Saxondale
Encyclopedia
Saxondale is a British television situation comedy
programme, starring Steve Coogan
and co-written by Steve Coogan and Neil Maclennan. The series is directed by Matt Lipsey
and produced by Ted Dowd
. Coogan and Henry Normal
served as executive producers. The show is set in Stevenage
, showing middle-class suburbia
.
Produced by Baby Cow Productions
, the programme commenced broadcast on BBC Two
from 19 June 2006. It features Coogan as Tommy Saxondale, a former roadie with anger issues who now owns a pest control
business. Other principal characters include Saxondale's Welsh
anarchist girlfriend, Magz (Ruth Jones
) and his naïve assistant, Raymond (Rasmus Hardiker
). British actors Morwenna Banks
, Mark Williams
, Greg Davies
, Ben Miller
(who script-edited the series and also directed the first episode) and Liza Tarbuck
also feature. Comedian Matt Berry
composed the incidental music for the series and appeared in Tommy's therapy class in two episodes of the second series.
According to a BBC press release, over the course of the series Saxondale "gets his eyesight improved by a prostitute, almost befriends a celebrity
, kneecaps an annoying hippie
... and experiments with women's makeup." Coogan describes his character as "genuinely witty, while still being a bit of a dick.".
BBC America
began airing Saxondale in November 2006.
During an interview with Jonathan Ross
on 12 September 2008, Steve Coogan announced that Saxondale would feature on his 2008 live tour of the UK.
) is the survivor of a hostile divorce who now lives with his girlfriend, Magz, proprietor of the anarchic T-shirt shop Smash the System. Tommy speaks with an East Midlands
accent and occasionally refers to his Nottingham
heritage, though he and Magz live in Hertfordshire
. An ex-roadie, Tommy regards himself as a maverick and a free thinker and takes every opportunity to impart his wisdom to his young assistant, Raymond; most of the time the wisdom he imparts is not quite as sound as he likes to think. In his line of work, as well as pharaoh ant
s, mice, and occasionally moths, Tommy has to battle with snowboarders, pigeon-loving activists, and people who talk about property prices. Tommy knows his own mind and isn't afraid to speak it; unfortunately, Tommy also has anger management
problems, and when those around him don't give him quite the level of respect he feels he deserves, it tends to lead to explosions of temper that result in a few more visits to the anger management
course. Tommy is devoted to his Ford Mustang Mach 1
, although he drives the much less macho Renault Kangoo
for work, a fact that he refuses to let affect his fierce sense of dignity. As he insists, it's not 'Kangaroo', it's 'Kangoo'. Tommy also resents the fact that people often remind him throughout the series that he never toured with Led Zeppelin
.
) is Tommy Saxondale's girlfriend. She is Welsh
and is the proprietor of a shop where she sells "shocking" t-shirts and posters, which she designs herself, often depicting cultural icons smoking drugs. Magz is level-headed and kind, acting as a stabilising influence when Tommy seems on the verge of becoming enraged. Like Raymond, Magz is incredibly passive and rarely stirs trouble. She is often seen painting iconic feminine figures such as the Brontë sisters
or Joan of Arc
topless or in overtly sexual positions. She and Tommy engage in an active and rather kink
y sex life
.
) is Tommy Saxondale's assistant and lodger. Thus, while Tommy enjoys talking about himself, training him in the mysterious and deadly art of pest control, and sharing a few life lessons, Raymond has little choice but to listen. The generation gap between Raymond and Tommy is reflected during their discussions about music, cars and life in general. He is very passive and rarely takes life as seriously as Tommy, often nodding or smiling instead of engaging with Tommy and his accolades. He lives in Tommy's spare room and gets an uncomfortably close view of Tommy and Magz's sparky relationship.
) is a receptionist
for the agency that issues jobs to Tommy's "Stealth Pest Control" operation. Able to provoke Tommy with her lewd and bawdy sense of humour, Vicky is somewhat aware of her ditzy persona and Tommy's frustration at her sweeping generalisations.
) lives in the house opposite Tommy Saxondale. He obviously disapproves of Tommy's lifestyle but tries to hide it by chatting up Tommy about cars and music, about which he knows very little, before trying to make his point by passing his opinions off as those of the other residents in the road. He often tries to appeal to Tommy's musical tastes by making clichéd and ignorant references to bands and musicians, which Tommy sees through.
by deed poll
to Keanu Reeves
. Overtly flamboyant with a Mancunian
accent, Keanu is a stereotype of youth culture, personified by his preference for loud music, an unwillingness to work and a promiscuous and carefree lifestyle. On a number of occasions, Keanu has displayed a liking for Raymond, Tommy's assistant, of which both Tommy and Raymond are uncomfortably aware.
