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WELCOME TO "THE BRAIN
OPERA" !........what?.....oh.......sorry.
If Vivian Stanshall had things his way, this would've been "The Brain
Opera", unfortunately the idea was rejected.
Welcome to "The Bonzo Dog Band Contractual Obligation
Album!"....er.....ooops.
Next, the Bonzos tried another approach. United Artists were getting tired
of 18 months worth of bargaining with The Bonzos, and finally gave in,
declaring if The Bonzos would regroup and release one final album for
them, they
would consider their contract completed. The Bonzos agreed, but were so unhappy
about this "contractual obligation", they literally went into the
studio, set a timer for 45 minutes, recorded whatever noises they wanted
to, and declared
it their new album. According to Vivian Stanshall, the following day, they came
to their senses, and not wanting to rip-off their fans, they gathered as many
musicians as they could and began work on "Let's Make Up And Be
Friendly".
Now Read On...
Side One opens with the ultimate in toilet humour, as Vivian Stanshall
invites us to do "THE STRAIN", part dance craze, part bowel movement. An
obnoxiously comical tune, about all the wrong things that can take place,
while one is relaxing in the privacy of the water closet. This is followed by the Neil
instrumental "TURKEYS", which makes one wonder what Neil knows
about Turkeys that the rest of us don't. Slightly comical, slightly
majestic, and slightly terrifying, it would make an interesting soundtrack for a film on Turkeys.
( If it were made by David Lynch! ). "KING OF SCURF" is a parody
of Beach Boys style sand/surf/love songs, in which a young man with a certain scalp
condition becomes the new popular man about seaside! Perhaps the first
surf song to include a fiddle! "WAITING FOR THE WARDROBE" is Roger
Ruskin-Spear's golden moment to shine, with "Legs" Larry assisting. Roger has
the ability to make the simplest things in life, seem menacing and alien,
in this case a wardrobe. It starts off slow and lumbering and breaks out into a straight
forward rock-n-roll number. A small taste of what would later be Roger's style on his own solo releases. Next up is
"STRAIGHT FROM MY
HEART", in which Vivian takes on soppy love songs, and "call and response" vocals.
Heartfelt and silly are words that would best describe it. "Legs" Larry
Smith, with the aid of Tony Kaye, close out this side, with the brilliantly hilarious
"RUSTY ( CHAMPION THRUST ) ". A witty song covering, among other
things, cheese, sexual fetishes, a homosexual couple breaking up, awkward cocktail
parties, and much much more. With a great reprise ending. It makes you wonder what other
gems Smith & Kaye would've produced at this time.
Side Two begins with the saga of "RAWLINSON END". Vivian finally
tacks down the narrative on one of his favourite subjects, Sir Henry Rawlinson and
family. ( This would later lead to two albums and a film. ). A wonderfully
bizarre tale of strangeness, honor, family, and British eccentricities.
Vivian would later claim this was inspired by the introductions to radio serials
he listened to, he never wanted to hear the whole story, just the exciting
highlights all run together. "DON'T GET ME WRONG", is a fine
example of Neil & Vivian trading off vocals, half rock ballad, half exasperated plea for
understanding, this shows how two different ideas, can be molded into one stream of musical
consciousness. "FRESH WOUND", is Neil doing a
power ballad, somewhere between Meatloaf and Bruce Springsteen. It starts off as
a pop ballad, segues into a bit of show biz smarminess, and then launches into
the grand finale! A song to make your throat hurt. "BAD BLOOD"
is Vivian's salute to westerns. Making use of nearly every style of country
music, from spanish guitar, banjo and honky tonk piano, to the sounds of
country-rock, Vivian uses every cowboy cliché to tickle the funny bone. And
finally, the album closes with, "SLUSH"....one might almost call
it "A Clown's Requiem". Neil sends the Bonzos off to Valhalla with this beautifully
haunting instrumental. ( That's him laughing, by the way.). This song also
adds a sort of closure to the Bonzo circle, the first song on their first album, "Cool
Britannia", ends with a woman laughing repeatedly, and here, the last song on their last
album, ends in laughter. Quite fitting.
