Genius of music and merriment
NEIL Innes combined his talents as a musician and comedian to great effect with his unique work with Monty Python, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and The Who.
Innes and a fellow art student at London’s Royal College of Art formed The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band to vent his passion for psychedelia-inspired musical experiments with a social satire bent.
A talented guitarist and pianist, he felt and looked uncomfortable as the lead musician, developing a style which parodied fame.
Known for his sad eyes and rubbery facial features, he once admitted he was never drawn to practising his act in front of the mirror. Sitting in front of the piano with a rubber duck on his head and a clown outfit suited him better.
Paul McCartney produced perhaps their best-known song, I’m The Urban Spaceman, which reached No.5 in the charts in 1968.
Inevitably the send-ups would lead to controversy. With Eric Idle from Monty Python, Innes formed The Rutles, which formed part of the Rutland Weekend Television show for the BBC in 1975.
While the take-offs were said to have amused The Beatles, their lawyers took action.
When Bonzo split up, Innes collaborated with Monty Python, writing songs for the travelling shows and becoming known as the Seventh Python.
Innes composed songs for Monty Python And The Holy Grail and it is believed he was the whistler for the Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life song in Life Of Brian.
On BBC2, The Innes Book
Of Records allowed him the freedom to express himself through creative videos.
After The Beatles released Anthology in 1995, it was too good an opportunity to miss to revive The Rutles with a new album.
He is survived by his wife Yvonne Hilton and their three sons, Miles, Luke and Barney.