Bad News: “Rik Mayall couldn’t play bass, but that just made it funnier…”

In 1983, Bad News made their first appearance on British TV. Following the budding NWOBHM quartet as they travelled to a gig in Grantham, singer/guitarist Alan ​‘Vim Fuego’ Metcalfe, guitarist Den Dennis, bassist Colin Grigson and drummer Spyder Webb became sensations overnight. Sort of. A full year before the release of This Is Spinal Tap, Bad News Tour perfected the art of the rockumentary, as an episode of Channel 4 comedy caravan Comic Strip Presents. Starring British comedy legends Nigel Planer (as dopey but lovable guitarist Den), Adrian Edmondson (egotistical frontman-cum-painter-and-decorator Vim), Rik Mayall (secret-posh-lad bassist Colin) and Peter Richardson (Spyder, the only drummer his bandmates knew who could vomit the perfect amount into a pint glass...

unsplash-logoLilith Redmoon