Current band member, MICK FRAMPTON's interview with the fan club was featured in issue 13, in April 1998. Read his thoughts on Ray and playing some of his early gigs with JOE RUSH!

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND?

I was born on the 7th of August 1959 in Germany of Anglo/Irish parents, I went to school all over the world. My father was in the British Army. When he finished his 25 years, he decided to live in the South Of England, near Southampton.

HOW DID YOU COME TO JOIN MUNGO JERRY?

In 1984, I was at a party in town, very drunk, when somebody asked me to drive some amps to a gig the next day. I said, yes, no problem! When I arrived at The Cartoon Club, in Croydon, posters for MUNGO JERRY were everywhere. This was the first time I met RAY DORSET. I set up the gear, drums, amps, tuned instruments and got beer for the band - GLEN LEE (drummer), DAVE MITCHELL (axe), RAY DAVIES (bass). When the show was over, RAY DORSET ('Mungo'), asked me to become the permanent roadie, I said yes, and that started the long and good friendship I have had with 'Mungo'. The long road of learning to set up the equipment, amps and P.A gear, in and out of the van, to and from the gigs, picking everybody up, and taking them home again had started.

DID RAY REALLY TEACH YOU TO PLAY BASS ON THE WAY TO A GIG?

Once when I was collecting the band, RAY DAVIES said he was ill and could not go. Ray decided that I would have to take his place....aaarrgh!!! Ray taught me the bass guitar on the way up to Scotland in the back of the van. I had never played before, but Ray was calm and patient when teaching the basics. My first time on stage was a 'three pairs of underpants' gig! It was fantastic, not my playing, but the adulation of the crowd. I was totally hooked, I wanted more and got it...for the next sixteen years!

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER OF THE JUG GIGS WITH JOE RUSH IN THE 1980's?

Ray invited me to France to holiday with him and his family, while there we were also to play as a jug band in the local pubs and clubs. This was the first time that I had met JOE RUSH, the funniest man that I have ever met. Nobody else I know orders a beer over the microphone whilst Ray is singing. A typical day was spent on the beach, eating oysters and drinking sparkling cider. Driving to the gig at our leisure , arriving maybe three hours early (unknown for Dorset!), the owner would lay on food and drink and the atmosphere was casual and informal. If you have heard the tape of 'MUNGO IN BRITTANY', you will hear that Ray made up many new songs on that tour, 'RED LEATHER AND CHROME' springs to mind. It was brilliant!!!

THE GIGS WITH NICK & JOHN WREN WERE EXCELLENT, WHAT ABOUT THEM?

The next band line-up was the Wren twins, John and Nick, with LES CALVERT on bass. Nick played the keyboard synth like a guitar. This added a whole new modern sound for me. The brothers were from London, which was a pain in the arse to collect them from, but they more than made up for it with the bribes that they paid me.

WHAT ABOUT RAY HIMSELF?

RAY DORSET is a bit like a snake charmer, Sharman, a voodoo puppet master, he makes the crowd do exactly what he wants. He makes girls cry, and grown men fight. At the end of it all, he bows, he smiles and he says goodnight...don't expect to stay in your seat at a MUNGO gig!

WHAT IS PLANNED FOR '98?

In the new year, we are going to record a live jug band album with a surprising line-up for all MUNGO JERRY fans. Some faces from the past that was thought would never record with Ray again. Ray has been working behind the scenes with Satellite Artists to raise the profile of the band in new territories, such as Russia, Latvia and Lithuania. Things are looking good!

DID YOU HAVE MUCH INPUT ON 'CANDY DREAMS'?

I've done some recording with Ray on the new album, backing vocals, percussion and having a great time. I was also there when TIM GREEN did a marathon recording session for the album. Fifty-five guitar overdubs! I helped choose the styles he played in such as George Benson, Carlos Santana. We were in the studio for twenty hours and after listening to the album, it was worth it! The current line-up - Byron, Plato and Paul, the three chaps from London, Tim from Berlin, Ray from Bournemouth and me from Romsey, works good for me.

WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS OUTSIDE MUNGO?

When I'm not playing in the band, and I'm not baking exceedingly good cakes, I'm rebuilding my house and renovating my old classic cars. A Ford Anglia 1966 and a Vauxhall Viva 1970. When I'm not doing this, I'm cooking for my girlfriend. People ask me why I do the cooking at home and tell them...she burns water!!! They think I'm joking but I'm not! I'm also learning to use the computer but none of it gives me a thrill like playing on stage with MUNGO JERRY!

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE MUNGO SONGS?

My top three MUNGO songs are, 'ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT', 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' and 'SNOW BOUND FRIEND' (not one that Ray has recorded although he should, or that he's played on stage more than once because he hasn't). It's a STEPPENWOLF song I heard Ray play once in France and I can't forget it.

DO YOU THINK THAT RAY IS A GOOD MUSICIAN?

Do I think Ray is a good musician? Come to the gigs and decide for yourselves!

