Bonzo Dog Band
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Suggest New Bands and Artists
Forum Description: Suggest, create polls, and classify new bands you would like included on Prog Archives
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=35591
Printed Date: July 19 2025 at 09:05
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Bonzo Dog Band
Posted By: clarke2001
Subject: Bonzo Dog Band
Date Posted: March 16 2007 at 14:49
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Bonzo Dog Band, a.k.a. Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. Why aren't they here? Personally, I think they deserve a place on PA....I'm not sure in which category though...comedy-prog?  They will appeal to fans of psychedelia...and Monty Python's Flying Circus. I have heard two albums: Tadpoles and Keynsham. First one is brilliant, eclectic and funny, the other one is less funny, but bolder musical-wise. Both of them will be quite an enjoyable listen for an average prog rock fan, in my opinion. What do you think? Share please. ------------- |
Replies:
Posted By: clarke2001
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 16:10
No-one interested in Bonzos? Not even the gray-haired rock fans? ------------- |
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: July 23 2007 at 18:11
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Not grey hared yet but already casted my vote for Proto Prog.
Iván ------------- 
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 23 2007 at 18:51
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Oh kay - a grey rises to the challenge.
I say proto because of their irreverent attitude towards the mainstream opened doors that people didn't know existed and tore down barriers that weren't there before people were forced to put them up to keep them out. The Dog band drove a camel through of the Canyons of Your Mind and the holes in your string vest - if it wasn't for the Bonzo Dog Band then the Bonzo Dog Do Dah Band wouldn't have existed. (dammit - the Bonzo Dog Dada Band wouldn't have existed either). This band were so profoundly hugely talented they could pull in such diverse names as The Princess Anne (sousaphone) and The Eric Clapton (ukulele) [Hi Eric] to play on their albums and not only that - who can forget The Count Basie Orchestra on trianlge - astounding. The Bonzos, (as they were affectionately known), were, without answer - the first jazz-rock fusion band, so we now know for certain that Blue Men Can Sing the Whites. They could also uproot trees with their bare hands and beat up bullies 'til they cry "Oh lah! Oh, crikey! Let go, you rotter! Don't punish me!"
Viv Stanshall was the loudly sung hero of English eccentric englishness, but Neil Innis is the unsung hero of British underground music - a pure genius. (What noise annoys a noisy oyster? Neil does.)
Also without the Bonzos there would be no Tubular Bells, Captain Lockheed, Rutles or Sir Henry Rawlinson. (...or Death Cab for Cutie - damn, that's the killer blow, Admins: keep them out at all costs!)
Heigh ho! Don't worry Nobody can win (Heigh ho! Heigh ho!) No matter who you vote for, the government always gets in! ------------- What? |
Posted By: Eetu Pellonpaa
Date Posted: July 24 2007 at 03:48
I think on basis of what I have heard of them, that they were a part of avantgarde music scene, and thus were a proto band in a path leading to ZAPPA and other lunic music. 
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Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: July 24 2007 at 04:02
| 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. |
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: July 24 2007 at 13:01
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Well, the Bonzos IMO where a band very advanced to their time, yes they added comedy to their first albums. Gorilla was a theatrical album with clear elements of Jazz fusion with Vaudevillian routines, that IMO is a first step towards Prog Fusion and were the base of Arthur Brown’s theatrical pyrotechnics. In the Doughnuts in Granny's Greenhouse or Urban Spaceman (Practically the same album) they pay a visit to everything that was happening in the musical scenario of 1968/1969, you can listen more Jazz, radical Garage Psyche and even electronic Blues, they were having fun, but at the same time they were creating place for a genre like Progressive Rock that it’s essentially a fusion of Rock with almost everything. In Tadpoles they were entering almost without proposing into the Space Rock territory, their Psychedelic was advancing faster than the rest of the bands, Ali Baba’s Camel is a masterpiece of Proto Prog. In Keynsham they tyry to be more serious,. But it’s probably their weakest album at that point because they loose a great part of the irreverent act they were ´perfuming, but musically is still absolutely advanced. Prog in the 70’s was full of theatrics and this guys were the predecessors, they showed that Rock could go further than just music, they blended everything, from Jazz, some sort of Avant, Psychedelia,. Blues everything you can imagine, Much of the sarcasm used by Genesis in I Know What I Like and Harold the Barrell, and acid critics to the British society is inherited from The Bonzo Dog Doh-Dah band, so I believe it’s more than enough reason to add them )Forget the two later albums, they days were gone) Some of the Vaudevillian acts of Queen probably have their roots with the Bonzos, so they influenced DIRECTLY Prog Rock, even when Queen is not a 100% Prog band They not only made music fun but explored Jazz, Rock, Psyche, Surrealistic Dada, Vaudeville, etc, they were eclectic from the roots to the branches. My two cents. -------------
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Posted By: clarke2001
Date Posted: July 24 2007 at 13:39
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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 - 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. ------------- |
Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: July 24 2007 at 13:58
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Thanks for the very informed responses guys, clearly a lot of thought and work has gone into them.
