Bonzo Dog Band - The BBC Recordings (2011 Home Made Compilation) (FLAC)
This torrent is for my home made collection of the Bonzo Dog Band's BBC-Recordings. Besides a 1988 12" vinyl-release 'The Peel Session' on Strange Fruit, two official CD's with BBC-sessions were released, the 1995 CD 'Unpeeled' and an upgrade in 2002 'The Complete BBC Recordings'. The latter has the same tracklisting as 'Unpeeled' save for four extra tracks tagged at the end.
Sadly this so-called 'Complete' version doesn't include all available BBC-recordings. Really strange because the 1988 vinyl 'Peel Session' release included complete versions of the same songs that appeared in edited form on the 'Complete' CD. Besides these edited tracks (in one case butchered is a better word) some of the recording dates in the liner-notes appear to be erronious.
Enough reason for me to compile my own version with the unedited tracks including those tracks missing from the 'Complete' release while at the same time also trying to fix, were possible, some of the errors in the liner-notes. As reliable information on the Bonzo's BBC-sessions is very scarce, I only partly succeeded in that. Contrary to the standards I usually set for myself in some cases I couldn't prevent having to do some guess work.
All tracks here are put in the most likely chronological order of recording date except 'The Craig Torso Christmas Show'. As I didn't like the result when put directly after track 2 where it actually belongs, I tagged this at the end together with the three edited songs stated above from session 8 as bonus tracks.
Session 1 - Rec 08-11-1967
01 Mickey's Son & Daughter - TX Top Gear 12-11-1967 (Re-edit)
02 The Craig Torso Show - TX Top Gear 12-11-1967 (Re-edit)
Both tracks recorded live in session and sourced from the 1995 release of 'Unpeeled'. On both the official releases the beginning of 'The Craig Torso Show' is audible directly after the ending of 'Micky's Son And Daughter' making it a part of that track. Possibly done to hide the fact that a little bit of the 'Craig Torso' intro is missing (as is a bit of the end). Both version here are re-edited to correct that.
Recorded at an unknown studio with the recording date sourced from the liner-notes of both official BBC-releases. First broadcast date for track 1 sourced from the 2007 Gorilla remaster. First broadcast date for track 2 is unknown. On the official 'Keeping it Peel' BBC-website there is no info at all about these two tracks.
Session 2 - Rec 29-04-1968
03 Do The Trouser Press - TX Top Gear 05-05-1968
04 Canyons Of Your Mind - TX Top Gear 05-05-1968
05 I'm The Urban Spaceman - TX Top Gear 05-05-1968
All three tracks recorded live in session and sourced from the 1995 release of 'Unpeeled'. Supposedly recorded at 201 Piccadilly, Studio 1 and produced by Bernie Andrews and engineered by Pete Ritzema. Both recording dates sourced from the two official releases. Although the 'Keeping it Peel' website states that eight more songs were recorded during this session, this seems virtually impossible as at least one song in that list wasn't even written on that date namely 'Give Peace A Chance' on which the 'Give Booze A Chance' parody was based (see aslo sessions 8, 9 and 11).
Session 3 - Rec 08-07-1968
06 Can Blue Men Sing The Whites - TX Top Gear 21-07-1968 (?)
Recorded live in session and sourced from the 1995 release of 'Unpeeled'. Recorded at an unknown studio with the date sourced from both the official releases liner-notes. Broadcast date is not exactly known but one or more Bonzo tracks were played during the Top Gear show on above broadcast date. Their next appearance on Top Gear would be October 20, 1968.
Session 4 - Rec 29-10-1968
07 Hello Mabel - TX Saturday Club 02-11-1968
Semi-live recording with a live lead-vocal and some added sound-effects on top of the original backing track used for 'The Doughnut In Granny's Greenhouse' album. Recorded for Saturday Club with a recording date sourced from both the official releases.
Session 5 - Rec unknown
08 I'm The Urban Space Man - TX Colour Me Pop 21-12-1968
09 Canyons Of Your Mind - TX Colour Me Pop 21-12-1968
Semi-live recording with a live lead-vocal and some added sound-effects on top of the original backing tracks used for the A-side of the single and the 'Tadpoles' album. From episode 25 of Colour Me Pop, a 30-minute BBC TV-special featuring the Bonzo's and aired only once on December 21, 1968. Presumably the only two Bonzo songs in broadcast quality that survived.
Session 6/7 (?) - Rec 31-03-1969 (?)
10 Mr Apollo (single version)- TX Top Gear 13-04-1969
11 Look At Me I'm Wonderful - Top Gear 13-04-1969
12 Quiet Talks And Summer Walks - Top Gear 13-04-1969
All three tracks sourced from the 1995 release of 'Unpeeled'. Track 8 is the same version as on the March 1969 mono single, tracks 9 and 10 recorded live in session.
