Neil Innes would have liked to see the word ‘rutle’ in the dictionary. “As a verb,” he said, “meaning ‘to copy or emulate someone you admire, especially in music’.”
In 1975, Innes helped create The Rutles, a Beatles spoof for the BBC comedy series Rutland Weekend Television. Three years later, this make-believe band starred in the film All You Need Is Cash, a parody of The Beatles’ life and music. It included guest appearances by George Harrison and Mick Jagger, and later inspired This Is Spinal Tap. In May 2014, Innes revived The Rutles for a UK tour. Following the great tradition of rock reunions, it wasn’t be the original line-up, but that seemed somehow fitting.
