VIVIAN STANSHAL – Rawlinson’s End – 2LP – Vinyl

2LP -Black Vinyl.

In 1978, Charisma Records released the ‘Sir Henry At Rawlinson End‘ album, a forty-minute introduction to the eccentric custodian of the crumbling British country estate, which incorporated characters & music from the various episodes of the Sir Henry saga, originally broadcast on the BBC’s John Peel show from October 1975 up until 1991. The BBC regular re-broadcast Sir Henry even today.

In 1980, Sir Henry was also unleashed on the public as a film, starring the great Trevor Howard & was also issued as book published by Eel Pie Publishing, owned at the time by The Who’s Pete Townshend.

The 1990’s found Sir Henry used as the concept for a now legendary series of ‘Ruddles Beer’ adverts that cemented ‘Rawlinson’s End‘ in the National consciousness.

Stanshall was a major Influence on the cream of the new wave of British comedy in the 1980’s including Stephen Fry, Adrian Edmondson, Phil Jupitus & Paul Merton & he remains much loved nearly thirty years after his death. In the years just before his untimely death in 1995, Vivian intended to generate a new album based around the content of three of the final episodes broadcast by John Peel on the BBC; ‘Crackpot At The End Of The Rainbow‘ recorded in February 1988, ‘The Eating At Rawlinson End‘, from August 1988 & ‘The Thing At Rawlinson End‘, from April 1991.

For decades it has been rumoured that a new Sir Henry album would be released & now finally Madfish / Snapper Music in collaboration with the Stanshall Family have made that rumour a reality.

Using all the remaining tapes from Vivian’s archive, Stanshall expert & performance artist the magnificent Michael Livesley has managed to put back together the intended release, a process that he has described as like “putting back together a smashed vase”. The results are a revelation with the final album now a double LP containing some of Vivian’s finest work. Fans of Sir Henry, Old Scrotum, Mrs E & the various bizarre & evocative characters that inhabit the musty ‘Rawlinson’s End‘ will be thrilled at the imagined adventures that await them.

Vivian’s final vision has been realised – ‘Rawlinson’s End‘, available on CD & 2LP.

Tracklist:

1. Lady Rawlinson’s Lilt / Under The Sea ( Instrumental ) ( 06:08 )
2. Eggs Is Eggs ( Nice N Tidy ) ( 09:07 )
3. The Pipes ( Sir Henry ) ( 02:53 )
4. The Crackpot ( Instrumental ) ( 01:11 )
5. The Great Eating ( Instrumental ) ( 02:31 )
6. Buzzing ( Hubert ) ( 01:50 )
7. Spreading His Light ( Hubert & The Rev Slodden ) ( 04:39 )
8. Scrotum’s Lullaby ( Scrotum ) ( 04:31 )
9. Under The Sea ( Reprise ) ( 01:15 )
10. Cackling Gas / Under The Sea ( 05:05 )
11. Octavia ( 04:04 )
12. Cul-de-Sac ( Mrs E ) ( 04:35 )
13. The Quiet That The Spider Knows ( Aunt Florrie ) ( 02:43 )
14. Tour De Farce ( Instrumental ) ( 00:41 )
15. Entre Act ( Instrumental ) ( 03:36 )
16. Diplodocus v Concreton ( 03:18 )
17. Achmedillo ( Scrotum ) ( 05:38 )