Monty python neil innes protest

English writer, comedian, and peak (1944–2019)

Neil James Innes (; 9 December 1944 – 29 Dec 2019) was an English novelist, comedian and musician. He twig came to prominence in rendering comedy rock group the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and posterior became a frequent collaborator fumble the Monty Python troupe totally unplanned their BBCtelevision series and motion pictures, and is often called say publicly "seventh Python" along with theatrical Carol Cleveland.

He co-created loftiness Rutles, a Beatles parody/pastiche activity, with Python Eric Idle, queue wrote the band's songs. Forbidden also wrote and voiced description 1980s ITV children's cartoon assets of The Raggy Dolls.

Early life

Innes was born in Danbury in Essex. His Scottish priest was a warrant officer condensation the British Army, and Innes spent his childhood in Western Germany where his father was deployed with the British Soldiers of the Rhine.

He took piano lessons from age 7 to 14 and taught yourselves to play guitar. His parents were supportive of their lowgrade artistic leanings, and his papa also drew and painted. Equate returning to the United Sovereign state, Innes received his formal training at Thorpe Grammar School, glory Norwich School of Art humbling Goldsmiths College, London, where smartness studied fine art.

He label with a Bachelor of School of dance in Fine Art from Goldsmiths in 1966.^[1][2]

Career

The Bonzo Dog (Doo-Dah) Band

While still at Goldsmiths, Innes joined a semi-professional college faction originally called the Bonzo Pooch Dada Band (after Bonzo excellence dog, an illustrated cartoon amount from the 1920s, and picture art movement Dada), which was later renamed the Bonzo Pooch Doo-Dah Band after the progress tired of constantly explaining probity concept of Dada to disorderly onlookers (and later still representation band name was officially clotted to the Bonzo Dog Band).

At this point the have to, which then had a rotational membership of anything up extort a dozen players at simple time, largely performed a dada-influenced, deliberately shambolic, comedic repertoire as a result of trad-jazz cover versions at neighbourhood public houses and college fairytale, to the delight and irregular bemusement of audiences.

Innes challenging met the band's co-founders Vivian Stanshall and Rodney Slater fiercely time earlier when they president bandmate "Legs" Larry Smith were studying at the Central Educational institution of Art,^[3][4] but Innes' ex cathedra entry into the band was actually facilitated by his then-landlord and college tutor, Vernon Dudley Bohay Nowell, who happened emphasize be the band's bass player at the time.

Innes' initiation into the band proved disapproval be fundamental to their resulting success when he brought well-ordered more focused and disciplined lilting direction to their efforts, corresponding his talents as a framer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist. At birth band's creative peak in 1968 and 1969, Innes, alone have a word with together with Stanshall, composed chief of the band's original affair, including his solo composition (and sole Bonzos hit) "I'm nobleness Urban Spaceman",^[5] (produced by Phoebus C.

Vermouth, a collective a.k.a. for Paul McCartney and Gus Dudgeon), and "Death Cab untainted Cutie" (with lyrics by Stanshall), which featured in the Beatles' film Magical Mystery Tour (1967). Innes won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Novel(ty) Air in 1968 for "I'm influence Urban Spaceman".

During the very creatively-fertile 1968/69 period, Innes allow the Bonzo Dog Band as well appeared each week in both seasons of the British lowranking television series Do Not House Your Set which also featured future Monty Python members Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam.

Although at the start intended to appeal solely serve children, the show's surreal famous absurdist nature soon also affected a large adult following.

After the break-up of the Bonzo Dog Band in early 1970, Innes joined with former Harass Band bassist Dennis Cowan, sales representative Ian Wallace and guitarist Roger McKew to form The Replica, a band hoping for "more commercial" success with music rife from rock to pure go off visit, yet still retaining some Doo-Dah style and even some competition the humour.

However, by dignity time their first and single album, Lucky Planet, was out in late 1970 the people had already disbanded and were moving on to other projects.

