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Rutles
The Rutles () were a rock band that performed visual and aural pastiches and parodies of the Beatles. This originally fictional band, created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes for a sketch in Idle's mid-1970s BBC television comedy series ''Rutland Weekend Television'', later toured and recorded, releasing two albums that included two UK chart hits. The band toured again from 2002 until Innes' death in 2019. Encouraged by the positive public reaction to the sketch, Idle wrote the mockumentary television film ''All You Need Is Cash'' (1978, aka ''The Rutles''). Idle co-directed the film with Gary Weis; it featured 20 Beatles' music pastiches written by Innes, which he performed with three musicians as the Rutles. A soundtrack album in 1978 was followed in 1996 by ''Archaeology (album), Archaeology'', which spoofed the then-recent ''Beatles Anthology'' series. A second film, ''The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch'' (modelled on the 2000 TV special ''The Beatles Revolution'') was made in 200 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Archaeology (album)
''Archaeology'' is the second album by parody band The Rutles. Like their previous release, the album contains pastiches of Beatles songs. Three of the four musicians who had created the soundtrack for the 1978 film—Neil Innes, John Halsey, and Ricky Fataar—reunited in 1996 and recorded a second album, ''Archaeology'', an affectionate send-up of ''The Beatles Anthology'' albums (although its original cover design rather parodied that of The Beatles' singles compilation '' Past Masters: Volume One''). The fourth 'real' Rutle, Ollie Halsall, died in Spain in 1992. Eric Idle was invited to participate, but declined. Like the ''Anthology'' project that it lampooned, it featured tracks ostensibly from all periods of the Rutles' career, sequenced to reflect the fictional band's chronology. Several of the songs were actually older Innes songs that were dusted off and given the 'Rutles' treatment. The reunion was blessed by George Harrison, who encouraged The Pre-Fab Four to pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neil Innes
Neil James Innes (; 9 December 1944 – 29 December 2019) was an English writer, comedian and musician. He first came to prominence in the pioneering comedy rock group Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and later became a frequent collaborator with the Monty Python troupe on their BBC television series and films, and is often called the "seventh Python" along with performer Carol Cleveland. He co-created the Rutles, a Beatles parody/pastiche project, with Python Eric Idle, and wrote the band's songs. Early life Innes was born in Danbury in Essex. His Scottish father was a warrant officer in the British Army, and Innes spent his childhood in West Germany where his father was deployed with the British Army of the Rhine. He took piano lessons from age 7 to 14 and taught himself to play guitar. His parents were supportive of their children's artistic leanings, and his father also drew and painted. After returning to the United Kingdom, Innes received his formal education at Thorpe Grammar Sch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
All You Need Is Cash
''All You Need Is Cash'' (also known as ''The Rutles'') is a 1978 television film that traces (in mockumentary style) the career of a fictitious English rock group called the Rutles. As ''TV Guide'' described it, the group's resemblance to the Beatles is "purely – and satirically – intentional". The film was co-produced by the production companies of Eric Idle and Lorne Michaels, and it was directed by Idle and Gary Weis. It was first broadcast on 22 March 1978 on NBC, earning the lowest ratings of any show on American prime time network television that week, though those who did watch it gave almost unanimously good reviews. It did much better in the ratings when it premiered in the UK on BBC2 on 27 March 1978. Premise ''All You Need Is Cash'' is a series of skits and gags that illustrate the fictional Rutles story, closely following the chronology of the Beatles' career. Cast * Eric Idle as Dirk McQuickly, a parody of Paul McCartney; as The Narrator, a parody of Ala ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rutland Weekend Television
''Rutland Weekend Television'' (''RWT'') was a television sketch show on BBC2, written by Eric Idle with music by Neil Innes. Two series were broadcast, the first consisting of six episodes in 1975, and the second series of seven episodes in 1976. A Christmas special was broadcast on Boxing Day 1975. It was Idle's first television project after ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which had ended the previous year, and was the catalyst for The Rutles. ''Rutland Weekend Television'' or ''RWT'' ostensibly centred on "Britain's smallest television network", situated in England's smallest (and mainly rural) county, Rutland. Rutland had lost its independence in April 1974 so, supposedly, there were tax advantages to broadcasting from somewhere that did not legally exist. This framework allowed for a range of sketches and material to be presented, all as part of the fictional network's hosted programming. Nevertheless, even this very loose concept was frequently ignored and material w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eric Idle
Eric Idle (born 29 March 1943) is an English actor, comedian, musician and writer. Idle was a member of the British surreal comedy group Monty Python and the parody rock band The Rutles, and is the writer of the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical ''Spamalot'' (based on '' Monty Python and the Holy Grail''). Known for his elaborate wordplay and musical numbers, Idle performed many of the songs featured in Python projects, including "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" (from ''Life of Brian''), and the "Galaxy Song" (from '' The Meaning of Life''). After '' Monty Python's Flying Circus'', he created the sketch show ''Rutland Weekend Television'' (1975-76), hosted ''Saturday Night Live'' in the US four times in the first five seasons and guest-starred on ''The Simpsons''. Idle's initially successful solo career faltered in the 1990s with the failures of his 1993 film ''Splitting Heirs'' (which he wrote, produced, and starred in) and 1998's '' An Alan Smithee Film: Burn H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ollie Halsall
