FANZINE#10
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POLL RESULTS
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Many fans have written to me asking what had happened to the results of the MUNGO JERRY poll, first mentioned in issue 6. Voting was a little slow and it has taken some time to get enough votes in to make it worthwhile. I thought though, that it was time to put this one to bed. The results were: BEST MUNGO JERRY SONG 1) MY GIRL & ME
2) LADY ROSE & GET DOWN ON YOUR BABY
3)LONG LEGGED WOMAN DRESSED IN BLACK & HOW CAN I LIVE A LIE
4) COMING BACK TO YOU WHEN THE TIME COMES
5) 46 & ON
6) IN THE SUMMERTIME All of the above received more than one vote but there were many others that gained one vote only, such as 'MARGUERITA', 'SUGAR IN THE BOWL', 'HELLO NADINE', 'SIMPLE THINGS', 'MAGGIE', 'IT'S A SECRET', 'NORTHCOTE ARMS', 'DUST PNEUMONIA BLUES' and 'MIGHTY MAN. WORST MUNGO JERRY SONG A bit of a dodgy category it seems, with only one song getting more than one vote. It is actually two songs I suppose - 'CAN'T GET TO YOU' from the 'RAY DORSET & MUNGO JERRY' album, and with a new title and lyrics from the much sought after cassette, 'SOUL PARTY' - 'I'M NOT SUPERMAN'. There were plenty of others again receiving just one vote but as I would have to chop down another rain forest to list them all, I'll not bother. Some of the better ones were for 'OPEN UP', (the original), any dance mix of 'IN THE SUMMERTIME', and one great answer - NONE! BEST ALBUM The strangest thing with this one was that there wasn't a single vote for MUNGO JERRY's second album, 'ELECTRONICALLY TESTED'. The final positions were; 1) MUNGO JERRY (1st album)
2) YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE ARMY
3) SNAKEBITE
4) IMPALA SAGA
5) LOVIN'IN THE ALLEYS, FIGHTIN'IN THE STREETS
6) BOOT POWER
7) TOGETHER AGAIN MUNGO JERRY and YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE ARMY polled over half of the votes between them with the debut album just shading it by a single vote. BEST LINE-UP Apart from one vote for the current line-up, only two line-ups of MUNGO JERRY from over the years received any votes at all. The 'original', and by that I mean - RAY DORSET, PAUL KING, COLIN EARL, JOE RUSH, and MIKE COLE/JOHN GODFREY - took almost 75% of the votes with the line-up from the 'SNAKEBITE' period of - RAY DORSET, TIM GREEN, STEVE JONES, JAMEI ROBERTS/SIMON BAKER and LES CALVERT taking second spot. I was personally a bit surprised that the 1974 line-up - RAY DORSET/MIDDLETON/DAISLEY/BIDWELL/MILNE - didn't feature in the final reckoning. They didn't get to record much together but were a cracking live outfit. 
FAVOURITE YEAR Again, no surprises as 1971 was the clear winner taking exactly half the votes. Almost every year gained a vote but only 1970 received more than one. BEST PAUL KING SONG HEY ROSALYN from the 'YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE ARMY' LP was voted tops in this section after taking 25% of the votes. My own choice was for a B-side of Paul's from the 70's, 'NOBODY KNOWS' - brilliant! One of those songs that I never tire of hearing. The top ten is; 1) HEY ROSALYN
2) LITTLE LOUIS
3) HOUDINI
4) LIVE FOR TODAY
5) SATURDAY MATINEE
6) SUGARCANE
7) THE MAN BEHIND THE PIANO
8) TRAMP
9) 3 DOG NIGHT
10) MOVIN'ON |
'JERRY JUG & JOE - VOL.2
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I was wary about buying this tape. I've been a fan for years, decades even, and I certainly don't want to bite the hand that gives me so much pleasure (sic) but some of the tapes I have bought have been of very poor quality. Ever the optimist, and in view of the non-release (so far) of the new MUNGO JERRY CD's, needs must and I have to have my fix of MJ for this year. Hopefully, these CD's will be released later. So here goes...(starts tape)..
Well all my fears over the sound quality are immediately dispelled as it is of a very good standard. The percussion sounds really crisp and RAY DORSET's voice is very clear and easily heard, unlike the 'Processed Pea' tape. The show was recorded about ten years ago and Ray is joined by JOE RUSH and MICK FRAMPTON, both playing assorted percussion instruments. First up is a standard version of 'MIDNIGHT SPECIAL', quickly followed by a very fine, 'SAN FRANCISCO BAY BLUES', which has no kazoo (thank goodness). 'HAVE A WHIFF ON ME' sounds a wee bit strange without any piano but it is well received by what sounds like a very sparse crowd. Was this recorded at a pub?
The tape continues with 'LET'S WORK TOGETHER', 'O'REILLY', DONOVAN'S, 'HEY GYP', (mistitled on the insert), 'JEAN HARLOW', a slowed down 'JESSE JAMES' and BOB DYLAN'S, 'BABY GIVE ME ONE MORE CHANCE'. Then a type of song which MUNGO JERRY don't do often enough, a slow blues called 'GOING DOWN SLOW'. I know this show was taped 10 years ago but if the proposed new MUNGO blues album has some slow blues like this or 'ST.PETES FLORIDA BLUES' on it, then it will be excellent. Side one ends with WOODY GUTHRIE'S, 'DUST PNEUMONIA BLUES' and Ray has got the crowd joining in by now.
The other side then...and 'WE SHALL BE FREE' from the fourth Dawn maxi-single, which also had JOE RUSH on the
original. He is playing particularly well here. Next up is, 'WE'RE IN THE SAME BOAT', which has some slight distortion at the start but is another previously unreleased song. JIMMY REED'S, 'YOU GOT ME DIZZY' replicates the writers style well, LEADBELLY'S, 'HA-HA THIS-A-WAY' and Ray's own 'MY FRIEND', both sound great, various voices from the crowd joining in on the
latter's chorus. The traditional slave song, 'MEETING AT THE BUILDING' with some good snare drumming leads into 'THAT OLD DUST STORM' from the 'YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE ARMY' album.
Straight into a very good version of WILLIE DIXON'S, 'I JUST WANNA MAKE LOVE TO YOU', not the extended arrangement from 'ELECTRONICALLY TESTED' but a shorter one without the 'freedom' chanting bit. The songs are coming quick and fast now, 'LET'S ROLL BABY' carries on at much the same tempo and the small crowd joins in briefly. The rockabilly song, 'TING-A-LING' gets the standard MUNGO JERRY treatment. Stomping again into the final few songs, 'SOMEBODY STOLE MY WIFE', 'MAGGIE' and finally, 'WALKING THE DOG' take us to the abrupt ending.
It is great to hear a complete (?) MUNGO JERRY gig in such fine sound quality although the "recording was rough and ready" to quote the sleeve for 'BABY JUMP'. I don't know how much rehearsal there had been but sometimes I thought the percussion was going in a different way from what Ray was doing! Yes, I know MUNGO JERRY is more about the feel and mood of the music rather than the precise performing of it, but thankfully this minor complaint doesn't affect my enjoyment of the tape much.
If you have taken time to read this fanzine, then I would certainly recommend that you but this tape - you will enjoy it! Let's hope that there are other good quality live tapes in existence and that they too are made available. God knows, MUNGO JERRY are worth listening to! STUART TURNER, PERTH. |
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Saturday 25th May and I am driving along the M25 on a Bank Holiday weekend. There can only be one reason for this and it is the same reason why some seven weeks previous, I was driving along the A11 to Snetterton on Easter Monday - to see MUNGO JERRY. It was only a chance telephone call to Alan Taylor that I found out the band were playing at the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green. On arrival, I discovered the reason, the act that was due to be there called off. This was fortunate for two reasons, firstly it meant that MUNGO were playing and secondly it meant that regular attendees of the Country Club were not going to be exposed to Cowboys La Cage, an act described as "a most unusual all male revue of female impersonators". I'm not sure that 'all male' is the correct description and I certainly wonder what Ray thinks about standing in for a gaggle of drag artists.
At about 11.05, the band came on and opened up with 'SOMEBODY STOLE MY WIFE'. The line-up was the usual recent one comprising; MICK FRAMPTON, PAUL NEWTON, BYRON AND PLATO CONTOSTAVLOS but for this occasion was bolstered by TIM GREEN. Not only was this rather pleasing as Tim certainly adds depth to the sound of the band, but it was also rather fortunate given that Ray's guitar lead had a loose connection which caused a temporary hiccup during one number and Tim managed to fill in while running repairs were carried out.
The set the band played was the same as at Snetterton. It includes that all time favourite, 'IN THE SUMMERTIME', but with MICK FRAMPTON adding a rap style verse or two. Mick's impersonation (fortunately not in drag) of SHAGGY'S is excellent and it adds a contemporary dimension to the song. Mick is obviously taking this singing role seriously, as he has even had his hair dyed black to make him appear more like SHAGGY. Let's hope that a copy of this version features on a future fan club cassette. Another highlight was the song, 'DON'T YOU ROCK ME DADDY'O'. Many of you will have heard this on the 'LIVE AT THE PEA' tape. I don't know what the origins of this song are but to me, it is as infectious as 'SUGAR IN THE BOWL', and by this stage of the evening, the majority of the
audience were dancing and rocking away.
PLATO, MICK, RAY, PAUL, BYRON. The set finished with another familiar piece, 'NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS'. Again, it would be nice for this to feature on a future fan club tape. MUNGO rocked the night away and as you would expect, most if not all punters returned home happier than when they arrived. I for one always look forward to the next gig. I dream of the night, when the KING EARL BOOGIE BAND or SKELETON CREW play on the same bill as MUNGO with both bands getting together at the end for a real stomping session. I'm sure that many of you would also hope that Ray et al can make this dream become a reality. BRYAN MALLYON. |