What's a Rutle?

The Rutles, also known as the 'Fab Faux', lampoons The Beatles' sound and rise to stardom by taking songs like "Help!", turning it into "Ouch!", and "Penny Lane" into "Doubleback Alley", as well as several original songs written in 'The Beatles' style.

It all began in 1975 when Eric Idle (Monty Python's Flying Circus) and Neil Innes
(The Bonzo Doo Dah Dog Band) created and appeared in a sketch show loosely based around Britain's smallest TV station. Fourteen episodes of Rutland Weekend Television aired on BBC television from 1975-76.

In 1978, clips from the original Rutles' sketch appeared on Saturday Night Live, and America had its first taste of the group. Audience response was so positive, a full one hour Rutles' mock-documentary: "All You Need Is Cash" was produced and released.

The film parodies the Beatles' history with albums titled "Yellow Submarine Sandwich", "Tragical History Tour", and a twenty song album titled "The Rutles" was produced to accompany the movie release. It was this comic 'tour de force' which also provided the inspiration for the later rock, mock-documentary: "This Is Spinal Tap".


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