Peter John "Ollie" Halsall (14 March 1949 – 29 May 1992) was an English guitarist best known for his role in the Rutles, the bands Timebox, Patto and Boxer, and for his contribution to the music of Kevin Ayers. He is also notable as one of the few players of the vibraphone in rock music. He was known by his childhood nickname 'Olly' or 'Ollie' which was simply a corruption of his surname. The Ollie Halsall Archive was established in 1998, with the aim of documenting and promoting his work. Career Halsall began his musical career in 1964 playing drums with various local bands such as Pete and the Pawnees, the Gunslingers, the Music Students and Rhythm and Blues Incorporated. In 1965 he taught himself to play the vibraphone and was invited to London to join fellow Southport musicians bassist Clive Griffiths and keyboardist 'Professor' Chris Holmes in pop rock outfit Take Five, which became Timebox. in 1967, Halsall took up guitar. They enlisted Mike Patto on vocals and drum ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monty Python
Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show '' Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series. The Python phenomenon developed from the television series into something larger in scope and influence, including touring stage shows, films, albums, books and musicals. The Pythons' influence on comedy has been compared to the Beatles' influence on music. Regarded as an enduring icon of 1970s pop culture, their sketch show has been referred to as being "an important moment in the evolution of television comedy". Broadcast by the BBC between 1969 and 1974, ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' was conceived, written and performed by its members Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Loosely structured as a sketch show, but with an innovative stream-of-consciousness approach aided by Gil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ricky Fataar
Ricky Fataar (born 5 September 1952) is a South African-English multi-instrumentalist of Cape Malay descent, who has performed as both a drummer and a guitarist. He gained fame as an actor in ''The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash'', a spoof on the actual history of the Beatles in which he also performed as a member of The Rutles. He is also known for his stint as a member of The Beach Boys between 1971 and 1974. Fataar is also recognized for his contributions as a record producer, and has worked on projects scoring music to film and television. Music career The Flames Fataar's first childhood band was The Flames, a band from his birthplace of Durban, South Africa. He joined the band at the age of nine. The band made several recordings as well as touring all over southern Africa and before long they became quite popular in South Africa. By the time he was twelve years old he had already won the honour of being voted as the "Best Rock Drummer in South Africa". In 1968, the band m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Halsey (musician)
John Halsey (born 23 February 1945) is a rock drummer, best known for his appearance in the television film ''All You Need is Cash'' (1978) as Barrington Womble ("Barry Wom") of The Rutles. Previous to this he had played with fellow future Rutle Neil Innes's band Fatso and appeared with them in the BBC Television comedy series, ''Rutland Weekend Television'', fronted by a third Rutle, Eric Idle. Halsey was born in Highgate, North London and grew up in North Finchley. He joined the London rhythm and blues band Felder's Orioles in 1965, who released four singles on the Piccadilly Records label. In 1967 he joined Timebox (band), Timebox, a band from Southport, who later became Patto. With record producer Muff Winwood they released three albums. The band disbanded in 1973. In 1972 Halsey played drums on the Lou Reed album Transformer (Lou Reed album), ''Transformer'' and recorded as a session musician on albums including ''Mind Your Own Business'' by Henry McCullough (1975), ''Back to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Battley
David John Battley (5 November 1935 – 20 January 2003) was a British actor of stage and screen, mainly appearing in comedy roles. Early life Battley was born at Battersea, London, the elder son of John Battley, a post-Second World War Labour MP, and his wife Sybill (née Allchurch). Born with a hole in the heart, he was initially home schooled before attending a special school. He later enrolled at Camberwell School of Art but left before completing the course. He earned a living working for the family printing firm, Battley Brothers, before applying to Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Battley had one brother, Bernard. Career Battley used a dry, ironic delivery on television and in films. He found steady work as a character actor and comic stooge. Battley's TV work ranged from the satire show '' BBC-3'' and the military police drama ''Redcap'' in the 1960s through Eric Sykes' BBC sitcom, the 1975 TV adaptation of ''Moll Flanders'' and the 1977 Christmas Special of '' The Good ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mark Griffiths (musician)
Mark-Haydn Griffiths is a British bassist who toured with Neil Innes in his touring ensemble of the fictional Beatles parody the Rutles where he performs Rutles songs and other songs from his career such as his songs from the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. He also has played with Cliff Richard's backing band and with the Shadows The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the late 1950s and early 1960s, in the pre- Beatles era. They served as the backing band for Cliff Richard .... References External links * Living people The Shadows members British bass guitarists Male bass guitarists The Rutles members Year of birth missing (living people) {{UK-bass-guitarist-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mickey Simmonds
Mickey Simmonds (born 31 January 1959, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England) is an English session keyboardist, arranger and composer. He is best known for his work with progressive rock acts, Mike Oldfield, Renaissance, Camel and Fish. He has also worked with Joan Armatrading, Paul Young, The Rutles, Art Garfunkel, Kiki Dee, Mastermind, John Coghlan's Diesel Band, Elkie Brooks, Judie Tzuke, Imagination, Bucks Fizz, Jennifer Rush, The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, the list goes on. Simmonds had a long-standing relationship with Neil Innes, hence The Rutles (including all the arrangements on Archaeology 1996) and The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, whose studio album ''Pour l'Amour des Chiens'' was co-produced by Simmonds & Innes. Simmonds has released two solo albums, ''The Shape of Rain'' (1996) and ''The Seven Colours of Emptiness'' (2009). As influences, he cites progressive rock acts such as early Genesis, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Pink Floyd. Personal life Simmonds currently resides ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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