The Rutles Christmas Tour

Hello all..

Last time I wrote I had just been part of one of the most extraordinary experiences in my life, getting to work with big heroes of mine.. like an outer body experience, performing on stage in The Rutles along with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band in front of 2000+ plus people.. what a special moment!

Well.. this December I'll be doing it all again in an even bigger way with the Rutles on tour.. UNREAL! That's the only way I can explain the feeling.. also, very honoured and excited!!

In the line up will be the main man himself Neil Innes, along with the legend Barry Wom (John Halsey) on drums, 'Rutling' Ken Thornton & (Mr Steely Dan) Elliott Randall on Guitars, also my good friend - the awesome Jay Goodrich on Bass and me covering the rears on keyboards ;)

We'll also be joined by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band for the first 2 gigs on their 50th Anniversary year of their beginning, which will be enormous fun.

The 10 dates will see us play up and down the UK covering Bristol to Glasgow.. all the dates are here https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/the-rutles

Hope you can join us for the ride :)

bye for now Phil x

The Bonzo Dog Band 50th Anniversary Gig 17, 4, 15

All I can say is Wow!!

It was incredible fun, incredible night and an honour to be thrown into the middle of performing with The Rutles & The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.. surrounded by all these fantastic, talented crazy people re connecting with their fanatical fans. Celebrating 50 years of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.

I played keys, adding backing vocals along with the rest of the Rutles.. the legend that is John Halsey (Barry Wom) on drums.. The lovely Leg-End himself Elliot Randall (Steely Dan, Reeling in The Years/Fame) Lead Guitar.. the 'Rutling' shredder Ken Thornton Lead Guitar.. the fat bass of the great Mark Griffiths.. and of course the genius that is Mr.. Neil Innes! :)

Had great fun meeting and supporting Rodney Slater, Legs Larry Smith and all the other Bonzos through some Bonzo classics, such as 'My Pink Half of the Drainpipe' 'Monster Mash' & Canyons of Your Mind'. We were also joined by the great Mike Livesley and David Catlin Birch for some top Bonzo numbers, perfoming so wonderfully in homage to Viv Stanshall.
A night to remember forever!

Many thanks to David Christie of 'Doo Dah Diaries' for documenting in photos the whole event, including rehearsals and the gig, which we'll see much more of.. here is a fantastic pic at the end of the night, with all the performers and the whole crowd behind us..

www.doodahdiaries.com

 

Here's to another 50 years ;)

Phil x

Bonzo Dog...

Compared to the Rutles, I didn't know a hell of a lot about The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.. It was all before my time.. I am but a cherub..
But somehow I knew and got the feeling it was going to be a lot of fun playing and singing Bonzo songs.. I was right.

Neil said to me 'We had a big advantage over all the other groups.. we we're aloud to be funny'

But, more than this, they were really free to play any style of music they came across and liked.. their fans accepted it all.. including old time music hall, Trad Jazz, psychedelic pop, Rock N Roll etc.. With one of the greatest frontmen ever Vivian Stanshall leading some of the most bizarrely comical moments in popular 60s music. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonzo_Dog_Doo-Dah_Band

Here's one of my favourite songs of the band..  A great song that has everything.. Busted..

Live at KOKO

Not long now!

On April 17th I will be performing with Neil.. The Rutles.. and The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band at the Bonzo's 50th Anniversary gig.

It'll be held at KOKO in Camden, London.. with much anticipated fun!!

Information and tickets for the gig you can find here -
http://www.koko.uk.com/listings/bonzo-dog-band-17-04-2015

In recent rehearsals I was very lucky to capture Neil remembering and showing me the solo to the Rutles hit 'Doubleback Alley' and you can find this below!

 

Meeting Neil...

How did I first meet Neil?...

Well I first met Neil when I was playing in my old band The B Goodes.. Just by chance, Neil was recording and mixing songs at Springvale Studios near Ipswich.. as were we.. and he got to hear what we were doing, liked it.. and eventually we ended up doing 4 fun gigs with him along with a singing group from Colchester called Ladybird and the Larks at P J McGintys in Ipswich, Suffolk.

The gigs were a big mixture of all 3 act's songs, with us all falling in and performing, singing and supporting each other. Making it an ensemble of fun.

Here is footage from those gigs in 2010, performing a couple of Neil's Rutle classics.. 'I Must Be In Love' and 'OUCH'.. and The B Goodes in full flight at the Latitude Festival 2011.

for info on the B Goodes go to www.bgoodes.com

Hope you enjoy :)

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x52Jt9zKP-c

Sounds like the Rutles

So.. where do we start.. well it's a matter of steeping myself in everything Rutles, which I think I already know from years gone by.. but we'll see.. my earliest memory is randomly seeing the film, seeing 'Cheese & Onions' when I was maybe 9 or 10 and then insisting for a while that it was in yellow submarine.. although I never could find it..

Anyways, Neil & I ventured Ipswich way early 2015.. to keyboard heaven 'Jack Whites' and found a retro keyboard with some fun sounds.. this is a first for me gigging lots of other sounds replicating the records.. normally I'm a plug and play Rock n Roller... with the occasional string section if you know wa da mean oh yeah ;)

Here's a couple of quick clips introducing the keyboard and Rutle sounds and Neil enjoying a new piano.. keep on Rutling!

 

We've Arrived!!

Well, it's here!

Hi everyone :) tis I.. Phil 'Thee (-fill in with a funny middle name)' Jackson and I am very excited!...

I am about to embark on a journey I could have only ever dreamed of in my wildest dreams before...

'Back in 64'...
I mean back in December 2014 ;) one of my big heros... the Legend... the Man... the Gent.... wearing tight trousers... The one and only Neil Innes!.. asked me!... lowly... humble... short on foliage.. Phileep.. if I would join him on a journey of Rutledom.. using my fingers to engage sounds that would reproduce and replicate Rutley noises known the world over for nearly 40 years!...
Sorry... basically he asked me to play keyboards for him in the Rutles!!

I whole heartily accepted.. and look forward to sharing everything about my experience with any of you lovely folks out there who care to join me! Watch this space.

Thanks for coming along :) bye for now, Phil X