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Life of Rock with Brian Pern, BBC4

stu neville

stu neville

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Anyone else see this? Marvellous pastiche of the sort of musical history docs that BBC4 regularly churns out. Presented by Brian Pern, po-faced former lead singer of Thotch, inventor of world music, and first user of plasticene in rock videos (Simon Day as Not-Peter-Gabriel in any way at all, no no no). Episode 1, The Birth of Rock, is available on iPlayer (for a few more days at least) here. Pure quality, amazing attention to detail, countless cameos - but above all very very very funny. I absolutely peed myself for half an hour :). Do yourself a favour and watch it.

Particularly enjoyed Roger Taylor, explaining how Queen made their instruments out of fireplaces. Which reminds me of something from a while ago on here...
 
stuneville said:
Particularly enjoyed Roger Taylor, explaining how Queen made their instruments out of fireplaces. Which reminds me of something from a while ago on here...
Click to expand...
Well, Brian did make the Red Special out of a mantelpiece. So I guess it's kind of true.
 
Ah, but did you know John's bass was made from a bigger mantlepiece? That's what this teaches you.

Honestly, give it a blast :).
 
I'd hate to see the mantelpiece Freddie made his piano out of.
 
I did see this and also heartily recommend it. The LSD trip with visions of Fingerbobs was particularly hilarious! And little throwaway gags to watch out for like Annie Nightingale billed as Fearne Cotton!
 
If anything the second episode was even funnier, plus you got to hear Nigel Havers and Noel Edmonds really swear. Simon Day as Kate O'Mara in Triangle was very funny. Pity it wasn't the real Nile Rogers, though, I'm sure he'd have been up for it.
 
Brilliant, the first episode was fantastic! I particularly enjoyed the 'Roger Taylor - Duran Duran' caption and of course Mulligan & O'Hare.

I love the way these things sneak out - Rhys Thomas shows seem to have very little fanfare but they are consistently excellent.
 
Anome_ said:
stuneville said:
Particularly enjoyed Roger Taylor, explaining how Queen made their instruments out of fireplaces. Which reminds me of something from a while ago on here...
Click to expand...
Well, Brian did make the Red Special out of a mantelpiece. So I guess it's kind of true.
Click to expand...

When Randy Bachman ("The Guess Who", "BTO") was young, he wanted a Flying-V guitar, so he fashioned a copy of one out of his bedroom door.
 
Peter Gabriel was in it! There was a cosmic explosion at the end when Pete and Bri crashed into each other on their Segways!

This seems to have been a sleeper hit for the channel, so more episodes are promised. Dunno when, but it's been a welcome surprise to see how funny it's been.
 
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