Scrumpy
& Western News Archive 2008
Tickets
Now On Sale for Bristol Cider Festival 2008 [posted 20
December 2008]
Tickets
are now for sale for the 1st Spring Bristol Cider Festival
next month - with The Mangledwurzels playing at all sessions!
Chris
Lilley, the brains behind CiderFestivals.co.uk,
confirmed that tickets are now on sale for the 1st Spring
Bristol Cider Festival, which will take place at the
Brunel Passenger Shed, British Empire & Commonwealth
Museum, at Temple Meads in Bristol over the weekend Friday 30th
and Saturday 31st January 2009.
tickets on sale
now!
Tickets
are available from the Pavilionshop
ticket office priced £6.00 in advance. Any unsold tickets
will be available on the day (£7.00 on the door), but cider
fans are urged to get their tickets in advance to avoid being locked
out on the night.
On
offer will be over 80 ciders and perries including
award-winning ciders from Ben Crossman's Cider, Rich's Farmhouse
Cider and Thatchers Cider (Somerset), Gwatkin Cider (Herefordshire),
Gwynt Y Ddraig Seidr (Wales), and Mr Whitehead's Cider (Hampshire).
The Mangledwurzels will be playing a full show at each session.
And as always food - in the shape of a dozen or so hog roasts and
all the hotdogs you could desire - will be served up by Chris Lilley
Catering.
And
don't forget...the 2nd Bristol Cider Festival
at Temple Meads on the weekend of Friday 7th and Saturday 8th August.
And
the Bath Cricket Club Cider Festival
on Friday 31st July - just across the road from the
Bath Pavilion to help the cricket club celebrate their 150th anniversary.
And finally, rumours are rife that a 2nd Autumn Bath
Cider Festival (we didn't have one this year) is being
planned for the Pavilion in October 2009. More details as we get
them.
And
The Mangledwurzels will, of course, be playing a full show at each
session of each festival!
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Wurzels
Valentine's Tour (posted
16 Dec 2008)
West
Country promotions company Midnight Mango have announced a four
day Wurzels tour for next year which takes the band across Devon
and Somerset over the Valentine's Day weekend.
The
Wurzels' management normally handle all their own bookings, but
Midnight Mango have consistently proved themselves a good promoters
for The Wurzels with their annual springtime shows (as well as having
an excellent reputation in the local music business as a whole)
- and 2009 sees them taking The Wurzels on a whistle-stop four-date
tour across the West Country.
The
tour - seasonally named the Love A Wurzel On The Valentine's
Tour (which I'm not sure actually makes sense - but we get
the idea!) - starts in Plymouth on the 11th February, and ends on
Saturday in 14th in Plymouth. And what better way to express your
feels to a loved one than buying two tickets for a romantic hoe-down
with The Wurzels?
Tickets
are on sale now priced at £12.00 in advance and £14.00
on the door; except for the Exeter date which is a snip at £10.00
in advance and £12.00 on the door. In saying that, I wouldn't
guarantee that there will be any tickets left to buy on the door.
And if that isn't enough to impress the object of your affections,
I'm sure that a Wurzels CD bought and signed on the night will do
the job!
Wednesday
11th February 2009 - The
Lemon Grove at
Exeter University
Thursday
12th February 2009 - The Palace Theatre, Bridgwater
Friday
13th February 2009 - Cheese & Grain, Frome
Saturday
14th February 2009 - University of Plymouth Students' Union
Support
comes from Peachy
Farmer (Plymouth), Jankie
Fardal (Bridgwater and Frome) and The
Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (Plymouth)
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Wurzels
Guest On Bush and Troy's Christmas Single (posted
8 Dec 2008)
GWR
FM DJs Bush and Troy's have done it again! Their new Christmas single
is a parody of Wham's Last Christmas and features The Wurzels
on vocals throughout the song. Also appearing are regular show guests
'Spidey Man' and 'Jack Nicholson' and for footie fans there is some
lovely one-twos from Lewis Carey (Bristol City captain) and Stevie
Phillips (Bristol Rovers goalkeeper).
Breaking
News!!!
[15 Dec] George Michael has given permission for Bush and Troy to
use the Last Christmas tune! This means that very soon
you will be able to buy Bush and Troy's 2008 Christmas song. All
proceeds will go to the GWR
Big Give campaign to raise funds for the Bristol Children's
Hospital. Watch this space and listen on air to Bush and Troy's
radio show on GWR FM for details of where you can buy the song.
The
chorus goes something like this:
Last
year we had champagne and wine, now it's twenty Scotch Eggs for
3.99;
This year, The Wurzels are here so we might as well all drink cider!
But
if you want to hear it in all its glory, check out GWR FM's YouTube
page, and the full lyrics on the GWR FM website
- or listen to Bush and Troy's radio show on GWR FM!
This
is Bush and Troy's fourth single - previous songs were the 2004
Christmas single
Feed The Wurzels (featuring The Wurzels),
the 2006 World Cup anthem Peter
Crouch In Lederhosen (also featuring The Wurzels)
and the 2007 Fairytale of Bristol (which sadly did not
feature The Wurzels at all!). And
we have just uncovered a neat YouTube video (well, audio only) of
the Feed
The Wurzels song.
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Vote
for Who's Afear'd - And Support The Beautiful County Of Dorset!
(posted 1 Dec 2008)
Who's Afear'd - the self-appointed "social conscience of Scrumpy
and Western music" - have stepped up their campaign to expel
Bournemouth (and Sandbanks) back across the Dorset border into Hampshire
where it belongs.
And
as part of their ongoing campaign to reverse the county border changes
of 1974 and send Bournemouth back to Hampshire, Who's Afear'd have
stepped up the propaganda war. Their pro-Dorset, anti-Bournemouth
anthem Borderline has been entered into
the Bournemouth Echo's "Battle of the Bands" competition,
and they hope that their success will bring attention to our noble
cause. All Scrumpy and Western fans are asked to
help them and the good people of Dorset, by surfing onto the website
at http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/leisure/battleofthebands
and casting your vote for Who's Afear'd - they are number 1274.
You can also listen to the song there, and remind yourself just
why this cause should be supported.
Voting can be done by email, text, telephone or postal vote, and
closing date is midnight on Monday December 8th 2008. And remember
you are not only voting for a song, but the history,
culture and dignity of an entire county!
Borderline
appears on the band's debut album The Day Of The Badger,
which was released earlier this year to critical acclaim (by the
editorial staff of the Scrumpy and Western website, no less!). You
can get your copy directly from the band; CDs are £7.00 (including
p&p) and can be ordered by emailing Who's Afear'd at dorset_is_beautiful@yahoo.co.uk.
Or you can buy a copy (and possibly even get it signed!) at any
of the Who's Afear'd gigs.
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Bill
Bailey Collectors Edition
DVD and m-o-r-e London
Dates!
(posted 20 Nov 2008)
As
if you had not already had enough (which obviously you haven't!)
Bill Bailey is poised to inflict yet more Tinselworm on his unsuspecting
fans. As well as the long-awaited Tinselworm DVD, Bill
has released Bill Bailey - The Collectors Edition 4-DVD
box set AND announced another swathe of dates at London's acclaimed
Gielgud Theatre.
Bill
Bailey - The Collectors Edition DVD box set is a four disc
veritable Billalogue of a release. It provides you with twelve years
of Bill Bailey in the one box set, containing Cosmic Jam,
Bewilderness, Part Troll AND the new DVD Tinselworm
all in one package - and cunningly released just in time for Christmas!
