| MOTF SWITCHBACK |
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| WIDGERIPOO OFFICIAL SITE WIDGERIPOOTOO SUPERSITE WIGDERIPOO SPOOF SITE by STIGNEY STAMMER PETE PERRY TRIBUTE SITE by ZAK POVEY |
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| Since MOTF SWITCHBOARD was originally launched as a magazine in Stevenage, Herts, in 1984, to its final issue in 1988, to its latest |
| resurrection in 2000 AD as an online magazine to the present, as part of the WIDGERIPOO site, there has always been a 'backtrack' section, where we look back on past stars and past bands. It began in 1985 with 'Bob's Backtracks', and is kept alive today with occasional features by Dave barber, himself an 'original' contributor to the old-style Switchboard. So it is that we introduce MOTF SWITCHBACK, which pays homage to the golden days of Rock 'n' Roll... ENJOY! WOTWOZZEE Right: The final edition of Switchboard. |
| Below: The first ever edition of Switchboard |
| SWITCHBACK EXCLUSIVE!!! WHEN VIV STANSHALL FILMED AT KNEBWORTH HOUSE 'English as tuppence, changing yet changeless as canal water, nestling in green nowhere, armoured and effete, bold flag-bearer, lotus-fed Miss Havershambling Opsimath and eremite, feudal still, reactionary Rawlinso |
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| Back in the 1971, master showman and front man for THE BONZO DOG DO-DA BAND VIV STANSHALL (above) added a 10-minute track to the Bonzo's final album 'Let's Make Up and Be Friendly', titled 'Sir Henry at Rawlinson End'. This led to a comedy series on radio one, first broadcast in October 1975, and eventually, the idea was transferred to film in 1980, - and this is where we pick up the story... Viv and his crew took over Knebworth House to make the film. Sir Henry himself was played by veteran actor Trevor Howard, (below) and the staff of Knebworth House were asked to take part in various ways. Some were cast as extras, whilst others were asked to fetch props for the movie, this included 'Family' member FRANK SWAIN, a gardener there at the time, digging up earthworms, to be eaten by Hubert Carpet, played by Vivian himself! |
| As the late great John Peel once said, Viv Stanshall, the brains behind The Bonzos, was probably too anarchic for British tastes, - even in the Sixties, and it is only now that his genius is truly being appreciated. The film highlights the eccentricity of The Gentry of the time, and whilst some may frown at it's political incorrectness by today's standards, - we must try to understand the psyche of the man himself. For example, in one of the opening sequences, Sir henry blacks himself up, wears a tutu skirt and unicycles along the country lanes. When approached by a local photographer (played by Harry Fowler) he insists |
| he is a 'jungle bunny'! The photographer looks him up and down and comments 'You're no Sambo, - I know who you are, - you're none uvver than 'Enry Rawlinson 'imself...' Offensive yes, - and the whole film manages to upset just about everybody! The two overly-jolly aristocrats known as 'Nice and Tidy' are dismissed by Sir Henry as ' a couple of nancy-boys', - but I feel that Stanshall wanted to show up the crass racism, bigotry and intolerance of anyone or anything they didn't understand, in both the aristocracy and the working class of that time. Viv Stanshall was light-years ahead of his time! The staff of Knebworth House at the time told me some great little snippets... For example, the worms that were (actually!) eaten by Sir Hubert Carpet (played by Vivian Stanshall, left) were dig up by Frank Swain, who was a a gardener there at the time. He also acted as an extra in one of the pub scenes. The pub in the film was actually The Lytton Arms, renamed for the purpose of the film, and used by crew and cast members regularly. Indeed, Trevor Howard, who played the part of Sir Henry was given |
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| a large Brandy every evening after filming, so that he could enjoy it in his chauffeur-driven car on his way home! If anyone has more memories of this event, or any comments at all, please email me.... WOTWOZZEE |
| n End... 'the story so far...' Vivian Stanshall |
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| We here at WOTWOZZEE are proud to be included in the great WIDGERIPOO revamp. UPDATED: Friday 13th OCTOBER 2006 |
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