WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.879 I want you to put yourself into a very specific 00:00:01.879 --> 00:00:05.919 mindset for a second. Imagine you are walking 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:08.820 into an audition for a working rock band. Right. 00:00:08.900 --> 00:00:12.720 A mid -1960s rock band. Exactly. Mid -60s. And 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:14.980 you're probably expecting the usual scene, right? 00:00:15.080 --> 00:00:17.480 A hazy room, maybe some amplifiers humming away. 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:21.179 You assume they need someone to, you know, hold 00:00:21.179 --> 00:00:23.300 down the rhythm section or maybe provide a steady 00:00:23.300 --> 00:00:25.519 bass line. You're expecting a standard gig. Yeah. 00:00:25.620 --> 00:00:28.160 But instead, you are hired on the spot for a 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:30.260 completely different skill set. they don't want 00:00:30.260 --> 00:00:31.859 you to play the guitar they don't want you on 00:00:31.859 --> 00:00:34.659 the bass they want you to play the tuba and crucially 00:00:34.659 --> 00:00:36.619 they need you to tap dance i mean it definitely 00:00:36.619 --> 00:00:38.960 subverts the traditional origin story of a rock 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:41.079 and roll musician you aren't exactly tracing 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:42.979 the steps of the rolling stones with an entrance 00:00:42.979 --> 00:00:45.560 like that not in the slightest and yet that highly 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:48.200 unorthodox entry point is exactly how today's 00:00:48.200 --> 00:00:52.119 subject got his start welcome to the deep dive 00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:55.119 Today we are exploring the incredibly colorful, 00:00:55.500 --> 00:00:59.859 deeply idiosyncratic life and career of the legendary 00:00:59.859 --> 00:01:02.320 English drummer and perennial provocateur legs, 00:01:02.539 --> 00:01:05.620 Larry Smith. It really is a remarkable trajectory 00:01:05.620 --> 00:01:09.939 to trace, particularly because his career acts 00:01:09.939 --> 00:01:11.959 as a kind of skeleton key for the British underground 00:01:11.959 --> 00:01:14.180 scene of that era. That is the perfect way to 00:01:14.180 --> 00:01:16.480 frame it. Now for you listening, our source material 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:19.219 for today's deep dive is the Wikipedia article 00:01:19.219 --> 00:01:22.140 on Larry Smith, the musician. And our mission 00:01:22.140 --> 00:01:25.340 today is to map out exactly how this highly creative, 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:28.280 completely uncategorizable artist became the 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:32.140 ultimate connective tissue in 1960s and 70s British 00:01:32.140 --> 00:01:34.920 rock and comedy. Because he really was everywhere. 00:01:35.219 --> 00:01:37.659 He was. We are looking at a figure whose life 00:01:37.659 --> 00:01:39.719 constantly intersected with cultural titans. 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:42.239 I'm talking the Beatles, Elton John, and the 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:45.219 core architects of Monty Python. To really understand 00:01:45.219 --> 00:01:47.640 Legg's Larry Smith, we have to look past the 00:01:47.640 --> 00:01:50.640 novelty of his early roles. His career is a fascinating 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:53.500 case study in how embracing your own highly specific, 00:01:53.799 --> 00:01:56.599 uncompromising weirdness can make you indispensable 00:01:56.599 --> 00:01:59.540 to other creative geniuses. He wasn't simply 00:01:59.540 --> 00:02:01.799 a musician keeping time in the background. He 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:04.340 was an atmospheric presence. Okay, let's unpack 00:02:04.340 --> 00:02:07.060 this. Let's trace that presence back to its origins. 00:02:07.620 --> 00:02:10.319 Our sources note that Larry Smith was born in 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:14.360 Oxford, England on January 18, 1944. He grew 00:02:14.360 --> 00:02:17.460 up in an area called Marston. but his early years 00:02:17.460 --> 00:02:19.560 were marked by a pretty significant physical 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:23.189 setback. He suffered from a severe bout of rheumatic 00:02:23.189 --> 00:02:25.650 fever. Which, as a severe inflammatory disease, 00:02:25.949 --> 00:02:28.430 would have completely sidelined a child in the 00:02:28.430 --> 00:02:31.509 1940s and 50s. It forces a kind of isolation 00:02:31.509 --> 00:02:34.389 that inevitably shapes a young mind. Precisely. 