And for those of you who missed the release of Tinselworm
the DVD read about here.
But
better than that - Tinselworm: The West End
Show (read about that here too!)
goes from strength to strength with the majority of the pre-Christmas
dates now sold out! So, by popuilar demand
(don'cha just love that phrase!) Bill has announced more dates,
extending right up to, over and after Christmas and New Year. This
will be the last time you'll be able to see this show before Bill
puts it to bed. I was lucky enough to catch Bill at the Colston
Hall In Bristol a few years back, and can vouch that it is something
you don't want to miss!
The
new tickets went on sale on Friday 21st November and are already
selling fast. All these dates will undoubtedly sell-out too; remember...only
the early bird catches the Tinselworm. Ents24 have set up ticketing
links for all of Bill's London dates; click on the link and those
which of the (remaining) dates you want tickets for.
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Yokels
Release Local Dialect Book (14 November 2008)
Keith
Burge and Tom Mills, aka Yokel Keef and Yokel Tom from
Wiltshire Scrumpy & Western band The Yokels
have written a book described both as 'a survival guide to the linguistic
jungle of the Wiltshire dialect' and also as 'the essential handbook
for visitors to Wiltshire'.
The
book, entitled Marnin' Moonrakers, was
released on 16th October 2008, published by Countryside Books (ISBN
number 9781846741197) and is available from shops across the UK
as well as being available worldwide from online booksellers Amazon.
Marnin'
Moonrakers is
a celebration the Wiltshire Dialect. It's not all about dialect
of course - it's for locals and tourists alike, but it is a fun
stocking filler type of book. It has already been featured in local
newspapers The
Wiltshire Times and the Western
Daily Press as well as on the local ITV news.
The
book follows on from the band's involvement in the Rustic
Tales Of Wiltshire - a CD featuring the spoken word
with stories and yarns in the Wiltshire dialect. For more information
about this, check the Rustic
Tales Of Wiltshire MySpace page.
Keith
and Tom have been booked for an appearance on BBC Wiltshire Radio
with presenter Sue Davies on Monday 17th November (noon to 2pm slot),
and they also have a tour of local bookshops where they will be
doing book signings over the coming weeks:
- Saturday
15th November - Waterstones, 45 The Shires, Trowbridge (01225
776414) from noon-2pm
- Saturday
22nd November - Waterstones, Borough Parade Shopping Centre, 29
Borough Parade, Town Centre, Chippenham (01249 446760) from noon-2pm
- Saturday
29th November - Cross Keys Bookshop in 2 Cross Keys, Chequer,
Salisbury SP1 1EL (01722 326131) from 11am-1pm.
If
you are passing they would be pleased to see you - even though they
shall have to be cider-less at that time of day.
The
only sadness about the release is that the third Yokel Geoff Paget
could not be a part of this project. The band lost their very talented
front man Geoff Paget last year; he died in December; but I'm sure
be very proud of their book as he is featured in it almost as much
as he was on stage. A nice epitaph to a genuinely nice bloke!
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Scrumpy
& Western Forum Launched Today! (13 November 2008)
We
are pleased to announce the addition of a Scrumpy &
Western Forum as part of the Scrumpy & Western website.
This
Forum is linked, not only to the Scrumpy & Western website,
but also to the Wurzelmania!
website (fansite for Adge Cutler & The Wurzels), the official
The Mangledwurzels website
(home of Somerset's favourite Scrumpy & Western tribute band)
and the Somerset Paddies
(Scrumpy & Western with
a gurt dash of Irish).
Maybe other bands will join up too...
This
forum means that you can ask your questions to Scrumpy & Western
experts, share your Scrumpy & Western memories, chat with other
fans of the genre or just tell us what a good (or otherwise) job
you think we are doing.
I
have set up the Forum so that you can send messages as a guest without
needing to Register - although if you are a regular, it would be
nice to have a core of registered users. And if the board starts
getting too many 'difficult' guests, I may be forced to make registration
mandatory. So, be nice to each other!
Find
the Forum here.
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Tickets
Now On Sale for Bath Cider Festival 2009; new festivals confirmed
[posted 6 November 2008]
Tickets
are now for sale for the 3rd Bath Cider Festival
early next year - and The Mangledwurzels'
input has been increased with appearances at all sessions!
Chris
Lilley, the brains behind CiderFestivals.co.uk,
confirmed that tickets are now on sale for the 3rd Bath
Cider Festival, which will take place at the Bath
Pavilion in its normal slot over the Valentines weekend 13th and
14th February 2009.
tickets on sale
now!
Tickets
are available from the Pavilionshop
ticket office priced £6.00 in advance. Any unsold tickets
will be available on the day, but cider fans are urged to get their
tickets in advance to avoid being locked out on the night. Over
500 unlucky punters missed out at this year's festival!
On
offer will be over 80 ciders and perries including
award-winning ciders from Ben crossman's Cider, Rich's Farmhouse
Cider and Thatchers Cider (Somerset), Gwatkin Cider (Herefordshire),
Gwynt Y Ddraig Seidr (Wales), and Mr Whitehead's Cider (Hampshire).
The Mangledwurzels will be playing a full show at each session.
And as always food - in the shape of a dozen or so hog roasts and
all the hotdogs you could desire - will be served up by Chris Lilley
Catering.
Other
Festivals Confirmed
The
1st Spring Bristol Cider Festival has
been confirmed for Friday 30th and Saturday 31st January 2009 at
Brunel Passenger Shed, British Empire & Commonwealth
Museum, at Temple Meads in Bristol. Ticket should go on sale in
the next few weeks. And we will all be back at Temple Meads for
the 2nd Bristol Cider Festival on the
weekend of Friday 7th and Saturday 8th August.
And
another date for your cider-stained diaries - Friday
31st July will see the whole cider army at the Bath
Cricket Club Cider Festival, across the road from
the Pavilion to help the cricket club celebrate their 150th anniversary.
And finally, rumours are rife that a 2nd Autumn Bath
Cider Festival (we didn't have one this year) is being
planned for the Pavilion in October 2009. More details as we get
them.
And
The Mangledwurzels will, of course, be playing a full show at each
session of each festival!
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Wurzels
have the Monopoly on new Somerset game! (22nd October 2008)
Monopoly, the great property trading board game
now finds its home in Somerset. You can now play the classic game
with the landmarks and locations which give the county its distinctive
appeal and character. And pride of place on the board are The Wurzels!
Yes,
where once there was a Water Works (£150), now you
will find
Tommy, Pete and the rest of the band. Now that's a good use of a
brownfield site!
Sadly
the picture (right) doesn't show it too well. The band are in the
top right hand corner in between the Yellow 'properties' of 'Cheddar
Caves & Gorge' and 'Minehead', and two places short of the 'Go
To Jail' square. But you
will have to shell out on a copy of the game to see them in all
their glory - and have your opportunity to buy The Wurzels! What
would Adge have said?
The
manufacturers, UK-based game firm Winning Moves, say of the game:
"In Somerset you will find a wonderful mixture of countryside
and coast. Inland there are many hills on which to stroll and numerous
areas of natural beauty. The Levels and Moors form a backdrop to
Glastonbury Tor, centre of mystery and legend. Not far from Glastonbury
is Wells, England's smallest city with a magnificent 13th Century
cathedral and a delightful market square. The nearby caves at Wookey
Hole and at Cheddar Gorge will transport you back to prehistoric
times while in Taunton Vale lies the town of Taunton. Somerset's
county town has shopping, entertainment and a famous castle, now
the home of the Somerset County Museum. In a County of such beauty,
you'll find few squares on the board you won't want to land on,
so give the dice a roll and see where the game of Monopoly takes
you in Somerset, The Jewel of the South West!" For more information
- including a list of all the new squares, check the World
Of Monopoly website.
