There’s never been a shortage of novelty acts attempting to marry music to comedy, and the field of rock is no exclusion here, yet nobody could rival BONZO DOG DOO-DAH BAND in that regard for nobody was able to provide such a brilliant interface between English absurd and melodicism as skillfully as Vivian Stanshall and his kindred spirits. And while most of regular listeners know them only thanks to the Paul McCartney-produced “I’m The Urban Spaceman” and their relation to THE RUTLES, what this collective churned out in the late ’60s and early ’70s is so riveting, and indescribable, that investigating their oeuvre, even superficially, will be rewarding. A lot of laughter is guaranteed – but guffawing might result from digging into “Still Barking”: a 20-disc – comprising 17 CDs and three DVDs – box set scheduled for release on December 13th.
Omitting “Pour l’Amour des Chiens” from 2007, it focuses on the ensemble’s classic years, includes all of the Bonzos official recordings, albums and singles, in mono and stereo, and adds a plethora of working tapes, radio sessions, concert recordings and other documents. In the works for quite a time, the set’s preparation involved “Legs” Larry Smith, Neil Innes, Roger Ruskin Spear, Rodney Slater, Vernon Dudley, Bowhay Nowell, Sam Spoons – all living band members, three of whom didn’t live to see the final box – and could have been done sooner if not for litigations which they eventually won. But now, it’s ready to be explored – with book, poster and further paraphernalia – in a regular and super-deluxe variants, the latter enriched with a limited edition shellac 78-rpm pressing of “Mickey’s Son And Daughter” and an etched, one-sided 7″single with a previously unreleased version of “Boo!” as well as an exclusive print of the box art signed by artist Dan Abbott and Liberty Records mailout prints for the “Gorilla” album and 100 Club London show. Expensive, of course, yet totally worth it for connoisseurs.
Still Barking
CD 1 & 2 – Gorilla – Mono & Stereo:
1. Cool Britannia
2. The Equestrian Statue
3. Jollity Farm
4. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
5. Look Out, There’s A Monster Coming
6. Jazz, Delicious Hot, Disgusting Cold
7. Death Cab For Cutie
8. Narcissus
9. The Intro And The Outro
10. Mickey’s Son And Daughter
11. Big Shot
12. Music For The Head Ballet
13. Piggy Bank Love
14. I’m Bored
15. The Sound Of Music
CD 3 & 4 – The Doughnut In Granny’s Greenhouse – Mono & Stereo
1. We Are Normal
2. Postcard
3. Beautiful Zelda
4. Can Blue Men Sing The Whites?
5. Hello Mabel
6. Kama Sutra
7. Humanoid Boogie
8. Trouser Press
9. My Pink Half Of The Drainpipe
10. Rockaliser Baby
11. Rhinocratic Oaths
12. Eleven Mustachioed Daughters
13. Launching Of A Piano
CD 5 – Tadpoles:
1. Hunting Tigers Out In “Indiah”
2. Shirt
3. Tubas In The Moonlight
4. Dr. Jazz
5. Monster Mash
6. I’m The Urban Spaceman
7. Ali Baba’s Camel
8. Laughing Blues
9. By A Waterfall
10. Mr. Apollo
11. Canyons Of Your Mind
12. Tadpoles – US Radio Spot
CD 6 – Keynsham:
1. You Done My Brain In
2. Keynsham
3. Quiet Talks And Summer Walks
4. Tent
5. We Were Wrong
6. Joke Shop Man
7. The Bride Stripped Bare By “Bachelors”
8. Look At Me, I’m Wonderful
9. What Do You Do?
10. Mr. Slater’s Parrot
11. Sport (The Odd Boy)
12. I Want To Be With You
13. Noises For The Leg
14. Busted
CD 7 – Let’s Make Up And Be Friendly:
1. The Strain
2. Turkeys
3. King Of Scurf
4. Waiting For The Wardrobe
5. Straight From My Heart
6. Rusty (Champion Thrust)
7. Rawlinson End
8. Don’t Get Me Wrong
9. Fresh Wound
10. Bad Blood
11. Slush
12. Let’s Make Up And Be Friendly – US Radio Spot
13. Neil Innes & Vivian Stanshall May 1972 Interview
CD 8 – The Singles:
1. My Brother Makes The Noises For The Talkies
2. I’m Gonna Bring A Watermelon To My Gal Tonight
3. Alley Oop
4. Button Up Your Overcoat
5. The Equestrian Statue (45 mix)
6. The Intro And The Outro
7. I’m The Urban Spaceman
8. Canyons Of Your Mind (first 45 mix)
9. Mr. Apollo
10. Ready-Mades
11. I Want To Be With You *
12. We Were Wrong *
13. You Done My Brain In (extended single mix) *
14. Mr. Slater’s Parrot *
15. Slush
16. Music From Rawlinson End
17. Canyons Of Your Mind (second 45 mix)
18. Mr. Apollo (German version)
19. My Brother Makes The Noises For The Talkies *
20. I’m Gonna Bring A Watermelon To My Gal Tonight *
21. Alley Oop *
22. Button Up Your Overcoat *
23. I’m The Urban Spaceman (US album mix) *
24. Canyons Of Your Mind (US album mix) *
25. Ready-Mades *
26. Mr. Apollo *
27. No Matter Who You Vote For, The Government Always Gets In (Heigh Ho!)
* stereo
CD 9 – Demos & Outtakes 1:
1. My Brother Makes The Noises For The Talkies
2. On Her Doorstep Last Night
3. Alley Oop (acetate)
4. Ali Baba’s Camel (1966 version)
5. Bang Bang
6. I’m Bored
7. Mickey’s Son And Daughter (acetate – alternate mix)
8. Blue Suede Shoes *
9. Falling In Love Again *
10. Burnt Onions On The Road *
11. Kama Sutra (alternate vocal) *
12. Humanoid Boogie (alternate Mono mix)
13. Can Blue Men Sing The Whites? (dialogue track) *
14. Can Blue Men Sing The Whites? (acetate – alternate Mono mix)
15. The Bride Stripped Bare By “Bachelors” (version One) *
16. Rhinocratic Oaths (uncut version) *
* stereo
CD 10 – Demos & Outtakes 2:
1. We Are Normal (dialogue track)
2. We Are Normal (Intro) (alternate mix) *
3. I’ve Found The Answer (acetate)
4. I’m The Urban Spaceman (alternate mix) *
5. Beautiful Zelda (alternate mix) *
6. Boo (demo version) *
7. Boo (remix) *
8. Tubas In The Moonlight (session – Unnumbered Takes) *
9. Mr. Apollo (session – take 17) *
10. Mr. Apollo (alternate mix) *
11. Ready-Mades (alternate mix) *
12. The Boiled Ham Rhumba
13. The Mr. Hyde In Me
14. You Done My Brain In (takes 1 & 2) *
15. Sport (The Odd Boy) (ending instrumental complete) *
16. Tent (uncut version) *
17. We Were Wrong (alternate mix) *
* stereo
CD 11 – In The Studio: Bonzo Backings:
1. Postcard *
2. Beautiful Zelda
3. Can Blue Men Sing The Whites? *
4. Kama Sutra *
5. Humanoid Boogie *
6. Rockaliser Baby *
7. Eleven Mustachioed Daughters *
8. Hunting Tigers Out In “Indiah”
9. Shirt
10. Tubas In The Moonlight *
11. Monster Mash
12. I’m The Urban Spaceman
13. Canyons Of Your Mind
14. Mr. Apollo
15. Ready-Mades *
16. You Done My Brain In *
17. Tent *
18. We Were Wrong *
19. Mr. Slater’s Parrot *
20. Rhinocratic Oaths *
* stereo
CD 12 – BBC Sessions 1:
Top Gear – November 8th, 1967
1. Mickey’s Son And Daughter
2. The Craig Torso Show
Top Gear – December 5th, 1967
3. Rockaliser Baby
4. Monster Mash
5. Mickey’s Son And Daughter
6. The Equestrian Statue
7. The Craig Torso Christmas Show
Top Gear – April 29th, 1968
8. Trouser Press
9. Canyons Of Your Mind
10. Interlude with John Peel
11. I’ve Found The Answer
12. I’m The Urban Spaceman
Top Gear – July 8th, 1968
13. Young Girl
14. Beautiful Zelda
15. Captain Cool (aka Postcard)
16. My Pink Half Of The Drainpipe
17. Eleven Mustachioed Daughters
18. Can Blue Men Sing The Whites?
Top Gear – October 8th, 1968
19. Shirt
20. The Bride Stripped Bare By “Bachelors”
21. Ready-Mades
22. Excerpt From The Brain Opera (Part 1)
Radio One Club – October 23rd, 1968
23. Trouser Press
24. Humanoid Boogie
25. Canyons Of Your Mind
CD 13 – BBC Sessions 2:
Saturday Club – October 29th, 1968
1. Hello Mabel
2. I’m The Urban Spaceman
Symonds On Sunday – March 3rd, 1969
3. Look Out, There’s A Monster Coming
4. Humanoid Boogie
5. Canyons Of Your Mind
Top Gear – March 31st, 1969
6. Look At Me, I’m Wonderful
7. Mr. Apollo
8. Quiet Talks And Summer Walks
9. Excerpt From The Brain Opera (Part 2)
Radio One Club – April 11th, 1969
10. Ready-Mades
11. Mr. Apollo
12. Hello Mabel
13. Interlude with Stuart Henry
14. Quiet Talks And Summer Walks
15. Canyons Of Your Mind
CD 14 – BBC Sessions 3:
Top Of The Pops – July 1969
1. Vivian Stanshall interview
Top Gear – July 29th, 1969
2. We’re Going To Bring It On Home
3. Monster Mash
4. Sofa Head
5. Tent
Symonds On Sunday – August 1th, 1969
6. You Done My Brain In
7. Quiet Talks And Summer Walks
Top Of The Pops – December 1969
8. Vivian Stanshall talks about the Outrage Revue
D.L.T. – December 15th, 1969
9. Keynsham
10. I Want To Be With You
11. We Were Wrong
BBC Session Out-Takes
12. What Do You Do?
13. Mr. Slater’s Parrot
14. We Were Wrong
15. Joke Shop Man
16. Keynsham
17. Busted
CD 15 – The Netherlands:
WAAUW – November 1968
1. Introduction by Herman Stok
2. We Are Normal
3. Blue Suede Shoes
4. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
5. Kama Sutra
6. Trouser Press
7. Hello Mabel
8. I’m The Urban Spaceman
9. Rockaliser Baby
10. Outro
Paradiso, Amsterdam – August 25th, 1969
11. Introduction by Wim Noordhoek for VPRO Radio
12. Can Blue Men Sing The Whites?
13. Look At Me, I’m Wonderful
14. Ready-Mades
15. I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles
16. Hello Mabel
17. Vivian Stanshall interview
18. I’m The Urban Spaceman
19. Tent
20. Dragnet / Viv talks about masks
21. Rockaliser Baby
22. Outro
CD 16 – Live: Fillmore East – October 17th, 1969
1. Introduction / Music For The Head Ballet
2. We Are Normal
3. Blue Suede Shoes
4. Can Blue Men Sing The Whites?
5. Look At Me, I’m Wonderful
6. Ready-Mades
7. Noises For The Leg
8. Quiet Talks And Summer Walks
9. I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles
10. Hello Mabel
11. Joke Shop Man
12. I’m The Urban Spaceman
13. Canyons Of Your Mind
14. Trouser Press
15. Pinball Wizard
16. Dragnet / Interlude
17. Rockaliser Baby
18. Interlude
19. Busted
20. Jollity Farm
CD 17 – Rehearsal & Live:
Manor Rehearsal
1. Goodbye, Dolly Gray
2. The Sheik Of Araby
3. Sack Of Potatoes
4. Your Drink Is On The Sink
5. Sylvia
6. Singin’ In The Rain
7. Winter Wonderland
8. You Don’t Need No Cans With The Man
9. I Need A Drink
10. Spanish Speaking Peoples Of The World
11. Is It Normal To Be Normal?
12. It Was The Way He Was Calling Your Name
13. Have You Seen Professor Mobottom?
14. Professor Bouncewallace
15. End Of Record Freedom
16. Sniff Sniff
Marquee Club, London 1967
17. It Was A Great Party Until Somebody Found A Hammer (intro & rehearsal)
18. It Was A Great Party Until Somebody Found A Hammer
DVD 1 – Starters:
Early Days:
⦁ The Artist… As A Young Man – Neil Innes’ art school film 1965
Blue Peter – February 28th, 1966
⦁ (Won’t You Come Home) Bill Bailey
New Faces – November 7th, 1967
1. End Of The Show
2. The Equestrian Statue
3. Little Sir Echo
1967 Pathé Footage
1. Music For The Head Ballet (Newsreel)
2. The Equestrian Statue (Newsreel)
3. The Equestrian Statue (Rushes)
4. Music For The Head Ballet (Rushes)
Beat Club
1. The Equestrian Statue (December 30th, 1967)
2. Little Sir Echo (December 30th, 1967)
3. I’m The Urban Spaceman (December 31st, 1968)
4. Canyons Of Your Mind (February 22nd, 1969)
Starparade – March 14th, 1968
1. Cool Britannia
2. Blue Suede Shoes
3. Canyons Of Your Mind
4. Interlude
5. Swanee
6. Music While You Work
I’m The Urban Spaceman – US Promo
DVD 2 – Main Course:
Do Not Adjust Your Set
1. Jollity Farm (December 26th, 1967)
2. Monster Mash (January 4th, 1968)
3. The Sound Of Music (January 4th, 1968)
4. Ali Baba’s Camel (January 25th, 1968)
5. The Blue Danube (February 1st, 1968)
6. The Equestrian Statue (February 1st, 1968)
7. Hunting Tigers Out In “Indiah” (February 8th, 1968)
8. Hello Mabel (February 29th, 1968)
9. Death Cab For Cutie (March 14th, 1968)
10. The Intro And The Outro (March 21st, 1968)
11. Tubas In The Moonlight (March 21st, 1968)
12. Harvey The Hermit (March 28th, 1968)
13. I’m The Urban Spaceman (July 29th, 1968)
DVD 3 – Dessert:
Colour Me Pop – December 21st, 1968 (reconstruction)
1. We Are Normal
2. My Pink Half Of The Drainpipe
3. Humanoid Boogie
4. Rhinocratic Oaths
5. A Lost Cause
6. Hello Mabel
7. Look At Me, I’m Wonderful
8. Canyons Of Your Mind
9. I’m The Urban Spaceman
10. 4 Fables
11. Mr. Apollo
12. The Intro And The Outro
Colour Me Pop (the portions that exist – with slates)
The Adventures Of The Son Of Exploding Sausage
Tienerklanken – Jazz Bilzen Festival – August 23rd, 1969
1. Interview with Neil Innes
2. Big Shot
3. You Done My Brain In
4. Hello Mabel
5. I’m The Urban Spaceman
6. Quiet Talks And Summer Walks
7. I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles
8. Canyons Of Your Mind
9. Trouser Press
Ten Years Of What? – December 31st, 1969
⦁ Noises For The Leg (takes 1 & 2)
Pik-In ‘Tis Winter
⦁ Interview with Roger Spear
