Bad News


l-r: Colin Grigson, Den Dennis, Vim Fuego, Spider Webb

 

First seen as part of the TV series 'The Comic Strip' in 1983, 'Bad News' comprised three former members of 'The Young Ones', and Comic Strip regular Peter Richardson. They featured in two spoof documentaries, namely 'Bad News Tour' (January 1983) and 'More Bad News' (February 1988). A 9 DVD boxed set, released in 2005, includes both episodes. However, Brian has no involvement in either programme.

'Bad News' performed at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, on Sunday 9 November 1986, at a charity concert for the NSPCC. They were joined by special guests Brian May and Jimmy Page for a 'guitar duel'. Brian later joined them again onstage at the Reading Festival in 1987.

The group released their debut album, 'Bad News', in October 1987, which was produced by Brian May. They also released a cover of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' as a single in September, later followed by the non-album single, 'Cashing In On Christmas', in November.

1988 saw the release of the second album, simply called 'Bootleg', whilst further releases included a 1993 compilation of highlights ('The Cash In Compilation'), and a 2004 reissue of the debut album.

Bad News comprised Vim Fuego (AKA Alan Metcalfe), Colin Grigson, Den Dennis and Spider Webb, played by Adrian Edmondson, Rik Mayall, Nigel Planer and Peter Richardson respectively

Discography | Tracks

Please note that many of the tracks feature only studio dialogue; as such they are not all mentioned on the sleeves.


Bad News
LP, Cassette, CD, CD Reissue

Side 1 : Hey Hey Bad News, Vim Is Angry, Warriors Of Ghengis Khan, Excalibur, Bohemian Rhapsody, Dividing Up The Spoils
Side 2 : Introducing The Band, Bad News, Hey Mr. Bassman, Hey Mr. Drummer, Masturbike, Padding, Trousers, Drink Till I Die

Some sources suggest that only 'Hey Hey Bad News', 'Warriors Of Ghengis Khan', 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'Bad News', 'Masturbike' and 'Drink Till I Die' are mentioned on the sleeve (all of the other tracks are studio dialogue).

The album was released in the USA in 1989 on CD, featuring additional tracks from the second album, namely 'Bad Dreams', 'AGM', 'Double Entendre' and the single version of 'Cashing In On Christmas'. 'Bad Dreams' is about one minute longer than the version which later appeared on the 2004 CD. The sleeve notes mention that 'Exclaibur' and 'Double Entendre' are CD Bonus tracks, so it is possible that it was also released on Cassette or LP without these two tracks.

In 2004, the entire album was re-released in the UK on CD, adding a number of bonus tracks: 'Pretty Woman' and 'Life Of Brian' (B-Sides to 'Bohemian Rhapsody'), 'Bad Dreams', 'A.G.M', 'O Levels', 'Double Entendre' and 'Cashing In On Christmas (dub)' (all from the 'Bootleg' album), plus the single version of 'Cashing In On Christmas'. To further confuse things, several tracks were renamed and in some cases two tracks were merged into one. This issue also featured two takes of 'Bohemian Rhapsody'; the original USA CD only had one and presumably the LP also had just one.

In summary the 2004 CD includes every track that Bad News have recorded except 'HM Farmer', 'Locked In', 'AIDS', 'Wedding', 'Masturbike' (different version), the longer version of 'Bad Dreams', the 'alternate' version of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (which appeared on the 12") and the 'Let's Bank' mix of 'Cashing In On Christmas'.


Bootleg
LP, Cassette

Bad Dreams, AGM, Double Entendre, Locked In, AIDS, O Levels, Wedding, H.M Farmer, Masturbike, Cashing In On Christmas (Dub)

Only 'Cashing In On Christmas (Dub)' was produced by Brian May - all other tracks were produced by Adrian Edmondson


The Cash In Compilation
CD Only

Hey Hey Bad News, Bad Dreams, Vim Is Angry, Warriors Of Ghengis Khan, A.G.M, Bohemian Rhapsody, Pretty Woman, O Levels, Dividing Up The Spoils, Life With Brian, Introducing the Band, Bad News, Hey Mr. Bassman, Hey Mr. Drummer, Masturbike, Double Entendre, Padding, Trousers, Drink Till I Die, Cashing In On Christmas (dub)


Bohemian Rhapsody
7", 7" Scratch & Sniff Sleeve, 12", CD

Bohemian Rhapsody (full version) (7" only)
Life With Brian (all releases)
Pretty Woman (CD and 12" only)

Note: the B-Side of the 12" (and possibly the CD) features uncredited additional studio dialogue, namely 'A.G.M' and 'Bad Dreams', before and after 'Life With Brian'. 'Pretty Woman' was included on the A-Side after 'Bohemian Rhapsody'.