The
Somerset edition of Monopoly was released on 14th October and is
available on the Amazon website priced at £24.99.
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The
Cutlers Launch Their Christmas Appeal!
(posted 21st Oct 2008)
This
year The Cutlers of Cornwall have picked the BBC Precious
Lives Appeal for their Christmas Charity Fundraiser. Some
readers might remember that the band held a concert earlier in the
year at St Keverne in Cornwall, and with other bands helped raise
around £600 for the charity. The Christmas 2008 appeal is
trying to raise enough money to build a Children's Hospice here
in Cornwall.
The
band are donating one of their songs Snowflakes Are
Kisses From Angels to the fund. This can be downloaded
from iTunes at a cost of 79p.
All
monies raised will be passed to the band through the CD-Baby.com
in early January through Paypal. At which time they will announce
the final figure; and this method keeps everything transparent.
The band would be pleased if all of their friends would support
us in this appeal, and spread the word around the Internet and beyond,
Fans of the band will be able to see The Cutlers performing Snowflakes,
and many other songs, at their debut Bristol gig in November. The
band are playing a Thanksgiving Day Scrumpy and Western
Spectacular at
the Bristol Bierkeller on Thursday 27th November. Tickets are on
sale now from Bristol
Ticket Shop priced £11.00 including booking fee.
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Bill
Bailey Tinselworm DVD
and London Dates!
(posted 15 Oct 2008)
Bill
Bailey is poised to inflict more Tinselworm on his unsuspecting
fans. Monday 10th November sees the release of the long-awaited
Tinselworm DVD; and also marked the start of a two month residency
at London's acclaimed Gielgud Theatre.
Tinselworm
the DVD is your chance to experience Tinselworm in your own
home - a visually stunning comedy and music extravaganza. Filmed
at Wembley Arena at the end of a sell-out tour of the UK, it is
everything you expect from Bill, and more. Using huge screens, films
and animation by award-winning film-maker Joe Magee, plus Bill's
trademark musical inventiveness and verbal brilliance, this is quite
simply the most spectacular one-man comedy show ever staged in the
UK. The DVD is released on 10th November 2008; and those nice chaps
at Amazon are already taking advanced orders on the DVD - to be
shipped on the release date. Hey - you can't get better than that!
Tinselworm
the West End Show is for those of you who want to experience
Bill in the flesh. Following a sell-out arena tour of the UK in
2007 and a sell-out tour of New Zealand and Australia in 2008, Tinselworm
returns to the UK for a run at The Gielgud Theatre from November
10th. As in any Bill Bailey show, the subject matter is broad ranging;
tattoos, marketing, doorbells, Emo, creationism, post-war banking
secrecy, travellers' tales and the alternate reality that is Bill's
world - spun together with the sparkling thread of a seasonal invertebrate.
It has all the trademark Bailey elements; lyrical dexterity, tangential
silliness and musical brilliance plus animation by award-winning
film maker, Joe Magee, all of which combine to make this a verbal
and visual treat.
This
will be the last time you'll be able to see this show before Bill
puts it to bed. I was lucky enough to catch Bill at the Colston
Hall In Bristol a few years back, and can vouch that it is something
you don't want to miss! This show will undoubtedly sell-out; remember...only
the early bird catches the Tinselworm. Ents24
have set up ticketing links for all of Bill's London dates; click
on the link and those which of the (remaining) dates you want tickets
for.
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top of this page
The
Mangledwurzels become TV celebrities! (posted 8th Oct 2008)
Earlier
this year, The Mangledwurzels were involved in the filming of the
ITV programme Britain's
Best Dish. While most of Bristol (well, the red half anyway)
was cheering on the City at Wembley, the band were at The Watershed
as the Bristol auditions for Britain's Best Dish was filmed.
The Mangledwurzels were filmed arriving at the venue, registering
for the competition and generally making fools of themselves for
the cameras before entertaining the waiting contestants with live
renditions of I Am A Cider Drinker and Combine Harvester.
Unfortunately keyboard player and budding chef Jethro Tool's attempts
at convincing Jilly Goolden and her sidekicks that Scrumpy &
Western Casserole should be Britain's Best (Main) Dish
failed to impress; much to Jethro's relief!
And
on Wednesday 8th October 2008, ITV broadcast the Bristol auditions
show - and The Mangledwurzels appeared as part of that show bringing
Scrumpy & Western music (and casserole) to the nation. Fearing
that it might be a blink-and-you-missed-it appearance - the band
were overjoyed to see a good little featurette on the show.
Not
only were The Mangledwurzels band shown performing I Am A Cider
Drinker, ITV also showed Jethro pitching his dish to the judges.
The show did insinuate that Jethro was bribing them with glasses
of scrumpy - Thatcher's
Traditional Cider, as most connoisseurs would have recognised!
- but Jethro felt that misrepresenting him as a dubious cider-swilling
blackguard was much better that his feeble half-baked attempt at
explaining how to make a venison and cider casserole!
Once
someone explains how the technology works, The Mangledwurzels will
add a video clip of this historical moment to their website...
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A
Giant Portion Of Jethro Available In October (posted 8
Oct 2008)
Cornish
comedian Jethro is poised to release his annual DVD entitled A
Giant Portion Of Jethro.
Jethro
has been releasing his annual live show since the VHS video days
of 1993. 16 years on, that pattern is only slightly changed, with
the format being DVD, and the accompanying audio release being on
CD instead of cassette.
A
Giant Portion Of Jethro is his 2008 offering, due
for release on 27th October 2008. This captures the glory that was
his 2008 UK tour - at present we don't have much information where
an dwhen it was filmed, but I'm sure those of you who were at the
gig(s) will be able to tell me!
As
well as the standard DVD, Jethro has also put together a 3-disc
DVD package entitled Jethro's Big Comedy Feast.
This contains the 2008 A Giant Portion Of Jethro,
as well as his 1995 show What Happened Was...
and the decidedly ancient A Portion Of Jethro
from 1993.
Jethro's
official website does not have any information on the release -
and I notice that their online shop appears to have disappeared;
but don't worry because those nice chaps at Amazon are already taking
advanced orders on all three products - to be shipped on the release
date. Hey - you can't get better than that.
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top of this page
The
Mangledwurzels are poised to become TV celebrities - possibly!
(posted 7 Oct 2008)
Earlier
this year, the band was involved in the filming of the ITV programme
Britain's
Best Dish. While most of Bristol (well, the red half anyway)
was cheering on the City at Wembley, The Mangedwurzels were at The
Watershed as the Bristol auditions for Britain's Best Dish was filmed.
And
while Jethro Tool's attempts at convincing Jilly Goolden and her
sidekicks that Scrumpy & Western Casserole should be Britain's
Best (Main) Dish failed, the band was filmed playing a couple of
songs for the waiting contestants.
WEDNESDAY
8th OCTOBER sees the broadcast of the Bristol auditions
show - and ITV have told us that The Mangedwurzels will appear as
part of that show. Of course it might just be a blink-and-you-missed-it
appearance - but you (and indeed the band) won't know until it's
been broadcast!
The
show starts at 5pm. Don't let anyone interrupt you - and
you might just be rewarded with our latest TV appearance!
..and
don't blink - you might miss it!
