Some very interesting tweets from author, Eric Idle have been doing the rounds recently!
Idle has revealed how much money rock bands and record labels have contributed to financing Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Idle tweeted that Led Zeppelin contributed £31,500, £21,000 came from Pink Floyd! While, Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson weighed in with £6,300 of his own money!
Adjusting for inflation, this would mean that in today’s money, Led Zeppelin’s investment would amount to £336,000, Pink Floyd’s would be worth £224,000. While Jethro Tull frontman Anderson’s investment would be worth £67,000.
Film producer Michael White (£78,750), Charisma Records (£5,250), Island Records (£21,000), Chrysalis Records (£6,300) and lyricist Tim Rice’s cricket team Heartaches (£5,250) all helped to finance the film too.
“We couldn’t afford horses”
Mr Idle also added in further posts on Twitter, that none of the financers visited the set since they were shooting in Scotland. Even with that much money “we couldn’t afford horses”, he joked.
He did say that Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Robert Plant attended the premiere of the film.
Idle did not specify how much money the film subsequently made, however he retweeted a post from a fan who claimed that it amounted to $175 million according to an internet search.
In this retweet, Idle also added, “(All of the financiers and Pythons) get a cut of the (Broadway adaption) Spamaot”.
Idle on George Harrison & Life Of Brian
Idle also pointed out the contribution made by Beatle George Harrison to another Python Life of Brian.
He phoned Harrison for help when EMI pulled their financial support for the Python films in 1979.
When asked by Idle, Harrison said “Done”. Python member Terry Gilliam said in his memoir that this was the first film to come from Harrison’s HandMade Films Company.
“Nobody wanted Brian except George Harrison”
Speaking in 2018, Eric Idle was also full of praise for Harrison.
He said, “Nobody wanted Brian except George (Harrison) who put up his money to it”. Adding, “We couldn’t have made it but for him mortgaging his house”.
Idle also added that Harrison made him feel better about being a member of Python.
Idle said, “Once I was moaning a little on Brian, saying it was hard to get onscreen with John Cleese and Michael Palin”.
According to the author, Harrison responded with, “Well imagine what it’s like trying to get studio time with Lennon and McCartney”.
He added, “I said ‘All right. Absolutely . Got it. OK. Check. I’ll shut up now”.
Eric concluded, “Then it occurred to me that yes, in fact, we were slightly the outsiders, playing similar roles in our groups”.
