Vivian Stanshall – Sir Henry At Rawlinson End (1978)

Well, there once was a time when comedy records were quite accepted as a genre, I am not sure that applies now; I am not sure that ‘records’ are even going to continue to be made for much longer – but there you go.  Vivian, or Viv was a leading member of a mildly successful outfit – The Bonzo Dog Doodah Band, or the Bonzos as they were known.  Playing a mixture of jazz, comedy and music hall and pop they had a devoted following.

They split up (apparently friendly) in 1970 and Viv formed a couple of groups, had a nervous breakdown and was drinking heavily.  He was a regular on John Peel’s late night show, sometimes with drinking partner Keith Moon in tow; these forays sometimes included an upper class character ‘Sir Henry’.  The album of which, his second solo adventure has become a cult and is considered his masterpiece.  It is a mix of spoken word comedy and almost antique musical songs.  Viv vocalises all the characters in a splendid range of voices and styles.  It is hilarious and ridiculous in equal measure, a truly eccentric exercise but is a great favourite of mine.  It is well worth a listen, if only to be amazed that a record company ever allowed it to be released.  He sadly died in a fire, which rumour has it that Viv started by smoking and drinking heavily in bed, in 1995.  He was never a great success, despite a cameo appearance in ‘Magical Mystery Tour’, and the voice of the announcer in ‘Tubular Bells’.  He was loved by many of the musicians of the time.