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Who's
Afear'd Release
Debut Album
(posted 25 Sep 2008)
Dorset's
wayward sons Who's Afear'd have been found guilty of allowing their
debut album 'The Day Of The Badger' to escape into the countryside.
Government
scientists and local vets have been scouring the Dorset countryside
in the hope of containing this incusion, but a MAFF spokeman admitted
earlier today that it was a hopeless task.
"Copies
of The Day Of The Badger have been seen all over the county,
and it is only a matter of time before they arrive in the surrounding
areas!", he admitted.
The
Scrumpy & Western editor was heard to add: "I hope so -
Kev has promised to send me a copy!"
This
musical masterpiece has been crafted and honed and moulded and buggered-up
to make it just right for all you discerning lovers of Dorset Toss.
Featuring a staggering 11 new songs and a lovely new version of
an old favourite, it's sure to bring many tears to many eyes.
There
are 12 tracks on the album:
- Weymouth Quay
- Cider Riot
- Mr Sandbanks
- My Willy's Getting Hard
- Owermoigne Dead Body
- All Along the Esplanade (Far Corfe mix)
- Danish Tundra
- Dorset is Beautiful
- Borderline
- Scrumpy Drinker
- West Country Girls
- I've Been Everywhere
The
Day Of The Badger was recorded on reel-to-reel 8 track in a
pub skittle alley in Dorset in August 2008, and was released on
the Ryme Intrinseca Records; cat: RYME002. You can get your copy
directly from the band; CDs are £7.00 (including p&p)
and can be ordered by emailing Who's Afear'd at dorset_is_beautiful@yahoo.co.uk.
Or you can buy a copy (and possibly even get it signed!) at any
of the Who's Afear'd gigs.
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Country
Radio Station Features The Cutlers (posted 22 Sep 2008)
Cornish
Scrumpy & Western band, The Cutlers Of Cornwall are the latest
band to be featured by Online radio station UK Country Radio.com
UKCountryRadio.com's
Allan Watkiss said, "We are delighted to be playing the music
of The Cutlers of Cornwall. Our station plays the best in UK Country
music alongside the big names from America. And, while not specifically
a country music artist, The Cutlers do veer into the genre. I particularly
love their song "Sea of Cowpats" which is a play on the
popular Don Gibson hit 'Sea of Heartbreak'. I think it will give
our audience a chuckle".
UKCountryRadio.com is compiled and produced by a small group of
radio professionals who are dedicated to promoting the best in Country
Music. You can find the UK Country Radio station
website at http://ukcountryradio.com.
The Cutlers Of Cornwall have their own pageo n
the UK Country Radio website at http://www.ukcountryradio.com/artistsCutlersOfCornwall.html.
[The
Cutlers Of Cornwall page]
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Bill
Bailey's Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra (posted 17th
Oct 2008)
Bill
has been let loose on the brilliantly versatile BBC Concert Orchestra,
and has collaborated with one of the country's most celebrated composers
and arrangers, Anne Dudley to produce a new show entitled Bill
Bailey's Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra.
Find
out about cockney trombones, bassoon secrets, tv and film themes,
and hear brand new versions of some of Bill's songs plus loads more
in this irreverent guide to the orchestra, which The Times described
as 'blissfully funny' and Stephen Fry called ' wonderfully enjoyable...
like driving a Rolls Royce off-road'.
The
show currently takes in October with two nights at the Brighton
Dome as part of the Magners (not REAL cider! Ed) Paramount
Comedy Festival followed by three nights at the Royal Albert Hall
in London (third date added due to demand!). Tickets are in great
demand, so don't wait and hope! Full gig details in the Scrumpy
& Western Gig Guide.
[Bill
Bailey page]
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The
Somerset Paddies Release Debut Album (posted 27 Aug 2008)
The
Somerset Paddies have recorded their triumphant performance at the
Wellie Beer And Cider Fest earlier this year and made it available
on a 10 track CD.
The
North Somerset band capture the spirit of Somerset and mix it with
the craic an Irish night. This unique blend of Somerset and Irish
songs and music has been captured by The Somerset Paddies on their
new album Refuel: Live At The Wellie.
Performing
at a four'o - Billy Wicks on guitar and vocals, Roger Gordon on
accordion and vocals, Pete Cook on fiddle, and Landfill on washboard,
pots and pans percussion - they rampage through the songs of the
late Adge Cutler, The Wurzels, Brendan Shine, The Pogues, Dubliners,
and more with loads of audience participation. A true prepresentaiton
of the live Somerset Paddies experience!
There
are 10 tracks on the album; as listed:
- Drink Up Thy Cider
- Pub Craw
- Moonlight On The Malago
- Tractor Song
- Blackbird
- Dirty Old Town
- Whiskey In A Jar
- Tell Me Ma
- Vertuette Industrial
- Fields Of Athernrye
The
album is available from the band's website at www.somersetpaddies.co.uk
by mail order, or you can buy a copy (and possibly even get it signed!)
at any of the The Somerset Paddies gigs (listed on their website).
The CD is priced at a very reasonable £5.00 with an additional
50p P&P for mail order.
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CiderFestivals.co.uk
Announce 2009 Festivals (posted 14 August 2008)
In
the wake of the success of the 1st
Bristol Cider Festival
held at the historic Brunel Passenger Shed, at
the British Empire &
Commonwealth Museum, at Temple Meads in Bristol, organisers
CiderFestivals.co.uk
have announced that plans are already underway for more festivals
in 2009 - and 2010! And as you would expect The Mangledwurzels are
pencilled in to play a major part in all four events.
Chris
Lilley, the brains behind CiderFestivals.co.uk,
confirmed that he is planning at least four cider festivals for
2009. February will see the 3rd Bath Cider Festival,
which will take place at the Bath Pavilion in its normal slot over
the Valentines weekend 12-14th February. Around the same time there
will be a Spring Bristol Cider Festival.
Negotiations are currently underway with the venue, and although
nothing has yet been confirmed it looks likely that this will take
place over the last weekend of January.
August
2009 should see the 2nd Bristol
Cider Festival at the
Brunel Passenger Shed, most probably over the weekend
of the 7th & 8th August 2009; and Chris told me that he is also
planning to pre-book the venue for a similar event in 2010! And
running alongside that, there are plans for a Summer
Bath Cider Festival to take place at the Bath Pavilion
in the same month. Plans are also in place for other events, but
nothing can yet be announced!
So
- at least four cider festivals for 2009, and you can be sure that
The Mangledwurzels will be providing the entertainment for most
of them - subject to contract, of course! Full details will be announced
as soon as we have confirmation, and tickets will go on sale a few
months before the event as always.
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New
Mangledwurzels Album Recording On Track! (posted 20 July
2008)
The
Mangledwurzels are well on their way to completing the recording
of their second album - entitled Wurz'ee II.
The
first ten tracks have virtually been completed. Cider
Be Good For ‘Ee, I Can Drive A Tractor,
The Mangoldwurzel
(Beta Beta Vulgaris),
The
Rat Song, Valleys Girl,
Farrington Gurney, The Poacher
& The Gamekeeper, No Sheep 'Til Ammerdown,
The Shepton Sheep and I Likes Cider
are all in the final stages of recording. Guitars, bass guitar,
banjo, keyboards and drums are all done, and this Thursday (7th
August) should see the last of the vocals and harmonies tracks being
added before record
producer Will Angeloro
(pictured, right) is
unleashed on the songs. After
that, the band will start practising another hatful of brand new
songs which have never seen the light of day before, and the best
of these will be added to the final album.
