Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band - History - Formation and Early Years (1962-1966)

Formation and Early Years (1962-1966)

Unusually for a band, the actual date of conception for the Bonzos is known: 25 September 1962. It was on that day that Vivian Stanshall (tuba, but later lead vocals along with other wind instruments) and fellow art student Rodney Slater (saxophone) bonded over a transatlantic broadcast of a boxing match between Floyd Patterson and Sonny Liston.

Rodney Slater had previously been playing in a trad jazz band at college with Chris Jennings (trombone) and Tom Parkinson (sousaphone). Roger Wilkes (trumpet) was the founder of the original band at the Royal College of Art, along with Trevor Brown (banjo). They slowly turned their style from more orthodox music towards the sound of The Alberts and The Temperance Seven. Vivian was their next recruit and on that day in 1962, he and Rodney christened the band The Bonzo Dog Dada Band. Bonzo the dog was a popular British cartoon character created by artist George Studdy in the 1920s and Dada after the early 20th century art movement.

Not long after Vivian, Rodney and Tom were evicted from their shared flat, the band added two more faces to the line-up: Goldsmiths College lecturer Vernon Dudley Bohay-Nowell and his lodger, songwriter/pianist, Neil Innes. According to Neil Innes' website, the Bohay-Nowell was added to Vernon Dudley's name by Vivian Stanshall although this can be seen to be untrue. Vernon's parents were Walter Nowell and Bessie Bowhay. Unwilling to lose the unusual 'Bowhay' part of the name, they gave their children Vernon Dudley and Peter the name 'Bowhay' as an addendum to the surname 'Nowell'. Hence Vernon always had been Vernon Dudley Bowhay Nowell. It seems unlikely that Vernon ever used this in 'real' life before Viv's suggestion, however.

It should also be noted that Vernon's son Toby also goes by "Bowhay-Nowell".

The band had been working with drummer Tom Hedge before Rodney found Martin Ash, who later took the stage name of Sam Spoons and shortly afterwards got them their first pub gig, where they were noticed by Roger Ruskin Spear.

Ruskin Spear, the son of the British artist Ruskin Spear, claimed, "I couldn't believe anyone was that bad." He eventually changed his mind and, with his interest in the manufacture of early electronic gadgets/objets d'art and sound-making systems soon became an integral part of the band.

The line-up changed again with the departure of Roger Wilkes and John Parry, the trombonist. The two were replaced by, respectively, Bob Kerr and "Big" Sid Nichols. The final 'classic' band member, "Legs" Larry Smith joined in 1963, as a tuba player and tap-dancer (but later as a drummer), on Vivian's invitation.

The band played up to five pubs a week in the London area, becoming popular with landlords for their "drinking" music—i.e., people stayed and drank more beer when they played. Reg Tracey spotted them at the Tiger's Head in Catford, and offered to help them.

The band's fortunes began to increase when Reg Tracey secured them a deal with Parlophone Records in April 1966. Their first single, a cover of the 1920s classic, "My Brother Makes The Noises For The Talkies" was backed with "I'm Going To Bring A Watermelon To My Girl Tonight" which was rather too risqué for radio.

A second single, "Alley Oop", backed with "Button Up Your Overcoat" followed in October of that year. Neither single sold well.

The band made their TV debut in February 1966, performing 'Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey' on the BBC children's show Blue Peter.