) is the therapist who runs the anger management sessions that Tommy frequently attends. A calm and good-natured man, he frequently finds his patience tested by Tommy's unenthusiastic and idiosyncratic attitudes towards therapy and his frequently disruptive and aggressive behaviour within the sessions.
described it as "very, very funny".
announced, as part of a two-year deal with Baby Cow Productions, they will remake Saxondale for an American audience. NBC's senior vice-president of comedy described their aim to access the "creative sensibility" of Coogan and his colleagues. However, no further news on the project has been released as of November 2011.
. House of the King was also used as the theme tune to the 1970s science series Don't Ask Me
, presented by Magnus Pike. Additionally, all episodes have ended with an excerpt from "Hocus Pocus
" by Focus.
Actor Matt Berry
composed the incidental music used throughout the series. Excerpts of Jethro Tull
songs have popped up over series 2 including "Velvet Green", "Acres Wild" and "Bourée", also excerpts from the album "Argus" by Wishbone Ash have been heard, featuring songs such as "Warrior" and "Blowing free".
The 1975 Rush
album Caress of Steel
and in particular the song "The Necromancer Part III - Return of the Prince" is referenced both musically and as a theme in Episode 6, Series 2, with Tommy and Magz discussing it at the end of the show.
In the 2nd episode of series 2 (30/8/07) there are 2 clips of a track ('Wages of Peace') by Tony McPhee & The Groundhogs from the 1972 album Who Will Save The World? The Mighty Groundhogs! The first clip is the opening 20 seconds of the track followed by another 10 seconds. The Mighty Groundhogs LP was a top ten hit in the UK, but the choice of this specific track indicates an extensive knowledge of Tony McPhee's discography.
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
programme, starring Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
and co-written by Steve Coogan and Neil Maclennan. The series is directed by Matt Lipsey
Matt Lipsey
Matt Lipsey is a British television and film director. His work includes Baby Cow Productions sitcoms Human Remains and Saxondale, and Hartswood Films series Supernova, The Cup and Jekyll. His first film, Caught in the Act, was released in 2008...
and produced by Ted Dowd
Ted Dowd
Ted Dowd is a British television and radio producer. His work includes Nebulous, Gavin & Stacey and Saxondale. Ted Dowd is really Steve Coogan, Ted Dowd having been his health and safety character from years past....
. Coogan and Henry Normal
Henry Normal
Henry Normal is an English comedian, television producer, poet and writer. He is Managing Director of Baby Cow Productions Ltd which he set up with Steve Coogan....
served as executive producers. The show is set in Stevenage
Stevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
, showing middle-class suburbia
SubUrbia
subUrbia is a play by Eric Bogosian chronicling the nighttime activities of a group of aimless 20-somethings still living in their suburban Boston hometown and their reunion with a former high school classmate who has become a successful musician...
.
Produced by Baby Cow Productions
Baby Cow Productions
Baby Cow Productions Ltd is a UK comedy television production company established in 1999 by Steve Coogan and Henry Normal based in London and Manchester. It has since diversified into radio, animation and film. In 2008, BBC Worldwide bought a 25% stake in the company...
, the programme commenced broadcast on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
from 19 June 2006. It features Coogan as Tommy Saxondale, a former roadie with anger issues who now owns a pest control
Pest control
Pest control refers to the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest, usually because it is perceived to be detrimental to a person's health, the ecology or the economy.-History:...
business. Other principal characters include Saxondale's Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
anarchist girlfriend, Magz (Ruth Jones
Ruth Jones
Ruth Jones is a Welsh TV actress and writer. She starred in and co-wrote the multi-award winning TV comedy Gavin & Stacey and has appeared in many other successful comedies over recent years...
) and his naïve assistant, Raymond (Rasmus Hardiker
Rasmus Hardiker
Rasmus Kip Hardiker is an English actor from Sutton Coldfield. He is best known for his roles as Raymond in Steve Coogan's sitcom Saxondale and Ben in the Jack Dee comedy Lead Balloon. Hardiker was also in the BBC3 sketch series The Wrong Door.-Personal life:Hardiker was born in Sutton Coldfield,...