Mick left the band shortly after the 2003 gigs in Newcastle Under-Lyme, in slightly mysterious circumstances as he just seemed to vanish, but re-surfaced again at one of the gigs at Mr.Kyps during 2006, and thanks to Ray who put us in touch again, we were able to have another chat with 'Miki' who filled us in on what he has been up to...

YOU LEFT THE BAND, I THINK IT MUST HAVE BEEN AROUND 2003, ARE THE REASONS WHY YOU LEFT SOMETHING YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT?

Well if I said 'somebody stole my wife', that would not be far from the truth, I went a bit nutty and packed the van, caught the Irish ferry, landed on my Uncles door step and started a new adventure.

YOU’VE BEEN IN AND AROUND MUNGO JERRY FOR QUITE A TIME, IT MUST HAVE BEEN HARD TO GIVE IT UP?

One of the hardest things I've ever done and I miss it. Who wouldn't?

YOU MOVED OVER TO IRELAND, WHERE ARE YOU LIVING?

I live in a small country town in the fair county of Kilkenny, a place called Callan, seven miles outside of Kilkenny City. If you watch the film called 'Breakfast On Pluto', with LIAM NEESON, KILIAN MURPHY (Red Eye, Batman The Begining), most of it was shot in Callan. If you watch carefully in the car bomb scene, you'll see me, I was an extra. The opening shot starts with a long shot of the main street.

IT MUST BE GREAT OUT THERE?

Never a dull moment, if you stay at home a lot, you don't do a lot, but if you go out you get plenty of craice (crack)!

PLENTY OF GUINNESS?

Plenty..and 'Jack'..but the best is a pint bottle of cider with a glass of ice.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR WORK, ARE YOU STILL INVOLVED WITH CARS, ETC?

Never out of work as a mechanic, I work in Kilkenny at James Travis garage, it's a small family run place . We work on any make of car from Porche's to BMW's, to Fiat's.

AND WHAT ABOUT MUSIC, ARE YOU KEEPING YOUR HAND IN?

well once you've been 'MUNGO-ED'. I didn't play for ages then drunk, I got up in my local and sang with the local band, a rough 'KNOCKING ON HEAVENS DOOR'. Then the band said, "do you know any other songs"? "Erm, yeah", got an acoustic then later I was asked to play for the Irish Wheelchair Association, with people from bands like, HORSLIPS (JOHNNY FEAN), THE DAVE PRIM BLUES REVUE, MIAMI SHOWBAND, STEVE TRAVERS, YVONNE MORIARTY, PAUL PIGOTT AND THE RAVENS, THE BUMBLEBEES. The gig was in Kilkenny's top bar called 'Paris Texas', check the bar on the internet and you'll see the type of music that is going on. The place was packed and the night was mighty, almost as good as a MUNGO gig.

DO YOU WRITE YOUR OWN STUFF?

Yeah, started when I forgot the words to a song and did what Ray does, made them up. Got some that I really like, now I've got my own digital studio in 'me' back bedroom . Ray's asked me to do an album for the fan club. Give me a month, maybe two, I'll send it over.

WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND IN NEWCASTLE UNDER-LYME?

Magical! I felt humbled to be involved. To see the whole thing, man, I just wish I was involved with MUNGO from the start. To play with JOE RUSH again was great! I've just found the tapes of Ray, Joe and me in France but that's for another time. The kids school was the best! .

JOE ENJOYED HIMSELF, DIDN’T HE?

Yeah he did, Joe's great!

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE MUNGO GIGS OF ALL TIME WAS SHORTLY AFTER THE ‘HOLLYWOOD’ WEEKEND AT THE WHITCHURCH FESTIVAL, WHEN THE BAND BILLED AS THE RAY DORSET BAND, ALL SITTING DOWN JUST REELED OFF LOADS OF JUG, SKIFFLE AND BLUES NUMBERS (NO HITS), WHAT DO REMEMBER OF THIS?

That was a great day, found some good photos of that one. I really enjoyed all those jug numbers, sun, beer, good music - what more do you need?

TIM SAID THAT, IT WAS SUCH A GREAT GIG THEY SHOULD HAVE RECORDED IT?

It's always the way, but he's right, lots of numbers that I haven't heard since France.

YOU TURNED UP AT A RECENT GIG AT MR.KYPS THAT RAY AND ALAN JOHNSON WERE DOING, RAY SOUNDED REALLY PLEASED WHEN HE TOLD ME?

I was told that Ray was playing so I flew over to suprise him. I stayed at my ex's house (confused) but we get on great, got to Mr Kyps at about eight, had a few pints then the show began. Jamie, Ray's son was playing and I sneaked up behind Ray and said, "hello son, want a lolly"? Well it took Ray a good few seconds to freak, cos now with a shaved head and a Harley Davidson jacket on, well what would you think? Then all hell broke loose, jumping and hugging, it was good!

RAY INVITED YOU UP ON STAGE, IT MUST HAVE BEEN GREAT TO BE BACK?

Fantastic!

RAY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT YOU RECORDING AN ALBUM IN YOUR HOME STUDIO, TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THAT?

Wait till I send you a copy then you tell me, I like it...more to tell soon ...