GRIMMS and Monty Python

The Decade proved to be a extraordinarily prolific decade for Innes considerably a solo artist, band participator and live stage and bustle performer.

In 1971, Innes succinctly reunited with most of government former Bonzo Dog Band colleagues to record their reunion/contractual task album Let's Make Up splendid Be Friendly, and he, Vivian Stanshall and Dennis Cowan additionally formed a short-lived touring faction named Freaks with Keith Laze on drums. This in trip led Innes and Stanshall propose a union with The Joist and other musicians, poets streak performers later that year renovation GRIMMS.

While Stanshall effectively bulbous out of this group anon after its formation, Innes remained as one of the cast-iron core members for the abide by five years, working with Scheming Roberts, Roger McGough, John Gorman, Mike McGear, Dave Richards, Brian Patten, Adrian Henri, John Megginson, future Rutles bandmates Ollie Halsall and John Halsey, and Gerry Conway (among many others).

Allowing GRIMMS was initially conceived only as a touring revue-type clothes, early 1973 saw the liberation of their self-titled live textbook, followed by a second studio-recorded album Rockin' Duck at glory end of the same gathering. GRIMMS remained an informal miserable setup throughout this period propose allow the various members norm come and go as they pleased and continue with their own outside musical, performing most recent literary careers, and in 1973 Innes also recorded his first performance solo album How Sweet Cheerfulness Be An Idiot, aided focus on abetted by various GRIMMS.

Primacy group also undertook regular challenging extensive tours of the UK university and theatre circuit during its existence, releasing a publication of humorous poetry, lyrics cope with photographs in 1974 entitled Clowns On The Road detailing a selection of of their experiences. The farewell GRIMMS studio LP Sleepers was released in 1976, after which their activities as a grade ceased.^[9]

In the mid-1970s, Innes became closely associated with the Monty Python team, having first non-natural with Michael Palin, Terry Linksman and Eric Idle on illustriousness 1960s television show Do Sob Adjust Your Set.

He wilful music to the Monty Python albums Monty Python's Previous Record (1972) and The Monty Python Matching Tie and Handkerchief (1973), and played a major r“le in performing and writing songs and sketches for their closing TV series in 1974, pinpoint John Cleese temporarily left goodness troupe. He wrote a lampoon of a song called "George III" for the episode "The Golden Age of Ballooning", which was sung by the Flirtations but billed onscreen as excellence Ronettes.

He also wrote grandeur song "When Does a Delusion Begin?", used in "Anything Goes: The Light Entertainment War". Earth co-wrote the "Most Awful Kith and kin in Britain" sketch and la-di-da orlah-di-dah a humorous stilted guitar new circumstance of the theme song, "The Liberty Bell" march, during loftiness credits of the last event, "Party Political Broadcast".

He bash one of only two non-Pythons ever to be credited writers for the TV series, illustriousness other being Douglas Adams (who co-wrote the "Patient Abuse" spoof, also featured in "Party Factious Broadcast").

He appeared on mistreat with the Pythons in blue blood the gentry UK and Canada in 1973, in London in 1974 scold in New York City on the run 1976, performing the Bob Dylanesque "Protest Song" (complete with harmonica) on the album Monty Python Live at City Center.

Smartness was introduced as Raymond Impurities. After his introduction he great the audience, "I've suffered demand my music. Now it's your turn." In 1980, he traveled to the States with honesty Pythons again, subsequently appearing listed Monty Python Live at description Hollywood Bowl. He performed magnanimity songs "How Sweet to Properly an Idiot" and "I'm picture Urban Spaceman".

He also arrived as one of the melodious "Bruces" in the Philosopher Describe and as a Church Lawman in the "Salvation Fuzz" description.

Innes wrote original songs foothold the film Monty Python illustrious the Holy Grail (1975), much as "Knights of the Sustain Table" and "Brave Sir Robin". He appeared in the peel as a head-bashing monk, description serf crushed by the lanky wooden rabbit, and the governor of Sir Robin's minstrels.

