Who are they?

Although the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band reformed earlier this year to celebrate their 40th anniversary, for the past 25 years a little-known gaggle of English eccentrics has been working to keep their spirit of irreverent anarchy alive. Born from London's The Daily Twit - a newspaper with no news in it - and spearheaded by Magnus Irvin (see Bizarre 113 for a piece on his pervy film Prayer Cushions Of The Flesh), Slim and The Boy, The Twits is a visual and aural equivalent of that absurd rag. The band currently consists of between six and 10 members - over the years 50 people (many mechanical or made from cardboard) have passed through the ranks - and normally only play one gig a year, without any prior rehearsals. At their last show in a north London pub, anyone sitting in the front row was doused in cream cakes launched into the audience during a song about éclairs.

Why should we care?

The Twits are silly, cheeky and peculiarly English, and instrumental in preserving the eccentricity embodied in the Bonzos and their much-missed frontman Vivian Stanshall. The Twits also bring together other stunningly original acts for their annual shows, many of whom have already appeared in this column.

Where are they now?

A recent rearrangement of old Twits material and some hastily made-up songs has resulted in the creation of the band's rock opera, Whelk, an "avant-retard spectacular for the musically challenged". During recent performances, Whelk has evolved into a tragic story of dentistry, boiled eggs, personal hygiene, Brylcreem, Thora Hird, shirts, unrequited love and cardboard. The good news is there is no end to the story in sight.

*CURRENTLY AVAILABLE: Take a trip to Myspace.com/itsthetwits or Dailytwit.com to buy the Gunfighter Ballads & Winkling Songs CD, which includes The Twits' Shirt.