00:02:34.430 --> 00:02:37.210 He spent a significant amount of time convalescing, 00:02:37.210 --> 00:02:39.569 which meant he was missing school and isolated 00:02:39.569 --> 00:02:42.710 from regular childhood social dynamics. But that 00:02:42.710 --> 00:02:45.009 forced downtime actually became the catalyst 00:02:45.009 --> 00:02:47.590 for his entire creative life. Because he turned 00:02:47.590 --> 00:02:49.830 to art. Right. During his recovery, he turned 00:02:49.830 --> 00:02:52.439 to paint. And the sources point out that a teacher 00:02:52.439 --> 00:02:54.919 noticed his talent and actively encouraged him 00:02:54.919 --> 00:02:57.539 to pursue it seriously. We often see this pattern 00:02:57.539 --> 00:02:59.680 in the biographies of highly inventive artists. 00:02:59.979 --> 00:03:02.520 A physical limitation in childhood creates a 00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:05.379 vacuum, and the imagination expands to fill that 00:03:05.379 --> 00:03:08.199 void. The canvas becomes a substitute for the 00:03:08.199 --> 00:03:11.120 playground. and he leans into it completely he 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:13.960 eventually enrolls in the oxford school of art 00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:17.280 which we now know as part of oxford brooks university 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:19.780 to study graphic design a very solid creative 00:03:19.780 --> 00:03:22.180 foundation yeah and from there he progresses 00:03:22.180 --> 00:03:24.659 to the central school of arts and crafts in london 00:03:24.659 --> 00:03:27.080 this period is crucial because it's where he 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:29.960 starts interacting with other eccentric boundary 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:33.419 -pushing creatives. There is one specific anecdote 00:03:33.419 --> 00:03:36.300 from his art college days in the sources that 00:03:36.300 --> 00:03:38.759 I think serves as the blueprint for his entire 00:03:38.759 --> 00:03:41.139 career. Oh, the incident at the principal's office? 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:44.419 Yes. It really does establish his baseline methodology. 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:46.520 It's just a brilliant piece of performance art. 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:49.919 Smith decides one day to completely alter his 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:53.199 appearance. He puts on full rocker gear, so heavy 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:56.080 leather, greased back hair, imposing boots. He 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:59.210 goes all in. fully committed he storms directly 00:03:59.210 --> 00:04:01.250 into the art college principal's office fully 00:04:01.250 --> 00:04:04.090 committed to this aggressive character and starts 00:04:04.090 --> 00:04:06.509 demanding to see his brother he's using this 00:04:06.509 --> 00:04:08.469 coarse intimidating voice shedding where's that 00:04:08.469 --> 00:04:10.930 legs larry where is he where's my brother the 00:04:10.930 --> 00:04:13.530 sheer audacity of treating the head of your institution 00:04:13.530 --> 00:04:17.800 as an unwitting scene partner He is testing the 00:04:17.800 --> 00:04:20.060 boundaries of reality. And the principal's reaction 00:04:20.060 --> 00:04:22.519 is what makes the whole thing work. The principal 00:04:22.519 --> 00:04:25.740 completely buys into the illusion. He gets visibly 00:04:25.740 --> 00:04:28.639 nervous and tells this terrifying rocker. Oh, 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:30.899 my goodness. You might find him either in Ladbrokes 00:04:30.899 --> 00:04:32.819 or The White Lion, I think. That's incredible. 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:35.120 He essentially gives him directions to the local 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:37.879 betting shop and pub. The principal had zero 00:04:37.879 --> 00:04:39.879 suspicion that he was talking to Larry Smith 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:42.720 himself. What's fascinating here is that we shouldn't 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:45.019 just view this as a successful collegiate prank. 