The
album is being recorded at Will's Frome-based Handsome
Llama Recording Studios. Will was also responsible
for the recording and production of Get Orf My Land!
and the Stuff The Mangledwurzels EP. Will
has also been given permission - and free reign - to put together
a dub version of one of the tracks. More details on that to follow!
Wurz'ee
II is a collection of the band's own compositions,
and the band hopes that the resulting album will stand up as a Scrumpy
& Western album in its own right. It will be a wholly studio-based
album with much more instrumentation than you would hear at a Mangledwurzel
gig. Seth is playing bass guitar and Variaxe as well as his normal
electro-acoustic guitar, while Jethro has unleashed some new sounds
from his new Korg synthesisers. The band has also incorporated the
drumming and percussion of Dozy Trowel - aka Cozy Towel from Seth's
previous band The Glambusters
- which adds a new dimension to the band's sound.
Rather
than rush the recording, the band are now planning to release the
album in the autumn. Advanced orders will be taken from September,
and the band are planning an official Launch Party for the end of
that month.
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The
Cutlers Yearn For A Country Life (posted 26 June 2008)
Cornish
Scrumpy & Western band, The Cutlers Of Cornwall have released
their third studio album.
Their
new offering, the band's third album in less than a year, in called
A Country Life, and containing the usual
mix of original work and parodies with Scrumpy and Western evergreens,
Cornish classics and covers. There are 14 tracks in all; the track
listing is:
- Country Life
- The Champion Dung Spreader
- The Miners Wife
- A Boar Knows A Thousand Sties
- My Threshing Machine
- Gisson
- Morning Glory
- What a Wonderful World
- Sea Of Cowpats
- Silver Wedding
- High On A Hill
- Don't Tell I Tell 'Ee
- I Likes To Dance
- Trelawney
The
album is due for release through American online retailer CD-Baby;
the first time the band's music has been available globally. It
should be available for download from Monday 30th June, and will
be on iTunes and other websites over the coming weeks. Fans can
also pre-order today from the band's
official website. The CD is priced at £9.99 with free
UK & Worldwide carriage.
The
band's MySpace
page has audio clips for you to hear, or download the mp3
clip of High On A Hill from the album
exclusive to the Scrumpy & Western website!
The
Cutlers Of Cornwall are supporting this release with more live dates.
They are venturing out of Cornwall in July to play at Minehead,
and September at Bath University; see the Scrumpy
& Western Gig Guide for all the band's gigs. They will be
delighted to meet all fans of the good old "Scrump"; the
elixir of kings.
[The
Cutlers Of Cornwall page]
to
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Combine
Harvester To Get The Rap Treatment (posted 30 May 2008)
Cider-swilling
pop legends The Wurzels are planning a rap version of their 1970s'
cult classic Combine Harvester, insiders revealed yesterday.
The
country-bumpkin rockers shot to fame with classics such as I
Am a Cider Drinker and Drink Up Thy Zider - all sung
in a thick West Country accent. But
now they plan to swap their farmers' favourites for trendy baseball
caps, baggy jeans, and "bling" jewellery, and re-release
a hip-hop version of their 1976 hit.
According
to record company insiders, the new version could be a chart hit
and harvest the band a small fortune. A source said: ''The original
version was, and still is, immensely popular all over the world,
so a rap version of it would be massive. It would sell tens of thousands
of copies and has real potential to snatch the #1 spot all over
again."
The
band formed in 1966 as a backing group for West Country singer Adge
Cutler, but re-launched as The Wurzels in 1974 when Adge was killed
in a car crash. Since then, the band has shot to fame with songs
about farming, cider making, rural villages and local pubs.
Yesterday
band manager Phil Wilcox would not comment on the single, but said:
"I'm not ruling anything out for the band's future."
from
the 'Western Daily Press' website
[Ed
comments: Considering that Tommy Banner writes for the Western Daily
Press, one might have hoped that the newspaper could have got more
facts and less speculation! 'Record company insiders' and 'a source'
- and, of course, 'Phil Wilcox' (presumably Sil Willcox's less famous
brother!)... Still, if it's true, it can't be a bad thing!]
[The
Wurzels page]
to
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Jethro
Cooks Up A Storm! (posted 26 May 2008)
Jethro
Tool, keyboard player with The Mangledwurzels showed
fans - and the band - a new side to his personality as he appeared
at the Bristol auditions for the ITV Reality programme Britain's
Best Dish at The Watershed on Bristol's Harbourside on Saturday
24th May.
Armed
with a recipe, 500g of finest West Country venison from Springlease
Farm Shop in Norton St Philips (as used by Jethro and Sil Wilcox,
the Wurzels manager - although never at the same time!), 4 litres
of finest Thatchers Traditional Cider (of course!) and the surprise
ingredient, some home-made apple and tomato chutney; Jethro tried
to convince the judges - Jilly Goolden, Ed Baines and John Burton
Race - that his Scrumpy & Western Casserole
was indeed Britain's Best Dish!
And
he was not alone, for The Mangledwurzels turned up in force and
were filmed entertaining the gathered contenders with some proper
Scrumpy & Western music, before Jethro Pitched his dish to the
judges (that is, he pitched his idea; he didn't literally heave
a dish of casserole at the celebrity chefs!).
How
did he do? Well, you will have to wait until the programme is aired
in September...but the ingredients were cooked up the following
day, and the Scrumpy & Western Casserole served to
Rosie Russett (and Jethro!); washed down with more scrumpy - and
the verdict was that it was delicious!
[The
Mangledwurzels page]
to
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Wurzels
sign up to music festival (posted 9 May 2008)
Preparations
are well underway for the Bradford Festival next month, with The
Wurzels booked to headline on the first night.
Sponsored
by the Wiltshire Times, the festival promises to be a great day
out for the whole family with events going on all day and well into
the night too.
The
event, which is now in its eighth year and held in the field behind
The Beehive pub, is run by Sparky Bloodworth and his wife Lynne.
But this year he has had some extra help to make the festival the
biggest and best yet.
Sam
Nash, who is helping him out, said: "This year it's going to
be running day and night over a whole weekend. It's going to be
more of a family event with rides and a circus skills workshop during
the day. It's also going to be a community event with lots of local
people doing stuff too."
On
Friday June 20, The Wurzels will be headlining with the Cleverly
Brothers playing earlier in the evening.
Then
on Saturday, Rolling Stones tribute act The Rollin Clones will be
headlining, with local bands Carnaby Street, The Bad Detectives,
Mike Eaton and the Young Leonardos playing.
advertisement
On
the Sunday, The Boghouse Boys will close the festival with Tom Rockcliffe
and Sonny performing earlier in the evening.
Mr
Bloodworth, 53, said: "Up until now it was only myself and
Lynne organising it but we could only do two music evenings, so
we've formed a committee to help take it to the next level and hopefully
it will get bigger and better."
Usually
the festival has tribute acts dominating the line up but this year
they have booked many more local bands playing original music.
The
daytime event is free but tickets for the evening events cost £15
in advance or £17 on the gate.
They
can be purchased from Bradford on Avon Tourist Information Centre,
the Wiltshire Times office in Duke Street, Trowbridge, from Sam
Nash on (01225) 764516 or online from www.bradford-festival.co.uk.
This
Is Wiltshire website
[The
Wurzels page]
to
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Wurzels
Confirmed for Glasto 08 (posted 30 April 2008)
The
Wurzels will be playing on the Avalon Stage at this year's Glastonbury
Festival.
