"Big hello to Refrigerator Jim, on the half-eaten tuba."
April 10, 2008 12:20 PM   Subscribe

Can someone identify a British (I assume) musical comedy bit from the 1960s or 1970s that's nothing more than a several minutes-long introduction of the members of the most bizarre band in the world?

Back in the 1980s, I used to listen to a syndicated radio show called "The Comedy Hour," and one bit they played a couple of times over the years was a favorite of mine. I have no clue who did it, or what it's called, and because of its nature, it's pretty much impossible to Google.

Basically, for the entire length of the bit (some 5-8 minutes, I guess), a British-accented announcer -- presumably a bandleader -- introduces the members of this band, one by one. The bit starts with extremely minimal instrumentation -- maybe just a bassline or something, but as the bandleader introduces each person, they join in with their instrument.

As the bit goes on, the instruments get progressively more unconventional and bizarre, and (I think) the names of the people being introduced do, too. It's pretty soon clear that you have something like 40-50 people playing a variety of bizarre instruments, and yet it sounds pretty good. (As you can imagine, as the bit goes on, the instrumental wall of sound gets thicker and thicker.)

Anybody have any clue what this thing is called? I'd love to find me a copy on The Tubes for further iPod enjoyment.
posted by CommonSense to Media & Arts (5 answers total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: Sounds like the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.
posted by Johnny Assay at 12:43 PM on April 10, 2008 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: BAM! That's it. Many thanks!
posted by CommonSense at 12:44 PM on April 10, 2008


And here's the full clip.
posted by Johnny Assay at 12:48 PM on April 10, 2008


Bonus: Hard & Phirm have a great track with a similar theme -- though it's more in the vein of "Tighten Up" or "Memphis Soul Stew". It's called "Funkauser."
posted by YoungAmerican at 1:36 PM on April 10, 2008


Glad to be of help. The only reason I knew this, BTW, was because it was mentioned in Marc Steyn's obituary of Romano Mussolini.
posted by Johnny Assay at 6:17 PM on April 10, 2008


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