Celebrity Chimp combine monkey and banjo like you've never seen before. You can click on the extended entry bit to read their amusing bogus bio, but all you really need to know is that this punky bluegrass band is a lot of fun and a night out with them will probably leave you with a very sore head and only a vague recollection of what it was you got up to the night before.
They play regularly in London to crowds that are only getting bigger, and this monkey suggests you go and buy them a pint or three before they can't see you for all the flying fangirl knickers.
Ivor Novello winning, Oscar nominating Celebrity Chimp is a genuine stalwart of Anglo-American high-society.
It is a classic rags to riches story. An orphan in Africa in the early 1950’s, spotted by a BBC documentary maker (Marcus Saville) in 1963, makes West-End debut in 1964, makes Hollywood debut in ’65, cut first record in ’68 (‘The Business’ - produces by Sandy Thornwood)
His success continued with a series of popular action movies (The Gun-Slinging Detective) but it was his music career that really went stellar. Signing to the prestigious Gamma records on a 5 album deal, Celebrity Chimp wrote and performed some of the finest pop records of a generation. Hits such as ‘Escape, my love’, ‘The first kiss of Spring’ and ‘Hey little Lady’ are still American radio favourites.
By the end of the 1970s, Celebrity Chimp was having problems with his own success. There is no secret of the fact that he was addicted to morphine, cocaine, alcohol, sex and gambling. In his eponymous autobiography Celebrity Chimp says of the 1980s: “I entered this decade a wealthy, successful, much loved icon. I left it a penniless, jobless, hated joke.”
In 1993 a chance encounter with Television Spiritualist Melvin Goodacre changed Celebrity Chimp’s life forever. All but down and out, Celebrity Chimp was featured in The Sunday Times in the ‘Where Are They Now’ section. Goodacre - an advisor to the rich and famous - read Celebrity Chimp’s heart braking story of a someone who had it all and had it all and decided to help.
In 1996 Celebrity Chimp was the official face of Goodacre’s spiritual programme: ‘Out with the old, in with the new - The Complete Spiritual Rebirth’. So was the success of the programme that for the first time in over 15 years Celebrity Chimp finally felt like performing again.
This return to the stage caused resentment and drove a wedge between the two. Celebrity Chimp and Melvin Goodacre parted company in 2007, prompting Celebrity Chimp to write more complex, provocative music.
In 2008 Celebrity Chimp found musicians Tom Smith and Andy McKay. At last he had an outlet for songs such as ‘Porn Star’, ‘Not a man, a star’ and ‘Swingers’.
Celebrity Chimp continues to write for Tom and Andy who are now one of London’s hottest bands.
A monthly gathering to celebrate Celebrity Chimp’s work now takes place at the Hobgoblin, 73 White Lion St, N1. Attendees wear all things pink and chimp, now coined to indicate a state of mind, body and soul.
