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词条 The Wombles (band)
释义

  1. History

  2. Live performances

  3. The Wombles' split and Wellington's solo career

  4. Legacy

  5. Glastonbury Festival

  6. Personnel

     The Wombles  Additional personnel 

  7. Discography

     Studio albums  Compilation albums  Singles  Soundtracks 

  8. Parodies

  9. References

  10. External links

{{Infobox musical artist
| name = The Wombles
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = group_or_band
| genre = Novelty, bubblegum pop, pop rock
| origin = Wimbledon Common, London, England
| years_active = 1973–1976, 1998-2000, 2011-present
| label = CBS Records
| associated_acts =
| website =
| current_members = Mike Batt
Chris Spedding
Les Hurdle
Clem Cattini
Simon Chandler-Honnor
Paul Peabody
Rex Morris
| past_members = Jack Rothstein (deceased)
Eddie Mordue (deceased)
}}

The Wombles are a British novelty pop group, featuring musicians dressed as the characters from children's TV show The Wombles, which in turn was based on the children's book series by Elisabeth Beresford. Songwriter and record producer Mike Batt wrote the series' theme tune, and went on to perform and write a number of successful albums and singles as 'The Wombles' with other collaborators. British Hit Singles & Albums jokingly referred to them as the "furriest (and possibly the tidiest) act... are natives of Wimbledon Common, London". In 2011, the band played at The Glastonbury Festival.

History

Filmfair acquired the television rights to The Wombles and commissioned Batt to write the theme song. He waived the flat fee for writing a single song, and secured the character rights for musical production to write songs under the name 'The Wombles'.[1]

The band released several albums and singles. All four studio albums went gold[2] and four of the singles reached the Top 10 in the UK Singles Chart.[3] The Wombles were the most successful act of 1974, with albums in the UK charts for more weeks than any other act.[3]

A single called "Wombling U.S.A.", written to break into the American market, was recorded in 1975 but was not released until 2000 when it was included on the cassette version of "I Wish It Could Be a Wombling Merry Christmas Everyday".[4]

Live performances

In January 1974, Mike Batt appeared on an edition of Cilla Black's television series as Orinoco, having been led onstage by guest Bernard Cribbins, to plug "The Wombling Song". Consequently, when the single charted, the "band" was invited to perform on Top of the Pops. Additional Womble suits were hastily made for the live performance.

When appearing as a band, the Wombles were always played by experienced musicians in full costume. Batt continued to perform as Orinoco, regularly accompanied by drummer Clem Cattini as Bungo and guitarist Chris Spedding as Wellington (complete with Spedding's trademark white Gibson Flying V)--both of whom had previously recorded with Batt. On one edition of Top of the Pops, the costumes were filled by members of Steeleye Span.

Tim and Andy Renton, who had worked with Batt in the latter incarnation of Hapshash and the Coloured Coat also donned the costumes, along with Robin LeMesurier,[5] who also had a Gibson Flying V, but was kicked out of the band following an arrest for possession of marijuana.[6]

The band was the interval act at the Eurovision Song Contest 1974.

The Wombles' split and Wellington's solo career

The Wombles 'split' in 1976 and, following a severe drought that summer, a single called "Rainmaker" (credited to Wellington Womble) was released.

Legacy

Batt remains sensitive about the legacy of the band. In a 2008 interview he said "It is hard to be taken seriously with the Wombles hanging around my neck like a furry anvil."[1] More recently (in a programme with Aled Jones on the BBC in 2010) Batt pointed out that, in balance, the Wombles also served as a "furry balloon" as it gave him his first chart success.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}}

Glastonbury Festival

In April 2011, Batt announced that The Wombles would play at The Glastonbury Festival in June.[7] Michael Eavis, the founder of the Glastonbury Festival, said that booking the Wombles was "a bit of a mistake".[8] Batt quipped that Uncle Bulgaria had been offended by Eavis' comments and had withdrawn an offer to tidy up the site after the festival.[9] The band pulled a huge crowd on the Glastonbury Avalon stage – bigger than the audience for the main Pyramid stage on the same afternoon {{citation needed| date= May 2017}} – so Eavis' Avalon stage booker was vindicated.

