BOOK REVIEW: Dip My Brain in Joy - My Life With Neil Innes - Yvonne Innes (2024)

Here I am reviewing the authorised biography of Neil Innes of The Rutles & Bonzo Dog Band written by his widow, Yvonne Innes.
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[@Nazz1967]

Love your real reviews mate ,always from the heart. Cheers mate .

[@markwade2530]

Met Neil on a few occasions at aftershow signings, and he was always the gentleman, with the emphasis on 'gentle'. A lovely man whose humour I loved. Taken too soon.

[@jimbrown195]

I enjoyed your review. It was honest and good. Thanks.

[@andrewburns5697]

I had the pleasure of attending one of his shows. A mixture of songs and funny stories. He came across as a fully decent person.

[@russellhammond4373]

He want part of my life most probably due to the distance. A great review Darren.

[@MsBonzodog]

I knew Neil for nearly thirty years and your thoughts are very astute. His death was quick. He would have been dead before he hit the ground and that I’m thankful for. Seventy-five isn’t that old and I just wish he was still with us.

[@mungo0211]

Great review Darren..met neil and yvonne back in 1999 at his one man show..fan of everything he's done since the Bonzos...like you say he deserved to be treated better by the business ,record companies,the BBC AND Eric idle ..just read Idle's " SPAMALOT DIARIES" that just came out and he totally disregards Neil's song "knights of the round table" and says it was written by cleese and chapman..so sad a 50 year friendship ended like that..haven't read the book yet but it's on its way..looking forward to it..thanks!

[@chadstingray5536]

Yeah … “The Spamalot Diaries” … completely ignores Neil’s contributions! No mention that he co-wrote the songs. The characters he played are mentioned … but, nothing stating Neil played them. The book is meant to be a “feel good” book, and denies all of the falling outs. ( Mark Forstarter’s lawsuit - the reason the 2014 gigs had to happen, monies owed to Neil Innes, etc. ) . Eric Idle & Neil Innes had a very on again / off again relationship from the ‘90s onward. And sadly Idle rejects all mentions of Innes, while roundly kissing John Du Prez’s arse! ( And, since Eric was in charge of the 02 shows - Neil was left out. Much to the dismay of the other Pythons.)

[@MsBonzodog]

Which children’s TV prog did he say he didn’t get paid for? Off the top of my head he did The Book Tower, Puddle Lane, The Raggy Dolls and provided songs for The Riddlers. He also did an American prog for children called A Story, A Story. In the eighties you couldn’t move for him. He was really flavour of the month and did adverts too.

[@TheDarrenLock]

I heard him mention it in an interview many, many years ago. I think it might have been The Raggy Dolls, but my memory isn’t 100% - that’s why I didn’t say it.