This is a classic live and almost Theatrical act from the legendery Pioneers of their time, The Bonzo Dog doo Dah Band. This is just a totally amazing set. They truly were well ahead of their time and knew how to pull of an amazing live show simply by mucking around and enjoying themselves whilst making a good point.
The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band Live
The Playlist
- Neil Innes Interview
- Big Shot
- You Done My Brain In
- Hello Mabel
- Urban Spaceman
- Quiet Talks and Summer Walks
- I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles
- Canyons of Your Mind Trouser Press
The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band
The group was originally formed in 1962 by Viv Stanshall and Rodney Slater as The Bonzo Dog Dada Band, a name they derived from a word game. However, Stanshall soon renamed the band The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. They had a kind of steady core of members. But the band was notorious for having so many people coming and going, some only for One practice session. It’s said that the group went through about 50 peripheral members over the short time between 1962-65.
The main members of the loosely assembled conglomerate were Stanshall and slater along with Friend Tom Parkinson on sousaphone, Chris Jennings on Trombone, Roger Wilkes (Happy Wally) on Trumpet, Trevor Brown on Banjo, Claude Abbo on Saxophone and Tom Hedge on Drums. However, after a little while and a bit of turbulence, the band was soon to enlist the input of Singer, Songwriter and Guitarist Neil Innes and Bassist Vernon Dudley Bowhay-Nowell.
Coming Together
The band spent Two or Three years chopping and changing members as they came and went. It wasn’t really until about 1965 that they had actually nailed a solid crew of band members which were Viv Stanshall (Lead Vocals), Neil Innes (Guitar, Vocals & Piano), Roger Slater (Clarinet & Saxophone), Big Sid Nichols (Banjo), Lenny Williams (Trumpet) , Roger Ruskin Spear (Saxophone & Devices), Raymond Lewitt (Tuba), Bowhay-Nowell (basses/banjo), Sam Spoons (drums/percussion) and John Parry (Trombone) who left soon after to form his own band The Pasadena Roof Orchestra.
However, Lewitt was soon to be replaced by Larry ‘Legs’ Smith on Tuba. Smith was one of Stanshall’s good friends and drinking buddies and despite his distinct lack of musical Talent, Viv was keen to have him in the band to expose and utilize his charisma and ability to make a show all the more entertaining with his famous Tap dancing routine he’d pull on stage.
Getting Serious
By now, the group had started to take themselves semi-seriously and were playing gigs quite regularly at The Tiger’s Head in Catford, South London and at The Deuragon Arms in Homerton, East London where they always seemed to get a great turnout and go down well with more and more people turning up to see them. It was around this time that the group were introduced to Reg Tracey a businessman well connected with the Music industry and who had connections in the Northern English Working Men’s Club circuit where the band proved to be very successful.
With the band members starting to reap the rewards of musicianship like actually getting paid decently for gigs at last and plenty of them, the band carried on playing. Each gig and venue they played, with their weird and wonderful characters theyd meet within, served to fuel the band with more to sing about. They incorporated these experiences into their songs.
Tracey had his contacts with the TV stations and Record Companies and managed to secure the band a few openings. He got them a slot on the BBC Children’s programme Blue Peter hosted by John Noakes. Here they performed “Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey” . He also secured them a record deal with Parlophone in April 1966.
They soon cut their First single “My Brother Makes The Noises for the Talkies”. This was backed with “I’m going to bring a watermelon to my Girl tonight”. Soon after, they cut their Second Single “Alley Oop” in October of the same year. This was backed with “Button Up Your Overcoat”. However, both singles turned out to be a bit of a flop. It wasn’t long before the band sacked Tracey, recruiting the more promising Gerry Bron as the groups new manager.
A Change in Direction
When the Bonzo’s First started off, and for the First few years, they played Jazz and 1920’s style popular music. But by 1967, the band was now contemplating a change in direction, leaning more and more toward contemporary Rock music. When band member Bob Kerr left to help songwriter Geoff Stephens to form a front for his previously fictitious New Vaudeville Band, he took a part of the Bonzo’s show with him and the band had to adapt to maintain their own unique sound.
What D’ya Think then?
So, did you enjoy that show then? I hope you enjoyed it and found it as entertaining as I did. But whatever you thought of it, we’d certainly love to hear your thoughts and opinions. So why not share with us all in the comments below. Afterall, we always have a thirst here for juicy debate when it comes to music.
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