2nd July 2007
Hi all,
I had a brief chat on the phone with my Aunt last week. She was phoning just to let me know that my Gran had fractured her hip, but was recovering and on the mend.
In the course of the conversation my Aunt, who I was speaking to for the first time in nearly ten years (I've never been given her phone number, don't look at me like that!) said "You sound awfully Scottish!" Needless to say, Lorraine didn't agree, and I didn't either. Anyway, with that in mind I thought I would delve into the best impressions my friends do. They all manage to be better than my university housemate Dave's Beavis impression, which somehow was more Les Dawson than Beavis. Speaking of Dave...
DAVE MATTHEWS' The Undertaker
Dave was the perfect person to imitate a wrestler, given that he liked walking around half-naked with his long hair still soaking wet. He did perfect the Undertaker's eyes, along with the then familiar wet-hair flick from over his eyes to perfectly back into place.
And the voice? He did both The Undertaker and his manager, Paul Bearer (if you didn't watch the WWF in the 1990s I assure you I haven't made this up). Of course when Dave was doing a hospital radio show and asked me to help him out I didn't think there was anything out of the ordinary about him saying, "Oh no, the Undertaker!" live on air, which in retrospect might be the funniest thing anyone could possibly say with a captive audience of people in a British hospital.
NEIL TAYLOR's Monty Python characters
You all know Neil pretty well by now, but there's one thing I've probably not mentioned about him. He's very disciplined in regard to videos and DVDs, in that he doesn't just go out and buy anything. He's pretty choosy, and only has a few small shelves to keep them all on. He couldn't resist a Python boxset though.
From "No-one expects the Spanish inquisition!" to "This is an ex-parrot!", Neil can turn his hand to just about everything from the Python vault. Luckily for me, I've got some footage of this on video. Unluckily for you Neil would probably kill me if I put it online anywhere.
("I'm not oppressing you, Stan. You haven't got a womb!")
LYNDA POVEY's Marge Simpson
This is actually freakishly good. When I first heard it Lynda was only going out with my friend Mark, and a few of us were goofing around with a few impressions when Lynda unleashed an incredible Marge Simpson impression.
Incidentally when I saw Mark a few weeks ago I asked him if his now wife still did this impression, but she no longer does because it hurts her throat, which is a shame.
NICK LAY's Peter Drury
My friend Nick is probably the shrewdest observer I know in regard to football personalities and commentators, but he saves his best for ITV's worst commentator. Nick's imitation of Drury going over the top about the Arsenal side of about two years ago still makes me laugh, even if I know it is coming. "Special goal, special player, special team!" There is more to it than that, but I'm probably best off leaving it at that point.
(Thinking about it... and moving on.)
CHRIS RANSON'S John Spencer
In April 1994 Chris and I took a break from Uni to spend a weekend in Hampshire. After watching some Rugby League on the Nynex Mosaic channel (don't ask) we spent the remainder of Friday night watching Snooker.
At this point Chris pointed out that the former World Champion commentated on matches with a slur to his speech, and mimicked it perfectly. Throw in his precise predictions of what Whispering Ted Lowe was about to say and I spent the night in tears of laughter. I think I was struggling to breathe at one point.
PATRICK LAY's Stefan Dennis
Neighbours has produced some great musicians over the years, but only people with a twisted sense of humour tend to remember Stefan Dennis's plunge into the charts with the song "Don't It Make You Feel Good".
Pat and I both love this song, although I don't own it in any format. I just haven't found it anywhere, whereas Pat has been more resourceful than me and managed to get a 7" vinyl copy from eBay. He's got the imitation down perfectly, slowly building through the first verse and then letting rip into what almost become a one word chorus.
"Nothing else matters its true,
You loving me, and me loving you,
DON'TITMAKEYOUFEELGOOD?"
Pat has actually carried out a mock interview as Stefan Dennis which he recorded on his mobile phone. I'm hoping if I pester him enough he'll upload it to YouTube. Fingers crossed everyone!
BEN MATSEN's Babylon Zoo
Babylon Who? Oh, Babylon Zoo. Or as you may remember them for, the Space Man song.
Yes, the song with the weird intro, presumably sung at original speed and then mixed to the high-pitched, warp-speed burst of sound that became so famous in the mid 90s.
It probably took hours to put together in a studio. Ben could reel it off
like that.
(N.B. Don't take this as an inspiration to download the song from iTunes. It hasn't aged well.)
LORRAINE DOBSON's Madge Bishop
You know what makes this impression so good? It's so unexpected. You'll be chatting away about the days when you were at school and you couldn't miss Neighbours, and before you can say, "Ah, Madge, Madge, Madge" my wife will throw out a husky "Harold!"
Don't expect to ever hear it though. I hear it once in a blue moon myself. Somewhat like Faulty Towers and The Office though, less can be more, and that's certainly the case with this one.
NICK TANTER'S Robbie Robertson
Saving the best for last, and an appearance of Nicholas Patrick Tanter, or as we used to call him, Zimmer. Another one involving a slightly odd song, "Somewhere Down the Crazy River" featuring a straining lead singer (Robertson) and what can best be described as a husky/high-pitched repeat of the line "somewhere down the crazy river".
Why is this the best impression I've ever seen a friend do? Because Zimmer didn't just do one of the voices, he did them both, he did them perfectly, and he did them in perfect time. No mean feat.
Have a good week!
Tony
Main Archives
