People

Karen Smith :

Vivacious artiste/sculptress-chanteusse-voice-over-artiste Karen was talent spotted by Concept City scouts and invited to join Mr Concept on countless recordings throughout the early eighties.As well as fronting her own near-top twenty bands 'The Shapiros' and 'The Castaways' Karen made thousands of life-like sculptures out of dismembered dolls and paper-mache. At one time regarded as a mildly eccentric thespian her work now commands huge sums of money and her career is booming as people realise the true genius in her work.

Ken Green :

Inventor of 'Eau Sauvage' shed paint, Ken Green made the world's first 'Syn Drum' and played it on the track 'November'. Ken collaborated with Mr Concept in the early days and contributed to other recordings by providing transport, lending equipment and supplying beer. His five octave voice was also heard by many in his time as front man to the band 'Sticky Bob and the Klingons'. He was also the first person in the world to notice that by only hitting the black notes on a piano keyboard you would never make a mistake if the song was in the key of 'J'.

Steve Cooke :

Multi talented instrumentalist Steve Cooke features on several of the early tracks. Steve actually played guitar backwards on one track and temporarily went blind for three days (see picture) as a consequence. Steve is a keen rabbit breeder and UFO pilot, and has made guitars and instruments out of unusual objects for many years. He once made a double-bass out of a pair of trainers and a fridge. Steve's star sign is Accident Prone. Has also provided photographic artwork for album covers.

Mark 'Paradiddle' Walters :

Unfortunately nicknamed after his incontinent descent from a Cessna 150 over Leicester Airfield in 1978, Mark plays drums and characters on several tracks and also supplied the plywood. This cheeky happy-go-lucky rogue is always ready to play a prank on his unsuspecting chums! Well smile now you weirdo - as I reveal to all that he is in fact a pervy swash-buckling pirate cross-dresser and loves nothing more than to dress up in fluff-edged pirate outfits before playing around with his cutlass.

Jenny Flewitt :

Former Olympic gymnast, air hostess and topless go-go dancer, Jenny is now wowing the audiences on cruise ships around the world with her 'zany' stand-up comedy and fart-lighting act. Her famous 'come to bed' eye and removable left leg (bayonet fitting) have paved the way to stardom for this intelligent, demure, young performer. Jenny donated two performances to 'Conceptvm Umbilicvs' in 1987 shortly after posing naked for the contraversial 'hook, line and winker' centerfold in 'Angling Times'.

Shaun 'Hep Cat' Gallagher :

Professional Jaywalker Shaun provides input on many fronts -

RAP lyrics in MegY2K :

Four nights a week I don't get no proper tea.

There's a program on the TV my family wants to see.

It's got Carnie and Meg and Sandy to,

They never go to the fakkin loo.

It's called Crossroads.

It's called Crossroads.

Eats a cricket ball for the cover of '37' and provides a cameo appearance on Beach Nudiste. Is there no end to this guys talent?

No - he also phoned me to let me know that John Peel was playing my tune...

Big Arthur :

Big Arthur rose to 'fame' between 1978 and 1981 by placing ads in the Sounds music paper 'Personal Column'. Within weeks other people were placing ads in reply to or against Big Arthur. BBC DJ 'Mike Read' picked up on this when his listeners wrote to him about Big Arthur. Regular 'competitors' were Mad Harry, Normal Norman and Sheila. They would taunt Big Arthur with similar ads.

Big Arthur was based in Leicester and later began producing a page of filth, farts and drivel for the local fanzine '0533'. The pages were a collage of cuttings and pictures with smutty writings and innuendo. It was rather popular. Here's a sample for the scrap book.

Vince Smarm :

Occasionally wrote reviews under the pseudonym 'Kenton Z Furmanek Jnr' (son of Kenton Z Furmanek) in which he would heap praise on the performers irrespective of the quality of their performance. Vince saw himself as Mr Concept's right hand man. Mr Concept saw him as 'that bloke who does the announcements and gets things ready'.

Eddie Velcro :

Any mother would be proud to have Eddie as a son. So proud in fact that we wrote a song all about him. Unfortunately Eddie was later convicted of multiple stalking and indecent exposure and now resides in Block D / Concept City Slammer.

Miss Trisha : Tel : 01 373 3904

Miss Trisha (she lets me call her 'Trish') lives in London and for many years she remained 24 years old. She's obviously a very popular lady as she has a very posh answering machine message (see bottom of page). She collects clothes and uniforms and lives in a luxurious apartment/basement flat. It's all there on the recording. Careful if you go round for a cuppa - she's a bit too 'feely touchy' if you ask me. Even so... I usually give her a few quid for the tea and biscuits.

John Peel

Much loved BBC Radio 1 DJ - John Peel actually played 'Open Up The Network' on his Radio One show.