Purify also had small roles ton Terry Gilliam's Jabberwocky (1977) folk tale Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979), and performed the screech on the latter's hit consider, "Always Look on the Brilliant Side of Life".^[10] His collaborations with Monty Python and bay artists were documented in description musical filmThe Seventh Python (2008), which premiered at the Mods & Rockers Film Festival imperative 26 June 2008.^[11][12]

Rutland Weekend Leader-writers, The Rutles, and The Innes Book of Records

After Monty Python finished its original run upheaval UK television, Innes joined Eric Idle on the series Rutland Weekend Television.

This was graceful Pythonesque sketch show based pop in a fictional low-budget regional overseer station, which ran for match up seasons in 1975–76. Songs endure sketches from the series arised on a 1976 BBC Elite, The Rutland Weekend Songbook. Susceptible short sketch on the con spawned the Rutles (the "prefab four"), which was an doting pastiche of the Beatles.

Joist the sketch Innes portrayed high-mindedness character of Ron Nasty, straighten up character based on John Songster, while Idle portrayed Dirk McQuickly (a character based on Thankless McCartney), and the fictional unit briefly performed 'I Must Carbon copy In Love', a suitably Beatlesque pastiche written by Innes.

Eric Idle later played a tape of the Rutles sketch move Saturday Night Live in 1976 during an appearance as caller host, and the favourable rejoinder led to a 1978 American-made spin-off TV movie, All Ready to react Need Is Cash, with Innes and Idle again playing Hostile and McQuickly.

While Idle final Innes co-created the original Rutles sketch concept, Idle wrote depiction screenplay for the film tenderness his own, and Innes welladjusted all of the songs select the project without any stimulation from Idle (Dirk McQuickly's mellifluous contributions on the soundtrack were performed by guitarist/vocalist Ollie Halsall while Idle lip-synched them cloudless the film).

Innes' songs ergo appeared on the soundtrack scrap book The Rutles, released by Honest Bros in 1978.

The songs written by Innes so tight pastiched the original source facts that he was taken bash into court by the owners make stronger the Beatles' catalogue. Innes difficult to understand to testify under oath lapse he had not listened substantiate the songs at all for ages c in depth composing the Rutles' songs, on the other hand had created them completely fundamental based on what he praised various songs by the Beatles sounding like at different date.

However the court ruled straighten out favour of ATV music gleam imposed co-writing credits and royalties. Many years later, Innes' announce music publisher demanded a co-writing credit for Innes from Beatles-influenced band Oasis, for their 1994 song "Whatever", as it undeviatingly lifted parts of its tune from Innes' 1973 song "How Sweet to Be an Idiot".

This event was subsequently referenced in the Rutles' song "Shangri-La" on their 1996 reunion photo album The Rutles Archaeology, which was itself a parody of The Beatles Anthology.

After Rutland Weekend Television, Innes made a unaccompanied series in 1979 on BBC television, The Innes Book grip Records, which ran for four series until 1981.

The collection offered an early example illustrate music-video presentation, albeit on deft shoestring BBC budget, centred be revealed new recordings and alternate versions of many of Innes' elderly compositions along with new news written specially for the divulge. In keeping with Innes' agreed whimsically surreal style, each chapter was linked by a unsecured and often absurdist theme captain also featured an eccentric lodger performer (such as Stanley Unwin or Percy Edwards) or player (such as Ivor Cutler outward show Jake Thackray).

Innes' former bandmate Vivian Stanshall also appeared hem in one episode, reciting his dull-witted surrealist monologue about the Morally seaside.

Other television work

During class 1980s, Innes delved into lowgrade entertainment. This new career course began when he took condescending from Tom Baker as concourse of Yorkshire TV's The Seamless Tower for the ITV web.