00:04:45.259 --> 00:04:48.560 According to the text, Smith himself pinpointed 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:51.720 this exact moment as the birth of his lifelong 00:04:51.720 --> 00:04:54.680 obsession with adopting stage personas. The moment 00:04:54.680 --> 00:04:57.480 it all clicked. Exactly. This successful deception 00:04:57.480 --> 00:05:00.060 birthed his enduring Mr. Wonderful character, 00:05:00.259 --> 00:05:03.990 which he would utilize for... It reveals a mind 00:05:03.990 --> 00:05:06.629 wired for deep theatricality. He wasn't just 00:05:06.629 --> 00:05:08.870 pursuing graphic design. He was figuring out 00:05:08.870 --> 00:05:11.110 that if you commit fully to an absurdity, the 00:05:11.110 --> 00:05:13.730 world will accept it as reality. He learns that 00:05:13.730 --> 00:05:17.209 identity is malleable, which transitions us perfectly 00:05:17.209 --> 00:05:20.129 into his actual entry into the music scene, because 00:05:20.129 --> 00:05:23.540 it was during this. art college period that he 00:05:23.540 --> 00:05:26.339 met Vivian Stanshall. Ah, yes. And Stanshall 00:05:26.339 --> 00:05:30.220 invites Smith to join a burgeoning, highly unconventional 00:05:30.220 --> 00:05:34.019 project called the Bonzo Dog Duda Band. The Bonzos. 00:05:34.259 --> 00:05:36.819 They were essentially operating as a daddiest 00:05:36.819 --> 00:05:38.800 art collective that happened to play instruments. 00:05:39.100 --> 00:05:41.240 Which explains the tuba and the tap dancing we 00:05:41.240 --> 00:05:42.959 mentioned at the start. That was his initial 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:45.060 function in the group. He wasn't keeping the 00:05:45.060 --> 00:05:47.620 beat. He was providing brass textures and literal 00:05:47.620 --> 00:05:50.120 physical foot percussion. Quite the resume builder. 00:05:50.360 --> 00:05:52.519 However, the... Sources note that after the band's 00:05:52.519 --> 00:05:57.300 very first LP in 1967 titled Gorilla Smith organically 00:05:57.300 --> 00:05:59.759 transitions into a much more central role, he 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:03.060 officially becomes the band's core drummer. And 00:06:03.060 --> 00:06:05.439 we should pause to consider the mechanics of 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:07.560 that transition. Yeah. Becoming the drummer for 00:06:07.560 --> 00:06:10.500 the Bonzo Dog Band was not about driving a standard 00:06:10.500 --> 00:06:13.180 four rock beat. Right. It's not Charlie Watts 00:06:13.180 --> 00:06:16.199 up there. Exactly. If you listen to the music 00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:18.959 of that era, standard rock drumming was about 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:22.430 anchoring the groove. But Smith's drumming required 00:06:22.430 --> 00:06:24.389 a vaudevillian looseness. It wasn't just playing 00:06:24.389 --> 00:06:26.209 drums, he was playing the punchlines. That's 00:06:26.209 --> 00:06:28.189 a great way to put it. He had to incorporate 00:06:28.189 --> 00:06:31.589 slide whistles, tempo blocks, and erratic cymbal 00:06:31.589 --> 00:06:34.329 crashes that functioned as comedic timing rather 00:06:34.329 --> 00:06:37.189 than musical foundation. It takes a highly intelligent 00:06:37.189 --> 00:06:39.790 musician to anchor that kind of organized chaos 00:06:39.790 --> 00:06:42.189 without letting the whole song fall apart. And 00:06:42.189 --> 00:06:44.850 his ability to navigate that chaos is what propels 00:06:44.850 --> 00:06:47.550 the Bonzos into the absolute epicenter of British 00:06:47.550 --> 00:06:50.860 pop culture. They score a massive top five hit 00:06:50.860 --> 00:06:54.019 with the song I'm the Urban Spaceman. But their 00:06:54.019 --> 00:06:56.259 influence wasn't just auditory, it was visual. 