Martin Ash

Last updated • 1 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Martin Ash (8 February 1942 – 27 September 2018) was a British performer, percussionist, artist and art lecturer better known to many by his stage name Sam Spoons, the percussionist of Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

He was born on 8 February 1942 in Bridgwater but moved to Barnstaple when he was 12. He was the first student to gain an A-Level in art at Barnstaple Grammar School, before moving to Plymouth to study illustration (NDD Honours). From 1963 to 1966 he studied industrial design at the Royal College of Art. [2]

Career

Musician

He joined The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band in early 1964, leaving in December 1967, and rejoining in 2006. [2] Ash was also a member of Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band recording with the band on their eponymous LP. [3]

Credited as Sam Spoons, Ash appeared on all the early Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band singles and debut album Gorilla (1967). [2] He was co writer and arranger of "Jazz, Delicious Hot, Disgusting Cold", which formed part of the Guest House Paradiso (1999) film soundtrack. [4]

In 2006, Ash and other surviving members of The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band reunited - along with Stephen Fry, Ade Edmondson and Phill Jupitus - for a reunion tour. [5]

Artist and lecturer

He worked as a senior art lecturer at Chelsea School of Art from 1972 until retirement. [1]

A posthumous solo art exhibition, which Ash had been working on, was presented by White Moose gallery at Tapeley Park in Instow, from 14 October to 16 October 2018, titled KerbArt : A Solo Exhibition by Martin Ash (AKA Sam Spoons). [6] [1]

Death

Ash died on 27 September 2018, aged 76, from cancer. His funeral was held at North Devon Crematorium in Barnstaple. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vivian Stanshall</span> English musician and author (1943–1995)

Vivian Stanshall was an English singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet and wit, best known for his work with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, for his exploration of the British upper classes in Sir Henry at Rawlinson End, and for acting as Master of Ceremonies on Mike Oldfield's album Tubular Bells.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Innes</span> English writer, comedian, and musician (1944–2019)

Neil James Innes was an English writer, comedian and musician. He first came to prominence in the pioneering comedy rock group Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and later became a frequent collaborator with the Monty Python troupe on their BBC television series and films, and is often called the "seventh Python" along with performer Carol Cleveland. He co-created the Rutles, a Beatles parody/pastiche project, with Python Eric Idle, and wrote the band's songs. He also wrote and voiced the 1980s ITV children's cartoon adventures of The Raggy Dolls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band</span>

Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band, also billed as Bob Kerr and His Whoopee Band, is a jazz band which started in 1967 and continues to perform today. It was an offshoot of the eclectic Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, and shared many similarities with other outfits of the time such as The New Vaudeville Band and The Temperance Seven. Founder Bob Kerr had been a member of both the Bonzos and the New Vaudeville Band.

Robert Kerr may refer to:

The New Vaudeville Band was a group created by songwriter Geoff Stephens in 1966 to record his novelty composition "Winchester Cathedral", a song inspired by the dance bands of the 1920s and a Rudy Vallée megaphone-style vocal. To his surprise, the song became a transatlantic hit that autumn, reaching the Top 10 in the United Kingdom and rising to No. 1 in the United States. The New Vaudeville Band initially was a studio group composed of session players, but Stephens quickly assembled a permanent group to continue recording and to play live shows. The group has been periodically revived since, without Stephens' participation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney Slater (musician)</span> Member of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, playing saxophones and other musical instruments

Rodney Desborough Slater is a member of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, playing saxophones and other musical instruments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Ruskin Spear</span> British musician

Roger Ruskin Spear is an English sculptor, multimedia artist and multi-instrumentalist who was a member of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. Spear is the son of the satirical artist and lecturer Ruskin Spear.

<i>Gorilla</i> (Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band album) 1967 studio album by Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band

Gorilla is the debut album by Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, originally released by Liberty Records, LBL 83056, in 1967. In 2007, EMI reissued the album on CD with seven bonus tracks.