According to the official 'Keeping it Peel' BBC-website four tracks were recorded during this session that took place at The Playhouse Theatre at Northumberland Avenue in London. This session was produced by Bernie Andrews and engineered by Allen Harris and Bob Conduct. Besides above three tracks, the never released track 'Excerpt From Brain Opera Pt.3' supposedly was also recorded during this session. Although I'm personally inclined to think that official info is always right, the first clue to the contrary is that 'Mr Apollo' sounds completely identical to the mono single version released that same month. To make al long story short: 'Mr Apollo' was never recorded especially for the BBC, they took the single and played that. The second clue is that a late March 1969 recording for 'Brain Opera' seems at least 5 months too early. This project was intended as a follow-up for 'Keynsham' for which the final recording/mixing sessions must have taken place in late August or early September 1969 with a release date late November, placing the birth of 'Brain Opera' at the earliest in August. Adding fuel to that fact is that during the May 11th episode of Top Gear (of which a complete recording exists) only above three songs were played. This results in only two 'real' session recordings 'Look At Me I'm Wonderful' and 'Quite Talks An Summerwalks'. Trying to clarify the use of two different engineers my further guess is that these two tracks were recorded during seperate recording sessions.
Session 8 - Rec 29-07-1969
13 We're Going To Bring It On Home - TX Top Gear 03-08-1969
14 Monster Mash - TX Top Gear 03-08-1969
15 Sofa Head / Give Booze A Chance (Unedited Full version) - TX Top Gear 03-08-1969
16 Tent (Unedited Full Version) - TX Top Gear 03-08-1969
Tracks 11 and 13 sourced from the 1988 Strange Fruit vinyl-release 'The Peel Session' 12" EP. Track 12 sourced from 'Unpeeled', track 14 from the 1999 release 'Anthropology'. Recorded at Maida Vale 4, London. Produced by John Walters, engineered by Tony Wilson and broadcast on BBC Radio 1 as part of Top Gear.
Although this release states that the first broadcast date was August 6, other sources state this date as August 3. As Top Gear was broadcast on Sundays the latter is probably the correct one. Both the official releases contain an severely edited version of 'Sofa Head'. 'Give Booze A Chance', originally recorded as a part of 'Sofa Head', is separated and listed as a different track, with an erronious recording date in the liner-notes (see also sessions 9 and 11) and omitting the original 'Sofa Head' ending. This could very well have been done by the BBC when they repeated the songs during later broadcasts, clarifying the existance of two versions of 'Give Booze A Chance' one with (see track 22) and one without a Brian Matthew voice-over. On both official CD-releases 'Tent' misses a part of the drum-intro.
Session 9 - Rec 02-10-1969 (?)
17 Keynsham - TX unknown but possibly during Radio 1 Club 27-11-1969
18 I Want To Be With You - TX unknown but possibly during Top Gear 17-12-1969
Recorded live in session and sourced from the 1995 release of 'Unpeeled'. On both official BBC-releases the given recording date for above songs is listed as October 2, 1968 during which session they supposedly also recorded 'Give Booze A Chance' and 'We Were Wrong'. Impossible as 'Give Booze A Chance' is a parody on John Lennon's 'Give Peace A Chance' as stated earlier. The latter song was recorded by Lennon at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal on June 1, 1969 and released on single in early July 1969. My guess is that the 1968 date was a typo on the 'Unpeeled' release that was repeated on 'The Complete BBC Recordings' and should read 1969, a date wich fits better with 'Keynsham' being finalized during that period.
Session 10 - Rec late 1969 (?)
19 Excerpt From 'Brain Opera' Pt.3 (In Biology, Quiz Show, We Own Your Brain)*
Recorded live in session and taken the 2003 release 'Normal Hawaiians'. Several sources state that 'The Brain Opera', a new project written for the Bonzo's by Viv Stanshall & Arthur Brown and apparently fully finalized and ready for recording, was intended as the follow-up for 'Keynsham'. The word is that after facing rejection by their management the project was cancelled, leaving above recording as the only remnant. Some un-used lyrics were revamped by Viv for other songs and two songs would later turn up on the 1972 Arthur Brown album "Kingdom Come". A lossless file could not be found so the version here is sourced from a lossy MP3 file.
Session 11 - Rec December 1969 (?)
20 We Were Wrong - TX Dave Lee Travis 21-12-1969
Recorded live in session and taken from the 2007 release of 'Tadpoles'. On both the official BBC-releases the recording date for this song is stated as October 2, 1968 during which session three other songs were recorded (see session 8 and 9). When this song was re-released on the 2007 Tadpoles remaster, the liner-notes state a first broadcast date of December 21, 1969. With regard to their other sessions that over-a-year long gap between recording and transmission would be highly unusual for the BBC. With 'Keysham', freshly released earlier this month, a recording date in December 1969 would be more plausible.
Session 12 - Rec December 1967 (?)
21 The Craig Torso Christmas Show - TX Top Gear 17-12-1967
Recorded live in session and taken from the 2007 release of 'Tadpoles' with the broadcast date sourced from the liner-notes the 2007 remaster of 'Tadpoles' and probably recorded in an unknown studio that same month. Produced by Peter Harwood and engineered by Bernie Andrews.
22 Give Booze A Chance (Edited CD-version with voice-over) (Bonus)
23 Sofa Head (Edited CD-version) (Bonus)
24 Tent (Edited CD-Version) (Bonus)
Tracks 22 en 24 taken from 'Unpeeled', track 23 taken from 'Anthropology'. Recorded July 29, 1969 and produced by John Walters, engineered by Tony Wilson and broadcast on BBC Radio 1 during Top Gear.
Total running time: 1:18:08
Special thanks to Ed (the57thbeatle) for all his efforts in contributing to this compilation.
Additional info, idea's for revisions and other constructive criticism is as always highly appreciated.
Hope you like it!
Have fun! BeatleV