TRIVIAL BITS:
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RELEASED: |
;"Let's Make Up And Be Friendly" by
The Bonzo Dog
Band |
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March,1972 - United Artists (UK - UAS-29288 / US - UAS-5584) - Gray sleeve with Bonzo postcard
glued on to front. Both UK & US releases are identical. ( A first! ) |
|
RE-ISSUED: |
"Let's Make Up And Be Friendly" by
The Bonzo Dog
Band |
|
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1974 -
Sunset Records - (UK - SLS 50418 ) - Black sleeve with Bonzo postcard
printed on the sleeve. |
THE SINGLE:
"Slush"/ "Music From Rawlinson End" - 1972 United
Artists ( UK ),UP35358
The A-Side is taken directly from the album, while the B-Side is quite
rare, "Music From Rawlinson End", is just Neil's music, minus Vivian's
narrative. This single is considered very rare, as it was pressed, and then cancelled
for distribution.
( Presumably part of United Artists disenchantment with the band.)
CREDITED BAND MEMBERS: Vivian Stanshall ( vocals/ukulele ),
Neil Innes ( piano/organ/heavenly squawking ),
Dennis Cowan ( bass/slide guitar/voices
), Roger Ruskin-Spear ( vocals/sax/xylophone ), "Legs" Larry
Smith ( vocals/drums )
ADDITIONAL BAND MEMBERS: Tony Kaye ( piano, organ), Hughie Flint
(drums, percussion),
Anthony `Bubs' White ( electric "brainbiter" guitar/spanish guitar), Dave Richards
(bass, empyreal screeching ),
Dick Parry ( saxophone, flutes.), Andy Roberts ( fiddle, mandolin, rhythm and acoustic
guitar, heavenly squawking ).
BAND MEMBERS THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT ON THE ALBUM: Rodney Slater. ( listed
here as "In Spirit" ).
THE BEATLES: There are two Beatle references on this album. Both on
"Fresh Wound", first, Neil is heard to say, "Come on
George, snap out of it.". This was brought about, after Neil had read a newspaper story about George Harrison
being down. Second, if you read the song description on the back of the
sleeve, it's a mock drama about the Beatles breaking up. ( Including two
song references: "You Can't Do That", and "Taxman" )
MONTY PYTHON: Yes, there is even a reference to them here as well! On
"Bad Blood", Vivian throws in references to the "Lumberjack Song"
sketch. Besides mentioning the Lumberjack being thrown out of the Seborrhea
saloon, ( Seborrhea being a scalp condition, thus the Barber Shop connection.
), and then the narrator declares, "I could've been a doctor, or an
architect", a direct quote from the sketch.
WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT ABOUT "THE BRAIN OPERA"?:
Apparently, it was completely written by Vivian Stanshall & Arthur Brown, and basic tracks and ideas
were discussed, but it was never fully realised. The premise was the story of
German surgeons vying for cash prizes to work in America. It was supposed
to be recorded first, then to tour as a live stage production. There was even
an "Excerpts From The Brain Opera", recorded for the John Peel radio
show, but that didn't go over well either. All that survived were several lyrics
that Vivian would later put into other songs, and two songs which would later
turn up on the Arthur Brown album "Kingdom Come".
WHAT'S IN A NAME?: Although titled "Let's Make Up And Be
Friendly", not all the Bonzos were exactly on "friendly" terms at this point,
Legs Larry's "Rusty" was recorded independently, as was Roger's "Waiting
For The Wardrobe". For the most part, for this album, The Bonzo were
Viv, Neil & Dennis. ( A little bit like The Beatles "White Album" recording sessions. )
FOLLOW ME: Musicians Dave Richards and Andy Roberts would later appear in
many of Neil's solo projects, as well as being members of "Grimms".
( They would also turn up in 1991 for Vivian's "Dog Ends" stage shows.)
MORE ABOUT "TURKEYS": Many years later, Neil Innes would take the
bridge from "Turkeys", and insert it into the song "Time To Kill" (
found on the "Off The Record" album ). The newer homage is played by a string
quartet, and sounds quite dignified....even for turkeys.
