The Kipper Family

The Kipper Family were a two-man parody folk group played by Chris Sugden (as Sid Kipper) and Dick Nudds (as his father Henry).

History

The group performed as the Kipper Family throughout the 1980s and released several cult albums. Partly parodying the Copper Family, they performed their variations of traditional folk songs, with lyrics twisted to take in themes including cross-dressing, under-age sex, homosexuality at sea and the dissection of human cadavers. Although frequently macabre in theme, the Kipper Family were widely respected as accomplished folk artists and are remembered fondly.

In the early days the Kipper Family would perform to crowds expecting an ordinary folk act, firmly staying in character during the whole period in the public eye, and it would be several songs into the set before the penny dropped. Later classics include "We're Norfolk and Good", "Arrest These Merry Gentlemen" and "Bored of the Dance" and also a folk opera "The Crab Wars". In addition to the released LPs there is also in existence a recording of "Christmas with the Kippers", a Christmas special the Kippers recorded for BBC Radio Two.

The duo split at the end of 1991; Henry Kipper was pronounced dead, and Sid went solo. Sugden had to kill off the character as people kept asking when Henry would return.

In 2006, Sugden presented a series of podcasts for Channel 4 radio called "The Kipper Country Code", as Sid Kipper.

Albums

Sid Kipper
*Like A Rhinestone Ploughboy (1994)
*Spineless (1997)
*Boiled in the Bag (1997)
*East Side Story (2000)
*Cod Pieces (2002)
*Chained Melody (2003)
*In Season (2007)

The Kipper Family
*Since Time Immoral (1984)
*The Ever Decreasing Circle (1985)
*The Crab Wars (1986)
*Fresh Yesterday (1988)
*Arrest These Merry Gentlemen (1989)
*In the Family Way (1991)

External links

* [http://www.sidkipper.co.uk Sid Kipper's website]
* [http://www.geocities.com/trunchtrumpet The Kipper Family: Sid and Henry Kipper tribute site]
* [http://www.channel4radio.com/show/index.php?Id=380 Sid Kipper's podcasts]
* [http://www.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/~zierke/kipper/index.html Garry Gillard's Kipper pages]