Even though this was released slightly before Spinal Tap(they were somehow both in production at the same time), most people think this is a rip-off of it.While the movies have similar themes, the stories are vastly different.Spinal Tap parodied specific things that real bands did, while Bad News was about a terrible band pretending they were rock stars.The one big difference is when you hear that the actors really played the music, you won't be surprised with Bad News.They are truly awful.But they are also much funnier than Spinal Tap.Anytime anyone tries to act cool, Nigel Planer messes it up and that never gets old.This is probably the best episode.Watch it.
6 Reviews
Works better as a introductory prologue to; More Bad News
The-Last-Prydonian6 February 2018
A mockumentary that centers on the tenth-rate rock band; Bad News as they set out on their ill-fated tour of the U. K. Between mishaps that involve their run-down old van and a petty argument over the cost of sausage and chips at a motorway service station, they grow frustrated as they struggle to attract large audiences to attend their gigs. Their shared frustration is eventually directed at the documentary film crew who have been chronicling their exploits.
The first of six episodes penned by Adrian Edmondson who also frequently appeared throughout; The Comic Strip Presents...., it's safe to assume that; Bad News Tour might have served as the inspiration behind American director; Rob Reiner's eerily similar full-length 1985 mockumentary; This is Spinal Tap. Of course, one major distinction between them both is that while the latter benefited from a running time of over an hour and twenty minutes in length, the former had the restraint of only being half an hour long. It's to Edmondson's credit however that he's able to introduce and establish a range of moronic no-hopers, develop some effectively comedic situations and deliver what is essentially an amusing satirical look at a bunch of loser misfits whose ambitions far outreach their talents. Led by Alan who goes by the choice stage name of Vim Feugo; and goes to great pains to hammer home that it is under this moniker that he is to be known, he is joined by the rather dense Den (Nigel Planer), pretentious cardboard rocker; Colin (Rik Mayall) who can't even play an instrument and ex-junkie and dole scrounger; Spider (Peter Richardson).
With their collective ineptitude and their shared delusions of grandeur, there's all the recipe one needs here for some ignominious comedy as from the word go; the only direction for the ultimately quarrelsome quartet is a downward trajectory as they set out on what will assuredly be a disastrous tour. Cringe-worthy in their sad attempts to pick up "groupies", with their success doing nothing to elevate any sense of legitimacy to their status given that the young lady in question is a teenage schoolgirl played here by fellow Comic Strip regular; Dawn French. The sporadic additions of voice-over from Vim; who's delusional self-aggrandizing as he extols his virtues and emphasizes his and the overall misguided mindset of the band to dizzying effect. Their overall incompetence isn't helped either by their less congruous working relationship with the manager of their first and only venue that we bear witness to and the underhanded attempts at manipulation by the documentary film crew's director. A man whose hollow claims of not wishing to intervene and remaining neutral, artistic integrity soon evaporates and leads the film up to its inescapably cynical conclusion.
With the budgetary restraints that might have potentially cheapened other short films in the series like; The Yob or; Space Virgins from Planet Sex; the economical nature of documentary films works wonderfully in its favor and it, of course, adds to the realism. Only the comically exaggerated performances (which are to its benefit rather than detriment) only lifting the veil from its mock documentary technique as are some of the droll scenarios. The regular cast is in reliably solid form with the real-life professional director; Sandy Johnson making for a more modest and restrained foil to the comic strip team as the head of the film crew. With supplementary dry support from Jennifer Saunders as ostentatious "rock chick" journalist: Sally and Neville Smith convincingly sleazy and two-faced manager of the Roxy in Grantham, they round up the cast neatly.
Its limited length is its only glaringly apparent drawback with sufficient room for expansion on its satirical themes which would compel Edmondson to do so with the 1988 sequel; More bad News, the undoubted seminal quality of it is irrefutable. On its own, it does serve as a pointed although a flawed piece of satire. As something of an introductory prologue to its follow up which would serve as an ideal companion piece, it works even better.
The first of six episodes penned by Adrian Edmondson who also frequently appeared throughout; The Comic Strip Presents...., it's safe to assume that; Bad News Tour might have served as the inspiration behind American director; Rob Reiner's eerily similar full-length 1985 mockumentary; This is Spinal Tap. Of course, one major distinction between them both is that while the latter benefited from a running time of over an hour and twenty minutes in length, the former had the restraint of only being half an hour long. It's to Edmondson's credit however that he's able to introduce and establish a range of moronic no-hopers, develop some effectively comedic situations and deliver what is essentially an amusing satirical look at a bunch of loser misfits whose ambitions far outreach their talents. Led by Alan who goes by the choice stage name of Vim Feugo; and goes to great pains to hammer home that it is under this moniker that he is to be known, he is joined by the rather dense Den (Nigel Planer), pretentious cardboard rocker; Colin (Rik Mayall) who can't even play an instrument and ex-junkie and dole scrounger; Spider (Peter Richardson).
