Neil wrote the bonzos jaunty hit single im the urban spaceman. Rip neil innes 19442019 page 12 steve hoffman music. Musician and comedian neil innes has died at age 75, cnn reports. Innes is best known for collaborating with comedy troupe monty python, for whom he. Monty python collaborator neil innes has died at age 75. Neil innes, sporting a black beret with a bathtub rubber ducky on the top, is standing on the stage of a 42nd st. The 1976 bbc records lp entitled rutland weekend television songbook reb 233 was a creation of eric idle and neil innes, the two geniuses behind the music of monty python innes was the minstrel who sang, brave robin ran away in asin. He wrote the groups biggest hit, im the urban spaceman, which climbed into the top 10 on the british charts in 1968. He began to make a name for himself in 1963 when he joined the offbeat bonzo dog doodah band which. In between grimms records, innes began his solo career with 1974s how sweet to be an idiot. Neil innes, a master of musical humor, is dead at 75. Neil had his own tv show many years ago the innes book of records which i still have on video tape which has seemed to be forgotten as i read the papers. Innes won an ivor novello award for best novelty song in 1968 for im the urban spaceman. Monty python collaborator and rutles singer neil innes has died at the age of 75, his agent has confirmed.
The innes book of records 197981 and the childrens. They scored a top 5 hit with im the urban spaceman in 1968. Songs here are still wonderfully bizarre and funny, clearly hinting at such overthetop parodyminded acts as monty pythons flying circus, r. Comedian, musician and songwriter, renowned for his deadpan delivery and an uncanny ability to send up musical acts. Neils family would like to thank his fans and followers for their messages of support and encouragement and to confirm that a memorial concert for neil is planned later in the year in london with performances from fellow artists, comedians, musicians and poets. Neil innes february 12, 20 just a quick note to say im heading down to the west country the wharf, tavistock tomorrow, the phoenix, exeter on thursday, the poly, falmouth on friday. Amid the anarchy of the bonzo dog doodah band, neil innes, who has died. Neil has appeared in numerous films holy grail jabberwocky, tv shows rutland weekend television, the innes book of records as well as performing live with monty python at the hollywood bowl back in the 80s.
Im the urban spaceman news newspapers books scholar. Probably the most important figure in british musical comedy since the heyday of vaudeville, neil innes is that rarity among musical comedians, a sidesplitting satirist who can also write perfectly straightforward, catchy pop songs. Im the urban spaceman was the bonzo dog doodah band s most successful single, released in 1968. In one of those weirdly typical career stories, im the urban spaceman, a cutemorethanclever innespenned single released the same month as the album but not included on it became a top 5 hit in the uk, at least in part because of the open secret that it had been produced by paul mccartney. Urban spaceman known in england as the doughnut in grannys greenhouse, is their second album. Neil innes, comedy musician whose wry, witty songs were.
There are no covers here as there were on their prior album, but many wellrecognized. The musician and actor neil innes, who has died of a heart attack aged 75, made a career out of parody, with contributions to popular culture that. This version of this classic song performed trad jazz style, was from the innes book of records. Innes was a member of the surrealist ensemble the bonzo dog doodah band and wrote their topfive hit, im the urban spaceman as well as monty python and the spoof group the rutles. Pirate song george harrison with neil innes rutland weekend television. A sketch on eric idles tv series rutland weekend television in 1975 provided a platorm for neils beatles spoof, the rutles, and it was followed on bbc2 by the innes book of records 197981. Neil innes, a master of musical humor, is dead at 75 the. Live at the frazer theatre, knaresborough, north yorkshire. Together with vivian stanshall he formed the bonzo dog doodah band later shortened to the bonzo dog band, cowriting many of their bestknown songs, including im the urban spaceman the recoding was produced by paul mccartney and death cab. But the other talent in the band was the unjustly ignored vivian stanshall, a comic genius of the first order. Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more. Neil innes best known for his work with the bonzo dog doo dah band.
