Category: Goon Pod

There’s a treat for Goon Show lovers to look forward to next week as Tyler Adams’ podcast about all things Goon related returns for a second series.

Tyler described how the podcast came to be in an article in the latest issue of our newsletter which goes to all our members, Goon Show News. Series one of Goon pod started in May of 2021 and ran for an almost uninterrupted 140 weekly episodes before taking a well-earned break at the start of the year. That’s probably comparable to the BBC demanding 30 Goon Shows from Spike Milligan for a series.

We’re promised a detailed look at a classic Goon Show episode when the first show of the new series becomes available on 20^th March.

Goon Pod is available through all the usual Podcast sources, or through this link. The most recent episodes will also appear below.

The Silent Bugler – Goon Pod

The Silent Bugler is a good example of Spike Milligan revisiting earlier material, with the later Vintage Goons remake refining rather than reinventing the original. The original story from Series 4 opens with a Cold War setting and digs at Senator McCarthy, Winston Churchill and the world of secret agents before introducing Seagoon as MI5's Agent X2. The Vintage Goons remake necessarily tweaks some of the more topical material. Much of the enjoyment comes from the performances rather than the plot which is a bit confusing and follows X2's mission to thwart a Russian time machine, leading to an adventure involving spies, concerts, mistaken identities, explosions and improbable escapes in typical fashion. Peter Sellers' later portrayal of Willium the ticket inspector is noticeably richer and more developed, while the original Series 4 recording has Sellers corpsing repeatedly. The episode also contains the first use of Bluebottle's immortal line, "Pauses for audience applause… not a sausage" though early Bluebottle is less pleasing to the ear.As with most Goon Shows the storyline is largely incidental, serving as a framework for Spike's imagination and the interplay between the cast. While the Vintage Goons version benefits from more polished performances, some listeners may prefer the original Series 4 recording for its freshness and spontaneity and the fact it was a glimpse of the Goons reaching the peak of their powers in 1954. Tyler and guest Chas Early examine the two shows and look at what was happening in the Goons' world the week the original show aired, including a fascinating tale of Ray Ellington coming to the aid of one of JFK's closest friends.

1. The Silent Bugler 01:24:02
2. Only Two Can Play (1962) 01:24:37
3. Puckoon (1963) 01:32:22
4. How I Won The War (1967) 01:29:44
5. Samira Ahmed on A Hard Day's Night 01:13:05

Our favourite Podcast, Tyler Adams’ Goon Pod, featured an interview this week with the GSPS member and luminary of time almost immemorial, Chris Smith.

Chris described at length how the Goon Show Preservation Society developed from humble beginnings and told stories of some highlights of GSPS meetings, including appearances by Spike Milligan, Harry Secombe, Michael Bentine. It’s a great listen, especially for whipper-snapper, Johnny-come-lately members like your humble Website Charlie here.

Goon Pod is available from all the usual podcast sources, including the feed below.

The Silent Bugler – Goon Pod

The Silent Bugler is a good example of Spike Milligan revisiting earlier material, with the later Vintage Goons remake refining rather than reinventing the original. The original story from Series 4 opens with a Cold War setting and digs at Senator McCarthy, Winston Churchill and the world of secret agents before introducing Seagoon as MI5's Agent X2. The Vintage Goons remake necessarily tweaks some of the more topical material. Much of the enjoyment comes from the performances rather than the plot which is a bit confusing and follows X2's mission to thwart a Russian time machine, leading to an adventure involving spies, concerts, mistaken identities, explosions and improbable escapes in typical fashion. Peter Sellers' later portrayal of Willium the ticket inspector is noticeably richer and more developed, while the original Series 4 recording has Sellers corpsing repeatedly. The episode also contains the first use of Bluebottle's immortal line, "Pauses for audience applause… not a sausage" though early Bluebottle is less pleasing to the ear.As with most Goon Shows the storyline is largely incidental, serving as a framework for Spike's imagination and the interplay between the cast. While the Vintage Goons version benefits from more polished performances, some listeners may prefer the original Series 4 recording for its freshness and spontaneity and the fact it was a glimpse of the Goons reaching the peak of their powers in 1954. Tyler and guest Chas Early examine the two shows and look at what was happening in the Goons' world the week the original show aired, including a fascinating tale of Ray Ellington coming to the aid of one of JFK's closest friends.

