Bonzo Dog Band

No-one interested in Bonzos?
Not even the gray-haired rock fans?

I really cannot see how they influenced prog. They were in my view simply a fun outfit, who made some amusing songs. They found success through regular appearances on a children's comedy show ("Do not adjust your set"), and a hit single "I'm the urban spaceman". To me, their albums are funny and well made, but nothing to do with prog.

Ok, here are my two cents:

They were formed in 1962, they released 5 albums between 1967 and 1972, four of them before 1969 King Crimson's debut. I'm familiar only with two albums (Tadpoles and Keynsham). Even if the rest of the albums are just dull, simple commercial junk (and I don't think that's the case), with these two albums they have enough credibility for a proto-prog entry, IMHO.

1. Both albums were released in August 1969, before the first "real" prog album, In The Court Of The Crimson King.

2. They were excellent musicians,

3. they were highly eclectic and innovative - fusioning music subgenres such are jazz, psychedelic rock, cabaret music and some avant garde moments, incorporating them in their own unique style of rock music, which leads to:

4. they were not a group of comedians wrapped into rock'n'roll  as a expression, they were rock band incorporating different activities, approach and media.

5. The maturity of a certain subgenre (not only in music but in overall art) is measured by a capability of the genre to make a fun of itself (parody). They were not just sharing the ties of loose comedians for the sake of the comedy, they made a coherent artistic statement.

6. They utilised unusual musical instruments, rarely (or never before) heard in rock music.

7. THEY WERE PART OF THE MOVEMENT, OF THE ERA. They didn't influnece any prog band in the 70's? Prog reviewer fuxi mentioned that Hatfield and The North  were influenced by the Bonzos. I'm not familiar with that, but listening to HatN, I won't be surprised.
Even if that's not the case, it doesn't matter. The Bonzo were there sharing the same era of innovation, thinking outside-the-box along with the Procol Harum, Moody Blues, Nice, Pink Floyd and others - removing rock music from a pop to the next, innovative and progressive level. A common denominator could be found in the Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp, for example - only Bonzo Dog band did it in a much more progressive way.
To use a X--Y relation: Deep Purple are on the site. They were a milestone of hard-rock and heavy metal music, but frankly I don't know if they influenced any prog band in the 70's. That's not the reason why they are here, they are not prog related, they are proto-prog, because their early years are relevant.

8. Stage performance. Again: inovation, shocking, psychedelia. Fans of Arthur Brown would enjoy Bonzo's stage antics. I dare everyone to look at this video and tell: if this doesn't look (and sound!) like progressive rock band performance, I do not know does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZHTkb6BUxU

9. People are familiar with the Bonzos because of the hit single The Urban Spaceman and appearance in "Do Not Adjust Your TV set". Well, the same could be said about many other bands. Yes are not here because of  "Lonely Heart". Queen are not here because of "Bohemian Rhapsody". The Beatles are not here because of "A Hard Day's Night" movie.

10. They were innovators in studio technique using excessive amounts of reverb, distorsion and cross-fading. "Mr. Apollo" is perhaps the first heavy metal song, beating PINK FLOYD "The Nile Song" and BEATLES "Helter Skelter" in amplification. Reverb was cleverly used in "Canyons Of Your Mind", not only parodising, but also dissectioning all the ingredients of a typical Elvis-like song, recomposing them and making almost a grotesque.

11. They had some straight-rock tunes, but the majority of the songs are innovative, unpredictable, changing moods (and tempo) within the song. "Sport (The Odd Boy)" is beautiful harpischord-leaden tune based on a medieval madrigal, "Keynsham" is another beauty with layered flute melodies and pianos that evokes Tull from their most prolific era. And "Mr. Slater's Parrot"...well, you have to hear it to believe it.

12. Finally, if prog purists would be complaining about another entry that is not 100% prog - there would be no controversies or tensions because the Bonzo Dog Band are relatively unknown to the wider audience, especially youngsters.

I will add them is approved.

Dick Heath wrote: Now on to the Temperance Seven and the Bob Kerr Whoopee Band...

and let's not forget the Thamesmen.. will those lads ever get their due ?

Dick Heath wrote: Now on to the Temperance Seven and the Bob Kerr Whoopee Band...

darqdean wrote: ^ I don't think that Dick was being serious.

The Bonzos, modelled on the 1920's "Bertie Wooster" period band style  using a variety of strange musical instruments and quirky English humour,  definately have a place in PA for the influence they had on music and musicians in general in the 60's, psychedelia would have not been the same without them - i suggest Proto-prog...?