and then Mr Palin arrived in a spangly DJ to give a eulogy, which goes all wrong, heralding a very funny song about a transvestite lumberjack, with Carol Cleveland.

Okay, so it's hardly new material but it warms the heartles of my cock to see the dear old craggy chaps doing such a great job - when was the last time you saw them perform this stuff? 1983? It was also nice to see an extremely humble Idle, just one of the chorus so to speak. And McCartney and Innes left the stage at the very end of the show arm in arm. It really did turn me into a jibberingly sentimental old fool, and very glad that I'd parted with that £29.99.

[TotalNightmare]

and that night, Jemble slept soundly...

and it was said, that his heart grew three sizes that night...

bless

[Darrell]

I keep going to get this and then running scared at the price sticker.

[Jemble Fred]

I keep going to get this and then running scared at the price sticker.

Been doing that for the last week, but I'm glad that I finally found the nerve. Haven't checked out the extras yet though.

[Darrell]

Haven't checked out the extras yet though.

Apparently there's a massive wodge of Python backstage footage on it.

[Jemble Fred]

Haven't checked out the extras yet though.

Apparently there's a massive wodge of Python backstage footage on it.

Isn't there just. Look, for any Python fans out there, this post MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS after a fashion, but I have to reiterate that I'm soo glad I finally bought this - the 12 minutes of backstage footage of Palin, Idle, Jones, Gilliam, Cleveland and Innes were truly priceless as far as I'm concerned. Not only do you get the official performance of possibly the last ever snatch of Python before they all die, but to see them rehearsing and having such a good time was a treat I really wasn't expecting. Okay, so there are loads of shots of their arses, but I can deal with that. It's so good to see Eric Idle mucking in and having a laugh - to my knowledge he has never done ANYTHING for charity before in his life (okay, he performed One Leg Too Few in the US once upon a time in a Pete tribute). And I had no idea that Tom Hanks was one of the mounties - he's obviously overjoyed to be an honorary Python for a night. Plus Palin got in the real surviving Fred Tomlinson singers to back him... I just can't gush fast enough about this whole show. There'll never be a collection of stars together like this ever again, and with an apparent (well I believe it) total lack of ego, from Macca down to the unknown sitar players.

Before we had to thank George for his music, The Life Of Brian, Jabberwocky, Time Bandits, etc, etc, etc... Now we've got one final piece of comedy and music history to remember him by. I think I might watch the whole thing again tonight.

[Darrell]

Update - this is on BBC1 next Friday (April 2nd), in a shitty post-pub timeslot (11:30pm - 1:10am). It follows the last ever TV Burp on ITV, late-night TV viewing fans.

Seems like it's the complete thing, which is unusual for concert videos stuck on telly. But why so late? This happened with the telly broadcast of McCartney's USA tour vid too.

I'm moaning about this here, whilst knowing full well I go to bed at 5am. What am I doing?

In other Harrison news, the more hard-to-find releases from his solo back catalogue have been remastered and released in a big deluxe box set which all seems too good to be perfect.

[sgt_toomey]

Interestingly (though perhaps a bit hokey) George believed the 'energy' and spirit that had propelled the Beatles along transferred from the fab four into the Pythons when the Beatles split up.

Also quite interesting, Macca didn't know how to play the Harrison songs he performed up until the day before the concert. Nice to know he took an interest in his former band-mate's musical career.

[Darrell]

Also quite interesting, Macca didn't know how to play the Harrison songs he performed up until the day before the concert. Nice to know he took an interest in his former band-mate's musical career.

"...and I mean - the Frog Song, anyone?!"

How is he a bastard for not knowing off by heart the lyrics and chords of George Harrison's entire back catalogue?

[lazyhour]

...the last ever TV Burp on ITV, late-night TV viewing fans.

Oooh, how d'you know it's the last ever?  Is there a development I'm not aware of?

They said "Fuck" at the end of TV Burp tonight!  I never thought I'd hear that on a Harry Hill show.

[Darrell]

Bumpty Dumpty.

[Spaced Cadet]

Bumpty Dumpty.

Cheers Darrell

[Pinball]

Well this isn't on amazon..

[Darrell]

Well this isn't on amazon..

Moo!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000CEB4V/qid=1080943529/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_11_1/202-8245477-6752665

[Darrell]

Does the DVD have every other song interrupted by talking heads? I want to hear the bloody songs - Tom Petty wittering on should be left to the DVD extras.

[Neil]

At least you're getting the show, I'm absolutely exhuasted but stayed up for this and fucking Wild West is on.  It better be on after this!

[Pinball]

Well this isn't on amazon..

Moo!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000CEB4V/qid=1080943529/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_11_1/202-8245477-6752665

I feel such a fool ;-)

(thanks)

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

Well I thought it was good, I taped the last 45 minutes because I was so tired but the bits I saw were good. I agree it was a bit annoying having the songs interrupted but as Neil says it's suprising their showing it anyway. Did anyone else find Tom Petty really annoying when singing Tax Man, the first time 'Tax Man' is said in the chorus he said it in a really annoying way. Well that's what I thought.

[Jemble Fred]

I didn't really have any experience of Tom Petty before this, and I find him to be a great sodding irritant who talks like a rock cliché and can't exactly sing, although he managed a reasonable George impression on 'Handle With Care', which it was annoying to see interrupted. I think I had a bit of a fantasy that they might replace 'Wilson' and 'Heath' with 'Blair' and Bush' in Taxman; I thought George would like that, but no.

Luckily the DVD contains last night's version as well as the full entire Uncut version, in the right order, which last two or three hours or so. Plus extra interviews. And the cash goes to The Material World foundation.