Here we go, almost Christmas and time to bring you up to speed with the latest Mungo news. DEREK WADESON and I are pleased to announce that the new Mungo shop is doing great business and seems to be a big hit with all the fans who have taken the plunge and picked up some of the items on sale there.

The latest addition to the shop is the re-packaged release by Snapper of the classic 80's blues album, 'A CASE FOR THE BLUES', by KATMANDU, featuring RAY DORSET, PETER GREEN and the late VINCENT CRANE. Derek is in discussions with Snapper for it to be re-issued next year along with the very rare jam session, that lurks in the archives as a double CD.

One of the shops best sellers at the moment is the 3 CD set from Sanctuary MUNGO JERRY - 'THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION'. It's an excellent package and received a 3 Star review in the December issue of Classic Rock (a 3 star review in Classic Rock is a recommendation to add it to your collection, lets hope their readers take up this option!)

A new fan club (A4) magazine has been produced and it is free to fans who purchase something from the shop, (any fan who has already placed an order automatically receives one). 'FROM SHADOWS TO BRIGHT LIGHTS', which including the two previous issues, in newspaper format makes this issue #3 is priced individually at £3. It contains both of the recent band personnel interviews with guitarists, TIM GREEN & ALAN JOHNSON, and STUART TURNER's - RAY DORSET/SONG-BY-SONG - feature that was intended for what would have been issue #19 of the now defunct fanzine.

The three Polydor albums are also in the pipeline, Ray is very serious about the Polydor stuff being issued and was delighted with the sleeves that ROB KAMPHUES is designing. We are going to issue them as 'IMPALA SAGA' (as per French issue), 'LOVIN' IN THE ALLEYS, FIGHTIN' IN THE STREETS' (both UK and French) and RAY DORSET & MUNGO JERRY as it was with a bonus CD of other tracks.

Ray & his son Jamie are cleaning up some very interesting live tapes from the 70's, with a view to adding them to the shop and we hope to have something ready for Christmas. Ray has also been listening to a Danish festival CD from the late 90's to OK it. Also when he returns to Germany he is going to listen to a CD that Jamie made of a 'Legends of R' n B' tour gig.

Ray hasn't really had time to do much work on the new album - THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES - but hopes to get cracking on it again in the new year. He has recently been interviewed by Goldmine magazine and as I have had a sneak preview, I can say that when asked if he could name any of the tracks scheduled for inclusion, he did quote 'MARGARITA', 'BLOWING ALL MY TROUBLES AWAY', 'SHE LOVES ME LIKE A WOMAN' & 'MY OWN COUNTRY'. Before Roland's departure, he also suggested that 'WITH ME' from the 'COLD BLUE EXCURSION' album was also earmarked as one of the tracks. I love the fact that Ray and the band are re-recording some of the old classics, some that are maybe not so well known as others and bringing them to a new audience. I have long been pushing him to showcase some of his older stuff, especially live on stage, and with the 'ADULTS ONLY' album and 'EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES', it looks as though he is doing just that. Incidentally, GARY FOOT, the renowned saxophone player who you may recall featured on the 'Legends Of Rhythm & Blues Tour' has played on some of the tracks so far.

Also under consideration for release is part of the very successful 'Rigger' gig recorded in Newcastle Under Lyme in 2003. The sound on this one is not all that we would like with Ray's guitar too deep in the mix.

Work has started on an exclusive fan club interview with RAY DORSET for inclusion on the interview page. It seemed incredible that to the best of my knowledge, none of the occupants of the fan club hot seat, going back to 1970 had ever got round to doing one! We don't seem too sure what the reasons were but we aim to put the matter right without delay.

The idea is that '46 & On' (as it will be known) will be no ordinary interview and will be in stages, the first stage covering Ray's childhood taking us up until the late 60's and THE GOOD EARTH. The second stage will be from 1970 through to the break-up of the original line-up, and so on...following on through the rest of the 70's, 80's & 90's. I'm sure you get the idea?

The great thing is that the interview will be ongoing and we will add to it to cover whatever current projects there are. I can hardly wait myself!!!

An e-mail came in to the fan club from Mungo fan (and my mate) MICKEY ROSE telling us about a 'MUNGO JERRY/THE SIMPSON'S' connection. "The Simpson's episode featuring 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' was a new episode. I don't know what it was called but the story is about HOMER explaining to his family of his first kiss. This happened in summer camp when he was ten and on the way to camp, this is when the song was played. It took me totally by surprise as I was not paying much attention until then. Anyhow, it turns out that his first kiss was with MARGE, even though they did not realise this at the time."

An interesting magazine cutting also made it's way in to 'Mungo-Towers' recently, sent in by a new friend of the band BRIAN JASPER where the author praises Ray's composition, 'BRAND NEW CAR' from the 'BOOT POWER' album.

On the subject of magazine cuttings, UK newspaper the Daily Express ran a story in their Saturday supplement recently under the banner of - 'WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MUNGO JERRY'. Ray talks to the paper, telling them about the origins of the MUNGO JERRY name and giving them a brief insight into the history of the band.