Snout Baron

Snout Baron is a term which will be immediately familiar to viewers of Porridge, which starred Ronnie Barker who died yesterday, but strangely it was not any of the Barker obituaries or tributes which threw this term up at me today, but this headline in today's Guardian.

'Snout' is, amongst other things, English slang, originally for tobacco but also used for a cigarette. In prison where tobacco, by its scarcity, is a form of currency someone who controls the market, and thereby has a lot of power amongst the prisoners is often called a 'snout baron'.

The most famous example of a snout baron is 'genial' Harry Grout in Porridge, played by Peter Vaughan. (Trivia time: although he was one of the most memorable characters from Porridge, he actually only appeared in 3 episodes)

Using the term to describe Kenneth Clarke, who famously has a sideline working for British American Tobacco is just inspired. Doin that in the week he is out trying to impress the Tory party in an attempt to become their leader is downright cruel.

But what a great name for a band!

The Snout Barons sounds even better than The Soup Dragons (another name influenced by British TV). It would suit a band with a down-the-pub sort of image. A band a bit like The Ordinary Boys perhaps.