The much loved actor, writer and musician Nigel Planer has been teamed up with a group of esteemed musicians and artists to pay tribute to the late, great Neil Innes. Feedback to both the new version of Neil's song 'Let's Be Natural' and it's accompanying youtube video have been very positive -
David Sheppard: "It's a charmingly understated and quietly beguiling - and further proof that That Neil Innes truly was Mother Nature's Son"
John Hegley: "cheering and warming with very fine and natural melding of the song sung and strong colourful pictures"
David Quantick: "lovely, charming and delightful"
Now read on...
Neil Innes, who died in 2019, was a founder member of the legendary Bonzo Dog Band. He appeared on many TV shows including Do Not Adjust Your Set, Rutland Weekend Television, and The Innes Book of Records. He also appeared in films such as Monty Python and The Holy Grail, and Magical Mystery Tour. Many bands and singers have recorded covers of Neil Innes's songs. XTC recorded 'Humanoid Boogie', Daniel Johnston recorded 'Baby Let Me Be' and Shonen Knife recorded a version of 'Goose Step Mama'. And other acts included Neil's songs in their live sets (Alex Chilton performed 'Rockaliser Baby' and Graham Parker has sung 'I'm The Urban Spaceman').
(Above: Nigel Planer in April 2024)
Nigel Planer is best known for being Neil in the classic BBC TV series The Young Ones. He was also Ralph Filthy in Ben Elton's Filthy, Rich And Catflap. Nigel was co founder of The Comic Strip Presents group. He starred in many of their most popular films such as Bad News, Funseekers, Strike, and Summer School. Nigel was in the original cast of many West End musicals including Evita, Chicargo, Wicked, We Will Rock You and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory. He also appeared in other hits such as Evita, Hairspray, and The Rocky Horror Show. The hit singles 'Living Doll' and 'Hole In My Shoe' resulted in Gold and Silver discs and he is also a BRIT Award Winner.
Many years ago Neil and Nigel were introduced to each other by their mutual friend John Dowie. Nigel appeared on stage with Neil when he was invited to be a guest singer with Neil and Ade Edmonson's supergroup The Idiot Bastard Band.
'Let's Be Natural' was composed by Neil Innes in 1977 and appeared in Eric Idle's Television film 'The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash' in 1978. 'Let's Be Natural' is seen by most as being a parody of two John Lennon songs from 1968 ('Julia' and 'Dear Prudence'). Planer was keen for the new version to be very different. He didn't want to sing it in a scouse accent like The Rutles. We think he's made the song his own and that his chosen style of singing will come as a pleasant surprise.
Rutling Ken Thornton who plays lead guitar and sitar on the new version toured all over the world with Neil Innes from 2014 to 2019. The Rutles always put on a great show and Ken's guitar work was a vital part of the band's magic.
The Values are talented chaps that were rounded up by artist Harry Pye. Ten years ago they worked with Neil Innes on his last ever single ('Rio'). The recorder you hear on 'Natural' was played by Paul Speare (whose saxophone and flute playing features on albums by Dexys, Elvis Costello, The Special AKA, and Paul Weller). Francis Macdonald is the drummer with Teenage Fanclub and also makes music for films and TV. 'Let's Be Natural' also features the Jazz musician Sam Ingvorsen on double bass. Last but not least the track features Julian Wakeling who not only plays acoustic guitar and does the backing vocals but was also responsible for the arrangement and production.
Above: Harry and Neil photographed by Micko Westmoreland
Harry Pye says: "Neil and I were good friends for 15 years or more. Once I made his day by telling him I’d read in Mojo that Elvis Presley had his own cinema and that he loved to watch Monty Python & The Holy Grail. Presley’s girlfriend Linda Thompson revealed The King knew all the words to Neil’s song ‘Brave Sir Robin Ran Away’ Neil said: “That makes me one of the few people on the planet to have been impersonated by Elvis Presley! It is not the other way around! So, I have done it now! I’ve got no more ambition!” Neil once said he wanted the word "Rutle" to one day be in every dictionary. He felt it should be used as a verb meaning "to copy or emulate someone you admire in the music business." I hope fans and friends of Neil get together and do lots of Rutling and keep his memory alive.
Neil Innes asked artists Harry Pye and Gordon Beswick if they would collaborate with him on a film project called "Show Me The Sanity" but sadly this was never to be. Keen for Neil's songs of Innespiration to be either remembered or brought to the attention of those unlucky enough to have never heard them, Team Beswick and Pye decided the best way they could pay their respects would be to make an animated video to go with one of their favourite tracks.
The video features paintings by Beswick and Pye who have collaborated for many years. Their work has featured in shows and events at both Tate Britain and Tate Modern, as well as in exhibitions in Denmark, Brazil, and at Deptford X and The Royal Academy.
(Above: Artists Gordon Beswick and Harry Pye photographed by Pete Tainsh)
In the video Beswick and Pye make refrences to work by other artists such as eggs painted by Andy Warhol, Dachshunds painted by David Hockney and George Studdy's Bonzo the dog. The video also features a drawing Neil made for Harry of an Axolotl.
(Above: drawing by Neil Innes)
Coming Soon:
'Dip My Brain In Joy: My Life With Neil Innes: The Official Biography' by Yvonne Innes will be published by Bonnier Books.
And... in the not too distant future tickets will go on sale for a very special evening taking place at the 02 Indigo Room on the 28th of November which no fan of Neil Innes will want to miss. For more news keep an eye on: https://neilinnes.org/
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