source: The Independent<\/p>\n
By Emily Dugan<\/p>\n
Published: 26 September 2007
\nEver since he crossed the Atlantic and took American television by storm, Hugh Laurie has hardly been able to put a foot wrong. Once the darling of the British comedy circuit with his foppish and often intellectually challenged characters, Laurie has become a household name in the US, thanks to his award-winning role as the grumpy Dr Gregory House in the medical sitcom House.But Laurie has found new fame as the singer-cum-keyboardist in a celebrity-packed band that has taken the jet-set of Los Angeles, and iTunes, by storm.The group, which goes by the self-explanatory name of Band From TV, specialises in blues and soul covers and is fronted by some of the biggest names in US network television drama. Laurie\u2019s fellow band mates include the Desperate Housewives star James Denton on guitar and Greg Grunberg, known for his role as a mind-reading policeman in Heroes, who keeps rhythm on drums.<\/p>\n
The idea for the group started as a one-off gig for charity. But the band\u2019s recording of Cab Calloway\u2019s jazz classic \u201cMinnie the Moocher\u201d has taken iTunes by storm, out-selling not only original recordings of the song, but also all subsequent covers.<\/p>\n
They recently recorded tracks for the House soundtrack, which included a cover of the Rolling Stones song \u201cYou Can\u2019t Always Get What You Want\u201d. But it is \u201cMinnie The Moocher\u201d, which Laurie also played during an episode of the British cult comedy Jeeves and Wooster, that appears to have clinched their cult following. Laurie said that theirs was a \u201ca funky version\u201d of the blues track, adding: \u201cThere are about 50 versions of \u2018Minnie The Moocher\u2019 on iTunes and I\u2019m afraid to say ours is the most popular.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laurie, who began his acting career in Cambridge University\u2019s Footlights club and achieved UK success through British cult comedies such as Jeeves and Wooster and Blackadder, said that music success \u201cwas a real thrill\u201d. Still starry-eyed at the thought of being a temporary rock star, he noted that in their first concert they played alongside Yes, Fleetwood Mac and Macy Gray.<\/p>\n
The band has become an internet phenomenon, with more than 100,000 visitors to their MySpace site and thousands of enthusiasts logging on to view footage on YouTube. Earlier this month they played a blues and rock concert at the Emmys\u2019 after-party, with a guest appearance from the Desperate Housewives lead Teri Hatcher.<\/p>\n
Grunberg was originally asked to get together some television names for a charity concert at The House Of Blues. The gig was such a success that the actor was keen to keep it going. After meeting Laurie as a guest star on House, the pair got together with James Denton and Bob Guiney for another charity concert.<\/p>\n
The band\u2019s lead singers Bonnie Somerville and Guiney, are well-known in America, starring in the dramas Cashmere Mafia and The Bachelor. But they have yet to become household names in the UK.<\/p>\n
The \u2018house\u2019 band<\/p>\n
James Denton (Guitar)<\/p>\n
The plumber from Desperate Housewives, who ranked in People Magazine\u2019s 2004 list of the Sexiest Men Alive, showed surprising talent.<\/p>\n
Greg Grunberg (drums)<\/p>\n
The band\u2019s founder member plays the mind-reading supercop Matt Parkman in Heroes.<\/p>\n
Bonnie Somerville (vocals)<\/p>\n
The lead singer has had several minor roles in sitcoms, including walk-on parts in Friends, NYPD Blue and The OC. She is now acting alongside Lucy Liu in Cashmere Mafia.<\/p>\n
Bob Guiney (vocals)<\/p>\n
One of many \u201ccelebrities\u201d to be plucked from obscurity by reality television, Bob Guiney was The Bachelor in a series of the same name. Band From TV is a step up for the wannabe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
source: The Independent By Emily Dugan Published: 26 September 2007 Ever since he crossed the Atlantic and took American television by storm, Hugh Laurie has hardly been able to put a foot wrong. Once the darling of the British comedy circuit with his foppish and often intellectually challenged characters, Laurie has become a household name […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cast-crew"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p54TBn-8d","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":527,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=527","url_meta":{"origin":509,"position":0},"title":"Queen honours Hugh Laurie","author":"admin","date":"13 June 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Source: buddytv.com Actor Hugh Laurie has built an impressive career in the entertainment industry, and in May, he received another high recognition for his work. According to the Associated Press, the 48-year old actor was given membership to the Order of the British Empire, the first level in the British\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cast & Crew"","block_context":{"text":"Cast & Crew","link":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":853,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=853","url_meta":{"origin":509,"position":1},"title":"Blackadder The Third – 25th Anniversary","author":"admin","date":"17 September 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Today marks the 25th anniversary since Blackadder The Third was first aired on television. To celebrate this\u00a0momentous\u00a0 occasion, I will be wittering on about the series on BBC Radio Oxford today. Happy birthday Blacky!","rel":"","context":"In "Series"","block_context":{"text":"Series","link":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":466,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=466","url_meta":{"origin":509,"position":2},"title":"Blackadder TV retrospectives – dates confirmed","author":"admin","date":"13 September 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Blackadder: The Whole Rotten Saga Thursday 9 October 2008, GOLD \u2013 The story of the sitcom, featuring contributions by Richard Curtis, Ben Elton, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Tony Robinson, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Miriam Margolyes, Patsy Byrne and Brian Blessed. Blackadder\u2019s Most Cunning Moments Thursday 16 October 2008, GOLD \u2013\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Specials"","block_context":{"text":"Specials","link":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":823,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=823","url_meta":{"origin":509,"position":3},"title":"Baldrick wants a reunion but can’t afford a House","author":"admin","date":"26 March 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Original story: Daily ExpressTONY ROBINSON has revealed he wants to make a new Blackadder series but there\u2019s a drawback: \u201cWe can\u2019t afford Hugh Laurie\u2019s salary.\u201d The 65-year-old actor, who played Baldrick in the TV\u00a0comedy\u00a0for six years during the Eighties, told Day & Night that he has been longing for another\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cast & Crew"","block_context":{"text":"Cast & Crew","link":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1378,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=1378","url_meta":{"origin":509,"position":4},"title":"Sir Baldrick Hints At New Blackadder","author":"admin","date":"24 August 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Update: (24\/08\/15) I have just received confirmation from one of the creators of the series that this is just another one of those utter nonsense rumours that pop-up every year. It isn't happening folks.. Stand down, move along, there's nothing to see here. Original story: Another year, another Blackadder rumour\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Series"","block_context":{"text":"Series","link":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":638,"url":"https:\/\/www.blackadderhall.com\/?p=638","url_meta":{"origin":509,"position":5},"title":"Blackadder goes Biblical","author":"admin","date":"28 January 1998","format":false,"excerpt":"Daily Mirror - January 29th 1998. Blackadder Series 5 - Rowan returns as TV Edmund but now he\u2019s the 13th disciple of Jesus EXCLUSIVE By CHRIS HUGHES Funnyman Rowan Atkinson is bringing Blackadder back to life - as a scheming 13th disciple of Jesus. 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