Monday, March 06, 2006

Bonzo Dog? Doo-Dah Band?

Frank Zappa asked: does humour belongs in music? In fact I think that music fans take it all too seriously sometimes. This is a band that is often compared to Zappa & The Mothers. The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, formed in the mid-sixties by a group of british high school mates, were less sophisticated musically but had a better theatrical aptitude, in the tradition of the British cabaret. It is worth to see them and not just to hear, to really appreciate their act. Though the leader was Vivian Stanshall, who died sadly in '95, a member of the band was Neil Innes, later one of the Monty Python...just to give you an idea of the quality of their humour. Too intelligent for success? They lived just two brief moments of fame: in '67 with a cameo on the Beatles' movie Magical Mistery Tour (Sir McCartney was a fan) and in '68 with the single I'm The Urban Spaceman. Musically I think we could call them an iconclast new vaudeville band (?).
This song sounds to me as a truly funny Presley's caricature. Don't miss the guitar solo!

Added on March 9: I think I have to correct myself for having written that the Bonzos lived just two brief moments of fame. A British friend wrote me that in the UK they were very popular and loved instead, appearing regularly on a TV program for children. Here in Italy they are an almost unknown cult band.
Besides I didn't know about the existence of a band called the New Vaudeville Band, when I wrote "vaudeville" I really meant to talk about the musical style!
So, please apologize my lack of informations.

Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band - Canyons Of Your Mind (1968)

Password: musicforyoureyes

Did you like this video? Let me know...

Mirco

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Brilliant, I saw these guys at the Fillmore East back in the day [ with The Kinks and Spirit [walked out on Spirit]]. Fantastically great and Viv is missed by all. Now some Roger Rushkin-Spear solo videos would be nice [with the Flamin' Groovies ie: Mattress Man] Hmmmmm.
Thanks, Dave K.

3/07/2006 1:06 AM  
Blogger RYP said...

hello mirco,
wrong place, wrong time - that's the way the bonzos went. at that time most hippies want to hear Cream, Airplane, hendrix... The Bonzos rarely were headliners, they were supporters and while they played - all cried Hendrix, Hendr... bad fate! and they were very british: "my pink half of the drainpipe". thanx for the vid - I've posted "Gorilla" last week! I think today I'll post "Tadpoles" and/or "The Doughnut in Granny's greenhouse" for the canyons of our minds.
RYP

3/10/2006 9:16 AM  
Blogger Mike D said...

I LOVE THIS CLIP!- thanks mate. i'm off to get some sweet essence of giraffe post-haste

3/17/2006 1:01 AM  
Blogger Mirco said...

Before this post will disappear from the main page I'd like to say that the Bonzos will return here...

4/04/2006 4:31 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The band where popular as a club axt in the UK for many years . Touring in a converted coach painted in Bonzo physicadelic style .Never getting to be a top rank act people liked the change that their zany style gave .

jje
UK teenager of the sixties

10/01/2006 2:15 PM  

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