1975-81 – THE MID TO LATE 70’S

The mid to late 70’s were a successful time, if not in the UK. Between 1975-81, they toured extensively all over Europe and beyond.

The move from Pye to Polydor saw Mungo Jerry registering several hit singles. Numbers such as Cant Get Over Lovin’ You, Hello Nadine, It’s a Secret and Lana.

Some of our date sheets from the mid to late 70’s are far from complete. Only EIGHT gigs that we know of for 1975. A handful for 1980 and only NONE for 1981 when the London based Fan Club ended. But, we have listed all that we have to hand but are striving to add to the lists as and when we can.

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1975

BAILEY’S, DERBY : October, 1975.

SET LIST

Lady Rose/Midnight Special/Tear ’em Down/Little Bit Of Love/It Ain’t What You Do/Flying Saucer’s Rock ‘n Roll/Northcote Arms.

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1976

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During our focused period of the mid to late 70’s, Ray and the band spent a week in the North East of England. Bizz told us,”We did a week up in the Newcastle area doing working men’s clubs. That was just absolutely terrible!

“You literally went on between bingo sessions and the bingo was more important. They did the bingo session and they’d stop and say “right, Mungo Jerry now!

“On come Mungo Jerry for half an hour or so. They’d say “right, you’ve got to stop dead on 10 o’clock.”

“There’s a bloke waving at us, “right, that’s it, bingo!”

“One particular case , we had the classic thing. Ray’s half way through a number. On came this bloke. “Excuse me Mungo, sorry about this. OK lads, stop, stop! Would the own of car number so-and-so move it as it’s blocking the car park. OK lads, away you go, sorry about that, carry on.”

“Ray and them just burst out laughing. It was unbelievable! Not quite what we were used to.”

Tony ‘Bizz’ Bisiker – (Driver, roadie, backing singer)

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FOUR WEEK FRENCH TOUR: Ist May – June , 1976.

(from fan club newsletter, July, 1976)

Also during the mid to late 70’s time-frame, the fan club kept fans up-to-date with the month long trip to France…

On May 1st, Mungo Jerry did the first gig of their very successful French tour in a packed hall in Yves St.Leger. This was the first time that the band had used their new light show.

The band toured all over France for four weeks playing to large audiences in clubs, halls and marquees.

They also did several T.V shows in Paris and Cannes, where the new French single, It’s a Secret, currently in the charts, was performed.

Hello Nadine is still in the French juke box charts as well as being in the South African charts and Impala Saga is doing very well in Europe.

On returning from France, the band did several gigs in England and then went into the studio to record three new numbers.

One of the new numbers that they recorded which was produced by Ray Dorset and Alan Blakely is to be the new single released on the Polydor label on the 23rd July, 1976. It is entitled Don’t Let Go.

The band then went to Luxembourg to do a T.V show and then returned to France to do three more gigs and a T.V.

They are currently working on a new album, and the guys have all been enjoying the good weather. Colin has bought a new house and a convertible E.Type Jag. Ray has been messing about with his new swimming pool.

Joe has been spending most of his spare time at Frenshams Ponds trying out the new boat that he made.

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 MUNGO JERRY – 1976

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1977

MARSEILLE, FRANCE : 13th April, 1977.

SET LIST

Somebody Stole My Wife/It’s a Secret/Gone To Malaya/Lady Rose/Dragster Queen/Alright Alright Alright/Lovin’ In The Alleys, Fightin’ In The Streets/Baby Won’t You Ride My Train/In The Summertime/I Could Start Lovin’ You/Sex Machine-Walk On The Wild Side/Sur Le Pont D’Avignon/Hello Nadine/Just Can’t Say Goodbye

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1978

“On the second shot (left), getting squashed just behind the front row, centre of the crowd is a real Mungo stalwart who later became a good friend and travelled to odd gigs with me, the sadly departed late Chris Stanyer.”

Mike Berry.

“All the old favourites were there, along with what were new songs at that time – Dragster Queen, I Could Never Start Lovin’ You, Just Can’t Say Goodbye and the fantastic Marguerita.”

“The band won a lot of converts that night.”

Chris Stanyer (RIP)

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7 ARTS THEATRE, BULAWAYO: June, 1978.

SET LIST
Tallahassee Lassie/All Shook Up/Long Legged Woman Dressed in Black/Lady Rose/San Francisco Bay Blues/Seaside (Summertime) Holiday/It’s a Secret/Stand By Me/I Could Never Start Lovin’ You/In The Summertime/Gonna Bop ’til I Drop/Johnny B. Goode/It Ain’t What You Do

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1979

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1980

MID TO LATE 70’S FAN CLUB NEWSLETTER : (JULY, 1980)

In 1970, Mungo Jerry released the multi-million selling record, In The Summertime. This was the first ever 33 1/3 rpm maxi-single. Now, in 1980 to celebrate their 10th anniversary, they released another 33 1/3 rpm maxi – Mungo’s Summer Fun Package.

This contains four tracks: Summertime Holiday, Hooray It’s Party Time, Night On The Town, Really Had a Goodtime.

The maxi-single comes in an amazing full colour picture bag and is released on the Scratch/Satellite label.

It is available through Pye records (PRT) by courtesy of Hammer records Ltd and will be in record shops from 1st August 1980, order number HS406.

A compilation album, Six-A-Side is also available on the Satellite label. This also contains Summertime Holiday and Mungo’s original version of the Kelly Marie hit Feels Like I’m In Love which is currently at 61 in the B.B.C chart.

(The mid to late 70’s years were notable for these special events)

The ten year Mungo Jerry reunion which was held at The Goat, Sunbury On Thames, featured the current band line-up together with original members Joe Rush and Paul King. It was such an overwhelming success that repeat performances will be performed.

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1981