The Big Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band Thread

[Sovereign]

Oh god I love this band, really I do. I used to love Mr Apollo when I was a kid, it was the most deliciously oddball and funny song I'd ever heard at that point in my life, and I still get a good chuckle when I hear it today!

Once, I was a four stone apology. Now, I am two seperate Gorillas!

[SurferGhost]

Here, I'm feeling kindly, so have an extremely rare one:
FREAKS (Stanshall, Innes, Keith Moon, etc) - Watcher (Peel session)
"...it's such hard work, watching."

...and one for Johnny Cash fans:
The Bonzos - Bad Blood

[Jemble Fred]

Here, I'm feeling kindly, so have an extremely rare one:
FREAKS (Stanshall, Innes, Keith Moon, etc) - Watcher (Peel session)
"...it's such hard work, watching."

Craaaaaaaaaazy. Ta fifteenfold for that.

[SurferGhost]

How Surferghost Discovered The Bonzos by Surferghost of CaB (age undisclosed)

It was a balmy summer evening in 1979, and a bored teenaged Surferghost was idly flipping through his weird hippy Uncle's record collection to see if he had a copy of that naughty Electric Ladyland album, when he stopped dead at a strangely-decorated blue and silver record cover with the word "Keynsham" written across it's top in strange hand-crafted lettering. Pausing only briefly to enter into the First Person* I then noticed in a smaller hand, the words Bonzo Dog Band, and although I didn't really know any of their songs, I knew of them as they were still at that time relatively well-known. And my Uncle Mick was always going on about them to my Dad, and anyone else who'd listen. I thought I'd see what all the fuss was about, so out came the record. I read the song titles and the sleeve notes, and then I had to hear it.
"And since then I've never looked back".

My Uncle Mick died of head cancer in 2003, still laughing his arse off at life until for him it abruptly stopped, and in that admirable spirit I continue to enjoy The Bonzos and all who sailed in them.

The Bonzos were my third musical love affair, after The Who and the Small Faces, but this love is arguably stronger and longer-lasting than either of those. Good job, too, as I was in danger of becoming a mod.

No, not that sort of mod.

*stop sniggering at the back there

[Des Nilsen]

Just a quick post to say that I love what I've heard here.

;D

-

[SurferGhost]

A couple of Rutles tunes, then:
Joe Public is a semi-serious Revolveresque musical exercise, while  
Doubleback Alley is as near to a biting satire as Neil Innes gets with the idea, a peek behind Penny Lane:

Doubleback Alley takes me back
And in my mind I see
Happy smiling faces
If I flog my memory

[sam and janet evening]

I keep meaning to post something here, but I don't really have much to contribute save "Aren't the Bonzo's (and all who sailed...) great" but anyway...
I once saw Innes and he did a very funny Elton John piss-take featuring the lines "and what if we're all trees, and who's to say we're not?" which continue to make me laugh. Oh, and 'Big Shot' was my favourite song as a child.

[SurferGhost]

I once saw Innes and he did a very funny Elton John piss-take...

Ah yes, you mean this:
Godfrey Daniel

[Pearl's away]

The Bonzos are more important to me than I can describe.  My early exposure to their music was through my dad, who had Gorilla, Doughnut and I'm The Urban Spaceman (a budget reissue of Tadpoles with a different cover).  It was "The Intro And The Outro" that directly led me to take up a musical instrument, which led to my pursuit of a musical education and indirectly down the slightly odd path my life has taken.  Vivian Stanshall has probably had a more profound effect on my existence than any other creative person; I still squirm with delight on hearing new treasures involving him.

I'd also like to single Dennis Cowan out for praise.  The bass playing on the Keynsham album is awesome.

[SurferGhost]

I'd also like to single Dennis Cowan out for praise.  The bass playing on the Keynsham album is awesome.

He was great wasn't he, he gave them a real kick. Very underrated I think. It was only a couple of years ago that I finally found out the reason we never heard of him after The Bonzos was down to the fact that he died in 1973.

[Banana Woofwoof]

Well, I've added a poll to this topic, so what's your favourite Bonzos album?  I didn't include live things and etc.

On with more material! This is a beautiful little radio piece called from Essex Teenager to Renaissance Man.  I mentioned it earlier in the thread but it's a joy to listen to.  It's basically Vivian reminicising and revisiting his early years with the aid of old friends and his mum.   It's rather poignant in places (it paints a very clear picture of how he felt about his dad, and his mum tells him that he loved him, Viv's general attitude is, "He never showed it")  but absolutely wonderful.  I've uploaded it on Yousendit but if anyone would like to reupload it on Rapidshare, please do, it wouldn't let me for some reason.  Yousendit is rather limited so grab hold of it now.

From Essex Teenager to Renaissance Man

Also rather lovely is Stephen Fry's Big Shot documentary on Radio 2 in 2001.  Have a listen here.

My eyes water when trying to think of a band I love as much as the Bonzos.  Real love, and I can't think of anyone else.  To think five years ago I would have said, "The Manics" and spat at you.

[alan strang]

For Banana Woofwoof, who expressed an interest. You want rare Bonzos? You got rare Bonzos...

http://rapidshare.de/files/2055191/It_Was_A_Great_Party_-_The_Bonzo_Dog_Band.mp3.html

'It Was A Great Party (Until Somebody Found A Hammer)' is an unreleased Bonzos song ("a beat-y thing..."), recorded during their Sunday night shows at The Marquee club in 1967 (as far as I'm aware anyway - I'm sure the scenario was mentioned on a Radio 1 documentary about the venue many moons ago) and intended as a single B-side. It's sometimes cited as a Gorilla out-take but I've no idea if a studio version was ever attempted.

