Here are some notes on each song that I found online, although I've re-jigged the track listing from the original album that they came from.
Topo D. Bill - Witchi-Tai-To (A-side) - 3:29
Topo D. Bill - Jam (B-side) - 3:10
originally released in December 1969 as the first single (CB-116) on Tony Stratton Smith's newly founded 'Famous Charisma' record label. Produced by 'Legs' Larry Smith, both tracks were recorded with help from former collegue Roger Ruskin Spear and one or more (unknown) members of Yes and/or The Who. The single was released under a pseudonym as the various participants were already signed to other record companies. The word is that 'Springtime for Hitler' was 'Legs' Larry's first choice to be released but rejected by Stratton Smith as he was just finalizing a deal with a German distributor.
The World - Angelina (A-side) - 2:48
The World - 9 To 5 Pollution Blues - 4:22
Neil's first short-lived solo project 'The World', was a more conventional group than the Bonzo's and featured besides Neil on lead vocal, piano and guitar, former Bonzo Dennis Cowan on bass and guitar, Ian Wallace on drums and Roger McKew on lead guitar. They only released one album 'Lucky Planet' (LBG-83149) and one single 'Angelina' b/w 'Come Into The Open' (LBF-15402 in mono) in 1970 on Liberty Records.
Viv Stanshall & The Sean Head Showband - Labio-Dental Fricative - 3:09
Viv Stanshall & The Sean Head Showbnad - Paper Round - 2:05
Viv's first solo single was released on the Liberty Label in 1970, coupling "Labio-Dental Fricative/Paper Round", and credited to Vivian Stanshall and The Sean Head Showband (an oblique reference to Stanshall having shaved off all of his hair during his breakdown). Both sides featured Eric Clapton on guitar.
Roger Ruskin Spear - Trouser Freak (Full Version) (A-side) - 2:49
Roger Ruskin Spear - Trouser Press (A-side) - 2:58
Roger Ruskin Spear - Release Me (B-side) - 2:50
Roger Ruskin Spear - Drop Out! (B-side) - 2:02
Roger's wonderful 'Rebel Trouser EP' was released in 1971 under the monniker 'Roger Ruskin Spear And His Giant Orchestral Wardrobe' on EMI's subsidiary label United Artists (UP-35221) and recorded with help from former Bonzo bass players Dave Clague and Dennis Cowan (on guitar), Leon Williams on trumpets and Tat Meager on drums. The EP's opening track 'Trouser Freak' was re-released several times on Bonzo compilations but these versions were all edited down to 2:18 omitting the ending, whereas the version here is complete.
Roger Ruskin Spear - Mattress Man (BBC Radio Flash 10-08-1971) - 2:11
Roger Ruskin Spear - Call Of The Freaks (BBC Radio Flash 10-08-1971) - 2:47
Two live tracks by 'Roger Ruskin Spear And His Giant Orchestral Wardrobe' from the Viv Stanshall presented BBC radio show 'Radio Flash' broadcast on August 10, 1971 and produced by John Walters and engineered by Bob Conduct. Among others Roger on tenor sax, Dave Glass on piano, Tad Meager on drums, Jerry Gardner on rhythm guitar, Bob Kerr on cornet and Thunderclap Newman's Andy Newman on sax. (He also recorded a cover of the Bonzo's track 'On Her Doorstep, Last Night', but I've omitted that as it was nowhere near as good as the Bonzo's version. PJ)
Neil Innes - Re-Cycled Vinyl Blues (A-side) - 3:30
Neil Innes - Fluff On The Needle (B-side) - 5:36
From the Neil Innes solo-single 'Re-Cycled Vinyl Blues' b/w 'Fluff On The Needle' released in 1974 on United Artists (UP-35676) and featuring Monty Python member Michael Palin acting as a record shop keeper. Among the featured send-ups are standards like 'Take Good Care Of My Baby', 'White Christmas', 'In The Mood' and 'Who Wants To Be A Millionare'.
Neil Innes - What Noise Annoys A Noisy Oyster (A-side) - 2:47
Neil Innes / Grimms - OO-Chuck-A-Mao-Mao (B-side) - 3:51
Two great Neil Innes penned tracks released under his own name in 1975 on United Artists (UP-35772). The B-side was originally released in 1973 on the second Grimms album 'Rockin' Duck'.