My personal view is that they were very good at parodying the influences and styles mentioned, but were not seriously trying to pioneer or develop them.
I'd like to let the discussion run a bit longer to see what others think. I'll be happy then to take the proposal to the Admin team if someone putting themselves forward as willing to do the work of adding them.
No matter what I say in my personal views, the Admin team decision will be taken impartially, based on all the facts as presented.
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Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: July 24 2007 at 16:27
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I will add them is approved.
Iván -------------
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: July 30 2007 at 10:13
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Now on to the Temperance Seven and the Bob Kerr Whoopee Band...
------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 30 2007 at 12:31
And John Dummer's Oobleedooblee Band  ------------- What? |
Dick Heath wrote:Posted By: Man Erg
Date Posted: July 30 2007 at 17:07
and The New Vaudeville Band and bits of Stackridge ------------- 
Do 'The Stanley' otherwise I'll thrash you with some rhubarb. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: July 30 2007 at 17:10
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and let's not forget the Thamesmen.. will those lads ever get their due ?
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 30 2007 at 17:14
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If you're putting Stackridge in the frame, what about Stackwaddy and Principal Edwards Magic Theater...
... Damn, had forgotten all about PEMT until just now - I've got to search for them on amazon now... ------------- What? |
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: July 30 2007 at 18:05
I should copy this, because illustrates clearly why we have problems in Prog Related and Proto Prog. If we want to have a complete image of Prog, Prog Related but specially Proto Prog have a fundamental role, because we must know who DIRECTLY influenced the development of the genre, this is undeniable.. I believe the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (Originally The Bonzo Dog DADA band due to their relation with surreal dadaism) influenced not only Psyche, but also fusion and theatrics in Rock but most important, they were irreverent and acid critics with mainstream tendencies in music. But we should know when to stop, we must add the influential , but not the band that influenced the influential, The Temperance Seven is a band (more precisely a troupe) formed in December 1955 and disolved in 1960. Including them is going to far in the past. Yes they influenced the theatrical act of The Bonzos, but The Temperance Seven had no relation with the mid 60's explorative movement, Psyche and surrealism, they were a Jazz circus, with Vaudeville acts. Bob Kerr Whopee band is a pure Jazz act with Vaudeville touches influenced by The Bonzos, that didn't questioned or explored the boundaries of Rock, they still perform today as a Vaudeville act, not directly influential in the mid 60's movement, as a fact they were formed in 1967 as a different alternative.. Now, they were influenced by The Bonzos, but have no relation with Prog,. Psyche or anything related to our site. If we add the really and directly influential to the genre, there should be no problem, but if we force the chain and go one link back to the ones that influenced the influential or one link further to the influenced by the influential but have no relation with Prog, then people will react and this will be endless. Just my Two Cents of Peruvian Sol de Oro -------------
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: July 30 2007 at 18:32
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^ I don't think that Dick was being serious. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: July 30 2007 at 19:33
I know Dick is not serious of course, but works as an example, sometimes we add the influential of the Prog Related band and that's when we have problems.
Iván -------------
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Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: July 31 2007 at 10:06
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Was I or wasn't ????? I do feel the Bonzo's fit in here somewhere, but as I said before I'm most uncomfortable with proto-prog, even prog related, when it seems such terms are surrounded by ambiguities. Actually saw the Temperanace Seven in the late 60's - the missing link between the Bonzo's and British trad jazz - whilst Bob Kerr passed through the Bonzo's ranks.???Perhaps more fitting or maybe not, is to use the term we used in the 1966 to 1971 in lieu of progressive music: underground music: DISCUSS?
And least we forget:
 ------------- The best eclectic music on the Web,8-11pm BST/GMT THURS. CLICK ON: http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php - http://www.lborosu.org.uk/media/lcr/live.php Host by PA's Dick Heath. |
Posted By: mystic fred
Date Posted: August 02 2007 at 03:18
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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...?
-------------  Prog Archives Tour Van 
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Posted By: fuxi
Date Posted: September 03 2007 at 17:42
| Yes!!!! Definitely proto-prog!! |
Posted By: Ivan_Melgar_M
Date Posted: September 03 2007 at 19:22
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I believe it's time to go for it Bob! Iván -------------
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Posted By: Seyo
Date Posted: September 05 2007 at 17:56
| For me - proto prog! Heard only Keynsham. It has psychedelic moments but not to the extent so as to consider it fully prog psychedelic. And yes, it features Theremin :) |