Gerald Lincoln "Gerry" Bron was an English record producer and band manager. Gerry Married Penny Bron in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Temperance Seven</span> British band

The Temperance Seven is a British band originally active in the 1950s, specialising in 1920s-style jazz music. They were known for their surreal performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Kerr (musician)</span>

Robert Kerr is a comic musician who plays trumpet and cornet. He was originally a member of Spencer's Washboard Kings in 1965 and during 1966 he was a member of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. In September 1966, he was persuaded by Geoff Stephens to join The New Vaudeville Band, before forming his own combo, Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band. Kerr was a part of a reunited Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band line-up of surviving members, which toured in 2006 and 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Smith (musician)</span> Musical artist

Larry Smith, often known as "Legs" Larry Smith is an English drummer of the satirical comedy jazz group the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.

Bill Posters Will Be Band was a comic musical group formed by musicians who were members of The Bonzo Dog Band and Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band. The band was formed late 1983 by Biff Harrison, Jim "Golden Boots" Chambers, Evil John Gieves Watson, Sam Spoons, Hugh Crozier and Dave Clennel.

<i>Pour lAmour des Chiens</i> 2007 studio album by The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band

Pour l'Amour Des Chiens is the first all new studio album by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band in 35 years, and their sixth album overall. It was released on 12 December 2007, produced by Mickey Simmonds and Neil Innes, by Storming Music Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mickey Simmonds</span> Musical artist

Mickey Simmonds is an English session keyboardist, arranger and composer. He is best known for his work with progressive rock acts, Mike Oldfield, Renaissance, Camel and Fish. He has also worked with Joan Armatrading, Paul Young, The Rutles, Art Garfunkel, Kiki Dee, Mastermind, John Coghlan's Diesel Band, Elkie Brooks, Judie Tzuke, Imagination, Bucks Fizz, Jennifer Rush and The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, among others.

Colour Me Pop was a British music TV programme broadcast on BBC2 from 1968–1969. It was a spin-off from the BBC 2 arts magazine show Late Night Line-Up. Designed to celebrate the new introduction of colour to British television, it was directed by Steve Turner, and showcased half-hour sets by pop and rock groups of the period. The programme was a pioneering precursor to the better-remembered BBC music programme The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–87). Unlike its successor, most of the editions of Colour Me Pop are missing, due to the BBC's archival policy of the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Half Moon, Putney</span>

The Half Moon is a public house and music venue in Putney, London. It is one of the city's longest running live music venues, and has hosted live music every night since 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band</span> British band led by Vivian Stanshall

The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band was created by a group of British art-school students in the 1960s. Combining elements of music hall, trad jazz and psychedelia with surreal humour and avant-garde art, the Bonzos came to public attention through appearances in the Beatles' 1967 film Magical Mystery Tour and the 1968 ITV comedy show Do Not Adjust Your Set.

"The Intro and The Outro" is a recording by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. It appears on their debut album, Gorilla (1967). It is not so much a song as a comic monologue in which the speaker introduces the musicians who ostensibly appear on the recording. The recording fades out before the emcee completes the introductions and without the "orchestra" being able to play anything more than a vamp. The piece was written by Bonzo member Vivian Stanshall, who also provides the vocal. Stanshall first introduces the seven members of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, who are credited with their actual instruments, over a vamp that resembles Duke Ellington’s "C Jam Blues".

<i>Unpeeled</i> (Bonzo Dog Band album) 1995 compilation album by The Bonzo Dog Band

Unpeeled is a 1995 compilation of sessions recorded by The Bonzo Dog Band for the John Peel show on the BBC during the late sixties.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gussin, Tony (9 October 2018). "Former Bonzo Sam Spoons takes a bow with posthumous art exhibition". North Devon Gazette. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Spooning with the Bonzos". Recordcollectormag.com. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  3. ↑ Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band. "Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  4. ↑ "Guest House Paradiso (1999)". IMDb.com. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  5. ↑ "Play it again, Sam". Surrey Comet. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  6. ↑ "KerbArt : A Solo Exhibition by Martin Ash (AKA Sam Spoons) - Barnstaple - Visit North Devon". Visitdevon.co.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.