Remember the Alberts?

Subject: Remember the Alberts?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Nov 06 - 05:32 PM

For no particular reason the memory of The Alberts, and especially of Dougie Gray, popped into my head.

Dougie was a regular at Unity Theatre Folk Club in Mornington Crescent (London), with his trombone and his version of "Goodbye Dollie Gray", and the cry "It may be rubbish, but it's British Rubbish".

In the big world his band The Alberts were the centre of a theatrical entertainment "An Evening of British Rubbish" along with Bruce Lacey and Ivor Cutler, in 1963.

"They had a residency at Peter Cook's Establishment Club in London. Lenny Bruce met them there and invited them to come and perform in the United States. They travelled across on the Queen Mary entertaining/annoying other passengers with their antics which included riding penny-farthing bicycles around the decks. They arrived in New York to find Bruce had been arrested." (From Wikepedia).

So does anyone know what happened since then? Or any memories?

Subject: RE: Remember the Alberts?
From: Rowan
Date: 21 Nov 06 - 05:41 PM

When I saw the title my immediate thought was "Yes, and the Lancers and the First Set as well."

Then I read the message and realised I was way off course.

But I'm pleased to see a reference to Ivor Cutler, whose records "Jammy Smears" and "Velvet Donkey" were possessed by an erstwhile colleague. We used those records to screen prospective teachers at our school. We'd invite them to a party and, after the evening had got well under way, one of these records would be played. If the applicant asked why we were listening to this sort of stuff, we knew they would probably not cope with our school.

Great memories!

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Remember the Alberts?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Nov 06 - 08:27 PM

Ivor Cutler - wonderful man. Here he is singing Shoplifters - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LddPuhzt0F4 on the Old Grey Whistle Test.

Sadly, I've found no clips of The Alberts as yet.

Subject: RE: Remember the Alberts?
From: woodsie
Date: 21 Nov 06 - 09:06 PM

I remember having a budget priced LP in the '70 featuring The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, The Temperance Seven and The Alberts.

Subject: RE: Remember the Alberts?
From: Splott Man
Date: 22 Nov 06 - 03:45 AM

I've got that LP too.
They had a stunt where a giant bee would fly out of the piano. You knew something was going to happen because you could see the wire.

Subject: RE: Remember the Alberts?
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 22 Nov 06 - 05:44 AM

I remember a Sunday afternoon (I believe) concert with the Ken Colyer Band and The Alberts, long time ago in the fifties. I believe it was at a theatre in Victoria (London) but I may be wrong. It was a cold day and a memory that stays with me was as my cousin and I were waiting at the bus stop after the show an open back truck drove by with a brazier on the back well alight and the Alberts sitting around it attempting to keep warm. They were always very entertaining. I still have the programme for that show somewhere in the archives.

Wasn't Cephas Howard a member? I believe he moved to the Isle of Wight and set up an art studio.

Subject: RE: Remember the Alberts?
From: Scrump
Date: 22 Nov 06 - 05:59 AM

Did the Alberts record anything other than the 2 tracks on the Bonzos/T7 album mentioned above (which I have too)? I'd be interested to hear anything else they did.

Subject: RE: Remember the Alberts?
From: Splott Man
Date: 22 Nov 06 - 07:50 AM

Did some of them go on to the Temperance 7 or the New Vaudeville Band? I believe a few of them worked at the Beeb.

Subject: RE: Remember the Alberts?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 22 Nov 06 - 05:50 PM

There is this CD By Jingo It's British Rubbish, featuring Alberts, Temperance Seven, and the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band.withn Peter Sellers as well on onen track.

I haven't heard it, but it sounds fun. And its got "Goodbye Dolly Gray".

Subject: RE: Remember the Alberts?
From: Scrump
Date: 23 Nov 06 - 09:39 AM

Thanks for posting that link, McGrath of Harlow.

I noticed the two Milligan tracks have "The Massed Alberts" on them (incidentally I suspect the title of track 11 is wrong). I have (what I think are) these two tracks on a Goons album, and had noticed it before.

Do these tracks actually have The Alberts on them, or did Milligan just invent the name "Massed Alberts"?

(Btw, at one place I worked we used to use the term "Albert" to mean "fool" - it started when we christened one particular waste of space "Albert RN" after the stuffed dummy used in a famous WWII POW escape. At the time we didn't know about the Alberts, Massed or otherwise.)

Subject: RE: Remember the Alberts?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Nov 06 - 01:19 PM

Here is the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band's Urban Spaceman - "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj86_2tAtdU

And here are The Temperance Seven, playing Everybody Loves My Baby http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcelC9xFl9A&mode

But no Alberts...