Neil Innes
| Neil Innes | |
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Innes at the premiere of The Seventh Python
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Neil James Innes |
| Born |
9 December 1944 Danbury, Essex, England |
| Genres | Parody, satire, comedy rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, actor, comedian, game show panelist, TV Presenter |
| Years active | 1960s–present |
| Labels | indie, distributor Danny Barbour at http://www.enygmag.com |
| Associated acts | The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Rutles, Monty Python, The World, Fatso, Grimms, The Secret Policeman's Balls for Amnesty International. |
| Website | http://neilinnes.media/ |
| Notable instruments | |
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Neil James Innes (born 9 December 1944) is an English writer, comedian and musician, best known for his collaborative work with Monty Python, and for playing in the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and later The Rutles.
Innes was born in Danbury, Essex. He spent much of his childhood with his parents and older brother Iain in post-war Germany during his Scottish father's military assignment as a warrant officer. He took piano lessons from age 7 to 14 and taught himself to play guitar. His parents were supportive of their sons' interests. His father showed some artistic ability as well; he frequently drew and painted.
Innes later attended Thorpe Grammar School and the Norwich School of Art. Because Norwich lacked a particular art curriculum in which he was interested, he transferred to Goldsmiths, where he studied drama. At Goldsmiths he met Yvonne Catherine Hilton, whom he married on 3 March 1966. They have three sons, Miles (b. 1967), Luke (b. 1971), and Barney (b. 1977). They have two grandchildren.
Innes graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art from Goldsmiths in 1966. During the period of 1962 to 1965, Innes and several other art school students started a band which was originally named The Bonzo Dog Dada Band after their interest in the art movement Dada, but which was soon renamed the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band (later shortened to The Bonzo Dog Band). Innes met Vivian Stanshall at the Central School of Art, where both studied drawing. Together they wrote most of the band's songs, including "I'm the Urban Spaceman", their sole hit (produced by Paul McCartney and Gus Dudgeon under the collective pseudonym Apollo C. Vermouth), and "Death Cab for Cutie" (which inspired an American musical group of the same name), which was featured in The Beatles' film Magical Mystery Tour. Innes won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Novel(ty) Song in 1968 for "I'm the Urban Spaceman".
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