Now the summer holidays are over, it’s back to work on making all of the MUNGO JERRY back catalogue available on CD and MP3’s on CD and also for download.

The planned Sanctuary compilation of previously unreleased, and previously uncompiled MUNGO JERRY material together with tracks from other projects such as the WIZBIT and PROSPECTS TV series, and possibly some pre-Mungo recordings, rehearsals, KATMANDU jams, etc will also be put together. If, because of the financial problems that Sanctuary is experiencing at the moment they do not release the compilation, which is planned as double CD, the fan club will issue it.

The Zounds compilation has now been released in Germany and contains a twenty page booklet that will be translated and printed in English and issued by the fan club, the MUNGO JERRY BLUESBAND track on this album, 'WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THE ARMY' will be replaced by the previously unreleased radio version of this song.

Another MUNGO JERRY compilation is to be released by Spectre Records in Germany at the end of October and in France, sometime in November. The tracks on this album were chosen by THOMAS HAUPTMANN, the owner of the company and at his request, a new song, in what could be described as one of the old Mungo styles was recorded, the title of which is 'STAYING AT HOME'. The recording was completed at PK Media consulting where the MUNGO JERRY BLUESBAND, 'ADULTS ONLY' album was recorded. All of the instruments were played by RAY DORSET except for one guitar part that was played by MUNGO JERRY BLUESBAND guitarist and best friend of Ray, MICHAEL POHL. Engineering was done by studio owner CHRISTOPH PUETTER. The album may also be released in the UK, Italy and Spain. The title of the album, requested by the French company is 'IN THE SUMMERTIME - THE HIT COMPILATION'. 'STAYING AT HOME' will be used as a single promotion for radio play.

Great gigs were performed by the UK band for the Dartmouth Regatta and the Friends of Poole Park Festival, and the MUNGO JERRY BLUESBAND in Melle, (check out Rob’s official MJ Dutch website for pics, Ray is playing the new surf green Dean Palomino guitar that he was given by Ralf of Musik Productive, check out their website also) Germany and Mossingen, Germany, this one was with MANFRED MANN'S EARTHBAND and ANDY SCOTT'S SWEET, MUNGO JERRY got excellent reviews for these shows.

The MUNGO JERRY BLUESBAND is currently rehearsing new material for a forthcoming album and the UK band is in discussion for the recording of the long awaited 'EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES' album.

After teaming up with MIKE COLE, original MUNGO JERRY double bass player for the 35 year anniversary shows, Ray approached BRUCE BRAND, commercial artist (Arthole Graphics) to the stars, THE DARKNESS, WHITE STRIPES, etc, and drummer with HOLLY GOLIGHTLY, HIP BONE SLIM AND THE KNEE TREMBLERS, etc for a meet up with Mike, and they decided to plan for some off the wall recording and low key gigs in London, watch this space for more news on the project. Ray has also chatted with JOE RUSH on the telephone and they have agreed to try and record together again with Joe on the look-out for a studio in Paris (where he now lives), as incredibly, Joe will be 65 in December and Ray 60 next March!

The year has been good for 35 years of 'IN THE SUMMERTIME', the song is featured in the hit American movie, THE WEDDING CRASHERS, it has also been featured on about six newspaper compilations and RAY DORSET received an award from Sony/ATV Music for writing the most successful summer song ever, and award from the British Performing Right Society stating that the song has now reached ICONIC STATUS! It was also featured in the ITV series, GREATEST HITS OF LONDON and of all of the fifty songs used for the series, spent more time at No.1 in the UK charts than any of the other songs!

Plaza Records will be releasing a CD and DVD package of the music and songs of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA ON ICE, the complete musical works and production was made by Ray’s longtime friend, ROBERTO DANOVA. A single from the package will be released, the title of which is 'MR.MIDNIGHT', performed by MUNGO JERRY (RAY DORSET).

'ADULTS ONLY' was reviewed in Blues Matters Magazine and received a very creditable 7/10. A review has been posted in Record Collector by ALAN CLAYSON of the MUNGO JERRY BLUESBAND DVD, 'OPEN UP' which is of course, available from the shop.

RECORD COLLECTOR REVIEW - OCTOBER 2005

With footage drawn from an outdoor festival and, also in 2002, an evening in a Hamburg club, this edition of MUNGO JERRY is, essentially, mainstay RAY DORSET fronting a thoroughly road-drilled crew of German musicians.

You could argue that the opus of greatest antiquity is WOODY GUTHRIE's 'DUST PNEUMONIA BLUES' - because it was the B-side to the 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' breakthrough in 1970. Nevertheless, Ray also drives his boys through 'GOIN'DOWN SLOW', a blues from time immemorial, that, like the showstopping 'MORNING DEW' and self-penned 'SHE LOVES ME LIKE A WOMAN', were to feature on 2003's 'ADULTS ONLY' - as, minus the visuals, would the overhaul of 'OPEN UP', delivered with a sweaty intensity nurtured over thousands of hours onstage since the original 45 struggled into the UK Top 30 in 1972. Admittedly, there's an element of de rigueur instrumental meandering in this and other selections, but, as incidental music is supposed to do in a film, it enhances rather than diverts attention from the action. There's no "how much longer?" exasperation, for example, as 'OPEN UP' approaches 10 minutes.

This time round too, the basic pulse is maintained by a standard drum kit rather than the foot stamping and pot-pourri of yore.

Moreover, while much of the old raggedly carefree joie de vivre remains, the lead vocal is darker and bereft of all former ingenuity. Likewise, Dorset's gap-toothed grin still beams out from a face framed no longer by the mutton-chopped whiskers that were as synonymous with him as JOHNNY KIDD's eyepatch or MANFRED MANN's beatnik beard.

ALAN CLAYSON.

"Much as we may have hoped they/he would sound in the 21st century". - **** VERY GOOD!

The on-line shop will hopefully be downloadable ready by the end of October and the 'TOGETHER AGAIN' CD is virtually ready. ROB KAMPHUES is currently cleaning up and editing all the interview CDs, Derek wants them ready before Xmas, and also to be downloadable as well.

BBC Radio Cumbria in August had a MUNGO JERRY week, they did a great interview with Ray by DJ TONY JAMES who really knew his Mungo stuff and they have been doing MUNGO JERRY competitions ever since with goodies the shop provided. 'IN THE SUMMERTIME' was voted the 2nd best song of the 70's by the station's listeners. The No 1 spot was taken by ABBA's 'DANCING QUEEN'.

The MUNGO JERRY UK band complete with TIM GREEN will be performing for two hours at Mr Kyps in Parkstone, Poole, Dorset on Saturday 15th October as part of the 35 year anniversary and the fourth anniversary of Mr Kyps. The club is renowned for its musical policy and is an excellent venue for bands and punters alike, this year the artists that have performed there have been as diverse and credible as GILBERT O'SULLIVAN and THE YARDBIRDS. The area of Poole and Bournemouth is a great place to be for its restaurants, beaches, places of interest, there is an abundance of hotels from the cheap and cheerful to five star luxury and many of them do special weekend deals, the gig would be a fine way for fans from all over to continue the celebration of thirty five years of Mungo and 'IN THE SUMMERTIME'.