Scrumpy & Western website. Made In Somerset from cider!

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 a 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:

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.

Combine Harvester To Get The Rap Treatment (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."

[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!]

Jethro Cooks Up A Storm! (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!

Wurzels sign up to music festival (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.
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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.

Wurzels Confirmed for Glasto 08 (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!

Bristol Cider Festival tickets on sale now! (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!

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 Plan Second Album! (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.

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.

Wurzels Go Back To School (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.

Wurzels Launch New Website (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.

The Cutlers To Release Second Album (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 Wurzels Confirmed for Rock'N'Roots Festival (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).

Apologies from The Mangledwurzels!

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 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!

Bath Cider Festival tickets "selling like hot cakes!" (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...

Wurzels To Headline Buckland Beer Festival 2008 (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!

Bill Bailey News (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.

John 'Jai' Howe Passed Away (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.

Annual Somerset tradition of wassailing to be performed at charity event (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.

Wurzels To Play Camp Bestival 2008 (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.

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."

The Cutlers Christmas Special (16 December 2008)

Rusty the Cowman is our release from Cornish Scrumpy & Western Band, The Cutlers. Released just in time for Christmas, the eight-track EP was recorded at Ocean Studios in Falmouth on 27th November 2007, and is the band's celebration of Christmas.

The EP comprises four new and original songs, and four bonus tracks. The CDs are pressed and duplicated in Cornwall, and profits will be used to fund "The Cutlers of Cornwall" a 16 track album to be launched in the New Year.

Some of the songs can be heard on the band's two MySpace sites www.myspace.com/cornishwurzels and www.myspace.com/powkernow so you can listen before you buy. Greg of The Cutlers has a warning message "Beware! If you listen to If Snowflakes Are Kisses From Angels on the Powkernow site, you will cry into your scrumpy thus making it too weak to drink."

The track listing of the EP is: Rusty the Cowman / Christmas / Christmas Torn / If Snowflakes Are Kisses From Angels / I Wish I Was Back On The Farm / Twice Daily (Cutlers Version) / Pill Pill / Drink Up Thy Zider

Stuff The Mangledwurzels EP Released (10 December 2007)

Somerset-based Scrumpy & Western band The Mangledwurzels today released their charity Christmas single Stuff The Mangledwurzels in front of the local TV and press.

The Official Press Launch Party took place at Bath Pavilion with the ITV West cameras filming the launch for the local news. Other press coverage, including Mendip TV will also be promoting the release.

Sadly Nick Toms (RABI regional representative) was unable to attend the launch as his car broke down halfway from Plymouth and he only got as far as Exeter Services before having to be towed back down the M5!

It was also a first chance for the general public (and indeed the band) to view the 12 Days of Christmas video which had been filmed and edited with animation by the students of Frome Community College. The video has now been uploaded to YouTube for everyone to enjoy!

Meanwhile Mangledwurzels fans had already snapped up pre-release copies of the single at the The Mangledwurzels gigs over the weekend. An plea has already gone into our suppliers to press more copies!

The single release is aiming to raise money for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), a UK registered charity (no. 208858).

Stuff The Mangledwurzels EP is now on sale on CD and Download from our online store to be shipped in time for Christmas.

Tommy Celebrates 40 Years As A Wurzel (5th November 2007)

On 5th November 2007, Tommy Banner will be celebrating forty years since he moved down from Scotland to join Adge Cutler & The Wurzels!

SINGING about combine harvesters and cider drinking for the past 40 years seems to have convinced the front man of legendary Somerset band The Wurzels to stay in the West Country for good...

Read the rest of Laura Thorpe's article '40 years of Wurzelling' on the Somerset County Gazette website.

The Cutlers - A New Scrumpy & Western Band in Cornwall! (2 November 2007)

The rumours are rife, there have been goings on down in darkest Cornwall... it is all true! Today we are proud to announce the birth of The Cutlers. This is a three-piece band that is about to start raving about the classical delights of West Country music and humour. Comprising "Big Dave" on Keyboard and Accordion, "Big Bob" on Banjo, and of course "Big Greg the Tuba", yes this band is going to be "Big".