Roger Ruskin Spear - I Love To Bumpity Bump - 2:35
Roger Ruskin Spear - When Yuba Plays The Rumba On The Tuba - 3:04
Both sides of a 1974 single from Roger's second solo album 'Unusual'. The b-side, a wonderful cover version of a tune found on an old 78 RPM-single is his solo version of an early Bonzo favorite they never recorded.
Grimms - Womble Bashers Of Walthamstow (A-side) - 2:50
Grimms - The Worst Is Yet To Come (B-side) - 2:48
Grimms' (featuring Neil Innes) final release from the album 'Sleepers' and released as 7" single in 1976 on DJM Records (DJS-679).
'Legs' Larry Smith - Springtime For Hitler (A-side) - 3:59
'Legs' Larry Smith - I Got A Braun New Girl (In God Wet Rust) (B-side) - 2:12
From the 1978 single 'Springtime For Hitler' released in 1978 on Arista Records (ARIST-194). 'I Got A Braun New Girl' was re-released in 2009 on Smug Records as part of a five track digital EP 'Call Me, Adolf!' produced by Gus Dudgeon.
'Legs' Larry Smith - Bullshot - 2:16
Title song from the 1983 Handmade Films release 'Bullshot' featuring 'Legs' Larry on vocals. Handmade was a George Harrison owned company that he established in 1979 with Denis O'Brien to finance Monty Python's second feature film 'Life Of Brian' after their movie deal with EMI fell through at the last minute.
Neil Innes - Them (B-side) - 2:52
Written and performed by Neil Innes, this song was originally released in 1982 as A-side to the single 'Them' b/w 'Rock Of Ages' (MMC I00) and re-released in 1992 as B-side to 'No Matter Who You Vote For The Government Always Gets In (Heigh Ho)'. The latter song, recorded in 1987, was Vivian Stanshall's final recording with the band as he died in 1995 when a fire broke out in his house.
That's your lot for tonight, and if nothing else this album shows that every member of the Bonzo Dog Band had much more to give after the group had disbanded. Watch out for Viv's album later on.
Track listing
01 Topo D. Bill - Witchi-Tai-To (single 1969)
02 Topo D. Bill - Jam (b-side of 'Witchi-Tai-To')
03 The World - Angelina (single 1970)
04 The World - 9 To 5 Pollution Blues (from 'Lucky World' 1970)
05 Viv Stanshall & The Sean Head Showband - Labio-Dental Fricative (single 1970)
06 Viv Stanshall & The Sean Head Showband - Paper Round (b-side of 'Labio-Dental Fricative')
07 Roger Ruskin Spear - Trouser Freak (Full Version) (single 1971)
08 Roger Ruskin Spear - Trouser Press (b-side of 'Trouser Freak')
09 Roger Ruskin Spear - Release Me (b-side of 'Trouser Freak')
10 Roger Ruskin Spear - Drop Out! (b-side of 'Trouser Freak')
11 Roger Ruskin Spear - Mattress Man (BBC Radio Flash 1971)
12 Roger Ruskin Spear - Call Of The Freaks (BBC Radio Flash 1971)
13 Neil Innes - Re-Cycled Vinyl Blues (single 1974)
14 Neil Innes - Fluff On The Needle (b-side of 'Re-Cycled Vinyl Blues')
15 Neil Innes - What Noise Annoys A Noisy Oyster (single 1975)
16 Neil Innes / Grimms - OO-Chuck-A-Mao-Mao (b-side of 'What Noise Annoys A Noisy Oyster')
17 Roger Ruskin Spear - I Love To Bumpity Bump (single 1974)
18 Roger Ruskin Spear - When Yuba Plays The Rumba On The Tuba (b-side of 'I Love.....')
19 Grimms - Womble Bashers Of Walthamstow (single 1976)
20 Grimms - The Worst Is Yet To Come (b-side of 'Womble Bashers Of Walthamstow')
21 'Legs' Larry Smith - Springtime For Hitler (single 1978)
22 'Legs' Larry Smith - I Got A Braun New Girl (In God Wet Rust) (b-side of 'Springtime For Hitler')
23 'Legs' Larry Smith - Bullshot (from the film 'Bullshot' 1983)
24 Neil Innes - Them (single 1982)