00:06:56.680 --> 00:06:59.879 In 1967, the Beatles are assembling their surreal 00:06:59.879 --> 00:07:02.759 psychedelic television film Magical Mystery Tour. 00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:06.180 And they specifically recruit the Bonzo Dog Dudo 00:07:06.180 --> 00:07:08.540 Band to make an appearance. Being handpicked 00:07:08.540 --> 00:07:10.360 by the Beatles during their most experimental 00:07:10.360 --> 00:07:13.779 phase is a massive endorsement of the Bonzo's 00:07:13.779 --> 00:07:16.740 specific brand of surrealism. But the cross -pollination 00:07:16.740 --> 00:07:20.379 doesn't end with rock royalty. They also essentially 00:07:20.379 --> 00:07:23.660 become the house band for a groundbreaking ITV 00:07:23.660 --> 00:07:26.279 television series called Do Not Adjust Your Set. 00:07:26.500 --> 00:07:28.759 Now, the cast of that show included Eric Idle, 00:07:28.860 --> 00:07:31.199 Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The core of the 00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:33.879 future Monty Python troupe. So you as a listener 00:07:33.879 --> 00:07:36.000 have to picture the environment Smith was operating 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:39.000 in. Imagine being the rhythmic backbone for a 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:41.579 group that is simultaneously shaping the bleeding 00:07:41.579 --> 00:07:44.300 edge of British television comedy while also 00:07:44.300 --> 00:07:47.040 hanging out on film sets with the Beatles. You 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:49.279 have these comedic giants and musical giants 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:52.100 essentially feeding off the same avant -garde 00:07:52.100 --> 00:07:55.060 energy. And that shared energy is vital to understanding 00:07:55.060 --> 00:07:57.639 the era. The lines between satirical comedy, 00:07:57.800 --> 00:08:00.620 traditional jazz, and modern rock were incredibly 00:08:00.620 --> 00:08:03.139 porous at that moment. The Bonzos with Smith 00:08:03.139 --> 00:08:05.439 at the back were dismantling musical tropes while 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:07.639 simultaneously celebrating them. It was pure 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:10.220 creative crosstalk. Right. And the Python crew 00:08:10.220 --> 00:08:12.680 was watching how the Bonzos used musical structure 00:08:12.680 --> 00:08:15.660 to deliver comedy, while the Bonzos were undoubtedly 00:08:15.660 --> 00:08:18.459 absorbing the Python's sketch rhythms. It's a 00:08:18.459 --> 00:08:21.579 massive cultural incubator. And Smith's specific 00:08:21.579 --> 00:08:24.600 style, that ability to blend theatricality with 00:08:24.600 --> 00:08:27.060 rhythm, started making him incredibly sought 00:08:27.060 --> 00:08:29.839 after outside the Bonzos. He needed an outlet 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:32.860 for all these different artists. Which is completely 00:08:32.860 --> 00:08:35.159 natural for someone that creatively restless. 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:38.440 Here's where it gets really interesting. In 1969, 00:08:38.820 --> 00:08:41.740 while the Bonzos are still active, Smith becomes 00:08:41.740 --> 00:08:43.960 the first member to release a record outside 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:47.460 the group. But true to form, he doesn't use his 00:08:47.460 --> 00:08:49.820 own name. The persona strikes again. He releases 00:08:49.820 --> 00:08:53.519 it under the pseudonym Topo D Bill. And the group 00:08:53.519 --> 00:08:56.299 he assembles for this one -off solo project is 00:08:56.299 --> 00:08:58.960 frankly a staggering lineup. It's a secret supergroup. 00:08:59.289 --> 00:09:01.129 Our sources tell us he brought together Keith 00:09:01.129 --> 00:09:03.289 Moon, the legendary drummer from the Who, Chris 00:09:03.289 --> 00:09:05.970 Squire and Tony Kaye, who were the driving forces 00:09:05.970 --> 00:09:08.990 behind the massive progressive rock band. Yes. 00:09:09.110 --> 00:09:11.690 And fellow Bonzo member Roger Ruskin Spear. Now, 00:09:11.710 --> 00:09:13.629 let's play devil's advocate here for a moment, 00:09:13.669 --> 00:09:15.669 because on paper, that lineup makes absolutely 00:09:15.669 --> 00:09:18.529 zero musical sense. It's a total clash of styles. 00:09:18.870 --> 00:09:21.529 Completely. You have Keith Moon, whose drumming 00:09:21.529 --> 00:09:24.549 style is pure explosive kinetic fury. Then you 00:09:24.549 --> 00:09:27.289 have Chris Squire, who is meticulously precise, 00:09:27.649 --> 00:09:30.470 a hallmark of the prog rock movement. And then 00:09:30.470 --> 00:09:32.929 you throw in Smith and Spear, who approach music 00:09:32.929 --> 00:09:36.389 from a satirical daddiest perspective. You really 00:09:36.389 --> 00:09:38.789 have to ask yourself, was Smith acting as the 00:09:38.789 --> 00:09:41.350 musical glue in that studio? Or was he simply 00:09:41.350 --> 00:09:43.629 the charismatic ringleader who possessed the 00:09:43.629 --> 00:09:45.970 sheer magnetism to talk these wildly disparate 00:09:45.970 --> 00:09:48.279 heavyweights into a room together? Probably a 00:09:48.279 --> 00:09:50.379 bit of both, honestly. Whatever the dynamic was, 00:09:50.440 --> 00:09:52.320 they actually produced something tangible. Under 00:09:52.320 --> 00:09:54.360 the Topo D. Bill moniker, they released a single 00:09:54.360 --> 00:09:56.580 on the Charisma label, and they recorded a non 00:09:56.580 --> 00:09:58.620 -comedic cover version of a song called Witchy 00:09:58.620 --> 00:10:01.779 Taitu by the jazz saxophonist Jim Pepper. The 00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:03.919 B -side was an original track called Jam, co 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:05.840 -written by Smith and Yes Keyboardist Tony K. 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:08.200 And releasing it on the Charisma label makes 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:11.600 perfect sense. Charisma often referred to as 00:10:12.350 --> 00:10:14.789 The famous Charisma label was a massive haven 00:10:14.789 --> 00:10:17.549 for eccentric progressive rock acts at the time. 00:10:17.629 --> 00:10:20.750 It was the perfect ecosystem for a bizarre, one 00:10:20.750 --> 00:10:23.929 -off collision of talent like this. It also demonstrates 00:10:23.929 --> 00:10:27.490 the immense respect Smith commanded. Keith Moon 00:10:27.490 --> 00:10:29.570 and Chris Squire didn't just casually lend their 00:10:29.570 --> 00:10:32.519 time to anyone. They respected his vision, even 00:10:32.519 --> 00:10:34.820 if it was wrapped in a pseudonym. And this one 00:10:34.820 --> 00:10:37.220 -off project really foreshadows his role throughout 00:10:37.220 --> 00:10:40.620 the 1970s. After the original Bonzo dog band 00:10:40.620 --> 00:10:43.179 eventually dissolves, Smith essentially morphs 00:10:43.179 --> 00:10:45.320 into a highly specialized rock and roll hired 00:10:45.320 --> 00:10:48.659 gun. But a very specific kind of hired gun. Exactly. 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:50.820 He's not being hired to just keep time. For instance, 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:53.179 he goes on tour with Eric Clapton. A significant 00:10:53.179 --> 00:10:55.720 gig by any metric. But the studio work is where 00:10:55.720 --> 00:10:59.240 his unique flair really shines. In 1972, Elton 00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:01.950 John releases the album honky chateau and on 00:11:01.950 --> 00:11:04.289 the track i think i'm gonna kill myself yeah 00:11:04.289 --> 00:11:06.789 elton john doesn't just want a standard snare 00:11:06.789 --> 00:11:09.610 drum he wants literal tap dancing so who do you 00:11:09.610 --> 00:11:12.590 call you bring legs larry smith into the studio 00:11:12.590 --> 00:11:15.110 to tap dance on the track that same year smith 00:11:15.110 --> 00:11:17.230 works with john kale a founding member of the 00:11:17.230 --> 00:11:19.870 highly influential avant -garde group the velvet 00:11:19.870 --> 00:11:22.230 underground the academy in peril sessions yes 00:11:22.230 --> 00:11:24.789 kale releases the album the academy in peril 00:11:24.789 --> 00:11:27.649 and there is a track literally named after smith 00:11:27.649 --> 00:11:30.629 legs larry at television center Smith provides 00:11:30.629 --> 00:11:33.049 voice acting for the track, fully embodying the 00:11:33.049 --> 00:11:35.690 character of an overly dramatic television director. 00:11:36.090 --> 00:11:38.610 If we connect this to the bigger picture, it 00:11:38.610 --> 00:11:41.590 explains why these global stars, Clapton Elton, 00:11:41.690 --> 00:11:46.009 John Cale, were seeking him out. In the 1970s, 00:11:46.009 --> 00:11:48.409 these artists had access to any session musician 00:11:48.409 --> 00:11:50.629 on the planet. They could have hired technically 00:11:50.629 --> 00:11:53.549 flawless human metronomes who would play perfectly 00:11:53.549 --> 00:11:55.269 to a click track. But they didn't want that. 00:11:55.370 --> 00:11:57.029 No, they didn't want standard percussion. They 00:11:57.029 --> 00:11:59.679 wanted texture. They wanted character. John