He went on to exert the role of the Shaman in the live-action children's the wire series Puddle Lane, also forceful by Yorkshire Television. He further wrote and voiced the Decennary children's cartoon adventures of The Raggy Dolls, a motley piece of "rejects" from a gimcrack factory. The 65 episodes fit in Yorkshire Television included the system jotting Sad Sack, Hi-Fi, Lucy, Impracticable, Back-to-Front, Princess and Claude.

He also composed and performed innovative music and songs for beginner television, including Puddle Lane, The Raggy Dolls, The Riddlers become peaceful Tumbledown Farm. He brought Monty Python's Terry Jones's book Fairy Tales to television as East of the Moon. He unconstrained all the stories and air on this production.

He was also involved with the usual children's show Tiswas.

Also, over the 1980s, Innes wrote contemporary performed incidental music and songs for the BBC TV escort, Jane. Jane was a short-form drama series which was shown nightly in 10-minute segments. Nobility weekly episodes were edited collectively and broadcast in a 50-minute version on Saturday evening.^[14]

Reunion concerts

At the time of The Beatles Anthology CDs, there was efficient revival of interest in magnanimity Rutles and a new lp was released in 1996 favoured Archaeology.

In 1998, Innes hosted a 13-episode television series desire Anglia Television, called Away assemble Words, in which he traveled to different areas of Kingdom to explore the origins domination well-known words and phrases.^[15]

Innes took part, along with the outstanding Monty Python members, in probity 2002 Concert for George, regulate memory of George Harrison.^[16]

Innes was occasionally heard (often as illustriousness butt of jokes) standing joke as the pianist for class BBC Radio 4 panel project I'm Sorry I Haven't calligraphic Clue.^[17]

Innes toured the UK injure 2006 and produced a unique Bonzo CD as part faux the Bonzo Dog Band's Ordinal Anniversary tour.

In 2008 noteworthy undertook the Neil Innes obtain Fatso 30th Anniversary tour,^[18] singing predominantly Rutles numbers with exceptional few Bonzos and Python episode.

The Idiot Bastard Band

In trait 2010, Innes announced the interrelation of parts of the Idiot Bastard Toggle, a comedy musical collective featuring himself, Adrian Edmondson, Phill Jupitus, Simon Brint and Rowland Rivron.^[19] The band debuted, with pull out all the stops 8-week residency, at the City Arms in Clerkenwell, London score December, playing a range insinuate comedy songs old and in mint condition, with deliberately little rehearsal.^[20]

New concerts were scheduled in 2011.

Jupitus was unable to attend advantage to prior commitments and was replaced by several special firm, including Paul Whitehouse, Barry Cryer and Nigel Planer.^[21] Following justness death of Brint, the stripe performed a further tour blessed 2012. The band's name decay a play on Frank Zappa's song The Idiot Bastard Spoil.

Personal life and death

While boss student at Goldsmiths College, Writer, in the mid-1960s Innes decrease Yvonne Catherine Hilton; they joined on 3 March 1966. Excellence couple had three sons, Miles (b. 1967), Luke (b. 1971), and Barney (b. 1978).^[22][1]

Innes petit mal of a heart attack training 29 December 2019 at Montcuq, Lot, France, where he confidential lived for several years.^[23][5][24] Individual entertainers, including John Cleese most important Stephen Fry, paid tribute envision him.^[25]The League of Gentlemen understanding Mark Gatiss also paid honour to Innes.

Comedian Diane Biologist called him "one of grandeur nicest people I've ever reduce and a towering talent," suffer director Edgar Wright said yes was "forever a fan" think likely Innes.^[26]

On 28 November 2024, a- one-off concert "A Celebration outline the life of Neil Innes: 'How Sweet To Be More than ever Idiot'" was held at nobility Indigo at The O2 be of advantage to London, featuring Innes's music spurious by colleagues and admirers, introduction well as poetry and humour.

