Here is the Autumn'08 news update, direct from RAY DORSET who kindly worked on the answers to my questions on a late night train journey from Berlin.

WHAT IS THE LATEST ON THE ‘COOL JESUS’ ALBUM? The album is complete and I’m looking forward to its release. It is a very long album, about 70mins, and it has quite a lot of early MUNGO JERRY style stuff on it. All of the songs were recorded live in the studio, including all but one or two of the lead vocals. Maybe you should take a look at ALAN CLAYSON’s liner notes? AND WHAT ABOUT THE ‘EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES’? This album has long been on the back burner. I have a lot of good material for it and I’m hoping to begin the recording later in the year with the UK band. I have already performed some the songs live to check them out, also jammed a few at sound checks. I will also record new versions of some of the songs that I did in the mid to late seventies. DOES THE (UK) BAND HAVE A NEW KEYBOARD PLAYER FOLLOWING THE SAD DEATH OF CHRIS GARRETT? Obviously it was a great shock to hear of Chris's death and so sad for his family, he was such a talented and clever guy. Toby is now back in the band, and congratulations to him on his recent marriage, although Torsten has been doing the recent “out of the UK” gigs with us. My ambition is to have two keyboard players in the band and a combination of the 'COOL JESUS' line-up together with the 'NAKED FROM THE HEART' line-up. Whether it will work or not, I won't know until I try it out. The thing is, that I have to face up to the fact that I am a solo performer, the band has to go along and follow what I do, I set up the groove and control the dynamics, if the guys in the band, whoever they are, follow me, it works for sure, always, I seem to have the knack to do it. I have tried it other ways over the years and let the band lead me or dictate the material and how it is played, but my way works best. I have recently done gigs outside the UK with three totally different line-ups and the audience reaction has been terrific, no set list and no rehearsals adds up to no bullshit, just the vibe and the groove. I know that my technical and musical capabilities as a guitarist are limited but I'm a good accompanist, and I'm very versatile. ARE YOU ANY NEARER TO RESOLVING THE ‘ELIOT COHEN SITUATION’? This has been going on since the end of 2005 and it is a pain, but one way or another, it will get sorted. I'm using the problem to my advantage, when a negative situation arises, I try to turn it around so that it becomes wholly positive, and that is what is happening at the moment. It is not just about the money or material things, it is about relationships and spirituality. YOU TALKED ON THE PHONE ABOUT A SERIES OF POSSIBLE GIGS TO BE HELD IN UK THEATRES LATER IN THE YEAR, WHAT IS THE THINKING BEHIND THIS? Yes, I'm running out of time to get this organised for this year so I'll probably wait until next year. I plan to try out some two hour concerts in small theatres, maybe three for starters, to see if it works music-wise, I'm not expecting thousands of people to turn up but I’m hoping that it would make a nice evening out. The idea is to have no support, play for about two hours plus a twenty minute break, and cover some of the songs that I have written since the GOOD EARTH days including one or two songs from WIZBIT and the PROSPECTS theme. I would have the same group of musicians as I wrote about above, Play all of the hits and some of the album stuff both old and new, maybe there is too much material and I have to limit some of the hits. DEREK HAS SPOKEN OF ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND TO BE HELD IN 2010, WHAT DO YOU THINK? Yes, a good idea, forty years, unbelievable! IS THERE ANYTHING TO TELL US REGARDING A DORSET/KING/EARL/COLE REUNION? Nothing on the cards. The gig that I did with Mike and Bruce in Agen was terrific. I still have heard nothing from Colin, I have not spoken to Paul since before the summer holiday but I’m looking forward to meeting up with him if he has time, we have buried the hatchet! WE SPOKE RECENTLY ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING SOME NEW T-SHIRTS PRINTED, MAYBE COVERING THE RELEASE OF ‘COOL JESUS’? A good idea and Bruce has come up with a great sketch for the album cover. THE ESBJERG FESTIVAL GIG FROM EARLIER IN THE YEAR WAS FILMED, IS THE FOOTAGE GOOD ENOUGH TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO FANS? I have not seen it all as yet so I really cannot comment. JOHN HORNHAVER worked hard on the day and I'm sure that the shots were good, depends on the sound too though. I have still got all of the footage from the TV21 show that I did with the MUNGO JERRY BLUESBAND, and the stuff that I did with them in a club in Herford in Germany, this was shot on five cameras. YOU HAD SOME INVOLVEMENT WITH PORTSMOUTH FOOTBALL CLUB’S F.A CUP FINAL RECORD, HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT? PHILIP SWANN, who used to work with me a few years ago, we worked on the Newcastle United F.C track together, called me up to see if I was interested in helping him get it on the market, he wrote and produced the song. I thought that the song was good, not only as a football song, we did a deal and now we are back working together on all sorts of music stuff. More news on this some other time. AND YOU HAVE BECOME A PATRON OF ASHFORD TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB, WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? I want to write about this separately if that is OK with you. WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON? As always, loads of stuff! The gigs that I did as a guest with CHRISTOPH STEINBACH, the Boogie Woogie Festival in Kitzbul, Austria, and the one that I did with SIGGY SCHWARTZ in Southern Germany were resounding successes and both of the guys have asked me to do more shows with them, I am absolutely honoured to play with such great musicians, Christoph has asked me to do next years Festival too with ERIC BURDON. Siggy has produced the latest MICHAEL SCHENKER album, good connection as Michael is also a Dean guitar endorser like myself. Also, MIKKI FINELL in Sweden, who organises tours, and also his band plays for DAVE EDMUNDS, has invited me over to do some shows with them, minus Dave, in March 2009, should be fun. My old friend BARRY UPTON, check him out on the web, has agreed to be involved with the musical production of the 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' stage show, as has BARRY MURRAY, should be good too. I think that I will sign off now and start writing again in a couple of days with more news after my return from Vienna this coming weekend.