>...and remembering the feud between himself and Chris Morris at the time - is it just me, or does anyone else think that his "BBC Radio Middle Of Sodding Nowhere" sketch might be a barbed attack on CM's Radio Bristol show?

Which episode is it on, TJ? I've only heard the pilot and show 1 so far...
>

>...and remembering the feud between himself and Chris Morris at the time - is it just me, or does anyone else think that his "BBC Radio Middle Of Sodding Nowhere" sketch might be a barbed attack on CM's Radio Bristol show?


I think it was just a piss-take of all local radio. I'd only ever listened to Radio 1 before I heard that and when I eventually listened to a local station I was quite astounded that virtually every single dedication really was to "everyone who knows me".

I thought On The Hour's 'It's Your Region' sketch was very VLS-like, incidentally (and clearly he did too).

I think it was in the sixth of series one...

>I thought On The Hour's 'It's Your Region' sketch was very VLS-like, incidentally (and clearly he did too).

Good point - especially the "hello welcome hello" jingles. Exactly his style!

>>I thought On The Hour's 'It's Your Region' sketch was very VLS-like, incidentally (and clearly he did too).
>
>Good point - especially the "hello welcome hello" jingles. Exactly his style!

Morris's voice occasionally sounds so absolutely identical to VLS's you'd swear (and masturbate) blind it was the same man.

"... Hello, this is telly, isn't it...?"

He may have lifted VLS's style to an extent early on in his career � but I think we can agree he's light years past that now...

I'm not sure that either ever lifted from the other. I really do believe it was genuine coincidence that they developed similar styles from the same influences (Kenny Everett, Viv Stanshall, Python etc)...

VLS's TV column in the Standard is full of nicked jokes so I don't think he's got any right to complain.
To be honest (although I couldn't say for sure) I find it hightly unlikely that Morris was at all influenced by VLS.

They definitely fell out over something or other. VLS paid 'Brass Eye' the great compliment of giving its preview tape a bad review in the week that Michael Grade put back its transmission by 2 months anyway (headline: "You didn't miss much").

I remember that. Not because I was interested in Brass Eye (indeed, I hadn't seen it yet) but because I wondered why the usually professional VLS had reviewed a show that hadn't been transmitted yet (answer: because he can).

Does anyone know if there's a copy of that review online anywhere? I'ld love to read it again.

He has published collections of his reviews. Maybe it's come out in one of them.

Try mailing the Evening Standard.

The online version of ES is:

www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/index.html

But I can't find a contact mail address on it. I'll buy the paper after work and might turn something up by tomorrow.

You can get old articles from them because I've seen old A.N Wilson & Brian Sewell archives advertised in it.

I've been listening to most of the first series the past couple of days. I don't think he's bettered it, and is unlikely to either. I don't think there's any real similarities between VLS's BBC Middle Of Sodding Nowhere and Morris's It's Your Region, except for the subject matter. There's a Greenwich pips gag where the pips go on and on, like on the Christmas On The Hour in 1991, but that's about all I could think of. Also, even though I thought it was fantastic, I found jokes in VLS's series that had been nicked from Smith & Jones, Fry & Laurie, and Python as well as rag mags and Christmas crackers. What's original and exhilarating about VLS's early shows is the treatment of the material, rather than (perhaps) the material itself. If there is any real similarity between Morris and VLS, it is that both of them used stylised radio techniques to present their comedy. (Which Kenny Everett had also done 25 years earlier.)

Round about 92, though, Morris overtook VLS, and is still way ahead.

Could anyone do me a copy of these VLS shows, I've only ever seen TV Offal and Ads Nauseam and I'd love to hear a) if he was any good once b) if CM lifted his ideas. I can offer Viv Stanshall rarities in return if anyone wants to see where VLS lifted many of his ideas from.

I think the impact of Lewis-Smith at the time was important too, and it still resonates now. He was the first performer without any glimmer of moral scruple whatsoever to reach a national media platform.

>Round about 92, though, Morris overtook VLS, and is still way ahead.

That's a fair comment. VLS hasn't developed much since his glorious early stuff on R1 and Loose nEds. Morris acquired a purpose and flew off into the stratosphere, VLS remained smutty and puerile for the sake of it. However, if it's smutty and puerile that you're after, as I usually am, there's still no-one to touch him.

The Morris/VLS rivalry was largely bollocks, spin-doctored by the Guardian's 'Feud's Corner' column.

VLS' main objection was that R1 insisted he ring back his hoaxees to explain it was a joke, whereas Morris didn't have to do this. He bears no ill feeling towards him nowadays.

VLS hated the Brass Eye preview tape he was sent (a 20min compilation), but liked the series itself.

I heard one of Morris' 1988 Radio Bristol pieces, and the VLS influence was unmistakable - it almost sounded like a direct parody. Ned Sherrin played them back to back on Loose Ends once - Morris being announced as 'a young guy from the West Country'.

Is there any truth to the rumour that Morris is the offspring of Sherrin (resulting from an early experiment with heterosexuality)?

Is there anyone out there with VLS stuff to share and enjoy?
(with me)

RHC - are you sure that you are old enough to hear it?

Yeah well I've heard worse, my parents aren't exactly that careful about what they said around me.
Didn't swear until year 7...

> I can offer Viv Stanshall rarities in return if anyone wants to see where VLS lifted many of his ideas from.

Hmm... Nick, which Stanshall rarities do you have? I don't have any VLS, but please mail me anyway on [email protected] � I might still turn out to have something exchangeable...

Cheers.