Deep in training at the St Day Inn, The Cutler have already been booked for a CD at the recording studio of Chris "Billy Don't Be A Hero" Morris of Paper Lace. Final production will take place at Jethro's Digital Audio, and it should be available just in time for Christmas, when the band will also be releasing Rusty the Cowman as a free download single. This song is also being offered free of charge to any other Scrumpy and Western band that want it as long as any royalties are paid in good old scrump - the currency of kings!

Somerset-based Scrumpy & Western band The Mangledwurzels have teamed up with the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) to release Stuff The Mangledwurzels, a charity Christmas single to raise money for farmers hit by the recent outbreaks of Foot & Mouth and Blue Tongue.

The Mangledwurzels will be recording some suitably festive tracks at Handsome Llama Recording Studios in Frome at the end of October. One song will then be made into a video by students from the Media Department at Frome Community College which will be posted across the Internet to help raise the profile of the campaign, while another will feature a special local celebrity guest on vocals which the band have declined to name until the contract is signed!

Keyboard player Jethro Tool said: “We are all country boys at heart, and it upsets us to see so many farmers struggling to keep their businesses afloat through no fault of their own. Foot & Mouth is bad enough – I remember the 1967 outbreak vividly; I was a little kid at the time, but you never forget the fear across the whole community. But this new Blue Tongue disease could be even worse! So, we felt we should do what we can – and a charity single with all the profits going to RABI seemed the best option.”

The band has chosen three songs for the EP – Santa’s Coming To Somerset, which is a self-penned song which always goes down well at the band’s Christmas gigs; Lonely This Christmas – the 1970s Mud classic with ‘mangled’ lyrics and the mystery celeb on vocals; and The 12 Days Of Christmas (Farmyard Version) – with new lyrics and the video by the Frome College students.

Stuff The Mangledwurzels will be recorded on 28th October and is due for release in November. The band is currently looking for major sponsors to help boost the charity coffers. Anyone interested in making a donation should check The Mangledwurzels' website.

The Many Moods of Bill Bailey - New Book (12 October 2007)

Well you asked for it...The Many Moods of Bill Bailey is the song book that you've been requesting for years, and collects 9 of Bill's most popular songs from the period of 1995-2005 with accompanying piano music, guitar tabs and lyrics. This collection also features introductions from Bill which gives us background to their creation, and an array of photographs and archive posters. The cover art, a 60s pastiche designed by Joe Magee, is also particularly resplendent, making this far more special than your average songbook, and a real collector's item.

But the real attraction of owning this book is the knowledge that you will finally be able to recreate Bill's music in your own home. With music for piano and guitar, and complete lyrics, you have everything you need to bring these songs to life in the comfort of whichever venue you choose to play them.

The Many Moods of Bill Bailey will be available to buy online from the 26th October, priced at £15.00, but can be pre-ordered now. The first 200 copies sold will be signed by Bill himself, so it's fastest fingers first to the Merchandise section of the Bill Bailey website if you want to make yours extra special. Good luck...

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The Wurzels Hit The Charts (1 October 2007)

The Wurzels are back in the charts with their new single 'One For The Bristol City'.

The Offical UK Charts for the week ending 6th October 2007, sees Bristol City FC & The Wurzels making their debut in the charts at number 66. This is the first time The Wurzels have had two singles in the charts in the same year since 1976!

Fans were obviously hoping for a higher debut - a top 40 would be nice. All concerned are hoping that sales will continue and that the single will continue to climb up the charts and riase yet more money for the BUI Prostate Cancer Care Appeal.

For more information, check the Bristol City FC website.

[The Wurzels page]

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Somerset Scumpy & Western band The Mangledwurzels have been booked for a special one-day Autumn Cider Festival at the Bath Pavilion on Friday 7th September.

