Dip My Brain in Joy: A Life With Neil Innes: The Official Biography

The official biography of Neil Innes―songwriting powerhouse and the “seventh Python”―written by the person closest to him “A lovely writer and performer. A very sweet man, much too nice for his own good…” ― John Cleese “He was a great writer, eccentric, and clever without being pretentious.” ― Michael Palin Few individuals have shaped British culture over the past fifty years as profoundly as comedy and music icon Neil Innes. He was the songwriting force behind the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, a Beatles muse and collaborator, and a key figure in injecting art-school surrealism into 1960s television comedy. His work helped spark a creative revolution that led directly to Monty Python's Flying Circus, a group he repeatedly joined on screen and on stage. Innes was also Ron Nasty, co-founder of the much-loved The Rutles, the legendary “pre-fab four,” and the accidental originator of the phrase Cool Britannia. A cherished children’s TV storyteller, thinker, maker, and creator, he became an undisputed national treasure―Britain’s gentle idiot laureate. Through it all, Neil remained one of the kindest and brightest figures in show business.