). British actors Morwenna Banks
Morwenna Banks
Morwenna Banks is a British comedy actress, writer and producer.Banks is perhaps best known in the UK as a cast member of the British Channel 4 comedy series Absolutely, where her best-known character was a schoolgirl who sat on the edge of a desk.She appeared as the Keeper of the Rules in the...
, Mark Williams
Mark Williams (actor)
Mark Williams is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter and presenter. He is best known as one of the stars of the popular BBC sketch show The Fast Show, as well as for his role as Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter films....
, Greg Davies
Greg Davies
Greg Davies is a British stand-up comedian, actor, and former teacher, best known for his roles as Greg in We Are Klang and Mr. Gilbert in The Inbetweeners. He has performed on the BBC's Live at the Apollo series....
, Ben Miller
Ben Miller
Bennet Evan "Ben" Miller is an English comedian, actor and director. He is perhaps best known as one half of comedy double act Armstrong and Miller, along with Alexander Armstrong. Together the pair wrote and starred in Channel 4 sketch show Armstrong and Miller, and the more recent BBC television...
(who script-edited the series and also directed the first episode) and Liza Tarbuck
Liza Tarbuck
Liza Tarbuck is an English actress and television and radio presenter, and daughter of comedian Jimmy Tarbuck.She trained at the National Youth Theatre and RADA graduating in 1986 alongside Clive Owen, Rebecca Pidgeon and Serena Harragin.-Acting:...
also feature. Comedian Matt Berry
Matt Berry
Matthew Charles "Matt" Berry is an English actor, writer, comedian and musician. Berry is perhaps best known for his appearances in The IT Crowd, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace and The Mighty Boosh; he also had his own series, Snuff Box...
composed the incidental music for the series and appeared in Tommy's therapy class in two episodes of the second series.
According to a BBC press release, over the course of the series Saxondale "gets his eyesight improved by a prostitute, almost befriends a celebrity
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
, kneecaps an annoying hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
... and experiments with women's makeup." Coogan describes his character as "genuinely witty, while still being a bit of a dick.".
BBC America
BBC America
BBC America is an American television network, owned and operated by BBC Worldwide, and available on both cable and satellite.-History:The channel launched on March 29, 1998, broadcasting comedy, drama and lifestyle programs from BBC Television and other British television broadcasters like ITV and...
began airing Saxondale in November 2006.
During an interview with Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross may refer to:* Jonathan Ross , English television and radio personality* Jonathan Ross , United States Senator, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court* Jonathon Ross , former Australian rules footballer...
on 12 September 2008, Steve Coogan announced that Saxondale would feature on his 2008 live tour of the UK.
Tommy Saxondale
Middle-aged pest-controller Tommy Saxondale (Steve CooganSteve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
) is the survivor of a hostile divorce who now lives with his girlfriend, Magz, proprietor of the anarchic T-shirt shop Smash the System. Tommy speaks with an East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
accent and occasionally refers to his Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
heritage, though he and Magz live in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. An ex-roadie, Tommy regards himself as a maverick and a free thinker and takes every opportunity to impart his wisdom to his young assistant, Raymond; most of the time the wisdom he imparts is not quite as sound as he likes to think. In his line of work, as well as pharaoh ant
Pharaoh ant
The pharaoh ant is a small yellow or light brown, almost transparent ant notorious for being a major indoor nuisance pest, especially in hospitals. The origin of this "tramp" ant is uncertain, although favoured alternatives include West Africa and Indonesia...
s, mice, and occasionally moths, Tommy has to battle with snowboarders, pigeon-loving activists, and people who talk about property prices. Tommy knows his own mind and isn't afraid to speak it; unfortunately, Tommy also has anger management
Anger management
The term anger management commonly refers to a system of psychological therapeutic techniques and exercises by which someone with excessive or uncontrollable anger & aggression can control or reduce the triggers, degrees, and effects of an angered emotional state...
problems, and when those around him don't give him quite the level of respect he feels he deserves, it tends to lead to explosions of temper that result in a few more visits to the anger management
Anger management
The term anger management commonly refers to a system of psychological therapeutic techniques and exercises by which someone with excessive or uncontrollable anger & aggression can control or reduce the triggers, degrees, and effects of an angered emotional state...
course. Tommy is devoted to his Ford Mustang Mach 1
Ford Mustang Mach 1
The Ford Mustang Mach 1 was a performance model of the Ford Mustang that Ford produced beginning in 1969. The original production run of the Mach 1 ended in 1979 because the Mustang II coupe was being phased out in favor of newer Mustangs on the Fox body platform.The Mach 1 returned in 2003 as a...