After the success of the 1st Bath Cider Festival at the Pavilion earlier this year in February, organiser Chris Lilley has arranged a special Autumn Cider Festival at the same venue. Full details have yet to be confirmed.

The festival is the latest in a series of cider festivals run by CiderFestivals.co.uk, the brainchild of Bath Pavilion Catering Manager Chris Lilley. Following the outstanding success of the Bath Cider Festival at the Pavilion in February, Chris has now arranged similar festivals at Brighton, Frome and Norwich. Further festivals are being planned for 2008, although nothing can be announced yet. However, The Mangledwurzels have proved to be an integral part of the festival much appreciated by the festival goers; and the band has already signed up to any future events.

The Plonkers Charity Show in November (13 August 2007)

Hampshire's favourite sons The Plonkers will be playing at a charity show at the Regent Centre in Christchurch, Dorset in November.

The events is in aid of CODA Music Therapy Unit. The line-up includes Swing Unlimited, Bournemouth Concert Brass, Stromenti, and takes place on Thursday, 15 November 2007 starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced £25.00 family / £10.00 / £9.00 concessions. The box office is 01202 499199, and you should be able to book online closer to the date.

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Somerset Scumpy & Western band The Mangledwurzels have been booked to open the inaugural Mumbles Cider & Pork Festival in August 2007. Featuring over 80 ciders & perrys plus local wines, a hog roast (or several!) and a selection of Welsh cheeses, the event takes place at the Ostreme Centre, Newton Road, Mumbles, just south of Swansea. This is also the band's first ever appearance in Wales!

The festival takes place over the August Bank Holiday with live music with each session including an appearance by cult 70s Welsh rock band Man. The line-up is as follows:

Tickets can be bought in advance on 07788 122132, or on the door. Doors open at midday, and last orders will be called at 11pm (Fri & Sat), 10.30pm (Sun) and 7pm (Mon). The ciders are being provided by CiderFestivals.co.uk.

Scrumpy & Western News

The Cutlers Yearn For A Country Life (26 June 2008)

Combine Harvester To Get The Rap Treatment (30 May 2008)

Jethro Cooks Up A Storm! (26 May 2008)

Wurzels sign up to music festival (9 May 2008)

Wurzels Confirmed for Glasto 08 (30 April 2008)

Bristol Cider Festival tickets on sale now! (8 April 2008)

The Mangledwurzels Plan Second Album! (18 March 2008)

Bill Bailey Is Kung-Fu Cashew (15th March 2008)

Wurzels Go Back To School (12th March 2008)

Wurzels Launch New Website (27th February 2008)

The Cutlers To Release Second Album (26 February 2008)

The Wurzels Confirmed for Rock'N'Roots Festival (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.

Apologies from The Mangledwurzels!

Cider Awards

Bath Cider Festival tickets "selling like hot cakes!" (12 February 2008)

Wurzels To Headline Buckland Beer Festival 2008 (11th February 2008)

The Wurzels have been confirmed as headliners at the 2008 Buckland Beer Festival on Saturday 16th August.

Bill Bailey News (6th February 2008)

Bill on Skins, Museum of Curiosity and 'Stand Up For Animals'...

Skins

Museum of Curiosity

'Stand Up For Animals'

John 'Jai' Howe Passed Away (6th February 2008)

It is with great sadness that we report the death of former Wurzels bass player Jai Howe.

Wurzels To Play Camp Bestival 2008 (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.

The Cutlers Christmas Special (16 December 2008)

Stuff The Mangledwurzels EP Released (10 December 2007)

Tommy Celebrates 40 Years As A Wurzel (5th November 2007)

On 5th November 2007, Tommy Banner will be celebrating forty years since he moved down from Scotland to join Adge Cutler & The Wurzels!

The Cutlers - A New Scrumpy & Western Band in Cornwall! (2 November 2007)

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