Brian Pern

Aging prog rocker and frontman of the 1970s group Thotch, in several short BBC television series in mockumentary format:

• The Life of Rock, with Brian Pern February 2014
• Brian Pern: A Life in Rock December 2014
• Brian Pern: 45 Years of Prog and Roll January 2016.
• Brian Pern: A Tribute March 29, 2017 (one-off)

Over the course of the various serieseses, Pern reunites his band, tries to stage a jukebox musical (Stowe Boys), tries to stage his rock opera The Day of the Triffids (based on the sci-fi novel of the same name), records a Christmas album to raise money for bi-polar polar bears, plays festivals, releases an autobiography, avoids his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and finally dies in a Segway accident.

Played by Simon Day, the character is a parody of real prog rocker turned pop star Peter Gabriel.

He experimented with many different genres after going solo, releasing the albums Digital Dance Floor and Spirit Level.