Please consider registering
Guest
sp_LogInOut Log Insp_Registration Register
Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search
Forum Scope


Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
sp_Feed sp_TopicIcon
The Goons
4 February 2017
12.55pm
Avatar
SgtPeppersBulldog
Swinging London
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3157
Member Since:
1 January 2017
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I think The Goons deserve a proper mention here. @ewe2 talked a bit about The Goon Show in the thread about The Beatles musical humor. I believe all four were fans of the show (as were the future members of Monty Python) and most of The Goons comedy records were produced by none other than george-martin, several years before he met The Beatles. Of all the ties I can think of between The Beatles and The Goons off my head –

Peter Sellers 

Did some hilarious covers of Beatles songs in different accents (I recommend looking at the ones he did for She Loves You . Just brilliant.)

Ringo gave him a tape of demos during the sessions for The White Album , and year later they were in The Magic Christian together.

Oh, and this interview –

https://youtu.be/ezObs-Rc-Jc

 

Spike Milligan

Was present at one of the Beatles recording sessions in early 1968, I remember seeing a picture somewhere. I think it was at that same session that Spike (can someone correct me if I’m wrong) asked them to contribute to the World Wildlife charity album thing, leading to Across The Universe

He also appeared in The Magic Christian and attended the premiere of the Let It Be film in 1970.

 

I haven’t really looked into Harry Secombe much yet, although he does play Mr Bumble in the 1968 Oliver film, and I see a lot of his records in charity shops. 

 

Anyways here’s my favourite episode of The Goon Show 

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/vid…../83967514/

The following people thank SgtPeppersBulldog for this post:

ewe2

"Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles... " 

 2017: 

 
4 February 2017
1.15pm
Avatar
meanmistermustard
Thankfully not where I am.
Moderator
Members

Reviewers


Moderators
Forum Posts: 24950
Member Since:
1 May 2011
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Peter Sellers visited the Twickenham Studios set during the ‘Get Back ‘ rehearsals in January 1969, I forget the exact date.

You also have John stating his love for the Goons during the intro for ‘I Got To Find My Baby’ (episode 2 of ‘Pop Go The Beatles’) and which was released on ‘Live At The BBC ‘ where it was given the title ‘Love These Goon Shows’ (you can hear it 2:15 in the video below).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?…..Veoaz3-qC4

The following people thank meanmistermustard for this post:

SgtPeppersBulldog, WeepingAtlasCedars

"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)

4 February 2017
1.54pm
Avatar
Pablo Ramon
Some Time in NYC
Hollywood Bowl
Members
Forum Posts: 687
Member Since:
19 October 2016
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

meanmistermustard said
Peter Sellers visited the Twickenham Studios set during the ‘Get Back ‘ rehearsals in January 1969, I forget the exact date.

January 14, 1969. It was one of those days when George had left the band but they wanted to maintain the public illusion that they were still together. According to the Sulpy and Schweighart Get Back book Sellers was at Twickenham because casting for The Magic Christian was occurring on another soundstage. Apparently Sellers’ visit was rather awkward as he wondered why they were sitting idly with a film crew capturing them NOT making music. He also asked John to contribute a sound collage to the Magic Christian soundtrack, though it was Paul who ultimately composed “Come And Get It ” for the film. The conversation then apparently devolves into a series of drug jokes and Sellers departs.

Not exactly a legendary meeting of the minds…but given the state of the band and the project at the time I suppose one wouldn’t expect much more…

The following people thank Pablo Ramon for this post:

SgtPeppersBulldog, ewe2, meanmistermustard
4 February 2017
2.24pm
Avatar
SgtPeppersBulldog
Swinging London
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3157
Member Since:
1 January 2017
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Another link could be that Sellers and Richard Lester directed and Milligan wrote The Running, Jumping and Standing-Still Film. The sequences are similar to the first Can’t Buy Me Love scene in AHDN .

The following people thank SgtPeppersBulldog for this post:

ewe2

"Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles... " 

 2017: 

 
5 February 2017
5.50am
Avatar
ewe2
Inside the beat
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3025
Member Since:
8 January 2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

The Goons were the equivalent of rock stars on British radio in the 1950s, so it’s unsurprising that they influenced the next generation, let alone the Beatles. They didn’t just make radio, the shows led to a lot of work for Sellers and Secombe, as they became actors and entertainers in their own right, whilst Milligan chiefly wrote the shows and didn’t get around to much outside of that until after the Goons. They also made singles and albums and these were as popular as the radio shows themselves, and hence the George Martin connection.

Input:
* Of critical importance are the works with George Martin, not just records the Goons made but work with individual Goons with Martin’s production.
* Useful Goons compilations are Unchained Melodies and The World of The Goons, there is some overlap but together they are the most complete.

Output:
* Obviously the movies with Richard Lester.
* Beatles Christmas albums very obviously influenced.
* You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) – standout track, complete with silly voices.

But curiously, Sellers also did a few Beatles hits. I’m told that some of these were reissued in an EP in 1993 called Hard Day’s Night and there’s a compilation called A Celebration of Sellers which has all these plus all the best Sellers.

Firstly this:

He released it as a single in 1965 and it actually reached the UK top 20.

AND this (with the Masters Singers), also in 1965

AND this (also in 1965)

ALSO this, a collection of the 4 versions of She Loves You .