With their collective ineptitude and their shared delusions of grandeur, there's all the recipe one needs here for some ignominious comedy as from the word go; the only direction for the ultimately quarrelsome quartet is a downward trajectory as they set out on what will assuredly be a disastrous tour. Cringe-worthy in their sad attempts to pick up "groupies", with their success doing nothing to elevate any sense of legitimacy to their status given that the young lady in question is a teenage schoolgirl played here by fellow Comic Strip regular; Dawn French. The sporadic additions of voice-over from Vim; who's delusional self-aggrandizing as he extols his virtues and emphasizes his and the overall misguided mindset of the band to dizzying effect. Their overall incompetence isn't helped either by their less congruous working relationship with the manager of their first and only venue that we bear witness to and the underhanded attempts at manipulation by the documentary film crew's director. A man whose hollow claims of not wishing to intervene and remaining neutral, artistic integrity soon evaporates and leads the film up to its inescapably cynical conclusion.
With the budgetary restraints that might have potentially cheapened other short films in the series like; The Yob or; Space Virgins from Planet Sex; the economical nature of documentary films works wonderfully in its favor and it, of course, adds to the realism. Only the comically exaggerated performances (which are to its benefit rather than detriment) only lifting the veil from its mock documentary technique as are some of the droll scenarios. The regular cast is in reliably solid form with the real-life professional director; Sandy Johnson making for a more modest and restrained foil to the comic strip team as the head of the film crew. With supplementary dry support from Jennifer Saunders as ostentatious "rock chick" journalist: Sally and Neville Smith convincingly sleazy and two-faced manager of the Roxy in Grantham, they round up the cast neatly.
Its limited length is its only glaringly apparent drawback with sufficient room for expansion on its satirical themes which would compel Edmondson to do so with the 1988 sequel; More bad News, the undoubted seminal quality of it is irrefutable. On its own, it does serve as a pointed although a flawed piece of satire. As something of an introductory prologue to its follow up which would serve as an ideal companion piece, it works even better.
The missing link...
keoght21 April 2019
I discovered Bad News and More Bad News purely by mistake. It annoyed me deeply, simply because I'm a massive Bottom and Young Ones fan and never heard of Comic Strip or these two gems. Watching them late...like 30 years too late was like someone who lived it watching it for the first time! Absolutely legendary. Great cast (like glue) Excellent and Very funny. And if you don't like it, tough, because we are BAD NEWS! 10/10
We're not just another stupid heavy metal band
alan_darwin14 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Superb, mock fly-on-the-wall documentary about a disastrous metal band as they go on the road to a gig in Grantham. We meet the band; Vim, the leader, idolising Jimmy Paige. Colin, bass player trying to be super cool, but failing miserably. Spider Web, the manic drummer. Den Dennis, rhythm guitarist who can just about dress himself. All the characters are lovable and fun to watch as it all goes wrong. This is one of my all time favourite comic strip episodes.
Nigel is Hilarious
Director Jim19 March 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I love this episode. Nigel Planer's 'Den Dennis' complains to a waitress that the menu says "bangers," yet he only receives one sausage on his plate, all during the taping of the diner scene. Chaos ensues.
{Without further ado, a few spoilers}
And when the end comes, well only with a down-on-their-luck band could have so much trouble. The guys get fed up with the film crew, after having ran out of petrol, and so beat them up and steal all of their recording equipment and the van they had (just because the film crew could not 'interfere' with reality). Next thing we know, the boys in the band try to continue the filming in regular chaotic style. As the film runs out, sound recording continues. The boys argue as the credits roll, and cannot come together on any good resolution to continue with the film themselves. The audio ends for us, so we think that the only conclusion these trouble musicians could agree on, was to leave the whole lot. Or perhaps trade it in for money.
{Without further ado, a few spoilers}
And when the end comes, well only with a down-on-their-luck band could have so much trouble. The guys get fed up with the film crew, after having ran out of petrol, and so beat them up and steal all of their recording equipment and the van they had (just because the film crew could not 'interfere' with reality). Next thing we know, the boys in the band try to continue the filming in regular chaotic style. As the film runs out, sound recording continues. The boys argue as the credits roll, and cannot come together on any good resolution to continue with the film themselves. The audio ends for us, so we think that the only conclusion these trouble musicians could agree on, was to leave the whole lot. Or perhaps trade it in for money.
Bad News Tour
Prismark1018 May 2021
Bad News Tour comes across as being slightly ahead of its time. It was released a year before This is Spinal Tap, although both were made at the same time.
This Comic Strip Presents works better as to how manipulative and contrived fly in the wall documentaries can be.
Bad News are really an awful heavy metal band. Their tour is a disaster and the band end up taking their frustrations out on the documentary crew.
There is no need to feel sorry for the documentary crew. They have been doing their best to manipulate events. Some of the band members even have different names for the mockumentary.
Written by Adrian Edmondson, it is another uneven episode though. It is never that hilarious.
Nigel Planer steals it as the dim Den Dennis.
This Comic Strip Presents works better as to how manipulative and contrived fly in the wall documentaries can be.
Bad News are really an awful heavy metal band. Their tour is a disaster and the band end up taking their frustrations out on the documentary crew.
There is no need to feel sorry for the documentary crew. They have been doing their best to manipulate events. Some of the band members even have different names for the mockumentary.
Written by Adrian Edmondson, it is another uneven episode though. It is never that hilarious.
Nigel Planer steals it as the dim Den Dennis.
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