, although he drives the much less macho Renault Kangoo
Renault Kangoo
The Renault Kangoo and Kangoo Express are panel van and leisure activity vehicle produced by French automaker Renault since 1997. The Kangoo is manufactured in the MCA plant in Maubeuge, France, and in Santa Isabel, Argentina. The version for the ASEAN markets was assembled by the Tan Chong Euro...
for work, a fact that he refuses to let affect his fierce sense of dignity. As he insists, it's not 'Kangaroo', it's 'Kangoo'. Tommy also resents the fact that people often remind him throughout the series that he never toured with Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
.
Magz
Magz (Ruth JonesRuth Jones
Ruth Jones is a Welsh TV actress and writer. She starred in and co-wrote the multi-award winning TV comedy Gavin & Stacey and has appeared in many other successful comedies over recent years...
) is Tommy Saxondale's girlfriend. She is Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
and is the proprietor of a shop where she sells "shocking" t-shirts and posters, which she designs herself, often depicting cultural icons smoking drugs. Magz is level-headed and kind, acting as a stabilising influence when Tommy seems on the verge of becoming enraged. Like Raymond, Magz is incredibly passive and rarely stirs trouble. She is often seen painting iconic feminine figures such as the Brontë sisters
Brontë
The Brontës were a nineteenth-century literary family associated with Haworth in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. The sisters, Charlotte , Emily , and Anne , are well-known as poets and novelists...
or Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
topless or in overtly sexual positions. She and Tommy engage in an active and rather kink
Kink (sexual)
In human sexuality, kinkiness and kinky are terms used to refer to a playful usage of sexual concepts in an accentuated, and unambiguously expressive form....
y sex life
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
.
Raymond
Raymond (Rasmus HardikerRasmus Hardiker
Rasmus Kip Hardiker is an English actor from Sutton Coldfield. He is best known for his roles as Raymond in Steve Coogan's sitcom Saxondale and Ben in the Jack Dee comedy Lead Balloon. Hardiker was also in the BBC3 sketch series The Wrong Door.-Personal life:Hardiker was born in Sutton Coldfield,...
) is Tommy Saxondale's assistant and lodger. Thus, while Tommy enjoys talking about himself, training him in the mysterious and deadly art of pest control, and sharing a few life lessons, Raymond has little choice but to listen. The generation gap between Raymond and Tommy is reflected during their discussions about music, cars and life in general. He is very passive and rarely takes life as seriously as Tommy, often nodding or smiling instead of engaging with Tommy and his accolades. He lives in Tommy's spare room and gets an uncomfortably close view of Tommy and Magz's sparky relationship.
Vicky
Vicky (Morwenna BanksMorwenna Banks
Morwenna Banks is a British comedy actress, writer and producer.Banks is perhaps best known in the UK as a cast member of the British Channel 4 comedy series Absolutely, where her best-known character was a schoolgirl who sat on the edge of a desk.She appeared as the Keeper of the Rules in the...
) is a receptionist
Receptionist
A receptionist is an employee taking an office/administrative support position. The work is usually performed in a waiting area such as a lobby or front office desk of an organization or business...
for the agency that issues jobs to Tommy's "Stealth Pest Control" operation. Able to provoke Tommy with her lewd and bawdy sense of humour, Vicky is somewhat aware of her ditzy persona and Tommy's frustration at her sweeping generalisations.
Jonathan
Introduced in series two, Jonathan (Darren BoydDarren Boyd
Darren Boyd is an English actor well known for his roles in Smack the Pony, Green Wing, Whites and most recently for playing the role of John Cleese in Holy Flying Circus. He is a classically trained singer, and played a jazz musician in NBC’s Watching Ellie...
) lives in the house opposite Tommy Saxondale. He obviously disapproves of Tommy's lifestyle but tries to hide it by chatting up Tommy about cars and music, about which he knows very little, before trying to make his point by passing his opinions off as those of the other residents in the road. He often tries to appeal to Tommy's musical tastes by making clichéd and ignorant references to bands and musicians, which Tommy sees through.
