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Ginger Geezer: The Life of Vivian Stanshall
The extraordinary story of Vivian Stanshall, lead singer of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, true British eccentric.
Charismatic and flamboyant, Vivian Stanshall was a natural frontman for The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. The eccentric group who satirised trad jazz, pop and rock, reached Number five with ‘I’m The Urban Spaceman’ in 1968. A punishing schedule of tours and television followed, including work with the future Monty Python team. The following year, broke and burned out, the Bonzos split up, leaving behind a loyal cult following.
Vivian launched into myriad solo projects in music, film and theatre, giving himself several nervous breakdowns in the process. His comic masterpiece, ‘Sir Henry at Rawlinson End’, was heard in radio, on an album, and then hit the big screen. Vivian wrote the musical ‘Stinkfoot’, was narrator on ‘Tubular Bells’ and provided lyrics for Steve Winwood. In person, he was just as multi-faceted, by turns the erudite artist and the truculent Teddy Boy, breathtakingly rude. A powerful figure, tall, red-haired and never less than extravagant in his fashion, Vivian Stanshall was a hell-raiser of legendary reputation – ably assisted through much of the 1970s by Who drummer Keith Moon. Vivian drove the many who loved him to the limit, struggling with terrible tranquilliser and alcohol dependency. He died at home in a house fire in 1995. The story of his turbulent life is utterly compelling.
Charismatic and flamboyant, Vivian Stanshall was a natural frontman for The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. The eccentric group who satirised trad jazz, pop and rock, reached Number five with ‘I’m The Urban Spaceman’ in 1968. A punishing schedule of tours and television followed, including work with the future Monty Python team. The following year, broke and burned out, the Bonzos split up, leaving behind a loyal cult following.
Vivian launched into myriad solo projects in music, film and theatre, giving himself several nervous breakdowns in the process. His comic masterpiece, ‘Sir Henry at Rawlinson End’, was heard in radio, on an album, and then hit the big screen. Vivian wrote the musical ‘Stinkfoot’, was narrator on ‘Tubular Bells’ and provided lyrics for Steve Winwood. In person, he was just as multi-faceted, by turns the erudite artist and the truculent Teddy Boy, breathtakingly rude. A powerful figure, tall, red-haired and never less than extravagant in his fashion, Vivian Stanshall was a hell-raiser of legendary reputation – ably assisted through much of the 1970s by Who drummer Keith Moon. Vivian drove the many who loved him to the limit, struggling with terrible tranquilliser and alcohol dependency. He died at home in a house fire in 1995. The story of his turbulent life is utterly compelling.
- GenresBiography
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 11, 2025
Great book about Viv!
January 15, 2018
Fascinating account of one of the last great British eccentrics. The early period covering the Bonzo period is hilarious in places. As the book goes on and Stanshall’s problems escalate, the tone changes, and the final few chapters are very sad.
October 27, 2024
The Bonzo Dog Band were for a brief period a uniquely entertaining and imaginative group . At their heart was the brilliant musicianship of Neil Innes and the imagination of Vivien Stanshall . This book details his life works and relationships in detail and is one of the saddest books I have read. His brilliance came with a wild and ultimately self destructive personality which prevented his full potential being realised . He had many friends and supporters many of whom were burnt by his star. The authors present a fair and factual account clearly sympathetic to him but not oblivious to his faults
Anyone familiar with the Bonzos should read this book and those not familiar should seek out their work
Anyone familiar with the Bonzos should read this book and those not familiar should seek out their work
December 24, 2015
Very good indeed
This book tries to capture the spirit of viv and of course fails. That aside it is probably the best biography we will get. The contributions of his friends and family give an insight to the great man
A real influence on so many of us where is the humour in music today the surviving bongos try but every attempt just makes you realise how much he is missed.
Read it even if you don't know who he is as every life should contain a little Vic.
This book tries to capture the spirit of viv and of course fails. That aside it is probably the best biography we will get. The contributions of his friends and family give an insight to the great man
A real influence on so many of us where is the humour in music today the surviving bongos try but every attempt just makes you realise how much he is missed.
Read it even if you don't know who he is as every life should contain a little Vic.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews