Neil Innes

Interview with Sid James's son Steve

Steve James is one of the most admired record producers/engineers in the music industry. In a career spanning over forty years, he has worked with some of the biggest names in music, including Paul Young, Peter Skellern, Toyah, Ginger Baker and Neil Innes. He recorded Monty Python's Always Look on the Bright Side of Life and has even worked on The Teletubbies!

Steve also happens to be the son of Sid James.

Review: The Rutles

Neil Innes has suggested that this might be the last hurrah for The Rutles, but it would be a shame if they were put to rest now - just when they have really come to life.

The Rutles set to unleash their hair one last time

Co-creator Neil Innes insists this is the last time the parody group will 'Twist & Rut'.

The Rutles: A look back at Dirk, Nasty, Stig and Barry

The early 60′s were not especially kind to The Rutles. Languishing in the Rutland Cavern for years, it wasn't until 1975 when this relatively unknown British pop group fronted by Neil Innes appeared on Rutland Weekend Television singing "I Must Be In Love" from their 1965 album, A Hard Days Rut, that The Rutles began their assault on the world.

You may think that rock and roll musicians in particular are in no need of being satirised, as they do the job pretty well themselves. Well, that doesn't mean they aren't ripe for a bit of a ribbing. Matt Lucas, himself no stranger to making the michael out of rock gods with David Walliams in Rock Profile on BBC2, hosts this chronological countdown of the best of the mickey-takers.

Step forward Neil Innes with his tales of Rutlemania; Harry Shearer, who turns the amp all the way up to 11 with Spinal Tap (surely the definite send-up/homage) and the Hee Bee Gee Bees... remember Meaningless Songs (in Very High Voices)? They had Angus Deayton among their number but got Richard Curtis to write the lyrics. Not bad.

Quite why Stella Street is here is a bit of a mystery to me - just because Phil Cornwell and John Sessions get to practise their Mick and Keef voices doesn't make it satire.

Plenty of great music, a few lightly tossed anecdotes and - voila! - an hour of high-quality entertainment.

In an hour, they packed in Ruby Wax's RSC reminiscences (she couldn't master the wench accent), a tribute to Richard Beckinsale, Neil Innes on Rutland Weekend TV (surely worth a repeat), a little bit about the over-rated Adrian Mole, Alan Carr's guide to Northampton, David Baddiel going back to school, Mel and Sue in Oxford, David Renwick's life on the Luton News and the evolution of Spitting Image. Great value for money!