Keanu
Keanu (Steve Coogan) is a recurring character seen in a number of episodes throughout the series. An unemployed, homosexual drug addict and a squatter, Keanu officially changed his nameName change
Name change generally refers to a legal act allowing a person to adopt a name different than their name at birth, marriage, or adoption. The procedures and ease of a name change depend on the jurisdiction. In general, common law jurisdictions have loose limitations on name changes while civil law...
by deed poll
Deed of Change of Name
A deed of change of name is a legal document in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, which enables a single person or a family to officially change his or her name...
to Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves
Keanu Charles Reeves is a Canadian actor. Reeves is perhaps best known for his roles in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Speed, Point Break and the science fiction-action trilogy The Matrix...
. Overtly flamboyant with a Mancunian
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
accent, Keanu is a stereotype of youth culture, personified by his preference for loud music, an unwillingness to work and a promiscuous and carefree lifestyle. On a number of occasions, Keanu has displayed a liking for Raymond, Tommy's assistant, of which both Tommy and Raymond are uncomfortably aware.
Alistair
Alistair (James BachmanJames Bachman
James Bachman is an English comedian, actor and writer.He has written for many U.K. radio and television programmes, including That Mitchell and Webb Look , That Mitchell and Webb Sound , Popetown , and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway...
) is the therapist who runs the anger management sessions that Tommy frequently attends. A calm and good-natured man, he frequently finds his patience tested by Tommy's unenthusiastic and idiosyncratic attitudes towards therapy and his frequently disruptive and aggressive behaviour within the sessions.
Series 1
| # | Episode | Original airdate |
|---|
Series 2
| # | Episode | Original airdate |
|---|
Critical reception
Advance critical opinion of the show was favourable. The Daily Telegraph reported that it "brims with promise" and The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
described it as "very, very funny".
Remake
In 2009, American television network NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
announced, as part of a two-year deal with Baby Cow Productions, they will remake Saxondale for an American audience. NBC's senior vice-president of comedy described their aim to access the "creative sensibility" of Coogan and his colleagues. However, no further news on the project has been released as of November 2011.
Theme music
The theme music is "House of the King" by FocusFocus (band)
Focus is a Dutch rock band which was founded by classically trained organist/flautist Thijs van Leer in 1969, and is most famous for the instrumental pieces "Hocus Pocus" and "Sylvia"...
. House of the King was also used as the theme tune to the 1970s science series Don't Ask Me
Don't Ask Me (TV programme)
Don't Ask Me was a popular British television science show made by Yorkshire Television for the ITV network and ran from 1974 to 1978. It attempted to answer science-based questions and contributors included Magnus Pyke , Rob Buckman , David Bellamy , Miriam Stoppard , and Derek Griffiths...
, presented by Magnus Pike. Additionally, all episodes have ended with an excerpt from "Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus (song)
"Hocus Pocus" is a 1971 instrumental from Focus II , the second album by Dutch rock group Focus. It was written by guitarist Jan Akkerman and flautist/keyboardist Thijs van Leer...
" by Focus.
Actor Matt Berry
Matt Berry
Matthew Charles "Matt" Berry is an English actor, writer, comedian and musician. Berry is perhaps best known for his appearances in The IT Crowd, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace and The Mighty Boosh; he also had his own series, Snuff Box...
composed the incidental music used throughout the series. Excerpts of Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
songs have popped up over series 2 including "Velvet Green", "Acres Wild" and "Bourée", also excerpts from the album "Argus" by Wishbone Ash have been heard, featuring songs such as "Warrior" and "Blowing free".
The 1975 Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
album Caress of Steel
Caress of Steel
Caress of Steel is the third studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1975. The album shows more of Rush's adherence to hard progressive rock, as opposed to the blues-based heavy metal and hard rock style of the band's first two albums. Long pieces broken up into various sections and...
and in particular the song "The Necromancer Part III - Return of the Prince" is referenced both musically and as a theme in Episode 6, Series 2, with Tommy and Magz discussing it at the end of the show.
In the 2nd episode of series 2 (30/8/07) there are 2 clips of a track ('Wages of Peace') by Tony McPhee & The Groundhogs from the 1972 album Who Will Save The World? The Mighty Groundhogs! The first clip is the opening 20 seconds of the track followed by another 10 seconds. The Mighty Groundhogs LP was a top ten hit in the UK, but the choice of this specific track indicates an extensive knowledge of Tony McPhee's discography.