Ginger Geezer

Description

Published in 2001 by Fourth Estate – the same year and publisher as The Chap Manifesto – it was high time for a biography of national treasure, compelling eccentric and head honcho of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, Vivian Stanshall. Ginger Geezer charts the rise of the band from art school chums who loved trad jazz, to appearing on Top of the Pops with The Urban Spaceman. The Bonzos disbanded in 1969 and Stanshall pursued a solo career, peaking with Sir Henry at Rawlinson End, a radio play, album and then film starring Trevor Howard. The truculent teddy boy still found time to raise merry hell with Keith Moon and take every tranquiliser known to man, which eventually led to his early demise in 1995 by setting his beard on fire.