The Rutles were a rock band that performed visual and aural pastiches and parodies of the Beatles. This originally fictional band, created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes for a sketch in Idle's mid-1970s BBC television comedy series Rutland Weekend Television, later toured and recorded, releasing two studio albums and garnering two UK chart hits. The band toured again from 2002 until Innes' death in 2019.
The Rutles in All You Need Is Cash. From left: Eric Idle, Ricky Fataar, John Halsey, Neil Innes.
Eric Idle is an English actor, comedian, songwriter, musician, screenwriter and playwright. He was a member of the British comedy group Monty Python and the parody rock band the Rutles. Idle studied at Pembroke College, Cambridge, and joined Cambridge University Footlights. He reached stardom when he co-created and acted in the sketch series Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974) and the films Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Life of Brian (1979) and The Meaning of Life (1983) with John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Graham Chapman.
Idle in 2012
Eric Idle in 2003
Idle (right) and Terry Jones performing the "Nudge Nudge" sketch at the Python reunion in 2014
Idle (left) and Carol Cleveland performing the “Galaxy Song” (from Monty Python's The Meaning of Life) at Monty Python Live (Mostly) in 2014