The file above is the full nine and a half minute tape of the recording and features the audience being instructed on their 'participation', including a few brief run-throughs. The sound quality fluctuates throughout - some bits are a tad distorted - but on the whole it's pretty good. I've had a go at cleaning up the source material, and rechannelled it for stereo.

The only info about the track I can find via Google refers to the similarly unreleased Bonzos 'tribute' CD of the same name which Jim Yoakum tried to put together ages back.

I think the song's title originally came from one of those sensationalist dime novels much favoured by Stanshall. I'm sure he alluded to the original book during his 'One Man's Week' TV show.

"It's a load of rubbish of course..."

[Banana Woofwoof]

You star, that was shambolically ace.  Where did you get it from? And why do they seem to be performing the Bottom theme tune?

TJ mentioned some TV appearances earlier so here some of them are.  Of varying quality but enjoy!

Here comes...

The Equestrian Statue

Music for Head Ballet

Beautiful Zelda

I am pumping you again...

Canyons of your Mind

By A Waterfall

[Darrell]

And why do they seem to be performing the Bottom theme tune?

Funny you should say that. Guess what group Simon Brint and Adrian Edmondson's major influence for the Bottom theme tune was...

[Neil]

The Bottom theme tune is actually a cover of a 60's record called "Last Night" by the Mar-keys.

[TJ]

The 'Bottom' theme tune is a reworking of 'Last Night' by the Mar-Kays. The Bonzos were always throwing quotations from contemporaneous hits into their live performances - there's one live gig where they throw a bit of 'Smokestack Lightning' into 'Can Blue Men Sing The Whites', another where they preface one song (can't remember which) with the intro from Eric Burdon and The Animals' 'San Franciscan Nights', and another still where they play the intro from 'Pinball Wizard' and, to the amusement of the audience, stop suddenly just where the song proper would have kicked in.

[Neil]

Ha, snap!

[Banana Woofwoof]

Admit it, you two are different parts of the same person, aren't you?  That person being seven foot eight with a frightening Scouse/Norn Irish hybrid accent.

[Darrell]

The Bottom theme tune is actually a cover of a 60's record called "Last Night" by the Mar-keys.

Ooh. In which case I've put two and two together and made five.

Edmondson's definitely a *massive* Bonzos fan, though.

[Neil]

Admit it, you two are different parts of the same person, aren't you? That person being seven foot eight with a frightening Scouse/Norn Irish hybrid accent.

Can't believe it took you this long to work out!

Ooh. In which case I've put two and two together and made five.

Well it's easily done, because for some reason the original artists are rarely credited for things like this.  Another one that springs to mind is one of the "A Bit Of Fry And Laurie" theme tunes...credited to Phil Pope (EDIT: Just checked and it's actually credited to Harry Stoneham), but clearly originally "Mardi Gras In New Orleans" by Professor Longhair.  Fun when you stumble upon the originals though, so I don't mind that much.

The Bonzos are excellent, I'm gearing up to go through all my Syd Barrett stuff again (Summertime to me means digging out Chris Morris Music Shows and Barrett stuff) but will definitely be digging out the Bonzos compilation that nice man Paaaaul made me for my birthday last year.

[SurferGhost]

Heh, I can see this turning into The Battle Of The Rarities.
Why, this would be the ideal thread to post up that rehearsal snippet from .... , wouldn't it?

*cough*


It's far too tough to really choose my favourite Bonzo album and have it set in text for eternity though, who do you think I am, Meryl Streep?

[Darrell]

Heh, I can see this turning into The Battle Of The Rarities.
Why, this would be the ideal thread to post up that rehearsal snippet from Let's Make Up And Be Friendly, wouldn't it?

*cough*

You bastard! You've ruined my grand surprise!

I am just trying to find it and the 1999 demos and will post them up here...

[alan strang]

Heh, I can see this turning into The Battle Of The Rarities.
Why, this would be the ideal thread to post up that rehearsal snippet from Let's Make Up And Be Friendly, wouldn't it?

Nah, go straight for the live Freaks bootleg - so everyone can ponder on whether that bloke laughing all the way through it is actually in the audience or if it's a pre-recorded effects tape of the vocal session for 'Slush'.

[SurferGhost]

Whoo-hoo!  And sorry.

But mostly whoo-hoo!



Note edit, it can still be our secret for a bit.

[Darrell]

Nah, go straight for the live Freaks bootleg - so everyone can ponder on whether that bloke laughing all the way through it is actually in the audience or if it's a pre-recorded effects tape of the vocal session for 'Slush'.

Challenge accepted, sir.

[SurferGhost]

What, the whole thing? Selected highlights only, shirley. Nah, that FREAKS boot is ten a penny, even my mother's got a copy. Has anyone ever figured out a proper date for it yet though? Sometime in 1971/2 is favourite I should imagine (use of the Radio Flashes sketch), but I've heard of people trying to pass it off as being as late as 1974 (clearly wrongly).

As for The Laughing Man, he was clearly their muse.

[alan strang]

I'll raise you Stanshall's Peter Gabriel LP radio ads (all nine of them if I'm in a good mood).

[SurferGhost]

Has anybody got The SS Sausage to hand?


Yes of course that was intentional

[Jemble Fred]

Won't it be a bit cruel to put Yoakum's album tracks up here? After all, none of us has done anything to deserve it.

Could have been SO GOOD as well...

[Darrell]

Won't it be a bit cruel to put Yoakum's album tracks up here? After all, none of us has done anything to deserve it.

Them's the tracks, bucky.