The only drawback about going to a MUNGO JERRY gig is trying to find somewhere that's still open afterwards, to work off your excess energy. This reporter had the good fortune to be present at one such MUNGO gig in a dimly lit crowded and somewhat seedy establishment recently. You know, the kind of place that the management says has 'atmosphere', and the local health inspector calls it something else. Actually, it was the kind of place where this correspondent feels more or less at home.

Anyway, all human life was there; Mods, Rockers, Bikers, Hippies, Heavy Metal heads and every brand of punter in-between. Before RAY DORSET and his merry men took to the stage, each faction stood or sat apart, eyeing the other groups with suspicion, and wondered what it was they all had in common to be present together under one roof. The common denominator of course, was MUNGO JERRY. Too many bands nowadays make a career out of pondering to one or another fashion interest, thereby isolating themselves and burning their musical bridges behind them, so to speak.

MUNGO JERRY on the other hand are highly articulate musically, having explored all the avenues and side roads of rock'n roll, R'n B, traditional country and skiffle. This musical broadmindedness has enabled, RAY DORSET to mould the MUNGO philosophy of good-time music which is the cornerstone of rock'n roll. The band doesn't go in for dry ice, elaborate light shows or other stage props. They rely instead on the presence of, RAY DORSET and his ability to generate an instant party amongst any audience. After the first number, an honest ice-breaking rocker about birds, booze'n bikes, Ray asked us if we were having a good time? "We're gonna have a party here tonight," he assured the assembly before ripping into a hot rock'n roll set that had the bikers, mods and rockers on their feet.

The next set embraced country songs, stompers and a couple of great jug band numbers that had the hippies and the freaks looning about happily with their heavy metal counterparts. This band has a natural feel for this summery sound which tempts you to reach for the cider jug. The party was in full swing when some of the hits were belted out for good measure. The revellers at the front of the stage were invited to join Ray at the microphone in the chorus, which they did with great gusto. It was our party, orchestrated by a band who were enjoying themselves thoroughly. MUNGO were kept on stage for an encore that turned out to be almost as long as the scheduled gig. But all good things must come to an end, and even after the plug was pulled, there was still an abundance of buzz and electricity sparking around amongst the punters. Ray and the boys hung around laughing and joking with the revellers, and signed dozens of autographs.

MUNGO JERRY have been accused of not being a serious band by the self-appointed judges of the rock press. They are, however, serious about giving value for money, and they are very serious about getting everybody to have a good time. And they do this at every gig, every night. Speaking with RAY DORSET afterwards over a well earned pint, he told me that there are very few places on the planet that this band has not, or will not have visited shortly. Having been told the staggering itinerary that this band is about to undertake on their forthcoming tour, I imagine that the only place that they won't have gigged will be at the North Pole!

I wonder what the Eskimos would make of 'IN THE SUMMERTIME'?

In retrospect, JOE RUSH was more responsible for the success of, MUNGO JERRY than any other member of the band, even though he had left before the first single was recorded. I met Joe when I went to work at a company called RGS Ltd (Radio Control Specialists) in Hounslow West, early in 1965. Joe was a jazz and blues fanatic, and at work we would talk about the music that was played by pirate radio DJ, MIKE RAVEN on his Radio 390 show - LEADBELLY, BLIND LEMON JEFFERSON, SLEEPY JOHN ESTES, etc. I had been interested in early jazz since my father had a habit of messing around with our old radio until he came across some kind of music that he liked, mainly New Orleans jazz, swing, blues and boogie, or maybe he would pick up the then low-powered and crackly Radio Luxembourg and get some early rock'n roll, but then we didn't know what it was called.

Joe was playing double bass with a guy who did a lot of parties and weddings and he asked me to come along and add a bit of the rock'n roll element. We got asked to do a lot more of his jobs together, as the younger crowd at the parties always got off on my rock'n roll and R'n B stuff. On the rock numbers, Joe would stand on his bass and pull off his tricks, just like BILL HALEY's bass player. I was playing in the, SWEET AND SOUR BAND then, a three piece with, DAVE HUTCHINS on bass and ROGER EARL on drums. We were playing a lot of my songs and some of the well known blues and R'n B stuff with an occasional bit of feedback guitar. I guess that this line-up was influenced by the success of, CREAM. We had supported, ERIC CLAPTON at the Attic Club in Hounslow and I lent Eric a plectrum in the toilet. Another then claim to fame, I had once before lent a jack lead to ROY YOUNG, (keyboards and backing vocals with CLIFF BENNETT AND THE REBEL ROUSERS). We had supported them at Hounslow Town Hall.

Joe left RCS and got a job at the research lab at the Timex plant in Bedfont, Middlesex, where two former RCS technicians were in charge of the lab. Timex had signed an agreement not to poach any more RCS workers, but Joe gave me a call just at a time when I needed to move on. One, because I needed more money and two, because my boss was tired of all the calls that I was getting at work for gigs. And so I started work at the Timex lab and did some gigs with Joe. Joe was selling his maisonette in Bedfont for £4,350 and I offered to buy it, which I did. He moved into a house just round the corner. He got a washboard sent down from Scotland by the Timex personnel manager when he went to visit the Timex plant in Dundee. It was this that led to the skiffle sessions in the lunch breaks, and at the Duke Of Northumberland pub, where I asked Colin if he would like to join us that the MUNGO music began. Joe's record collection was also beneficial to me and the band's sound, as he introduced me to many, LEADBELLY and jug band tracks that I did not have. By the way, at Timex, Joe also made my harmonica harness, the one that I used on the festivals in 1970 and on the first recordings.

Colin and Joe got on well together, they had similar interests. They were both good artists, they liked classic sports cars, they were keen fishermen, they shared a love of the blues and no bullshit music. They had similar opinions on politics which leaned towards the social side, although Colin always seemed more materialistic than Joe.

Through working with many musicians and going through the traumatic times of the mid-70's and into the 80's, my musical direction and performing were in disarray, and when I got the call from Joe to join him for some casual playing in Brittany (Easter 1986), I re-discovered the knack that have for performing in an infectious style. The gigs that I did with Joe in France gave me the inspiration to write new songs, e.g; 'RED LEATHER AND CHROME', 'GOT A JOB', 'ONE MAN ONE MISSION', and dig up old ones. The version of, 'JESSE JAMES' on the, 'SNAKEBITE' LP, less the sing-a-long la-la-la, is pretty similar to the one that I played as an 11 year old in my first skiffle group. MICK FRAMPTON came on the first trips to Brittany and joined in the playing at the Balleye Bar in Quiberon. He was then my roadie but trying to play a few instruments, mainly bass guitar.

We tried some jug band music/skiffle out in some pubs in Southampton with him playing percussion and it worked. Then when bass player, RAY DAVIES could not make it on a short Scottish tour, Mick was coaxed into playing bass and it worked. I realised that the more I put my own stamp on the performance and the more simple the backing musicians kept it, the better the music went down.

Joe will always be one of my biggest friends and inspiration. He married in France (where he still lives) in 1990 so as he and his wife could adopt boat children, which is typical of the man, great guy, great musician!

RAY DORSET, August 1990 - ©. 1990 A & F Publications/Mungo Jerry Ltd.