Amateur Transplants
{{short description|Comedy musical group}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Amateur Transplants
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| image_size =
| alias =
| origin = London, England
| years_active = {{Start date|2002}}–{{End date|2016}}
| label = Independent
| associated_acts =
| past_members = * Adam Kay
- Suman Biswas
}}
Amateur Transplants were a parody music band fronted by London-based, British comedian Adam Kay and Suman Biswas (born 1978).{{cite web|publisher=Psycho Management|title=The Amateur Transplants|url=http://www.psycho.co.uk/db/view_act.php?act_id=886|accessdate=2009-07-30|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908074546/http://www.psycho.co.uk/db/view_act.php?act_id=886|archive-date=8 September 2012|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.amateurtransplants.net/adam.html |title=Retrieved 22nd September 2008 |publisher=Amateurtransplants.net |accessdate=2009-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080912022557/http://www.amateurtransplants.net/adam.html |archive-date=12 September 2008 |url-status=dead }} Amateur Transplants came to prominence in 2005 with a song about the London Underground, parodying the Jam song "Going Underground".{{cite web|publisher=BBC h2g2|title='London Underground' by Amateur Transplants|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A26655645|accessdate=2009-07-30}} They regularly performed live, and have been recommended by Time Out,{{cite web|publisher=Time Out|title=The Amateur Transplants at Bedford|url=http://www.timeout.com/london/comedy/event/46260/the-amateur-transplants.html|accessdate=2009-07-30}} including several successful years at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.{{cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/shows/edinburgh_fringe_2006/t/14624/the_london_underground_song_(and_other_ballads)|publisher=Chortle.com|title=The London Underground (and other ballads) description|accessdate=2009-07-30}} The band's final performance was in Reading in May 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/amateur-transplants|accessdate=13 May 2022|title=Amateur Transplants Tour Dates}}
Music and biography
Their music primarily consists of parody comic songs mostly dealing with medical subjects. A few of their parodies are based on the works of American comedic songwriter Tom Lehrer. They performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe every year for several years from 2005 and Adam Kay performed at Latitude 2012. Ten percent of their sales, and all proceeds from the London Underground Song are donated to Macmillan Cancer Relief. The duo have released three studio albums, Fitness to Practice, Unfit to Practise and Have Yourself a Sweary Little Christmas. They also released an album of a live recording of their stage show called In Theatre.{{cite web|url=http://fitnesstoblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/unfit-to-practise.html |title=Retrieved 10th October 2008 |publisher=Fitnesstoblog.blogspot.com |date=2008-09-12 |accessdate=2009-06-12}} Their song Anaesthetist's Hymn was featured in Geek Pop 2008.
{{cite web
|url = http://www.geekpop.co.uk/
|title = geekpop.co.uk
|publisher = geekpop.co.uk
|accessdate = 2009-04-12
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090316054445/http://www.geekpop.co.uk/
|archivedate = 16 March 2009
|url-status = usurped
}}
The band's most famous track "London Underground", along with its accompanying flash animation, was a popular internet fad in the UK in 2005.{{cite news |last=Aitken |first=Stuart |date=2006-11-24 |title=London Underground voted capital's top brand |publisher=mad.co.uk |url=http://www.mad.co.uk/Logon/ArticleLogon.aspx?uiArticleID=319d1d77-8565-4ecd-81b9-f4af681acf58&uiNavigationItemID=&uiPageID=af417f3e-e0de-4486-b1dc-7e1568872fec&PipelinedPage=/Main/Regions/LondonVsTheRegions/Articles/319d1d7785654ecd81b9f4af681acf58/London-Underground-voted-the-capital%e2%80%99s-top-brand.html&PipelinedQueryString=uiArticleID%3d319d1d77-8565-4ecd-81b9-f4af681acf58%26uiNavigationItemID%3d7a94bb79-3764-4cca-93f1-958914e1f15e%26 |accessdate=2009-07-30}} It is set to the tune of "Going Underground" by The Jam and criticises the London Underground strike of the time. It was released as part of their first album, and a newly recorded version with a rock music accompaniment was included in Unfit to Practise, as well as being released as a single on the iTunes Store, reaching number one on the 'Comedy' chart{{cite web |title=Amateur Transplants: 'London Underground' download release 17/11/08 |url=http://www.psycho.co.uk/site/comedy.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030429170846/http://www.psycho.co.uk/site/comedy.php |archive-date=29 April 2003 |accessdate=2009-07-30 |publisher=Psycho Management |df=dmy-all}} having been downloaded over 4 million times.{{cite web |title=Amateur Transplants Description - Edinburgh Festival 2005 |url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/shows/edinburgh_fringe_2005/a/1948/amateur_transplants |accessdate=2009-07-30 |publisher=Chortle.com}}
Both Kay and Biswas studied medicine at Imperial College London. Their songs "Snippets" and "Careless Surgeon" ridicule those who study medicine at rival London medical schools King's College London and Barts respectively. "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", the final song of their first album, ridicules most of the other London medical schools.
The band's official website stated that "Locum Amateur Transplant Suman Biswas appeared with Adam for a few years, but is now back to healing the sick and lame".{{cite web |url=http://www.amateurtransplants.net/ |title=Retrieved 29 September 2012 |publisher=Amateurtransplants.net |access-date=17 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090721045941/http://www.amateurtransplants.net/ |archive-date=21 July 2009 |url-status=dead }} Biswas works full-time in the NHS as an anaesthetist{{cite web|url=http://www.sumanbiswas.co.uk/about/ | title=About | Suman Biswas }} and in 2013 released a solo album entitled Still Alive after Amateur Transplants.{{cite web|url=http://www.sumanbiswas.co.uk/album/ | title=Still Alive | Suman Biswas }}
Discography
- 2004 – Fitness to Practice
- 2007 – The Black and White Menstrual Show (DVD of performance)
- 2008 – Unfit to Practise
- 2009 – In Theatre (Live recorded album)
- 2010 – Have Yourself a Sweary Little Christmas
- 2013 – Specimens
- 2016 – The Remains of Tom Lehrer
Tours
Amateur Transplants toured the UK in 2007 with "The Black and White Menstrual Show" which resulted in their first DVD.
In 2010 the duo toured the UK with the "Amateur Transplants in Theatre" show leading to the live album of the same name.{{cite web|title=Seriously Good Comedy – Psycho's pick of the best|url=http://www.psycho.co.uk/site/comedy.php|work=Psycho|accessdate=25 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030429170846/http://www.psycho.co.uk/site/comedy.php|archive-date=29 April 2003|url-status=dead}}
In October 2011 the duo toured Trondheim, Norway, and performed at Rockheim during Frampeik, an annual conference for Norwegian medical students.
During 2012, Adam Kay toured Britain under the title "From Amateur Transplants: Adam Kay's Smutty Songs".{{cite web|title=From Amateur Transplants – Adam Kay's Smutty Songs|url=http://www.timeout.com/london/comedy/event/258598/from-amateur-transplants-adam-kays-smutty-songs|work=Time Out|date=16 March 2012 |accessdate=25 May 2012}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050308223733/http://solo2.abac.com/themole/london_underground_song.htm London Underground Song Lyrics]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070821071738/http://www.backingblair.co.uk/london%5Funderground/ Flash animation of the song]
{{Authority control}}
Category:British comedy musical groups