The
line-up for this year's Glastonbury Festival, taking place between
Friday 27th and Sunday 29th of June, has now been announced. As
promised the Wurzels have been awarded a higher profile slot in
the festival, having being promoted from headliners on the Band
Stand to a mid-afternoon slot on the Avalon Stage on the Saturday
(28th).
The
boys are fifth on the bill, which is headlined by The Proclaimers
and also sees Will Young, Alabama 3 and The Handsome Family playing.
The Wurzels follow Rachel Unthank & The Winterset, Bacalao,
Malarchy and One String Loose on stage; which should see them on
stage at about tea-time (timings approximate!). And I'm sure that
the fact they are not headlining the stage will be no chore, as
the band has a second gig booked for the same day in nearby Longleat
Estate!
The
Wurzels, of course, made national headlines for all the wrong reasons
last year when they pulled out of last year's Glastonbury Festival
after being offered a slot on the Band Stand (the same stage they
had played on at their Glasto debut in 2000). At the time, organiser
Emily Eavis promised the band a better slot in 2008, and seems to
have lived up to her promises.
And
it is not lost for any Wurzels fans who have not got their Glastonbury
tickets yet. The anticipated rush for tickets seems to have been
a little over-optimistic, and as a result there are still tickets
available - but get your applications in ASAP as I'm sure the confirmation
of The Wurzels on the bill will mean a last-minute rush for tickets!
Glastonbury
Festival website
[The
Wurzels page]
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Bristol
Cider Festival tickets on sale now! (posted 8 April 2008)
Tickets
for the 1st Bristol Cider Festival - run by CiderFestivals.co.uk
- are now on sale from the Pavilionshop
ticket office priced £6.00 in advance.
The
event takes place at Brunel Passenger Shed, British
Empre & Commonwealth Museum, Station Approach, Temple Meads,
Bristol BS1
6QH on the weekend of Friday 8th August and Saturday
9th August. There will be entertainment on both days; The
Mangledwurzels will be providing
the entertainment on the Saturday sessions. Friday's
entertainment is a Meatloaf tribute band.
The
event has already receiving a lot of interest from cider drinkers
across the region, and tickets are bound to be in demand. The venue
is the same as the CAMRA Bristol Beer Festivals which sold out in
advance for all sessions; and both of the CiderFestivals.co.uk Bath
Festivals sold out with over 500 people turned away at the latest
event.
Any
unsold tickets will be available on the day, but cider fans are
urged to get their tickets in advance to avoid being locked out
on the night!
tickets
on sale now!
On
offer will be over 80 ciders and perries including
award-winning ciders from Rich's Farmhouse Cider and Heck's Farmhouse
Cider (Somerset), Gwatkin Cider (Herefordshire), Gwynt Y Ddraig
Seidr (Wales), Mr Whitehead's Cider (Hampshire) and the Cornish
Cyder Company (Cornwall). As always, food - in the shape of a dozen
or so hog roasts and all the hotdogs you could desire - will be
served up by Chris Lilley Catering.
The
Mangledwurzels are already looking forward to a year of Beer and
Cider Festivals - the Bonjour Brighton Raceday & West
Cider Festival (April 27th), The
Pucklechurch Beer Festival (20th
June),
The Canal Inn Music and Beer Festival in Wrantage,
Taunton (5th July), The
Natterjack Beer Festival in Shepton Mallet (July) and The
Somerset Cheese, Chutney and Cider Fair in Taunton (September)
booked - and several others in the planning stages...
[The
Mangledwurzels page]
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The
Mangledwurzels Plan Second Album! (posted 18 March 2008)
Rehearsals
are underway as The Mangledwurzels put together tracks for their
second album which will be released in the summer of 2008.
The
album - which is tentatively titled Wurz'ee II
- will be recorded at Handsome
Llama Recording Studios in Frome over the coming months,
with engineer Will Angeloro (pictured, right) once again behind
the desk. It will be a wholly studio-based album with the band planning
to add more instrumentation than you will normally hear at the band's
live gigs.
"Our
first album was meant to be a showcase of what the band does at
a 'normal' Mangledwurzel gig (if such events are in any way normal!)"
said Jethro Tool. "This time we want to show people what we
can do in the studio with a full band - bass guitar, drums and anything
else we feel the songs will benefit from. I have an accordion sitting
gathering dust at home..."
And
the band are planning to showcase their own material. Rather than
simply re-recording old Adge Cutler and Wurzels songs, Wurz'ee
II will mostly - if not totally - consist of the band's
own compositions. The resulting album is planned to be a Scrumpy
& Western album in its own right.
Amongst
the tracks being rehearsed are old favourites from the band's set
- Cider
Be Good For ‘Ee, I Can Drive A Tractor,
The Mangoldwurzel
(Beta Beta Vulgaris),
The
Rat Song, and a new arrangement of Valleys
Girl. The band will also be dusting down Seth's homage
to his home town Farrington Gurney which
rarely gets an outing these days but is nevertheless a lovely song.
Fans at recent gigs
have been given advanced warning of some of the new songs, No
Sheep 'Til Ammerdown and The Shepton Sheep,
which having been rehearsed, now have regular slots in the band's
live set. And behind the scenes there are some brand new songs still
in the rehearsal process, which will be totally unfamiliar to everyone
(including the band at the moment!) such as The Poacher
& The Gamekeeper, Five Miles An Hour,
and I Likes Cider.
[The
Mangledwurzels page]
to
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Bill
Bailey Is Kung-Fu Cashew (15th March 2008)
Bill
has been promoting a campaign, through the medium of Flash video,
based on ActionAid's report "Who Pays? How British supermarkets
are keeping women workers in poverty". To watch his campaign
video, featuring himself as a Kung-Fu Cashew, or to produce
your own using his narration, visit
their website.
Bill
has also taken part in a charity gig for War on Want, an organisation
which highlights poverty around the world, and whose reports about
garment workers in Bangladesh and China first alerted him to the
lack of accountability from supermarkets over here, including your
friendly, neighbourhood store Asda. Visit the War
on Want website to read their recently published report on Wal-Mart
and Asda, and to view
photos from the gig.
Most
recently, Bill did a photo shoot for Reprieve, wearing a rather
fetching pair of orange pants with 'Fair Trial my Arse' emblazoned
across them. Reprieve is a charity that raise awareness about prisoners
held in Guantanamo and other parts of the world without a fair trial
or proper legal representation. To see a video of the shoot, which
also features Robin Ince and Kevin Eldon in big orange pants, go
to YouTube
or visit the Reprieve
website.
Bill
will once again be lending his support to the Sumatran Orangutan
Society (SOS) and will be featuring in their OrangAid event taking
place on 12th May at the Lyceum Threatre, London. Bill will also
appear at the Landmark Theatre in Devon on Saturday 17th May as
part of the annual Ilfracombe Rotary Charity Variety Show. Full
details in the Scrumpy & Western Gig Guide.
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Wurzels
Go Back To School (posted 12th March 2008)
Tommy
Banner and Pete Budd took time out from gigging to visit students
at Churchill Community Foundation School in North Somerset.
Students
studying A-level Product Design at the school had been given a project
as part of their course to design and manufacture items creations
based around songs by Adge Cutler & The Wurzels; and Tommy and
Pete were invited to come along and see what the results were.
The
twelve students had created a range of Wurzelly products - a 'Blackbird'
light which will shortly be migrating to the nearby Thatcher's Cider
farm shop to highlight their Wurzel-Me Cider, a tractor-shaped hen
house that will be donated to nearby Court Farm Country Park in
Banwell, a range of six bar stools that will be donated to pubs
in the local area, and two park benches that will be relocated to
Barrow Gurney and Easton-in-Gordano (both mentioned in Adge's songs).