Cale 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:01.799 in particular approached music conceptually, 00:12:01.820 --> 00:12:04.080 and Smith was a conceptual artist who happened 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:07.059 to use rhythm and voice. They were hiring the 00:12:07.059 --> 00:12:10.220 guy who had the audacity to storm into his principal's 00:12:10.220 --> 00:12:12.299 office playing a character. They wanted that 00:12:12.299 --> 00:12:14.679 fearless, unpredictable energy injected into 00:12:14.679 --> 00:12:17.220 their records. You're hiring the aura as much 00:12:17.220 --> 00:12:20.059 as the musician, and nowhere is that appreciation 00:12:20.059 --> 00:12:23.559 for his specific aura more evident than in his 00:12:23.559 --> 00:12:25.860 long -standing friendship with George Harrison. 00:12:26.100 --> 00:12:28.730 The connection with the ex -Beatle. is arguably 00:12:28.730 --> 00:12:30.990 one of the most significant threads in his life 00:12:30.990 --> 00:12:34.049 story. It's a wonderful dynamic to explore in 00:12:34.049 --> 00:12:37.409 the sources. Smith and George Harrison were incredibly 00:12:37.409 --> 00:12:39.990 close friends for many years. This wasn't just 00:12:39.990 --> 00:12:42.230 a passing acquaintance forged during the chaotic 00:12:42.230 --> 00:12:45.549 filming of Magical Mystery Tour. It evolved into 00:12:45.549 --> 00:12:49.070 a deep, ongoing artistic dialogue. It transcended 00:12:49.070 --> 00:12:51.289 the music business. Completely. When Harrison 00:12:51.289 --> 00:12:54.929 released his album Gone Tropo in 1982, he didn't 00:12:54.929 --> 00:12:57.269 go to a massive design firm. He went to Smith. 00:12:57.799 --> 00:12:59.919 Smith designed the album cover, reaching right 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:01.860 back to his graphic design roots from his days 00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:04.440 at the Oxford School of Art. A beautiful full 00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:06.679 circle moment, proving that his early visual 00:13:06.679 --> 00:13:08.980 arts training was never abandoned. It was just 00:13:08.980 --> 00:13:11.840 running in parallel to the music. And their collaboration 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:14.519 extended to film, too. George Harrison famously 00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:17.240 backed the production company Handmade Films, 00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:19.440 which was responsible for some legendary British 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:23.779 cinema. In 1983, Handmade produced a comedy called 00:13:23.779 --> 00:13:27.009 Bullshot. Smith not only appeared in the film 00:13:27.009 --> 00:13:28.929 as an actor, but he also sang the theme song. 00:13:29.149 --> 00:13:31.350 He was woven into all of Harrison's creative 00:13:31.350 --> 00:13:34.289 outlets. He really was. However, the ultimate 00:13:34.289 --> 00:13:36.690 testament to their bond happened a bit earlier 00:13:36.690 --> 00:13:41.289 in 1975. On Harrison's album Extra Texture, he 00:13:41.289 --> 00:13:43.590 wrote and recorded a track entirely dedicated 00:13:43.590 --> 00:13:46.789 to his friend. The song is titled, very plainly, 00:13:46.830 --> 00:13:49.990 His Name is Legs, Ladies and Gentlemen. Having 00:13:49.990 --> 00:13:52.389 a former Beatle write a song explicitly about 00:13:52.389 --> 00:13:54.470 you immortalizing your nickname in the title 00:13:54.470 --> 00:13:57.250 is a level of cultural permanence that very few 00:13:57.250 --> 00:14:00.149 people on Earth ever achieve. It speaks volumes 00:14:00.149 --> 00:14:02.250 about the warmth and magnetism of his personality. 00:14:02.529 --> 00:14:04.809 It's a stunning tribute. And the thing that constantly 00:14:04.809 --> 00:14:06.889 jumps out from the sources is his sheer creative 00:14:06.889 --> 00:14:09.789 endurance. The list of his later works is massive. 00:14:09.950 --> 00:14:11.889 He never stopped creating and he never stopped 00:14:11.889 --> 00:14:14.960 diversifying. He kept busy. Very busy. He continued 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:17.440 designing album covers. He actively exhibited 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:20.120 his paintings. He transitioned into television 00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:22.759 appearing in award -winning commercials. He designed 00:14:22.759 --> 00:14:25.399 stage sets. He kept all these different creative 00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:28.279 disciplines active simultaneously. He fundamentally 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:31.120 refused to be categorized or constrained by a 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:33.899 single medium. And he certainly didn't abandon 00:14:33.899 --> 00:14:36.629 performance. When the surviving members of the 00:14:36.629 --> 00:14:40.009 Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band decided to reunite for 00:14:40.009 --> 00:14:43.750 their 40th anniversary in January 2006, Smith 00:14:43.750 --> 00:14:46.289 was right there on stage at the London Astoria. 00:14:46.779 --> 00:14:49.120 A legendary venue. And that single show was so 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.480 successful it sparked a countrywide tour later 00:14:51.480 --> 00:14:54.179 that November, culminating in two major shows 00:14:54.179 --> 00:14:56.879 at the Shepard's Bush Empire. And keeping with 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:58.840 the Bonzo tradition of blurring the lines, they 00:14:58.840 --> 00:15:00.940 had comedians like Adrian Edmondson and Phil 00:15:00.940 --> 00:15:03.580 Jupitus performing right alongside them. Those 00:15:03.580 --> 00:15:05.840 Shepard's Bush shows were even broadcast on BBC 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:08.960 television and released on DVD. And he resurrected 00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:11.460 his classic persona for those performances, didn't 00:15:11.460 --> 00:15:14.190 he? He absolutely did. The sources note that 00:15:14.190 --> 00:15:16.789 during another sold -out Bonzo concert at the 00:15:16.789 --> 00:15:20.190 London Astoria in June 2008, Smith's performance 00:15:20.190 --> 00:15:23.429 of his Mr. Wonderful Stave persona was highlighted 00:15:23.429 --> 00:15:26.710 as a major standout of the entire event. Think 00:15:26.710 --> 00:15:28.110 about that he was still bringing the house down 00:15:28.110 --> 00:15:30.570 with a character he essentially birthed as an 00:15:30.570 --> 00:15:32.970 art school deception decades earlier. Talk about 00:15:32.970 --> 00:15:35.590 staying power. And his solo music career kept 00:15:35.590 --> 00:15:39.470 going, too. In March 2009, he released a five 00:15:39.470 --> 00:15:42.980 -track digital EP titled Legs, Larry Smith's 00:15:42.980 --> 00:15:46.240 Call Me Adolph. And that EP wasn't just thrown 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:49.379 together. It was produced by Gus Dudgeon, the 00:15:49.379 --> 00:15:51.779 legendary producer intrinsically linked to Elton 00:15:51.779 --> 00:15:53.879 John's classic albums. The connective tissue 00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:55.980 of his career just continues to fold back in 00:15:55.980 --> 00:15:59.000 on itself. It really does. Perhaps the most inspiring 00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:01.419 detail in the entire source text is this. In 00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:03.759 2023, he released his first full -length solo 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:07.379 album simply titled Mr. Wonderful. Remembering 00:16:07.379 --> 00:16:10.000 that he was born in 1944, he was nearing 80 years 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.019 old when he finally put out his first comprehensive 00:16:12.019 --> 00:16:14.659 solo record. This raises an important question 00:16:14.659 --> 00:16:17.700 for anyone listening today. What does it actually 00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:22.019 mean to be a true multi -hyphenate artist? In 00:16:22.019 --> 00:16:23.779 our modern culture, there is immense pressure 00:16:23.779 --> 00:16:26.919 to pick a lane and hyper -specialize. You are 00:16:26.919 --> 00:16:28.919 expected to brand yourself cleanly. You are a 00:16:28.919 --> 00:16:31.220 drummer or a graphic designer or an actor. Right. 