Personnel

The Wombles

  • Orinoco (Mike Batt) – vocals, piano
  • Wellington (Chris Spedding) – lead guitar
  • Tomsk (Les Hurdle) – bass
  • Bungo (Clem Cattini) – drums, percussion
  • Tobermory (Simon Chandler-Honnor) – piano, keyboards
  • Madame Cholet (Rex Morris) – saxophone
  • Great Uncle Bulgaria (Paul Peabody) – violin

Additional personnel

  • Amy Adkins – percussion, violin, vocals
  • Eric Bulger – keyboards, saxophone, vocals
  • Richard Kingston – keyboards, percussion, vocals

Discography

{{Infobox artist discography
| Artist = The Wombles
| Studio = 4
| Live = 1
| Compilation = 10
| Video =
| Music videos = 47
| EP =
| Singles = 16
| Soundtrack = 1
}}

Studio albums

YearAlbum details
1973Wombling Songs
  • Released: November 1973
  • Label: CBS (65803)
  • Format: 12" vinyl/CD
  • Peak chart position: 19 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 17 (UK)
1974Remember You're A Womble
  • Released: July 1974
  • Label: CBS (80191)
  • Format: 12" vinyl/CD
  • Peak chart position: 18 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 29 (UK)
Keep On Wombling
  • Released: December 1974
  • Label: CBS (80526)
  • Format: 12" vinyl/CD
  • Peak chart position: 17 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 6 (UK)
1975Superwombling
  • Released: September 1975
  • Label: CBS (80997)
  • Format: 12" vinyl/CD
[3]

Compilation albums

YearAlbum details
1975The Best of The Wombles – 20 Wombling Greats
  • Released: 1975
  • Label: CBS (5022)
  • Peak chart position: 29 (UK)
  • Format: 12" vinyl
1976The Best of The Wombles – 20 Wombling Greats (reissue)
  • Released: 1976
  • Label: Warwick/CBS
  • Format: 12" vinyl/CD
1978The Wombles Christmas Party'
  • Released: 1978
  • Label: SHM (977)
  • Format: 12" vinyl/CD
1983The Wombles Christmas Album
  • Released: 1983
  • Label: CBS (25805)
  • Format: 12" vinyl/CD
1989Wombling Hits
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: CBS (466118 1)
  • Format: 12" vinyl/CD
1997Underground, Overground – The Ultimate Wombles Collection
  • Released: 1997
  • Label: RDCD (2181–2)
  • Format: CD
1998'The Best Wombles Album So Far – Volume 1
  • Released: 16 March 1998
  • Label: Columbia (489562 2)
  • Peak chart position: 26 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 3 (UK)
  • Format: CD
2000The Wombles Collection
  • Released: 20 November 2000
  • Label: Dramatico (DRAMCD0001)
  • Format: CD
2005The Very Best Of The Wombles
  • Released: 3 October 2005
  • Label: Columbia (504418 2)
  • Format: CD
2011The W Factor
  • Released: 28 November 2011
  • Label: Dramatico (B0062JIBLS)
  • Format: CD and MP3 Download
[3]