One student also made a weather vane which is apparently mentioned
in one of the Wurzels songs, but I can't place which!
Their
visit included a guided tour of the school's high quality Performing
Arts department. Anyone who 'never went to school' doesn't know
what they were missing! Churchill Community Foundation School is
renowned for its support for live music, and is a specialist school
for the performing arts. It has specialist dedicated teaching and
technical performing arts staff, and plenty of top qualities facilties
including a 300-capacity theatre, a state-of-the-art recording studio,
a drama studio and rehearsal room, and new dance studio, music and
practice rooms and a music technology suite. And to show the benefits
of studying live music, Tommy and Pete serenaded staff, students
and visiting media with a couple of songs.
Churchill
Community Foundation School website
[The
Wurzels page]
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Wurzels
Launch New Website (posted 27th February 2008)
The
Wurzels have launched their brand new official website Wurzelworld.
The website was launched on 27th February and contains everything
that an official band website should have - band news, gig dates,
band biogs, discography, gallery, shop, and a forum. There is also
a mailing list for you to sign up to get the latest news from Wurzelworld
- sign up now and you get a chance to win a signed copy of the Mervyn
Hancocks book, 'Wurzels World'.
The
website announces that it has recently ‘rediscovered’
the two hand-written letters by Adge Cutler that are stored in the
archives of the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office in Trowbridge.
See the Wurzelmania! news
archive for 2005 for more information about these letters, and
how to get a look at them yourselves.
New
Wurzels website
[The
Wurzels page]
to
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The
Cutlers To Release Second Album (posted 26 February 2008)
Cornish
Scrumpy & Western Band, The Cutlers Of Cornwall
have announced that they will be releasing their second album Behind
Bars on 1st March 2008.
Behind Bars is a 16-track CD showcasing the band's 2008
stage act. It is a mix of original work, Scrumpy and Western evergreens,
and some Cornish classics.
The
track listing is The Blackbird, Sea Of Cowpats, Lamorna, Captain
Of The Dredger, I Wanna Be Like You, Twice Daily, Little Lize Medley,
I Am A Cider Drinker, Snowflakes Are Kisses From Angels, I Wish
I was Back On The Farm, Pill Pill, Combine Harvester, Ernie (The
Fastest Milkman In the West), All Over Mendip, The White Rose, Drink
Up Thy Zider.
The
band's MySpace
page has audio clips for you to hear, or download the mp3 clip
of Sea of Cowpats from the album
exclusive to the Scrumpy & Western website! [no
longer available]
Fans
can pre-order today from the band's
official website, for delivery in the first few days of March.
The CD is priced at £9.99. Free UK & Worldwide carriage.
[The
Cutlers Of Cornwall page]
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The
Wurzels Confirmed for Rock'N'Roots Festival (posted 20th
February 2008)
The Wurzels will be playing at the Rock'N'Roots Festival in Herefordshire
this August. Great family days out with three music tents, stalls,
craft displays, exotic foods, juggling schools and wine bar set
amongst the beautiful green fields of picturesque Herefordshire.
This
new eclectic festival is buried in the heart of ciderland, showcasing
folk, blues and rock'n'roots for all ages. Two Big Top marquees
and an outdoor stage will be hosting the music over the bank holiday
weekend. Marillion and USA legendary axe man Steve Cropper, alongside
reformed blues rockers Bad Company and Curved Air, will be featuring
amongst the hefty blues and folk roots line up.
The
Wurzels are booked to play on the bank holiday Monday 25th
August and will join Bad Company, blues guitar maestro Walter Trout
and the Radicals, Neck, Stan Webb's Chickenshack, Michael Chapman,
3 Daft Monkeys, Cheryl Beer.
The Rock'n'Roots Festival takes place at Rye Meadows, Much Marcle,
near Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 2NL. Tickets
go on sale from 8th April 2008 at www.rocknroots.co.uk
(website not live yet!). Great family days out with three music
tents, stalls, craft displays, exotic foods, juggling schools and
wine bar set amongst the beautiful green fields of picturesque Herefordshire.
Check
the official The
Rock'n'Roots Festival for more information (official website
currently down - check Ents24
for full line-up).
[The
Wurzels page]
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Apologies
from The Mangledwurzels! (posted 18th Feb 2008)
The
Mangledwurzels would like to apologise to hundreds of cider drinkers
who were unable to get into the 2nd Bath Cider Festival at the Bath
Pavilion last weekend.
The
event, which took place over the weekend of the Friday
15th & Saturday 16th February, sold out on both evenings with
hundreds of people turned away at the door. The band and venue had
urged people to buy tickets in advance, and as it turned out this
was good advice.
Over
two-and-a-half thousand cider drinkers crammed into the Pavilion
over the weekend to enjoy a large range of ciders and perries from
across the West Country and Wales. Even
the Saturday afternoon session, which is always quieter, had twice
the crowd of last year's event. Food - in the shape
of a dozen or so hog roasts - was served up by Chris Lilley Catering;
and The Mangledwurzels showcased four new additions to their setlist
- The Shepton Sheep (a new song written by Seth Pitt),
No Sheep 'Til Ammerdown (Jethro's mangling of the Macc
Lads' No Sheep Til Buxton), Hark At 'Ee Jacko and The
Marrow Song.
Plans
are already underway to expand the Bath Cider Festival into a three
day event in February 2008, with a Thursday evening session added
to allow more people through the doors to sample the cider and music!
And if you can't wait that long; rumours are rife that a Bristol
Cider Festival is planned for August. You heard it here first!
...and
don't forget that the band and the cider will be transported down
to Brighton for the 2nd Brighton Race
Day Cider Festival at Brighton Racecourse on Sunday
27th April.
Cider
Awards
The
2nd Bath Cider Festival offered 86 ciders and perries from across
the West Country and Wales. A four man panel was forced to taste
them all and judge which were the best on offer. It's a tough job,
but someone had to do it! The judges were Lee Hamber (Events Supervisor
at Bath Pavilion),
Mark Lilley (Buyer for Ciderfestivals.co.uk),
Seth Pitt (of The Mangledwurzels) and Frank Blades (Editor of the
Real Cider & Perry
Website).
The
winning ciders were:
- Cider
of The Festival 2008: Rich's Farmhouse
Medium Cider (Rich's Cider, Somerset)
- Best
Dry Cider: 'Heart Of Hampshire' Dry Cider (Mr Whiteheads, Hampshire)
- Best
Medium Cider: Rich's Farmhouse Medium Cider (Rich's Cider)
- Best
Sweet Cider: Farmhouse Sweet (Gwynt Y Ddraig, Wales)
- Best
Perry: Oldfield Perry Medium (Gwatkin, Herefordshire)
- Best
Sparkling/Bottled: BeeSting Perry (Somerset)
The
following ciders and perries were also rated as "Recommended"
by the judges: Yarlington Mill Medium Cider (Gwatkin),
Farmhouse Medium (Gwatkin), Kingston Black (Hecks
Cider, Somerset), Sweet Perry (Gwynt Y Ddraig), Blakeney
Red Perry (Hecks), Blakeney Red Perry (Gwatkin) and
Cornish Rattler Cyder - bottled (Cornish Cyder Farm).
And
finally unofficial The Cider The Mangledwurzels Would Most Like
To Take Home award went to Gwatkin's Farmhouse Medium, after
Jethro Tool was seen loading up 20 litres into his van after the
show!
