http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Goon_Show

Found this Wikipedia entry on the Goon Show. I used to listen to 78 RPM records my dad had of the broadcasts when I was a kid. When I discovered Monty Python years later, I had a pretty good idea where they were coming from

Some of the history in the Wikipedia article is pretty interesting - especially the incident where Milligan tried to murder Sellers.

the Spike footage from Life of Brian is pretty awesome, definitely worth buying just for the commentary of that scene alone.

Hey Fred Armisen is talking about this very thing in this week's AV Club.

So THATs where the name Ned's Atomic Dustbin comes from!