1. The Silent Bugler 01:24:02
2. Only Two Can Play (1962) 01:24:37
3. Puckoon (1963) 01:32:22
4. How I Won The War (1967) 01:29:44
5. Samira Ahmed on A Hard Day's Night 01:13:05

If the weeks have moved on and the episode with Chris has moved down the list, you can get to it directly through this link.

Greenslade – Ladies and Gentlemen, the Goons and myself, after a period of, ahem, retirement, are pleased to announce that we’ll be featured in a modern podcast-type pop-type chart, voted for by those good people who still remember us.
Seagoon – What, what, what, an awards show? I’d better get the acceptance speech written.
Bloodnok – It’s not about you. It’s 20 chances to hear my best internal noises.
Bluebottle – More like 20 more chances for me to get deaded.
Minnie – Help Henry, I’ve been surveyed!
Moriarty – Owwww. Place your bets at Honest Grytpype’s Bookmakers Shop…
Eccles – 20, 19, er.. 18, er…. where’s that list?

During 2022, Tyler Adams has asked the listeners and followers of Goon Pod to nominate their three favourite episodes of the Goon Show. The results are in, and they’ve been weighed, measured and sent to stand in a queue.

The top 20 will be revealed in a special episode of Goon Pod, coming out on New Year’s Eve. Tyler and his guests, Sean Gaffney and Mike Haskins, will discuss and dissect the people’s choices.

Once 31st December comes around (has it been asleep then?), you’ll be able to listen to the chart show on the player below. Or, of course, you can download it at your convenience on your usual podcast app.

Listener’s Top 20 Goon Shows

update: so what were the top 20 shows? – the list is here

Causing much excitement, an until-now lost recording of a Peter Sellers performance has been found, and it’s being broadcast in a restored state on BBC Radio 4 on 18th October. The show is an episode from the first series of Hancock’s Half Hour which was only ever broadcast once, in February 1955. In it, Sellers stood in for an absent Kenneth Williams.

Radio 4 are also running a documentary about the search for old recordings and finding the lost episode. It’s called Raiders of the Lost Archive, and it’s available to stream on BBC Sounds.

After its first airing on Radio 4, the Hancock episode, which is titled The Marriage Bureau, will also be available to stream here.

Our favourite podcast – Goon Pod – is onto the story this week. Tyler’s guest is voice actor and restorer Keith Wickham, who presented and co-produced the Raiders of the Lost Archive programme.

The Silent Bugler – Goon Pod

The Silent Bugler is a good example of Spike Milligan revisiting earlier material, with the later Vintage Goons remake refining rather than reinventing the original. The original story from Series 4 opens with a Cold War setting and digs at Senator McCarthy, Winston Churchill and the world of secret agents before introducing Seagoon as MI5's Agent X2. The Vintage Goons remake necessarily tweaks some of the more topical material. Much of the enjoyment comes from the performances rather than the plot which is a bit confusing and follows X2's mission to thwart a Russian time machine, leading to an adventure involving spies, concerts, mistaken identities, explosions and improbable escapes in typical fashion. Peter Sellers' later portrayal of Willium the ticket inspector is noticeably richer and more developed, while the original Series 4 recording has Sellers corpsing repeatedly. The episode also contains the first use of Bluebottle's immortal line, "Pauses for audience applause… not a sausage" though early Bluebottle is less pleasing to the ear.As with most Goon Shows the storyline is largely incidental, serving as a framework for Spike's imagination and the interplay between the cast. While the Vintage Goons version benefits from more polished performances, some listeners may prefer the original Series 4 recording for its freshness and spontaneity and the fact it was a glimpse of the Goons reaching the peak of their powers in 1954. Tyler and guest Chas Early examine the two shows and look at what was happening in the Goons' world the week the original show aired, including a fascinating tale of Ray Ellington coming to the aid of one of JFK's closest friends.

1. The Silent Bugler 01:24:02
2. Only Two Can Play (1962) 01:24:37
3. Puckoon (1963) 01:32:22
4. How I Won The War (1967) 01:29:44
5. Samira Ahmed on A Hard Day's Night 01:13:05