Singles

YearSingle details
1973"The Wombling Song" / "Wombles Everywhere"
  • Released: October 1973
  • Label: CBS (1794)
  • Peak chart position: 4 (UK), 5 (NZ)
  • Weeks in chart: 23 (UK), 19 (NZ)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
1974"Remember You're A Womble" / "Bungo's Birthday"
  • Released: 29 March 1974
  • Label: CBS (2241)
  • Peak chart position: 3 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 16 (UK)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
"Banana Rock" / "The Womble Square Dance"
  • Released: June 1974
  • Label: CBS (2465)
  • Peak chart position: 9 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 13 (UK)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
"Non-Stop Wombling Summer Party" / "Wimbledon Sunset"
  • Released: September 1974
  • Label: CBS (2663)
  • Peak chart position: 55 (US)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
"Minuetto Allegretto" / "Womble Burrow Boogie"
  • Released: October 1974
  • Label: CBS (2710)
  • Peak chart position: 16 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 9 (UK)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
"Remember You're A Womble" / "Wellington Womble"
  • Released: 1974
  • Label: (US) Columbia (3-10013)
  • Peak chart position: 3 (UK)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
"Wombling Merry Christmas" / "Madame Cholet"
  • Released: November 1974
  • Label: CBS (2842)
  • Peak chart position: 2 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 8 (UK)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
1975"Wombling White Tie And Tails" / "The Wombling Twist"
  • Released: April 1975
  • Label: CBS (3266)
  • Peak chart position: 22 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 7 (UK)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
"Superwomble" / "The Orinoco Kid"
  • Released: July 1975
  • Label: CBS (3480)
  • Peak chart position: 20 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 6 (UK)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
"Let's Womble To The Party Tonight" / "Down At The Barber Shop"
  • Released: November 1975
  • Label: CBS (3794)
  • Peak chart position: 34 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 5 (UK)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
1976"The Womble Shuffle" / "To Wimbledon With Love"
  • Released: April 1976
  • Label: CBS (4049)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
Wellington Womble – "Rainmaker" / The Wombles – "Wombling in the Rain"
  • Released: September 1976
  • Label: CBS (4604)
  • Format: 7" vinyl
1998"Remember You're A Womble" / "Remember You're A Womble (Dance Mix)"
  • Released: 9 March 1998
  • Label: CBS
  • Peak chart position: 13 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 5 (UK)
  • Format: CD single
"The Wombling Song" / "The Orinoco Kid"
  • Released: 1 June 1998
  • Label: CBS
  • Peak chart position: 27 (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: 3 (UK)
  • Format: CD single
2000"I Wish It Could Be A Wombling Merry Christmas Every Day" (with Roy Wood)
  • Released: 18 December 2000
  • Label: CBS
  • Peak chart position: 22 (UK)
  • Format: CD single
2011"Wombling Merry Christmas" / "The Wombles Warning" / "Miss Adelaide (She's Got A Lot Of Knowledge)" / "The Jungle Is Jumping"
  • Released: 12 December 2011
  • Label: CBS
  • Peak chart position: (UK)
  • Weeks in chart: (UK)
  • Format: CD single
[10]

Soundtracks

YearAlbum details
1977Wombling Free – Original Soundtrack
  • Released: 1978
  • Label: CBS (70155)
  • Format: 12" vinyl

Parodies

The BBC Four comedy program Don't Watch That, Watch This showed a dubbed footage of The Wombles from TOTP2, of the Wombles purportedly performing "Anarchy in the U.K." live in June 1988. The scrolling caption during the song read "During the early eighties the Wombles reformed as a funk soul fusion. But the project soon failed and the group disbanded, only to come together again as the Dixie Minstrel Wombles. In 1988 the original line up were reunited for the third time to record their version of this Sex Pistols classic.... for a Pot Noodle commercial. Later released as a single it reached 57 on the charts".{{citation needed| date= May 2017}}

The film The Rutles featured a Ringo Starr-inspired character named Barrington Womble who "shortened his name to save time...he simply became Barry Wom."

References

1. ^{{cite news|title=Mike Batt: he can't forget he's a Womble|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/04/10/bmbatt110.xml|last=McCormick|first=Neil|publisher=The Telegraph|date=2008-04-10}}
2. ^{{cite book|title=The Complete Book Of The British Charts: Singles and Albums|author1=Neil Warwick |author2=Jon Kutner |author3=Tony Brown |year=2004|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=1-84449-058-0|pages=1203–1204}}
3. ^{{cite book|author1=Phil Hardy |author2=Dave Laing |lastauthoramp=yes |title=Encyclopedia of Rock|pages=38|publisher=Schirmer Books|year=1988|isbn=0-02-919562-4}}
4. ^{{cite news|title=Bob Stanley on the man inside the Womble suit|last=Stanley|first=Bob|publisher=The Times|date=2004-02-27}}
5. ^The son of actors John Le Mesurier and Hattie Jacques
6. ^Andrew Perry [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/glastonbury/8578125/The-Wombles-at-Glastonbury-2011-interview.html "The Wombles at Glastonbury 2011: interview"], telegraph.co.uk, 15 June 2011
7. ^{{cite news|title=Wombles of Glastonbury festival are we|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1379372/Glastonbury-2011-Wombles-form-band-summer-festival.html|publisher=Daily Mail|date=22 April 2011}}
8. ^{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-13702105|title=Glastonbury boss Michael Eavis regrets Wombles booking|publisher=BBC News|date=8 June 2011}}
9. ^{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13875973|title=Wombles re-form to play Glastonbury|publisher=BBC News|date=22 June 2011}}
10. ^{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 608}}

External links

  • Chris Spedding – Wombles index
  • Obituary for Elisabeth Beresford, and Mike Batt's connections with the Wombles
{{The Wombles}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Wombles}}

5 : Bands with fictional stage personas|Musical groups established in 1973|Musical groups disestablished in 1976|The Wombles|Fictional musical groups

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