May 1970, where were you? It was a time I remember well, I was sixteen years of age, I had been working for a year, had an apprenticeship, went to college on a day release. My favourite football team - EVERTON, were the newly crowned league champions of England. Life was lookin' good and feelin' fine. Unbeknown to me, a group that were going to be a major part of my life were starring at a festival less than a hundred miles from me. Over the years, I have seen MUNGO live many times yet sadly never in the opening couple of years, and just as sadly for me, not for the last couple of years either. My thanks go out to RAY DORSET and anyone who has twanged a MUNGO guitar, tinkled an ivory, or thumped a bass drum, the pleasure has been all mine.

DEREK WADESON.

It was in the first months of the 70's, and I was a teenager who at times felt so miserable, that it makes MORRISSEY look like BENNY HILL by comparison. I just had my very first wireless, tuned to a local pirate station all the time, and it was there and then that I first heard a MUNGO JERRY record. It was different, it was fresh, played to death too, and it simply made me feel better. How can you be depressed when the sun is shining, and 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' is playing? When finally, the magic of 'SUMMERTIME' faded, 'MAGGIE' was released as a single over here, and it all began again. Since then, many a MUNGO record has helped me keep my spirits up, even when everything else has failed to do so...Well done MR.DORSET...

MUNGO JERRY has been around for some 20 years now. The band has released a vast amount of material, especially here on the continent. RAY DORSET & MUNGO JERRY have played and recorded music in many styles, from skiffle to disco and rock, but a MUNGO JERRY song is always instantly recognisable as one. Often, it is musically more complex than one would expect at first hearing. Sometimes, the lyrics go a lot deeper than one would expect from a MUNGO JERRY record, and admittedly; Sometimes one wishes that RAY DORSET would have worked just a little harder to make the lyrics a bit stronger. He sang about 'LONG LEGGED WOMEN', about the effects of nuclear war, about life in an impoverished industrial town. He wrote and recorded some remarkably good introspective songs, and the end, still is not in sight. Still the songs RAY DORSET & MUNGO JERRY bring us, can and do make us feel better.

What more needs to be said?

FRANZ VAN DE POL, HOLLAND.

One sunny afternoon in early June, 1970, I heard 'Fluff'Freeman play 'IN THE SUMMERTIME'. I was hooked, this good time, no nonsense music was what I'd been waiting for. I had to buy this record, but it took two trips to the record shop because this new style maxi-single was more expensive. At last someone wanted to have fun making music, and has there ever been a better summertime record? There were other treats in store when I bought MUNGO's first album, this great music came in different styles. MUNGO's music stands the test of time, because the songs still appeal to people who like to have a good time...which I certainly do!

Keep On Rockin'

MUNGO playing in my home town? Great! At long last! I have only seen them twice before. Once in 1977 at Dundee University, when COLIN EARL was still there, and in 1994 when I had to leave after 5 or 6 songs as I had an early shift the next day. I left while 'SUGAR IN THE BOWL' was being played. It's my favourite song too!

So, it was fantastic to think that Ray and the lads were actually appearing in a place where I could see the whole show. I then learned that they were on a bill with THE RUBETTES, MARMALADE and THE TREMELOES. No disrespect to them but, THE RUBETTES are not really in the same league as MUNGO JERRY to me. Then I saw a flyer for the show and realised that THE RUBETTES were to top the bill. Eh! Where would that leave MUNGO? Surely, they weren't to open the show for the other three?

Anyway, come the night off, I went to the hall with my wife, who has only a slight interest in MUNGO, (despite being constantly exposed to their music). First on were...MARMALADE, who were quite good, actually quite rocky.

Then came THE TREMELOES. Not my cup of tea, unfortunately but quite good harmonies (for their age). That must be why they wore tight leather trousers. Certainly gave the women beside me (not the wife, honest) a lot to giggle over.

Then came the intermission, and after that, it was obviously MUNGO JERRY who came on. They began with 'LONG LEGGED WOMAN DRESSED IN BLACK' which went down really well with the crowd. From there, they just kept building the audience up with, 'LADY ROSE', 'RED LEATHER & CHROME', 'MIGHTY MAN', 'ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT', and then RAY DORSET played the harp start to 'SUGAR IN THE BOWL' but instead of playing my favourite song, they did 'OH! SUSANNAH'. They also played a great version of TINA TURNER's, (no relation) 'NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS' and an absolutely terrific, 'GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY'.

All too soon, they were finished and THE RUBETTES were on. I thought it was okay, but only really enjoyed their soul music medley. Oh! And the acapella, 'AFTER THE GOLDRUSH'. So, I had a great night out and MUNGO were excellent! Even my wife said that they were the best band on, and were very good. I couldn't see any of the band in the vestibule area, which was a great pity as I had built up the courage to actually speak to them!

I'm really looking forward to the next tour and also the 'CANDY DREAMS' album.

STUART TURNER, PERTH.

I went to see MUNGO JERRY for only the third time the other week. The first time was in 1972 with the 'BOOT POWER' line-up, the second was the St.Helens Charity Gig. This time, it was part of THE RUBETTES 'SILVER ANNIVERSARY TOUR'.

They were the third group on, after MARMALADE and THE TREMELOES. Straight on and into, 'LONG LEGGED WOMAN', followed by 'LADY ROSE' and 'ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT'. Their spot was supposed to last half an hour, but it nearly ended up as fifty minutes, as Ray and the band rocked through, 'RED LEATHER & CHROME' and 'ROCK'N ROLL', slowing things down to preview a new song from the new album. I think that it was called, 'I NEED YOU', (probably 'WITH A GIRL LIKE YOU') and sounded very good.

'IN THE SUMMERTIME' had the crowd on their feet followed by ten minutes of 'NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS', 'GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY' and anything else Ray fancied singing. A brilliant set, in which Ray put everything he had into the short time allowed, unlike others who played as though they had just turned up for the money! It left me looking forward to the next time MUNGO's in town!

KEITH MANN, BRADFORD.

I went to see Ray and the band at St. Albans, The London Palladium and at Fairfield Hall, Croydon and they were brilliant evenings!

My sister bought me the MUNGO 'HAVING FUN IN THE SUN' t-shirt, which was great. Ray and the boys knew that I was at all of them, 'cos I kept screaming like a lovesick teenager. I am 36 years old with two kids! It's great to be young again!

I'm booking up to go to Butlins, Bognor - November 17th-20th - for the 70's weekend. Yeah! You've guessed it, I'm only going for Ray and the lads, and I'm looking forward to being young again - (ha,ha)!

DEE VINCENT-SMITH, HERTS.