The Life of Rock with Brian Pern Online

The Life of Rock with Brian Pern is the Spinal Tap of the small screen, just as Rob Reiners comedic portrayal of an aging and diminishing heavy metal act was at its best in the tiny details, the moments that you almost miss or which require deep familiarity with the genre actor/writer Simon Day (along with Rhys Thomas) catches the essence of his targets perfectly.

He is the writer and singer of 70s prog act "Thotch" Brian Pern who, having long left his old band mates behind is now a seer, nay a visionary of our times - the inventor of world music and plasticine based music videos, fund raiser for bi-polar Polar bears and the originator of the "unwieldy stage musical based on a science fiction classic" genre (in this case the Day of the Triffids which due to Perns creative block arrived decades after War of the Worlds made Jeff Wayne, who was listening with a glass pressed to the wall in the studio next door, a millionaire).

Every type is here - the contemporary rock stars, DJs, cultural commentators, sullen band mates, hangers on, record company executives and of course the oily money-grubbing manager who is perfectly caught in the form of Michael Kitchen, who talks out of the corner of his mouth like every word was costing him personally.

While ones familiarity with the last 40 years of pop culture and prog rock specifically will clearly help you get the most laughs from the material those too young to get the details can still enjoy the broader characterisations and situations that befall our sage.

We've had two short form series so far, here's to the third.

What Spinal Tap did for heavy rock. Brian Pern has done for prog rock. This is a very well made mockumentory of 60s and 70s music and even includes contributions from genuine rock stars who all deliver there lines with such sincerity you start to believe that Brian Pern really existed! The show features some of Britains finest comic actors Paul Whitehorse, Kathy Burke, Al Murray and John Thompson. Whilst the likes of Micheal Kitchin, Surrane Jones Nigel Havers Christopher Ecclestone and Martin Freeman all make very funny cameo appearances. A must for aficionados of prog rock. 9/10

The Life of Rock with Brian Pern may not be for everyone in particular for those who hate Prog Rock but those who watch it will be laughing for a long time after. Simon Day of The Fast Show fame plays Brian Pern one time lead singer of Thotch and now turned world music pioneer with other members played by Nigel Havers in a role far from his usual smoothie roles, Day's fellow The Fast Show member Paul Whitehouse (another Fast Show regular John Thomson appears as a Thotch fan) and in the role of the band's manger Michael Kitchen showing previously untapped comic skills.With episodes featuring a rock opera version of The Day of The Triffids turning into a 80's pop fest after Pern is locked out of the arena by an over zealous guard, Brian trying to reconnect with his children and a Thotch reunion concert. With the likes of Jane Asher, Simon Callow and Suranne Jones to name just 3 as people in Brian's life and the likes of Roger Moore, Martin Freeman, and Kathy Burke amongst others playing themselves. This is one of the funniest shows in the last couple of years on UK TV.

If this is meant to be funny it falls about as far from the funny tree as it is possible to fall. It supposes to be a satire on Peter Gabriel's career but is poorly written and with a few exceptions (Michael Kitchen being one) it merely manages to be embarrassing. Did no-one check this out first before broadcast.The guest appearances by minor celebs just about manage to be vaguely interesting, I should imagine that when they see themselves in the finished article, they will be mortified at the dreariness of it all. Simon Day is rarely funny anyway but plumbs the depths in this crap. For a biting satire it needs to have some sort of reality about it and this just has none. I wonder if the producers had some sort of hold over actors and journalist which forced them to appear because I cannot see how they can have agreed to take part. A total waste of time and a waste of usually great actors.