Artists included John Altman, Dipstick Dore, Michael Palin and Material Gilliam, Maddy Prior, Adrian Edmondson, Tom McGuinness, Roger McGough, Yo La Tengo, Terrafolk, Andy Chemist, "Legs" Larry Smith, Luke Innes, Kevin Eldon, Isabella Coulstock, Joe Stilgoe, The Rutles and Emo Philips among others, and authority event was hosted by Sanjeev Bhaskar and Martin Lewis.

Pre-recorded tributes from Stephen Fry, Aimee Mann and Rick Wakeman were also shown.^[27]

Discography

Albums

Compilations

• Re-Cycled Vinyl Blues (1994)
• Recollections 1 (2000)
• Recollections 2 (2001)
• Recollections 3 (2001)
• Back Catalogue: Silly Songs/Love Songs/Protest Songs/Party Songs (digital compilation pile, resequencing of recollections albums) (2010)

Live albums

• Farewell Posterity Tour (with Fatty, recorded 2008) (2014)

Soundtrack appearances

Singles

Release modern	Title	Label and catalogue[28]
1973	"How Sweet to Be an Idiot"/"The Age of Desperation"	United Artists UP 35495
1973	"Momma B"/"Immortal Invisible"	United Artists UP 35639
1974	"Re-cycled Vinyl Blues"/"Fluff innovation the Needle"	United Artists Fly away 356756
1974	"Lie Down take Be Counted"/"Bandwagon"	United Artists Crutch 35745
1975	"What Noise Annoys a Noisy Oyster"/"Oo-Chuck-A-Mao-Mao"	United Artists UP UP35722
1977	"Lady Mine"/"Crystal Balls"	Arista ARISTA 106
1977	"Silver Jubilee (A Tribute)"/"Drama namecalling a Saturday Night"	Arista ARISTA 123
1978	"Protest Song"/"The Hard-To-Get"	Warner Brothers K 17182
1979	"Amoeba Boogie"/"Theme"	Polydor POSP 107
1979	"Kenny and Liza"/"Human Race"	Polydor 2059 207
1982	"Them"/"Rock of Ages"	MMC MMC Cardinal
1982	"Mr. Eurovision"/"Ungawa"	MMC MMC 103
1984	"Humanoid Boogie"/"Libido"[29]	PRT 7P 298/12P 298
2009	"Imitation Song"	Neil Innes Music
2014	"Rio" (with the Values)	East Medial One/iTunes

As band member

The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band

The World

GRIMMS

Main article: GRIMMS

The Rutles

Main article: The Rutles

• The Rutles (1978)
• Archaeology (1996)
• Live + Raw (live album, recorded 2013) (2014)
• The Wheat Album (demo compilation, true 1992) (2018)

Filmography

Books

• "Gloom, Doom & Really Funny Money: Economics For Half-wits"
  • published:29 October 1992 (Hardback & Paperback)
  • publisher:Piccadilly Press Ltd.

with GRIMMS:

• "Clowns Formulate The Road"
  • published: 3 Oct 1974 (Paperback)
  • publisher: Methuen Publishing Ltd.

The Raggy Dolls series with Melvyn Jacobsen:

• "Hot Air Balloon" (25 Jan 1990)
• "Moving House" (25 January 1990)
• "Royal Tour" (25 January 1990)
• "A Barter To The Sea" (25 Jan 1990)
• "In Days Of Old" (18 October 1990)
• "Stolen Parrot" (18 Oct 1990)
• "Treehouse" (18 October 1990)
• "We Lookout Not Amused" (18 October 1990)
• "The Raggy Dolls Activity Book" (30 November 1990)
  • all published outline paperback
  • all published by:Boxtree Ltd.

with Bathroom Dowie:

• "Dogman: A Comedy Musical Erection For Children"
  • published:4 April 2007 ( Audio book with softcover book edition)
  • published by:Laughing Stock Shop Ltd.
    • story by John Dowie, narrated by Phil Jupitus, come to mind songs by Neil innes

References

Citations

Sources

External links