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Bad News (band)

From Alfawiki
Bad News
Company typeFictional band
IndustryMusic, Entertainment
Founded1983
FounderAde Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Rik Mayall, Peter Richardson (as characters)
Headquarters
United Kingdom
ProductsMusic albums, live performances

Bad News is a fictional English heavy metal ensemble created specifically for Channel 4's series The Comic Strip Presents.... The lineup consists of Vim Fuego (played by Ade Edmondson) as lead vocalist and guitarist; Den Dennis (Nigel Planer) handling rhythm guitar; Colin Grigson (Rik Mayall) on bass guitar; and Spider "Eight-Legs" Webb (Peter Richardson) on drums. Beyond its television origins, the band extended into live performances and released an album titled Bad News in 1987, along with a UK-charting single—a rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody."

Initial Formation: "Bad News Tour" (1983)

The first appearance of Bad News occurred in 1983 during the debut series of The Comic Strip Presents..., in the episode named "Bad News Tour." This episode is a parody rockumentary depicting the band's chaotic dynamics alongside an inept documentary crew. Written by Edmondson and produced by Michael White/Comic Strip Productions, the story draws inspiration from the 1976 BBC documentary So You Wanna Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star? by Mark Kidel. Presented as an emerging band lacking management or recording deals, Bad News embarks on a disastrous tour consisting of a single poorly attended gig marked by internal discord. The narrative also introduces rock journalist Sally Freidman (Jennifer Saunders) and groupie Tracy (Dawn French). Filming took place in autumn 1982, coinciding with the production of the similarly styled mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap.

Within "Bad News Tour," original compositions by Edmondson and Simon Brint appear that are absent from later albums or episodes: these include "Bad News" (Version 1), "The Motorbike Song" ("Doing A Ton Down The Highway"), an untitled fragment, and an almost complete live rendition of "Mr Rock N Roll." Notably, these tracks represent the sole Bad News material not co-produced by Queen’s guitarist Brian May.

The episode opens with Vim residing in the Chantry Point tower block on Elgin Estate in west London, a building demolished in 1992.

Reemergence: Monsters of Rock (1986), Bad News Album (1987), "More Bad News" (1988), and Bootleg (1988)

Following a period of inactivity, Bad News transitioned from fiction to reality when they were invited to perform at the Monsters of Rock festival held at Castle Donington in 1986. Their live performance became notable for their reaction to being pelted with plastic bottles—dodging projectiles while wielding guitars as makeshift bats. Additionally, they played a modest London gig at the Marquee Club, featuring guest appearances by Jeff Beck and Brian May. Other engagements included opening for Iron Maiden and performing alongside Jimmy Page.

These concerts served to promote their self-titled album, produced by Brian May, which showcased aggressive rock tracks interspersed with frequent disputes among band members. The record featured a cover version of Queen’s "Bohemian Rhapsody", which peaked at No. 44 on the UK Singles Chart in September 1987. A subsequent UK tour included Brian May joining the band for encore performances.

The Monsters of Rock set formed the centerpiece of the follow-up Comic Strip episode titled "More Bad News" (1988), a mockumentary chronicling the band’s turbulent past and reunion. It depicted their breakup in 1983 due to clashing personalities, the commercial failure of their single "Warriors of Ghengis Khan," financial difficulties with their label "Frilly Pink Records," and a disastrous Monsters of Rock appearance that culminated in a riot and serious injuries. The episode concluded with a somber yet ironically optimistic outlook from the band.

In 1987, Bad News also performed at the Reading Festival, where Brian May joined them onstage for "Bohemian Rhapsody."

In 1988, they released Bootleg, an album predominantly composed of spoken-word content capturing arguments between band members during the Bad News recording sessions. A CD reissue in 1989 combined tracks from both albums, while the 1992 Cash In Compilation compiled many of these recordings once more.

Subsequent endeavors

In 2012, for the documentary 30 Years of Comic Strip, Planer and Richardson reprised their characters Den Dennis and Spider Webb, recounting their experiences with Bad News. This film also outlined the members' lives after 1988: Alan (Vim) went back to his painting and decorating trade with assistance from Den; Colin secured a position as a bank clerk thanks to his father's influence; and Spider settled into retirement in the West Country alongside his family. Additionally, the documentary highlighted that Vim and Sally eventually wed, reflecting the real-life marriage of their actors Adrian Edmondson and Jennifer Saunders.

In 2019, Bad News issued a vinyl collection titled Almost Rare, featuring rare tracks. The subsequent year saw the release of a two-CD set compiling live recordings from 1986, which included an entire concert at the Hammersmith Odeon as well as their Monsters Of Rock appearance at Donington.

Discography

  • 1987 – Bad News - Reached No. 69 on the UK charts
  • 1988 – Bootleg
  • 1989 – Expanded reissue of Bad News
  • 1992 – The Cash in Compilation
  • 2004 – EMI International re-release of Bad News

Within the "A.G.M." sketch, the band’s forthcoming album was humorously titled Satan Ate My Knob. In "Cashing in on Christmas," Colin mentions that the group had put out 17 singles thus far.

Bootleg

Bootleg, Bad News’ sophomore album, is styled as a comedic "bootleg" featuring outtakes from sessions for their debut record. Unlike their first album, which blended music with band banter, this release centers predominantly on humorous disputes among members. Notable tracks include:

  1. "Bad Dreams"
  2. "A.G.M."
  3. "Double Entendre"
  4. "Locked In"
  5. "AIDS"
  6. "O' Levels"
  7. "Wedding"
  8. "Heavy Metal Farmer"
  9. "Making of Masturbike"
  10. "Cashing In on Christmas" (DUB)

Videography

  • 1988: Bohemian Rhapsody (contains both the music video and the sketch "EMI: Every Mistake Imaginable")
  • 1988: More Bad News (The Comic Strip Presents... Season 3, Episode 2)
  • 1983: Bad News Tour (The Comic Strip Presents... Season 1, Episode 4)

Band members

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