 

stuart-sutcliffe and now for something completely different…

The following people thank ewe2 for this post:

SgtPeppersBulldog

I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe.  This has been true for 2016 & 2017 Sig-Badge.png but I may have to get more specific in the future.

aus-flag-v-small.png

5 February 2017
6.28am
Avatar
SgtPeppersBulldog
Swinging London
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3157
Member Since:
1 January 2017
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Love them! Sellers is just pure genius.

Also I found these: Spike with George and Ringo

3f689fc56a2f9f055e7f6b4546105138.jpgImage Enlarger

dcd375d14960063407815ca1408ead30.jpgImage Enlarger

article-1083967-0081046A00000258-84_468x313.jpgImage Enlarger

Is that Dudley Moore behind them?

The following people thank SgtPeppersBulldog for this post:

ewe2

"Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles... " 

 2017: 

 
5 February 2017
6.35am
Avatar
ewe2
Inside the beat
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3025
Member Since:
8 January 2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Looks like him!

Edit: while trying to track down a difficult to find Sellers track, I found some additional connections:

The Scaffold (Mike McCartney’s band, with Roger McGough and John Gorman) used George Martin to produce their first single 2 Days Monday expressly for his Sellers/Goons connection, and were very comedic, their best known-hits were Thank U Very Much and Lily The Pink

The following people thank ewe2 for this post:

SgtPeppersBulldog

I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe.  This has been true for 2016 & 2017 Sig-Badge.png but I may have to get more specific in the future.

aus-flag-v-small.png

5 February 2017
9.11am
Avatar
SgtPeppersBulldog
Swinging London
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3157
Member Since:
1 January 2017
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I don’t know if this counts as a link, but Mary Hopkin (who was one of the first artists on the Apple label) and Harry Secombe have collaborated.

They’re both Welsh too.

The following people thank SgtPeppersBulldog for this post:

ewe2

"Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles... " 

 2017: 

 
14 February 2017
9.36am
Avatar
SgtPeppersBulldog
Swinging London
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3157
Member Since:
1 January 2017
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

From the official Goon Show site – 

Famous fans of the Goons included Prince Charles, The Beatles and Elton John. Yoko Ono gave John Lennon some 40 hours of Goon Show tapes on his 37th birthday and Lennon even reviewed the book ‘The Goon Show Scripts’ for The New York Times in 1973. Elton John paid £14,000 at an auction of original Goon Show scripts in 1981.

John’s review –

http://www.thegoonshow.net/tri…..lennon.asp

 

I actually have two copies of The Goon Show Scripts myself. The original –

51AHwksdGcL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpgImage Enlarger

And this reproduction from several years later I bought along with a whole bunch of other Spike Milligan books at a stall once.

51nqY3fTnGL._SX387_BO1,204,203,200_.jpgImage Enlarger

Also, does this album cover remind you of anything?

[Image Can Not Be Found]

I think this thread should be moved to Yesterday And Today. Perhaps @Ahhh Girl knows how to do that.

The following people thank SgtPeppersBulldog for this post:

ewe2

"Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles... " 

 2017: 

 
14 February 2017
7.37pm
Avatar
ewe2
Inside the beat
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3025
Member Since:
8 January 2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I have those books too.

The following people thank ewe2 for this post:

SgtPeppersBulldog

I'm like Necko only I'm a bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin and also everyone. Or is everyone me? Now I'm a confused bassist ukulele guitar synthesizer kazoo penguin everyone who is definitely not @Joe.  This has been true for 2016 & 2017 Sig-Badge.png but I may have to get more specific in the future.

aus-flag-v-small.png

18 April 2017
6.19pm
Avatar
SgtPeppersBulldog
Swinging London
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3157
Member Since:
1 January 2017
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

In honour of Spike’s recent birthday, I’ve been trying to find full episodes to Q to binge through, but I can only find the black and white (plus one colour) episodes from the first series in 1969, nothing after that. I remember looking on YouTube a few months ago and most of the episodes up to about Series 7 (possibly beyond) were there. ahdn_george_05

However, I did find this compilation in the mean time!

The following people thank SgtPeppersBulldog for this post:

ewe2

"Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles... " 

 2017: 

 
4 May 2017
1.38pm
Avatar
SgtPeppersBulldog
Swinging London
Rishikesh
Members
Forum Posts: 3157
Member Since:
1 January 2017
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

The ‘On This Day In Beatles History’ feature on the site says that today in 1969, John, Paul (with Linda) and Ringo attended a wrap party for The Magic Christian. There is some footage of that very event in this Peter Sellers documentary (go to 20:58 ) but I also recommended watching the full thing which Spike Milligan and Peter himself narrates.

"Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles... " 

 2017: 

 
Forum Timezone: Europe/London
Most Users Ever Online: 700
Currently Online:
Guest(s) 1
Top Posters:
Starr Shine?: 16105
Ron Nasty: 12534
Zig: 9832
50yearslate: 8759
Necko: 8043
AppleScruffJunior: 7583
parlance: 7111
mr. Sun king coming together: 6402
Mr. Kite: 6147
trcanberra: 6064
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 88
Members: 2859
Moderators: 5
Admins: 1
Forum Stats:
Groups: 3
Forums: 44
Topics: 5510
Posts: 380342
Newest Members:
frankc, viv@nelsontraining.co.uk, bornhairyman, frankkilmore123@gmail.com, onlyanorthernsong
Moderators: Joe: 5691, meanmistermustard: 24950, Ahhh Girl: 22213, Beatlebug: 18181, The Hole Got Fixed: 8410
Administrators: Joe: 5691