Neil innes of the rutles, monty python and bonzo dog doodah. Their song im the urban spaceman produced by paul mccartney. Neil innes, rutles singersongwriter and monty python. Im the urban spaceman was the bonzo dog doodah bands most successful single, released in 1968. The innes book of records tv series 1979 soundtracks on imdb. The second is from the brilliant series rutland weekend television, which spawned the rutles. A prototype musicvideo show for bbc2 hed originally wanted to call parodies lost, it aspired stylistically to the potters wheel intermissions of the early days of television, each show featuring a variety of different songs and settings, edwardian.
His television series innes book of records contained songs written and performed by neil innes and superbly arranged by. Innes wrote and sang top 5 hit im the urban spaceman getty. Neil innes wrote the bonzos jaunty hit single im the urban spaceman, produced by paul mccartney, which peaked at no 5 in the uk charts in 1968. Neil innes, monty python collaborator and rutles co. Neil innes how sweet to be an idiot innes book of records. Neil performing urban spaceman on the dvd, monty python at the hollywood bowl will always make me laugh since he performed the song in over 1 minute. Urban spaceman the innes book of records neil innes performs two of the quickest versions of his hit song urban spaceman. The innes book of records was one of the most beautiful, innovative and funny shows ive ever seen. Born in danbury, essex, england, on december 9, 1944, and spendin. That album and 1977s taking off are about evenly split between innes playful and pop sides.
Innes became a fixture in childrens entertainment in the 1980s when he voiced the raggy dolls and he also composed music for the show, as well as puddle lane, the. The first is accompanied by testing and is taken from late night lineup a kind of late night bbc arts show that kickedoff in the 1960s and was revived in the 1980s. The complete musicchords for this cult pop favourite from the late 60s recorded by the bonzo dog band. The following year paul mccartney produced their only hit, inness catchy ditty im the urban spaceman, after viv stanshall moaned to him in a club that their record company was demanding a. Innes, a member of the bonzo dog doodah band and the rutles known for. The song was written by neil innes who won an ivor novello award in 1968 for the song and produced by paul mccartney and gus dudgeon under the pseudonym apollo c. Rip to the urban spaceman himself, the great neil innes xxxx. Comedic writer and actor neil innes, who created a beatles parody group called the rutles and frequently worked with the members of monty python, has died at. Innes music career started in the early 1960s with the formation of the bonzo dog doodah band, an avantgarde comedy combo that in 1968 yielded the topfive single im the urban spaceman. Neil innes performs two of the quickest versions of his hit song urban spaceman.
Neil innes, the comedian and songwriter known for spoof beatles band the rutles as well as his work with monty python, has died aged 75, according to his agent born in. Instead, we will be paying tribute to him, through his wonderful music more details to be announced later in the year. In 1969, he nabbed an ivor novello award for best novelty song for im the urban spaceman, a sizeable hit for the bonzo dog doodah band. Together with the rest of the bonzos, stanshall and innes created a band that was like no other. The bands second release, while perhaps not as delightful as their debut disc gorilla, is still an enormously worthy listen. Neil innes blue suede schubert innes book of records. The comedian and musician died unexpectedly last night, nigel morton told. We are devastated that our dear friend, neil innes, sadly passed away on 29th december 2019. Neil innes is best known for his collaborative work with monty python, and for playing in bonzo dog doodah band and later the world famous rutles. Neil innes, the british comedian and musician, has died. The urban spaceman was scheduled to perform at international beatleweek in 2020. First series do not adjust your set band becomes bonzo dog band 2nd album the doughnut in grannies greenhouse hit single im the urban spaceman. They scored a top 5 hit with im the urban spaceman in 1968, produced pseudonymously by paul mccartney it won innes an ivor novello songwriting award.
The son of a warrant officer in the royal artillery, innes learned to play piano from the age of seven and guitar at fourteen. Published on mar 3, 2020 im the urban spaceman from the innes book of records original broadcast date. In 1968, innes appeared with the bonzo dog band on both seasons of the british childrens television series do not adjust your set which also featured future monty python members eric idle, terry jones, michael palin and terry gilliam. Ex bonzo, rutle, and innes book of records, was born dec. How sweet to be an idiot has since been reissued under two different names. The innes book of records was one of the most beautiful, innovative and.
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