Mangledwurzels FAQ
- Where
do The Mangledwurzels come from?
The
Mangledwurzels are a band based in Somerset. Hedge was born and
bred, and still lives and works in Shepton Mallet. Seth was born
in Farrington Gurney, educated (minimally) in Radstock and now lives
in Midsomer Norton. Jethro was born in Whitley Bay near Newcastle
and has lived in the South West since 1995 currently residing in
Hinton Charterhouse - but claims that if the Wurzels can have a
Scotsman in their ranks, then The Mangledwurzels can have a Geordie.
- Can
I book The Mangledwurzels for...?
Of
course - you can book the The Mangledwurzels for
gigs, parties, weddings, agricultural shows, cider and beer festivals
or farmers balls. Call Dave on 01761 416635 or check the bookings
page on the website.
It is a cliche to say 'book early to avoid disappointment', but
please do! After having to tell a visibly upset young lady that
we couldn't play at her wedding seven months hence because we were
already booked, we much prefer people to arrange things as early
as they can. The
band calendar will tell you when the
band is unavailable, but this does not show pending enquiries.
- Are
you the real Wurzels?
No,
The Mangledwurzels are a Scrumpy & Western tribute to Adge Cutler
& The Wurzels. The real Wurzels are still very much active,
and have hardly aged since their number 1 hit in the 1976; most
probably thanks to the quantity of cider they have consumed over
the years.
- How
can I book/see the real Wurzels?
Give
their manager Sil Wilcox a call; check The
Wurzels website for booking details. If you want to see The
Wurxels live, check the gig guide on the unofficial fans website
Wurzelmania!
- What
is Scrumpy & Western music?
Scrumpy
& Western music has its roots in a variety of sources including
jazz, folk, pop, music hall and rock 'n' roll, but can't be easily
categorised. According to Bob Barratt, who produced Adge Cutler
& the Wurzels' records at EMI "It is impossible to
define Wurzel-music. It's not really pop - it's not really comedy.
It has been disowned by the West of England Folk-Song Society, and
Adge was black-balled from the Long Ashton Jazz Appreciation Group
on account of it".
Adge
Cutler himself said: "I suppose you can call the sort of
music I write 'good-time' folk. I have hardly ever written a sad
song. I write songs so that people can sing them. They have got
to be simple for me to sing them."
See the Scrumpy
& Western website for more about this genre of music.
- What
songs do The
Mangledwurzels play?
The
Mangledwurzels play Wurzels songs - Adge Cutler classics and the
70s Wurzels hits - blended with self-penned titles and pop standards
'Mangled' in true Wurzels tradition. There is a full
setlist elsewhere on this website.
- Why
don't you play {insert Wurzels' song here}?
Adge
Cutler was a prolific songwriter, and since his death The Wurzels
have continued to record and release songs. The Wurzelmania!
website lists 131 Wurzels songs, and that doesn't include the 10
from Never Mind The Bullocks. In addition we have at least
a dozen or so of our own. The Mangledwurzels normally play a 30-song
set - we can't do them all! It is no surprise that 18 of the standard
set are from the Finest 'Arvest album, as these are the
songs that most people know and love and expect to hear.
In saying that, we are constantly looking at trying new songs. Kevin,
the landlord of the Red Lion in Bath asked us to do Somerset
Crumpet Horn next time we played there. This was one we had
originally listened to and discarded - but we had another go, played
it at his pub (with him on the mic with Hedge), and is went down
a storm, so we will be adding that to our repertoire. Others will
undoubtedly follow...
- Is
Hedge Cutter related to Adge Cutler?
No, not at all. Hedge started saying that he was actually the love
child of Adge Cutler and Pete Budd - but so many people started
to believe him that we all got rather scared!
Hedge was originally asked to join the band because we knew that
he was the kind of idiot who wouldn't mind dressing up and making
a fool of himself on stage. It was only when we started performing
in our stage gear that it became evident that he does look uncannily
like Adge and Pete!
- Is
that really your hair?
Seth
and Jethro have been asked this several times at gigs; the question
often being accompanied with a swift tug on the offending locks
to reveal the suspected wig. Believe me, this is very much our own
hair - and please stop pulling it coz it hurts!
Rumour has it that Jethro will having his flowing golden mane shaven
off for charity this summer! Whether he decides to wear a wig after
that remains to be seen...
- Why
aren't you drinking scrumpy?
We
have been asked that at gigs numerous times. We stand on stage singing
about drinking up our cider, and yet we seem to be drinking coke
or water!
There
are two good reasons for this. Cider, while certainly being good
for 'ee, isn't always good for our performances. The Mangledwurzels
like to think of ourselves as professionals - and being too drunk
to remember the words, or play your instrument (or stand up unaided)
doesn't impress the audience or the person who booked you! Also,
we have drive to the gigs, and so need to be sober enough to drive
home afterwards...
So, one drink a night is our limit - and when you are arrive to
play at a pub with a barful of real ales and ciders, it is sometimes
very hard to maintain that level of professionalism! So - you enjoy
the cider, and we'll try not to drool into our instruments...
The
mangold-wurzel (or mangel-wurzel) is a member of the family Chenopodiaceae,
genus Beta (beets). The beets include the sugar beet, beetroot,
and Swiss chard. The mangold-wurzel (Beta vulgaris vulgaris)
is a subspecies of the common beet.
[source: Mangold
Hurling Association website]
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