Cashing In On Christmas
7", 7" Christmas Card Pack, 12"

Cashing In On Christmas (Single Version) (7" and 12")
Bad News (7" and 12")
Cashing In On Christmas (Let's Bank Mix) (12" only)


Bohemian Rhapsody
VHS

Features 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and a special sketch, 'Every Mistake Imaginable'

Tracks
Tracks marked + produced by Brian May
Tracks marked ++ produced by Adrian Edmondson

Here is a full but brief guide to the various tracks which have been released. Song lyrics are provided only for those tracks which feature more than just production by Brian.

Bad News
This track may feature Brian playing guitar (there is a guitar solo which sounds very much like 'Brighton Rock').
Song length 3:12.
Appears on all albums except 'Bootleg'.
On the US CD, the track was programmed as a separate track. On the 2004 CD, it featured an 18 second intro ("Are you ready?" etc), and 6 seconds of dialogue at the end.
Lyrics:
Bad news
Bad news
Bad news
For you and you and you and you and you

Bad news
Bad news
Bad news
For you and you and you and you and you

Can't you see a devil woman
Don't you know blah, blah, blah
Don't you see screaming virgins
Don't you know a mega watt wind avenger

2, 3, 4

Bad news
Bad news
Bad news
For you and you and you and you and you

Bad news
Bad news
Bad news
For you and you and you and you and you
Colin Grigson

Spider Webb

Bad news
Bad news
Bad news
For you and you and you and you and you

Den Dennis
Yeah?
In - what?
It's your break
Oh, sorry

Vim Fuego

Bad news
Bad news
Bad news
For you and you and you and you and you

Bad news
Bad news
Bad news
For you and you and you and you and you

Can't you see heavy woman
Don't you know metal fury
Don't you see demon lager
Don't you know blood lust paradise metal

Bohemian Rhapsody
Produced by Brian, with John Deacon possibly providing backing vocals.
This song was previously recorded by Queen.
The 'Cash In Compilation' includes one of the tracks below
Available Versions:
1. Original Version / Take 2 (3:34) (released on the 7" and on all 'Bad News' albums) (full version)
2. Single 'Alternate' Version (3:14) (on the 12" record only) (basically the Single Version but with the ending from Take 1)
3. Take 1 (0:31) (on the 2004 CD and possibly the original album (but not the US CD)) (fades in towards the end; Vim plays the wrong chord and the track ends abruptly, followed by an argument)
Lyrics: (the Original Version contains all lyrics; the 'Alternate' Version loses lyrics in Blue; 'Take 1' includes only lyrics in red)
Mama, I just killed a man
I put a gun upto his head
I pulled the trigger now he's dead
Mama, life had just begun
But now I've gone and thrown it all away

Mama, oooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
I don't wanna die
I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all

I see a little silhouetto of a man
Scaramouche, Scaramouche will you do the fandango?
Thunderbolts and lightning - very, very frightening me
Gallileo, Gallileo
Gallileo, Gallileo
Gallileo, figaro - magnifico-o-o-o-oh

Easy come, easy go, will you let me go
Bismillah! No - we will not let you go, let him go
Bismillah! We will not let you go, let him go
Bismillah! We will not let you go, let me go
Will not let you go, let me go
Will not let you go, let him go
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no (absolutely not)
Oh, mama mia, mama mia
Mama mia let me go
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for me

No

So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?
So you think you can love me and leave me to die?
Ooh, baby, can't do this to me baby
I just gotta get out - I just gotta get right outta here

Nothing really matters
Anyone can see
Nothing really matters
Nothing really matters to me