Sleeve Notes:
Well here we are making our own record; we hope you are going to like it. We have tried to include a variety of songs to give you an idea of what we are doing nowadays. Apart from the good old rumper-diddle-ay-do type Wurzel songs that one associates with scrumpy drinking and falling over, we have included some soft and gentle songs which we strongly recommend to people with hangovers as they don't hurt the brain too much As every scrumpy drinker knows it is dangerous to start the day with a bang! Before we tell you about the songs may be you'd like to know a bit about us? Tommy Banner. He plays the piano and accordion, and has been with the Wurzels the longest although he's the shortest! He came from Scotland where his place of birth remains a mystery, even to his mother. As a small boy he used to take the collection in church but they made him give it back.
His
introduction to show business came when a piano fell on
him at the age of ten. At the age of eleven they moved the
piano but it had left a lasting impression! His hobbles
include growing radishes and dressing up as a sailor (he
joined the sea scouts but was thrown out for wearing lipstick).
His ambition is to make a good barmaid!
Tony Baylis. He plays the fool and occasionally the double bass, bass guitar and Sousaphone. He's been with the Wurzels nearly as long as Tommy and was born in Hertfordshire, his father wanted a girl, but his mother found out and made him say at home! At the age of two he astonished his parents by swallowing a toad and spent the following winter under a damp stone.
His introduction so show business came at the age of six when he ran away to join a circus. But with characteristic bad planning it was a flea circus and he was soon discovered and sent to bed without any tea. His hobbies include alcoholism and racing hedgehogs, and his ambition is to roller skate from Land's End to John 0'Groats (that's uphill all the way!).
Peter Budd. He plays the guitar and banjo and makes us laugh when he gets his words mixed up. He was born in Somerset and brought up by a family of foxes; now when he hears the sound of a horn he makes for the nearest hedge! He left school at the age of nine to take up gravedigging but gave it up as a dead loss.
His introduction to show business came when he was given the part of Guy Fawkes at Bonfire Night; it was as the flames were singeing his trousers I that he discovered he had a singing voice which, on a clear day, can be heard from Exeter to Bristol. His hobbles are tug of war (solo) and knitting (he's the biggest we know), and his ambition is to swim the Atlantic without touching the bottom!
We all sing after a fashion, and if that fashion ever comes back we'll be made; In the meantime we believe in enjoying ourselves and singing our guts out, which is the best place for them!
Included in this record are some of the good old Wurzel songs like ‘Don't Tell I Tell E'! & and ‘Drink Up Thy Zider' because we like them and they get everybody going, if you know what we mean. We've done another version of ‘Twice Daily' cause its so popular and old Pete sings it like a real beauty; also there's a new version of ‘The Shepton Mallet Matador', for the same reasons.
However, we have a host of now songs which we hope you will enjoy. There is ‘Look At Ee Looking At I' by Adge Cutler, and there is a good old foot stomper all about the never ending saga of ‘boys meets girl' - ‘Who Needs Summer?' is a smashing song written especially for us by Ed Welch; Tony sings the lead and Pete has a word or two in the middle. This song is already an established favourite with our audiences all over the country.
‘The Verger' was written by folk singer Trevor Crozier and features Tommy in sparkling form: this is our contribution to the Church which we think would go down well on ‘Stars On Sunday'! ‘Speedy Gonzales' is our finger snappin hip shakin', do your own thing type rock'n' roll extravaganza which features Pete singing the lead, ‘A Drinking Man's Life' was written by Tony whilst in an alcoholic stupor, and the way he sings it, it sounds like he's been in the scrumpy house for a practice run (with scrumpy you certainly have to run well!).
‘I'm The Captain Of A Dredger' is another song by Adge which we dedicate to all those who sail the ‘ Severn ' seas, and to sailors everywhere (Tom says).
‘Cheddar Cheese' was written by all of us and is our answer to world problems - ‘Make cheese, not war'. ‘I Gotta Have Tenderness' has also become an established favourite with our audiences in the last year, as on this one we get together in really close harmony much to people's amazement, and our own. ‘The Market Gardener' is a song compiled by Adge and Tony and this is a real sing-along number which has become a firm favourite everywhere. Tony sings it like a man possessed, well, he needs the exorcise!!
Selections from this record were recorded down in North Devon at Ruda Holiday Park and we thank Gordon and Mary for letting us use their club. We should also like to thank some of our special fans who are there every time we appear. There's Glad and May, the fastest fish filleters In the West, and all May's family. Snoddy played truant to be there and old Braunton Bill was in as good voice as ever. Thanks also to Des and the bar staff for their constant attention to our needs, and to Colin from Cornwall, a stalwart who must hold the Wurzel attendance record. While we were keeping ourselves topped up same really swinging music was provided by the Johnny Spencer Set the Club's resident group. We'd also like to pay tribute to our Roadie Noddy, who drives us about and sets up all the equipment. Finally, special thanks to our dear friend Adge Cutler for bringing us together in the first place.
There just remains to thank you, the record buyer, and hope you get as much pleasure out of listening to this record as we did making it. P.S. if you're reading this in the shop, a word of advice: “It's later than you think buy it NOW!”. Tony Baylis
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