Radio The Goon Show

[Caesar]

I have been doing a lot of driving recently, so I dug out my old CDs of the Goon Show to listen to. I'd forgotten how awesome it is. I've got to the end of 3hr drives and had sore cheeks from laughing so much. Currently hunting for more CDs on the web.

Still can't believe the genius that came from getting Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe in the same room.

"You silly twisted boy, you."

 

[Gough]

"He's fallen in the water."

Modern comedy began with these guys. Try to imagine being in austere post-war Britain and listening to these guys on the radio. Must have been mind blowing.

 

[Wallaby]

As an enormous Goon Show fan, I would love to write a full dissertation on why their style of comedy works so well, why it doesn't date, and was so ground-breaking.

But explaining why comedy is funny, is like chopping down a forest to examine the trees.

The Goon Show is just hilarious.

 

[Caesar]

My girlfriend can't work out why I like them.

 

[worbod]

I taped a few of Spike's Q7 shows off the telly when the ABC last aired them in 1987. Even though I find some of the punchlines go over my head, I always feel a need to play the tapes from time to time, and end up appreciating them and getting a decent laugh.

 

[Quivorir]

Never heard of em, might have to take a look.

 

[Gorry]

Of course they were produced mainly by George Martin as well and we all know he had a little success a few years later.

My favorite episode is 'The dreaded batterpudding hurler of Bexhill-on-sea"...

Henry?
Yes Min...
I've been struck down....

 

[Mobbs]

Love the Goons.

"Quiet you, or would you like a taste of the lash?"
"No thanks, I've just had some cocoa."

Got most as computer files taken from tape recordings off ABC radio.

 

[Cthublhu]

I have been doing a lot of driving recently, so I dug out my old CDs of the Goon Show to listen to. I'd forgotten how awesome it is. I've got to the end of 3hr drives and had sore cheeks from laughing so much. Currently hunting for more CDs on the web.

Still can't believe the genius that came from getting Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe in the same room.

"You silly twisted boy, you."

CDs? I've got every extant(*) Goon show in mp3 format.

(*) A shedload were deleted by the BBC, ala Dr Who. From memory, almost all of Seasons 1-3 are gone. Michael Bentine's contribution to the show barely exists at all.

 

[Caesar]

I listen to them mostly on long car trips, so the CD format suits me.

I guess I could download and burn the mp3 files, but it's too much like hard work.

 

[Caesar]

Rainy day, doing housework, have had these on the stereo all day. Think my favourite has to be The White Box Of Great Bardfield.

"We'll all be murdered in our tigers!"

 

[jim boy]

Goons are no doubt great, but there is other fantastic radio comedy out there. And they have the goons to thanks for that.

ABC will never broadcast it though outside of a pre-dawn slot, I've had heated arguments with them over that. Some of which has become well-known after being turned into a tv format, such as the mighty boosh, absolute power, the miranda hart show, league of gentlemen, flight of the conchords etc. And there is plenty more which just works so well on radio.

At some point I'll start up a weekly blog.......