So you've been a 'JERRY JUNKIE' or a 'MUNGOMANIAC' for some time, bought all the records, joined the fan club, acquired all the limited edition fan club tapes, bought 'BEYOND THE SUMMERTIME' and read it 'til the pages have come loose (whadda'ya mean you borrowed someone else's sodding copy?), and listened to nearly everything the band and its constituent members, past and present, have ever done. What do you do now? (Apart from feeding the cat and washing up?) Is your appetite whetted for discovering the original blues artists and others - LEADBELLY, ROBERT JOHNSON, LONNIE DONEGAN, et al. - who inspired Ray and friends in the first place? You've already done so? Oh! Well, what about other acts of the last 30-odd years, who - um, sound like MUNGO? We in the palatial mansions (sorry, cupboard) that comprise the MUN-GO FOR IT offices think these acts qualify in some way or other. But we are open to suggestions for any more. DON PARTRIDGE The original 60's one man band, Britain's answer to JESSE FULLER, Don was discovered busking in London in 1967. A contract with EMI, a recording session which allegedly cost only a few pounds (compare that with the studio bills for SGT.PEPPER, that same year), and 'ROSIE', one of his compositions was the result. It reached No.4, Don played acoustic guitar, harmonica, kazoo, and a buskers drum kit - bass drum strapped to back and operated by elbow, foot cymbals, etc - all at once. He had another Top 10 hit that summer, 'BLUE EYES', in similar style, and recorded an album released in September including trad' blues numbers like, 'CANDY MAN', 'THE ST.JAMES INFIRMARY' and 'KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF HER' (three years before MJ recorded it on the 'Army' LP) as well as his own compositions, and standards like 'DOCK OF THE BAY', some with additional session musicians. Don only had one more Top 30 hit, 'BREAKFAST ON PLUTO', the following year, and a few singles flopped - check out 'GOING TO GERMANY', later recorded by the KING EARL BOOGIE BAND - but has continued to busk on the streets ever since. Now pushing on 50, he lives in Brixham, makes his own wine, and if a local newspaper interview a year or so ago is to be believed, is still a very contented man. BRETT MARVIN AND THE THUNDERBOLTS Led by JOHN LEWIS, this combo played an endearing blend of mainly acoustic blues and skiffle ideally suited to the pub crowd in the late 60's and early 70's. Like MJ, they eschewed drums in favour of the more homely zob-stick, which was cheaper (you could construct one yourself - I'm sure 'Blue Peter' must have showed the nation one they made earlier), and took up a fraction of the space a Premier kit required. Their greatest claim to fame was 'SEASIDE SHUFFLE', released under the moniker of TERRY DACTYL AND THE DINOSAURS, a 1971 flop single rescued by JONATHAN KING and re-issued on his UK label the following year. A No.2 hit and endless MJ comparisons followed. BRETT MARVIN & CO are probably still gigging somewhere, with different personnel (cf.The Supremes, The Drifters and 500 others), but front man JOHN LEWIS, a.k.a JONA LEWIE, signed to Stiff in the late 70's and had hits with, 'KITCHEN AT PARTIES' and 'STOP THE CAVALRY'. A better indication of his MUNGO sound-a-like tendencies can be sampled from the 1978 single 'THE BABY', 'SHE'S ON THE STREET', with its jaunty boogie piano and kazoo break. THE BLUES BAND Formed by PAUL JONES, DAVE KELLY, TOM McGUINNESS, GARY FLETCHER and HUGHIE FLINT (later replaced by ROB TOWNSEND) in the late 70's, they made some superb albums which sold in modest quantities, before they called it a day in 1982, decided how much they missed it (i.e. the gig money), and got back together again. All of them had their roots in the blues and beat boom, and it shows - a bunch of guys who perhaps don't need to get up on stage night after night, but do so simply because they still get a buzz out of the boogie. McGUINNESS and FLINT were the nucleus of the sadly short-lived early 70's band of that name (if not the creative heart; that accolade went to GALLAGHER & LYLE) - check out the good-time singles 'WHEN I'M DEAD AND GONE' and 'MALT AND BARLEY BLUES'. THE MIXTURES Aussie combo who covered 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' in 1970 and sold well with it overseas, then came up with 'THE PUSHBIKE SONG', instantly panned in the press as a MUNGO rip-off. All the same, it peaked at No.2 in the UK early in 1971, held at bay only by 'BABY JUMP'. A few follow-up singles, in less MJ mode, attracted some Radio 1 airplay but flopped. MJ said they were 'flattered' by 'PUSHBIKE' and Ray recorded it years later by way of, um...tribute, his version appearing on 'ALL THE HITS PLUS MORE' in 1990. THE IDLE RACE Seminal cult late 60's Brummie band, who struggled gamely for a time after leader JEFF LYNNE quit to join THE MOVE and help launch E.L.O. They covered 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' as a single in 1970, released it only in the U.S, and made an album, 'TIME WAS' on Regal Zonophone. A Raven Records (Aus) album compilation of IDLE RACE material from the Lynne-led days dismisses 'TIME WAS' in the sleeve notes as sounding "more like MUNGO JERRY than original Race, and is without merit", (honestly, some people have no taste). We have yet to find anybody who owns a copy of this ultra-price disc, which attracts a price tag of around £30-£40 upwards. A suitable case for reissue by anyone who can get access to the master tapes or a mint copy. Coincidentally, DAVE WALKER, who replaced JEFF LYNNE on lead vocals, later joined SAVOY BROWN. RINGO STARR & CLIFF RICHARD Both these veteran rockers used kazoo on singles in the early 70's, Cliff on 'LIVING IN HARMONY' (No.12 in 1972, easily his most successful single during what was a barren time for him chartwise); JOHN PEEL commented approvingly in a 'Disc & Music Echo' on the 'MUNGO JERRIFICATION' of the arrangement. Ringo drafted PAUL McCARTNEY to play mouth sax on 'YOU'RE SIXTEEN' (No.7 in 1974). The only thing they forgot was to invite BARRY MURRAY to produce them. THE INSIDERS 'Whole-hoggin R'n B' proclaimed the music press ads on the 'What's On' pages in 1980 from a band who played the London pub circuit. They also released a single on the Satellite label, 'ROLLIN' AND STROLLIN'/'SHE HAD TO GO'. But it didn't take long for punters to suss out why they sounded like MUNGO. The front man looked uncommonly like RAY DORSET. And he even copied his voice. Blow me down pal, it was RAY! End of incognito. DEPECHE MODE Overheard at a recording studio some months ago. "'Ere, you seen that 'Crying Game' then?" "Oh yeah! It's got that song on the soundtrack, the one about, Baby, baby, baby what'cha doing to me." "Yeah, that's it. The one with the riff that goes, Da-da-da-da, Da-da-da, ennit?" "Tell you what, why don't we make up our own words. Get the tape rollin'will you? (Starts intoning tunelessly 'I FEEEEE-EEEEL YOU'). Think anyone will notice?" "Nah! Sounds like a hit to me, but then our fans will buy any crap we sling out, won't they?" "Well they have for the last ten years..." JOHN VAN DER KISTE.