00:16:31.299 --> 00:16:33.820 You have to fit the box. But Smith's life argues 00:16:33.820 --> 00:16:36.500 for a completely different approach. He never 00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:39.240 confined himself to the drum kit. His art flowed 00:16:39.240 --> 00:16:41.440 seamlessly across visual design, voice acting, 00:16:41.620 --> 00:16:44.820 physical comedy, stagecraft and rhythm. The medium 00:16:44.820 --> 00:16:47.240 he chose on any given day was almost secondary 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:49.559 to the primary goal, which was the expression 00:16:49.559 --> 00:16:52.539 of his unique, unfiltered personality. So what 00:16:52.539 --> 00:16:54.279 does this all mean? When you step back and look 00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:56.580 at the entirety of Legg's Larry Smith's life, 00:16:56.700 --> 00:16:59.539 it stands as a glorious testament to living a 00:16:59.539 --> 00:17:02.679 wildly creative, delightfully uncategorizable 00:17:02.679 --> 00:17:05.990 existence. A true original. Exactly. It's a powerful 00:17:05.990 --> 00:17:08.009 reminder that sometimes the most valuable thing 00:17:08.009 --> 00:17:10.650 you can bring to a room isn't flawless technical 00:17:10.650 --> 00:17:13.470 perfection, but your own strange, highly specific 00:17:13.470 --> 00:17:16.470 talents. If you can play a solid rhythm, that's 00:17:16.470 --> 00:17:19.210 great. But if you can also tap dance, paint a 00:17:19.210 --> 00:17:21.910 vivid canvas, design a stage set, and confidently 00:17:21.910 --> 00:17:24.009 convince a principal that you are your own non 00:17:24.009 --> 00:17:26.529 -existent brother, well, that combination might 00:17:26.529 --> 00:17:28.710 just get you into a recording studio with Elton 00:17:28.710 --> 00:17:31.329 John on a film set with the Beatles and into 00:17:31.329 --> 00:17:34.539 the creative inner circle of Monty Python. Embracing 00:17:34.539 --> 00:17:36.859 your idiosyncrasies opens doors you could never 00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:39.680 strategically plan for. It absolutely does. And 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:41.220 before we finish today, I want to leave you the 00:17:41.220 --> 00:17:43.240 listener with one specific detail from the text 00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:45.980 to ponder. We talked about the Bonzo Dog Band's 00:17:45.980 --> 00:17:48.960 various eras. In 1972, they released an album 00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:51.819 titled Let's Make Up and Be Friendly. Now the 00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:54.299 sources explicitly categorize this release as 00:17:54.299 --> 00:17:57.019 a reunion slash contractual obligation LP. Always 00:17:57.019 --> 00:17:59.980 a recipe for drama. Precisely. I really want 00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:02.420 you to think about the untold interpersonal dynamics 00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:05.000 happening. behind the scenes of that specific 00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:08.019 recording what must it be like to be forced back 00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:10.160 into a recording studio with a group of highly 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:13.539 eccentric fiercely independent satirical comedians 00:18:13.539 --> 00:18:16.779 simply to fulfill a legal contract with a record 00:18:16.779 --> 00:18:20.180 label imagine the tension in that room imagine 00:18:20.180 --> 00:18:23.180 the forced humor the clashing egos and the sheer 00:18:23.180 --> 00:18:25.660 absurdity of trying to produce avant -garde comedy 00:18:25.660 --> 00:18:28.900 music under the threat of a lawsuit The psychological 00:18:28.900 --> 00:18:31.319 friction in those studio sessions must have been 00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:33.720 incredible. That's a dynamic worth mulling over. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:35.880 Oh, to have been a fly on the wall for those 00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:38.220 specific studio sessions. The tension must have 00:18:38.220 --> 00:18:40.859 been palpable. Well, thank you so much for joining 00:18:40.859 --> 00:18:43.440 us as we unpack the incredible tap dancing, surreal 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:45.940 and wonderfully weird world of Legs Larry Smith. 00:18:46.119 --> 00:18:47.940 It's been an absolute pleasure sharing this deep 00:18:47.940 --> 00:18:50.099 dive with you. Until next time, keep exploring 00:18:50.099 --> 00:18:52.440 the fascinating and unexpected corners of classic 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:54.039 rock history. See you next time.