[The
Mangledwurzels page]
18
February 2008
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Bath
Cider Festival tickets "selling like hot cakes!" (posted
12 February 2008)
Tickets
for the 2nd Bath Cider Festival are "selling like hot cakes!"
according to a spokesman for the Bath Pavilion ticket office.
The
event, which takes place this weekend (Friday
15th & Saturday 16th February), is already looking
to eclipse the success of the 2007 event where both evening sessions
sold out on the night, and staff were send out to buy more ciders!
According
to the Pavilionshop website
less than 150 of the 1000 tickets remain for each of the evening
sessions, and both evening sessions look in danger of selling out
in advance. The Saturday afternoon session is selling slightly slower,
but still well over half of the tickets have gone - and large crowds
are expected on the day as rugby fans arrive early for the Bath
vs Wasps match at the Rec that afternoon. Cider fans are urged to
get their tickets in advance to avoid being locked out on the night!
The
2nd Bath Cider Festival takes place at the Bath Pavilion on North
Parade, Bath BA2
4EU on Friday
15th February
(7pm-11pm) and Saturday 16th February (noon-4pm and 7pm-11pm).
Tickets cost £5.00 in advance per session.
There
will be over 70 ciders and perries from across
the West Country and Wales, as well as hot food in the shape of
hog-roast and hot dogs. Each session will include live entertainment
from The Mangledwurzels providing music to drink up your cider too.
The
Mangledwurzels are already looking forward to a year of Beer and
Cider Festivals with the Cat & Wheel Cider Festival
in Bristol already done - the 2nd Brighton Race
Day Cider Festival (April), The
Pucklechurch Beer Festival (June), The
Natterjack Beer Festival in Shepton Mallet (July) and The
Somerset Cheese, Chutney and Cider Fair in Taunton (September)
booked - and several others in the planning...
[The
Mangledwurzels page]
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Wurzels
To Headline Buckland Beer Festival 2008 (posted 11th February
2008)
The Wurzels have been confirmed as headliners at the 2008 Buckland
Beer Festival on Saturday 16th August.
Landlord
and festival promoter Jeremy Westcott (pictured right with The Wurzels
in preparation for the 2008 festival) confirmed that The Wurzels
will be playing on Saturday evening with live music all day building
up to their show.
The
Buckland Beer Festival takes place at the Buckland Showground, behind
the Bell Inn in Buckland Dinham (on the A362 midway between Frome
and Radstock). The festival takes place over three days - Friday
being the annual Blues & Rock Evening, live music all Saturday
culminating in The Wurzels, and Sunday being the annual Pirate Festival
& Village Day. Jeremy promises over 50 beers, lagers, ciders
and wines.
Tickets
cost £20.00 in advance for the weekend, £15.00 in advance
for Saturday, £10.00 in advance for Friday; Sunday is free
to everyone. Tickets include souvenier glass and first drink free
(exc. Sunday!). Onsite camping costs £5.00 per pitch per night
(motorhome, caravan or tent); limited to 250 so booking in advance
is recommended!
Buy
Your Tickets Here
Check
the official Buckland
Beer Festival website for more information.
[The
Wurzels page]
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Bill
Bailey News (posted 6th February 2008)
Bill
on Skins, Museum of Curiosity and 'Stand
Up For Animals'...
Skins
Starting this month, Bill will be appearing as Maxxie's father in
the new series of teen drama Skins, showcasing his dancing talent
alongside an unusual partner. The series starts on Monday 11th February
at 10pm on E4, but if you're an eager beaver then you can watch
this special
preview clip while you wait...
Museum
of Curiosity
Next
up, on February 20th, Bill takes up the position of curator in The
Museum of Curiosity, an all new radio panel game in which panellists
such as Sean Lock must contribute interesting and surreal exhibits.
The museum is open to the public from 6.30-7.00pm, Wednesdays, on
Radio 4.
'Stand
Up For Animals'
Then
on Sunday February 24th, Bill will be at the Hammersmith Apollo
in London to 'Stand Up For Animals' in a special charity gig for
the benefit of animal welfare charity WSPA.
Fellow stand-up comedians Robin Ince, Chris Addison, Will Smith
and Tim Vine are amongst the line-up for the show which starts at
7.30pm.
Buy
Your Tickets Here
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John
'Jai' Howe Passed Away (posted 6th February 2008)
It
is with great sadness that we report the death of former Wurzels
bass player Jai Howe.
John
'Jai' Howe was one of those rarities - a two-times Wurzels. He first
joined the band in the mid-1980s replacing Tony Baylis the band's
long-time bass player. Although he left not long after, he returned
towards the end of 2002 when he replaced Dave Wintour. Interviewed
in 2004 for Mervyn Hancock's book Wurzels World, Jai (then
57) hoped that this was a job that would last him for the rest of
his life. Sadly that wasn't to be, and in 2007 he left the band
for a second time, due to ill health.
That
illness turned out to be inoperable brain cancer, and sadly on Tuesday,
5th of February 2008, John 'Jai' Howe died surrounded by close friends
and family. The rest of the Wurzels were in the house on the day
he died; they had seen him and played at the house often during
the illness.
Our
thoughts go out to his wife and family.
[The
Wurzels page]
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Annual
Somerset tradition of wassailing to be performed at charity event
(posted 17 January 2008)
An
old Somerset tradition of wassailing - held each year on January
17th (the old 'twelfth night') to ensure a fine crop of cider apples
during the summer ahead - will be performed at a charity event near
Highbridge on Thursday night.
Burnham-On-Sea
Rotary Club and Rich's Cider are organising an evening of wassailing
- in which good health is wished on crops for the coming year -
including entertainment from The Mangled Wurzels (pictured), in
aid of the Somerset and Dorset Air Ambulance.
The
event will be held at Rich's Cider in Watchfield and tickets cost
£15 in advance and include a plate of stew and a mug of mulled
cider.
Doors
open at 7.30pm and tickets are available by calling 01278 783651.
Read more about apple wassailing here.
[from
Burnham-on-Sea.com
website]
[The
Mangledwurzels page]
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Wurzels
To Play Camp Bestival 2008 (posted 4th January 2008)
The Wurzels have been added to the 2008 Camp Bestival line-up along
with the likes of headliners The Flaming Lips and Chuck Berry, Suzanne
Vega, Billy Bragg, Kid Creole & the Coconuts and The Cuban Brothers.
Camp
Bestival takes place at Lulworth Castle, Dorset on the weekend of
18th to 20th July 2008; at this time, we have no idea which day
The Wurzels are playing; but as you can only buy a weekend ticket,
it hardly matters!
Tickets
cost £120 for adult weekend tickets; £60 for children
(13-15), free for the under 15s; booking fees may apply. All children
under 16 must be acompanied by a paying adult. Tickets include free
camping for the weekend; Campervan Tickets are £50.00 per
vehicle.
Buy
Your Tickets Here
The
Camp Bestival press release reads: "But remember Camp Bestival's
not just about the music - for us it's the first festival to fully
cater for people who love the whole camping experience, tailored
for families, kids of all ages and folk who are just as happy lolling
about in their own camp whiling away lazy afternoons or getting
stuck into one of the many options for fun and entertainment - from
Come Dancing dance classes, knocking up a scarf in the world's first
Knitting Tent, storytelling around campfires or performing your
own Spoken Word on one of our open stages."
Check
the official Camp Bestival website
for more information.
[The
Wurzels page]
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