Mike Read:

Loveable BBC Radio1 DJ Mike Read was made aware of Big Arthur by his listeners and would read out Big Arthur's message each week. Big Arthur wrote to him and he mentioned it in his programme. The recording is at the bottom of this page.

Barbara Woodhouse:

Loveable Barbara Woodhouse (RIP) used to show people how to train dogs on TV. She was really hot and most of the male viewers were really just watching to get a glimpse up her pleated kilt.

Beach Nudiste:

A pebble in your belly button - filth! - this overtly full on sexual montagefeatured a multitude of perverts recorded in the dark alleyways of Victorian Brighton around the turn of the Century (I'll leave it to you to guess which one). None more perverted than Gayle Christie, who spouts this vile rhetoric throughout the recording, references to suspender belts and nudism rain down continuously like a torrent of raw sewage. On the plus side it's got a good beat to it and I'll give it foy-ve. Nev Hunt and Heather Button also feature in this collage.

Margaret Thatcher:

Loveable Margaret is a greengrocer from Grantham who thought above her station and became Prime minister of the UK and started a war and chav-ism. Margaret had a lot to say during 'election 1923' and we think it deserves a second hearing so we put her on 'Do It' for they perusal. Both Dennis and her 'did it'.

Max Lowry:

Max plays with his organ in public and generously donated the backing music for misc 'Hi there listeners - welcome back to side 2"

Three Sharp Pins:

Played 'Untitled' on CONCEPT CITY 808126. Mr Concept's alta-ego 'Rob Grant' played one of the guitars on this track - see if you can spot which one! (click here for the answer) This was Mr Concept's favourite Three Sharp Pins tune of all time...

Yeah Yeah Noh:

Those crazy students who shot to almost fame invited Mr Concept to record with them on two of their EP's - follow the link for more chuckles and fun!

Andy/Andrew Nicholls:

Andy plays keyboards on 'Mr Hammond Is Out To Lunch' and is an artist in his own right with many talents. He had an album out in 1984 on Cordelia Records entitled 'The Year After' and he also played alto sax on several Deep Freeze Mice records. He is still gigging today...

Deep Freeze Mice :

Once considered a delicacy by inner city cats this was also the name of a prolific LP producing band in the nineteen eighties. The Deep Freeze Mice released ten albums of weird music in ten years, by my reckoning that's one a year, but of course they could have released two in one year and then had a rest. Taking it to the extreme they could have released them all on the same day and spent the rest of the ten years doing nothing. But that's ridiculous. Why are they included here? Because a) Alan Jenkins was their singer, b) Mr Concept covered one of their tracks and it was released on one of their records and d) reeee-spect. For more info search on the Internet - there's loads...

Alan Jenkins :

Alan runs Cordelia Records and made the only vinyl LP from CONCEPT CITY possible. His support and interest was truly appreciated. He did all the fiddly drawings of tubes and things on Deep Freeze Mice album covers. He was the genius behind the Deep Freeze Mice, and has been in several bands since. Right now he fronts his own surf rock band 'The Thurston Lava Tube'. Search them out and buy some tunes. Alan Jenkins was the base model for the word 'weird'. A complex person. He seems to be quite serious and yet his work is totally non-serious. I think he's a lost alien waiting to be rescued.

Mrs Hargreaves :

Real name Barbara X. Using the stage name 'Mrs Hargreaves', Barbara has made many cameo appearances in Concept City productions. Loyal to Mr Concept since the very first recording, Barbara captured his heart when it escaped and hid under a sideboard for three weeks, living only on fluff balls and a dropped Murray Mint. Barbara is never far from Mr Concept, living in a rented shed in the garden of his mansion, she is occasionally allowed into the main house to shave her legs and 'fluff up the pillows'.

Mrs Knight:

That 'She-Devil of the Unknown'. Mrs Knight spends her time phoning local radio stations about paranormal activities that have taken place around her. Her spooky 'pet hand' travels with her always, and gives her relaxing neck massages at times of stress. It's roumoured that a second 'pet hand' is being kept prisoner inside her under-crackers. This has not been confirmed.

Other minor cast members...

Jade Lex (The Mysterious) : Nothing about this person is known.

The Conceptas : Talented group of dancer/singers who performed at Circuses and children's parties during the late 1970's. Their version of the Sticky Bob and the Klingon's hit 'Stinking Rich' featured on The Amazing World of Mr Concept.

Boris Stonka & The Feetus Fukkaz - Producers of fine Trad Jazz & backing music for the end of side one on the Amazing World of Mr Concept.

Nev Hunt - says "Happy Birthday Big Arthur" via CB Radio on 'Beach Nudiste'.

Dave Flewitt - he says "Shaun - is there any of that scotch left?" on'Most People Aren't Fit To Live'.

Heather Button says "D'ya want a glass a watter" on 'Beach Nudiste'.

Mrs E.B.Llewellen : Wrote the moving lyrics to 'Peach Maulers' on The Amazing World of Mr Concept'.