BBC Radio 2 Series

From bbc.co.uk

Along with their manger Bryan Nesbitt (Rhys Darby), The Conchords land on Radio 2.  Over six weeks, New Zealand's fourth most popular folk parody band attempt to crack the UK's lucrative novelty music scene with songs such as 'Frodo, don't wear the ring'.  Despite the fact The Conchords did appear in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings (do an internet search of the word 'Figwit' if you would like proof) this song was not featured on the original soundtrack, partly explaining why the band left New Zealand in the first place.

In England their musical odyssey is fraught with danger. On a sight seeing trip Bret McKenzie (guitar & vocals) has an accident at the Tower of London and is unable to honour their first UK gig because he has an arrow stuck in his shoulder.  Despite their manager insisting, Jemaine Clement (guitar & vocals) refuses to double up and play Bret's guitar part with his foot.  Inter-band relations are only saved thanks to the long distance intervention of Neil Finn.

Later on, the band get to support novelty act 'Dan & The Panda' (Daniel Kitson) on a tour of York.... "shall I give him the bamboo ladies and gentlemen?".  Their fanbase (Nina Conti & Jimmy Carr) offer to sleep with the band, and their manager is shocked when they refuse...."The Finn Brothers would have done it". Jemaine tries to boost Bret's self confidence when he feels too thin, by writing a song called 'Bret's Got It Going On'... "why can't a heterosexual man tell another heterosexual man he thinks his booty is fly?".

THE BACKGROUND

The series, which was originally broadcast on Radio 2 in September 2005, was almost entirely recorded on a portable mini-disc machine in a variety of locations around London. Bret, Jemaine, Rhys and a coterie of eminent stand up comedians and actors improvised scenes and sung songs around Hyde Park, The Tower of London, Piccadilly Circus, even the first aid room at Broadcasting House.  Music for the series was written and performed by the Flight of the Conchords and produced by them with the assistance of Neil Pickles, a music producer whose credits include Basement Jaxx, Groove Armada and Turin Brakes.

Rob Brydon, who narrates the series, saw The Conchords perform at the Edinburgh Festival in 2004.  He has been a big fan ever since.

In 2003 The Flight Of The Conchords were nominated for the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe.  In 2004 they won Best Newcomer at the Melbourne Comedy Festival and in 2005 were named Best Alternative Act at the Aspen Comedy Festival.  HBO have recorded concerts in New York with them, and they have TV development deals with NBC in America and Channel 4 in the UK.


EPISODE DETAILS

1: The Conchords suffer a setback when Bret has an accident at The Tower of London.  Their first UK gig is in jeopardy.... can Neil Finn save the day?

2: The Conchords are in York supporting 'Dan & The Panda' and Bret has a problem with his body image.... can Neil Finn save the day?

3: The Conchords enter the danger zone when their fanbase proposition them after a concert.  What should they do and.... can Neil Finn save the day?

4: The Conchords are asked to write a pop song for teen sensation Whambi.  Uber agent Josh Duchee hates what they come up with but... can Neil Finn save the day?

5: The Conchords are stretched to breaking point by Bret's girlfriend Suzanne.  Is she really a Yoko Ono figure and.... can Neil Finn save the day?

6:  Neil Finn saves the day.

Many parts of the Internet have not quite understood how in the UK comedy often exists on Radio, before it turns into TV. In 2003 having fallen in love with The Conchords at the Caves just below South Bridge on The Fringe I asked them to do a guest spot on a show for Radio 2 I was producing with Greg Proops. A week later I asked our sound engineer Jerry to record one of their late night shows in the overly moist Cave 2.  Before the end of their run I persuaded Mark Radcliffe to do a voiceover for me linking some of those tracks with improvised scenes from Bret & Jemaine. With a Perrier nomination under their belt I was sure we’d secure a commission from Radio 4 for a series.

We were turned down flat!

It took a year to get the project back up and running. In 2004 I asked Lesley Douglas the controller of Radio 2 at the time to come and watch The Conchords with me at The Gilded Balloon. She flew up, sacked Demond Carrington in the afternoon, came to the gig with me in the evening – and then left me on the steps with the words “whatever you want to go and make with them, go and do it”

In 2005 the Flight of The Conchords Radio Series won a bronze award at the annual Sony Radio Awards.

emira wrote:I've just been looking for those photos of the Conchords with Jimmy Carr and here they are! Thank you Ami for keeping this Archive alive for the next generations! I wish I had enough time to do the same thing with my Taika stash... Maybe when my toddler goes to school