WHITHER THE BONZOS? :
NEIL INNES: after this release, Neil went on to....hang on, why am I telling
you this? Just explore the rest of this website, for the rest of Neil's career.
VIVIAN STANSHALL: from here, Vivian would go on to do all sorts of
projects! Vivian appears on numerous albums, including ones by Mike
Oldfield, John Entwhistle, Steve Winwood ( co-writing most of the "Arc of a
Diver" album.), and The Damned, to name a few. He did numerous television
commercials, and radio show appearances, wrote and performed in his own stage production
"Stinkfoot", appeared on the "Innes Book of Records"
television show, released numerous singles, and appeared in two films, "That'll Be The Day"
( with Ringo Starr, as a teddy boy ), and his own film "Sir Henry At Rawlinson
End". ( appearing briefly as "Hubert Rawlinson" and the
Narrator, with Vernon Dudley as "Nigel Nice" ). He also released four albums, "Men
Opening Umbrellas Ahead" ( featuring Neil. ), "Sir Henry At Rawlinson
End"," Teddy Boys Don't Knit" ( featuring Neil, Roger, and Sam Spoons
), and "Sir Henry At N'didi's Kraal". Vivian came closest to ever having a live Bonzo re-union
show, in 1991, with his "Dog Ends" shows, featuring Himself,
Roger and Rodney. ( with appearances by Ollie Halsall & John Halsey as well. ). Sadly Vivian
Stanshall passed away in March 1995, in a house fire. He was the epitome of true
British eccentricity.
ROGER RUSKIN-SPEAR: from here, Roger went on to do many projects. As
"Roger Ruskin-Spear & His Giant Kinetic Wardrobe", he released two albums
"Unusual" & "Electric Shocks". He was in several bands, "Tatty Ollity"
( with Sam Spoons ),"The Slightly Dangerous Brothers", "Bill Posters Will Be
Band" ( with Sam Spoons, and Rodney Slater. ), and appeared on the song "God Is
Mad" by "Albertos & Los Trios Paranoias". He appeared on Vivian
Stanshall's "Teddy Boys Don't Knit" album, and in the "Dog Ends" shows in 1991.
He also taught at Chelsea College of Art, now retired.
LEGS LARRY SMITH: from here, Legs sort of ran off to appear on everyone
elses records and stage shows! Among them, Elton John, Eric Clapton, John
Cale, and George Harrison. He released a single, "Springtime For
Hitler"/"I've Got A Braun New Girl". He sang the title
track, as well as performed in the
film "Bullshot". Besides appearing on George Harrison's "Extra
Texture" album, on the song "His Name Is Legs, Ladies & Gentlemen",
he also did
all of the graphic design work for the album "Gone Troppo", and it's ad campaigns.
He remained a close friend of George for ages. His most recent project,
with back up band The Berlin Bratz, was a revised and updated version of "Springtime
For Hitler", a four track cd., proported to be part of his larger stage
show project, "Call Me, Adolph".
DENNIS COWAN: from here, Dennis joined the short lived band, "Abednego",
which featured John Etheridge, Lynton Naiff, and future Innes collaborator John
Altman. Dennis then became the original bass player for the stage
show, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", and can be heard on the original London
stage show soundtrack album. Next up, he was part of another short lived
band, "Darien Spirit". In October 1973, they released a single, "Rock Your
Soul", and an album, "Elegy To Marilyn".( Famous for it's album sleeve art of
Marilyn Monroe with 3D changing lips.). Sadly, this was as far as Dennis ever
went, he died in 1973 of peritonitis. Neil and Vivian were hit hardest by this event. Neil
dedicated his "Recycled Vinyl Blues" album to him. Vivian wrote
the song "Vacant Chair" ( recorded by Steve Winwood ), in his memory. (
"Vacant Chairs" are floral chairs sold by funeral parlours. )
THE END? : Not exactly.... in 1987, Neil, Vivian, Roger, Rodney & Legs
regrouped for one final song, as "The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band",
and recorded,
"No Matter Who You Vote For, The Government Always Gets In ( Heigh Ho! )". A
pointed political statement, which they originally planned to re-release each
election year in Britain!
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