Summer ’56 (part I): The Goons take over
With the top-notch musical gag that ended ‘The Man Who Never Was’ still echoing in the public’s ears, series seven of the Goon Show drew...
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The Seagoon Memoirs
Chronicling a 21st century idiot's obsession with a 1950s radio comedy masterpiece.
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Welcome, dear reader - pull up a bollard.
UPDATE: JUNE 2024
I am in the process of transferring this blog to Substack. You'll find me at theseagoonmemoirs.substack.com, where you can read for free and sign up to receive new posts (twice a week) direct to your email.
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On 28 May 1951, four young men took to the airwaves on the BBC's Home Service to launch their unique brand of comedy on an unsuspecting world.
In the mid-1990s, an even younger idiot was introduced to recordings of their broadcasts - and there began a strange obsession crossing decades and generations.
The Seagoon Memoirs is an attempt to channel this obsession into something creative, chronicle the show's history, development and legacy, and in some small way contribute to preserving this masterpiece of British radio comedy.
Listen to me waffle on about the Goons on the excellent Goon Pod here. Alternatively, listen to more interesting people on other episodes of Goon Pod, including Jane Milligan, Al Murray, Dirk Maggs, and the cast of 'Spike!', the new Milligan/Goon-themed play by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman.
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There’s a song that I recall…
“There’s a song that I recall” – at least I thought I did until those crazy characters the Goons up and murdered it. The latest lunacy of...
Striking musicians and the birth of a hit single
In early 1956, television was reshaping the media landscape in the UK. As more and more households bought sets and commercial stations...
Ray Ellington seeks new guitarist!
On this day in 1953, the New Musical Express reported a change in staffing for Ray Ellington's quartet. If you haven't applied yet, I...
Ray Ellington
Wallace Greenslade: Ladies and gentlemen, with only two men to carry the battleship, an unexpected time lapse has occurred. To fill it,...
The Mighty Wurlitzer
The year is 1956, and young Ned Seagoon wants to pursue a career as an organ player – “another Reg the Dixon, another Sandy the...
Happy birthday Angela Morley
On this day in 1924, the award-winning composer, arranger and orchestra leader Angela Morley was born. She was musical director and...
Happy birthday, Max Geldray
Harmonica virtuoso Max Geldray was born on this day in 1916. He provided a musical interlude for the Goon Show for almost every show,...
Osian Ellis
Throughout the short life of this blog I've been determined to dig out details and celebrate people connected to the Goon Show. One such...
Judd Proctor
A belated happy birthday to Judd Proctor, born on 2 January 1931. Proctor was the guitarist with the Ray Ellington Quartet, which...
I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas
With festive best wishes, here is the only Christmas song any of us needs.
Mixed up Eccleses
And lo, December is upon us. Which can only mean one thing: carol singers. (Carol Singers? Gad, how I love that woman!) As featured in...
Musical Interlude - part 3
Introducing DJ Neddie Seagoon, playing some classic Goon music. First up, Bluebottle's faithful cover version of 'Unchained Melody'....
Musical interlude - part 2
As Moriarty tells us on regular occasions, "you've got to go owww". Play it, Eccles. Don't forget the words. According to this 1957 song...
Musical interlude - part 1
Owing to work commitments, our run-through of Series 5 is taking a short break. Instead, I am tasking DJ Bluebottle with my collection of...
Going out with a mountain?
Some Goon music today. October 1961 saw the release of Milligan Preserved, a collection of songs and sketches that included a version of...
The Russian satellite moon
On this day in 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik 1, the first man-made satellite to orbit the planet. Coming as it did at the height of the...
Theme tunes
Episode 22 of the third series – ‘The De Goonlies’ – was broadcast on 14 April 1953. The Radio Times listing can be discovered lurking on...
'Yong-Tong-Iddle-I-Po!'
Among the many catchphrases used by the Goons were a number of nonsense words – “spon”, “lurgi”, “yackabakakka” – which were probably...
Love these Goon Shows!
Episode 22 of the second series of the Goon Show exploded out of the wireless sets of Britain on 24 June 1952. Proof of its existence can...
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