Once again, the 'Hollywood Revisited' weekend held in Newcastle Under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent to celebrate 35 years of MUNGO JERRY, 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' and the HOLLYWOOD FESTIVAL was a resounding success. Kicking off with a special gig at the Coppice Special School in Newcastle on the 18th 0f June, Ray was joined on stand-up bass by original band member MIKE COLE, playing with Ray for the first time since the early 70's, and regular drummer JAMES DAVIS for a jug band style session which managed to start late and finish later! On a steaming hot night befitting the band who had had such a monster hit all those years ago with the mighty 'IN THE SUMMERTIME', the guys gave a superb performance in the school hall/gym, in front of many fan club members and friends and staff from the school.

All the old favorites were there - 'LADY ROSE', 'O'REILLY', 'BABY JUMP', 'THE SUN IS SHINING' - and a fantastic version of 'PEACE IN THE COUNTRY', from the very first MUNGO JERRY album.

Ray, James, Mike - Coppice School

We all hung on afterwards to chat with each other and with Ray, Mike and James - but mainly to make sure that all of the beer was finished off - before making our way back to our respective hotels at something like 2 in the morning!

Meeting up again the following morning, after a brief discussion about what we were gonna do to pass the time until the evening gig at the Forum Theatre, we rather predictably adjourned to the hotel bar while Ray and Mike went off to do a radio interview with organiser GARRY MARSH. Ray and Mike re-joined us on their return and we all got down to some serious 'Mungo Chat' over a few beers, then setting off to find another pub for some lunch and...more beers! The weather was slowly on the change and the darkening skies were a warning of things to come as we made our way back to the hotel to get ready for the gig. Both myself and my traveling companion, MICKEY ROSE were indebted to our good mate from Devon, MALCOLM ROWE and his missus for a ride to the Forum Theatre as by this time, it was absolutely pi...pouring down with a fair chunk of thunder and lightning thrown in for good measure. On entering the bar, we met up with the Derek, Ray and the band, which included TIM GREEN, who had flown in from his home in Germany especially for the gig and Australian bass player, REX HORAM who was standing in for MATT ROUND who had a prior engagement. More good crack as we gathered around a set of tables, it was time for the gig which kicked off with a real thrill for all the MUNGO JERRY fans in attendance when RAY DORSET & MIKE COLE turned back the years when they performed an extraordinary gig, which was as I said before, the first time that they had played together for some 35 years! You would never have believed it if didn't happen to know that it was true as they were so tight and obviously having great fun into the bargain. It was great for me to see Mike enjoying the moment so much - he's a great guy and got such a buzz from it all!

After a short interval, the full band took to the stage to replace Ray and Mike's jug-band blues & skiffle with a somewhat harder set, kicking off with 'STATESBRO' BLUES' & 'MORNIN' DEW' from the 'ADULTS ONLY' album. They are such a superb unit these days and are to my mind, the most versatile band that Ray has had and can slide seamlessly in and out of the various Mungo musical styles - jug, rock, boogie, rock-a-billy - with great skill. As I think we know now, the young guys in the band can really play and I am more and more impressed by them every time that I see them. They really seem to feel Ray's music which is something that we probably couldn't say about every MJ line-up.

Ray covered most of the hits before the band wound it up for the night, my only 'slight' disappointment was that they didn't include any surprise additions to the set but we expected this as the band had to stick to numbers that Rex, who did an absolutely wonderful job as stand-in for Matt would know, having been plied with CD's by James beforehand. No! I'm not moaning honest, another great gig that capped off a truly memorable weekend for me and all the other fans who follow the wonderful MUNGO JERRY!!!

Hi Alan - "Paul here from Haydock! Bernie, my wife and I thought the gig on Sunday was a knockout!!! She cannot wait to see Ray again!!! This was her first gig. It was great to meet up with you and Mick - we had a fantastic time!"

PAUL & BERNIE ALMOND, HAYDOCK.

Jim Smith from Derby guarding his supply

"The Zulus are coming - there's flipin' thousands of em!!!! Ha-ha!" (private joke between me and Paul - Al)

Alan - "Really had a goodtime, this weekend, wonderful!! Great to see MIKE COLE playing, he didn't realise he was even as popular as years ago. The temporary bass player Rex, was great too."

ROB KAMPHUES, HOLLAND.

"Ray, it was an absolute pleasure to meet and chat with you and MIKE COLE. For me it was surreal because I don't know if you understand but it's strange for someone like me to be chatting to someone I've idolised since I was twelve years old. It's a bit like a dream I had as a kid when I was hiding behind a rock and I was with POPEYE! Don't worry I'm not a nutter but that's what it was like. It must be strange and somewhat tiring for you to have fans in some respects for this reason. But anyway, you were very kind to me and the 'missus', and yes you did it, she's converted and thinks you're great and she can't understand why you are not more widely publicised. I was snozzled and tired on the first night at the school so I hope I didn't offend. I was on the coffee the second night and thoroughly enjoyed it just the same."

And so to the main event; SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE FORUM THEATRE

Organiser - Garry Marsh

"First it was jug, skiffle and rockabilly with just Ray and MIKE COLE on double bass. The groove which they created before the full band came on was truly wonderful, or to use another term - 'shit hot'! The perfect warm-up! To start the second half of the gig, Ray and the band ripped into 'STATESBRO'BLUES' with great feel and energy, and as a guitarist myself, I have never heard Ray play or sing better than he is at present! A nice little added extra was the background info which Ray gave about each song. At the end of the gig, I was sat next to MIKE COLE and he got out of his seat and started dancing! I was blown away by the whole show, and Ray seems to have hit yet another new peak! On this evidence, we have plenty to look forward to from the Mungo camp and the party has only just begun!"

"I would like to thank GARRY MARSH, Alan and Derek, and everybody else for organising the whole event."

Keep On Rocking!

CHRIS STANYER, CLEVELEYS.

"Please could you tell me how I join the fan club? After seeing MUNGO JERRY and the band two weeks ago, I have 'mungomania' at the moment and can’t stop playing their music—FANTASTIC!"

JEAN WALLBANK.

"Here's hoping you all made it home OK? Another great success, although an Oxford Arms style finale would have rounded it off nicely. I always feel a theatre is hard to get going, but then maybe we Mungo fans just like our drink! I thought Ray and MIKE COLE gelled really well and 'PEACE IN THE COUNTRY' from the Saturday set will stay with me for a long time, for those of you who missed the sound check at the theatre they played it again and then Ray forgot to play it during the gig! Mike wants to do it again, and maybe I can bring JOE RUSH over again."

DEREK WADESON, ST.HELENS.