Bonzos Doo Dah Norden Farm Arts Centre
John Dickens • Published 19 Jan 2012 14:30
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KOOKY CULT FIGURES: Three Bonzos And A Piano
Photo: Toby Wales
ROCKERS from a band who inspired the comedy genius of Stephen Fry and Eddie Izzard, were announced as the Beatles' favourite ever musicians, and are still kicking it in their 60s are bringing their musical mayhem to Maidenhead.
The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, who gained cult status after their hit single Urban Spaceman and their appearance in ITV's Do Not Adjust Your Set, are listed as influences to nearly every modern day comedy legend.
Now the memory of the chaos-creating group is being revived with three of the original members forming Three Bonzos And A Piano - performing at Norden Farm Centre for Arts on Saturday, February 4.
"We are far too old to be doing this thing - we ought to know better," said Roger Ruskin Spear - who on the gig list is identified as playing 'sax, clarinet, trouser press and robots'.
"But we're going to do this until we can't do it any longer. To our amazement we had a revival in our 40th anniversary year - we did a big tour with guests like Paul Merton and Adrian Edmonson appearing. It seemed that people still wanted to see what we were like."
The band members have a big place in comedy history after appearing as house band in 60s show Do Not Adjust Your Set - starring Michael Palin, Eric Idle and David Jason, and a fore-runner to the legendary Monty Python.
"We are trying to bring some of the flavour of the live Bonzo show - what we use to do back in the 60s," Roger added. "It was chaos, anarchy. It was all types of gigs with all types
of music."
Now celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the original band, Three Bonzos And A Piano have been touring since 2009, packing out theatres across the country, and their unique blend of music, visual comedy and performance art is a step away from gig norms.
The band consist of Rodney Slater Bonzos, co-founder of the original band with the late Vivian Stanshall, who plays saxophone and washboard, with fellow Bonzo Sam Spoons on drums, electric spoons and didgereedon't. They also have Dave Glasson on piano, bass pullover and glasses with special guitarist Andy Roberts, from The Scaffold, Liverpool Scene and Pink Floyd, also pulling out the occasional banjo and ukulele.
The 68-year-old added: "We are looking forward to doing an up close and personal show in Maidenhead."
The group bumped into Sir Paul McCartney after they joined up with The Beatles for the band's Magical Mystery Tour, and Sir Paul later produced Urban Spaceman, their only top five hit.
Spear added: "Our single charted at something like 29.
"Paul didn't want to it to be known that he was the 'mystery' producer on the record but the record company couldn't resist.
"Once they announced it the record shot up to number four overnight."
Tickets for the show, from 8-9.30pm, cost £15 or £13 for concession. To book contact 01628 788 997.
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 19 Jan 12
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