More Info on The WurzelsSimilar Pop & Rock MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
Use dmy dates|date=November 2011Infobox musical artist| | name = The Wurzels| image = Wurzels Wychwood 2011.jpg| caption = Tommy Banner and Pete Budd performing at the 2011 Wychwood Festival | image_size = 240px| landscape = yes| background = group_or_band| alias =| origin = England | instrument =| genre = Scrumpy and Western | years_active = 1966–present| label =| associated_acts =| website = http://www.thewurzels.com/ thewurzels.com| current_members = Tommy Banner Pete Budd John Morgan Sedge Moore| Founder = Adge Cutler The Wurzels (originally Adge Cutler and the Wurzels but renamed The Wurzels after Adge Cutler|Adge Cutler's death) are a British Scrumpy and Western band. The Somerset -based band is best known by many people for their 1976 List of Number 1 Hits (UK)|number one hit " Brand_New_Key#Parodies_and_other_versions|Combine Harvester ",cite web|url= http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp? storyCode=11443& sectioncode=2|title=1000 number ones: The Seventies|date=17 January 2005|work= Music Week and number three hit " Paloma_Blanca#Versions|I Am A Cider Drinker " based on the song Una Paloma Blanca, but have a history stretching over 40 years, and still perform to this day.
Name
The name of the band was dreamed-up by the band's founder Adge Cutler. It appears to be short for mangelwurzel , a crop grown to feed livestock, and 'wurzel' is also sometimes used in the UK (perhaps only as a result of the band's name) as a synonym for ' yokel '.cite web|title=The Mangledwurzels|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/articles/2006/08/24/somerset_sounds_the_mangledwurzels_feature.shtml|publisher=BBC|accessdate=15 November 2011
The Wurzels' particular "genre" of music was named Scrumpy and Western after the group's first EP of the same name, issued early in 1967. Scrumpy is a name given to traditionally-made cider in south west England,cite book|last=Soanes|first=Catherine |title=The Oxford Dictionary of English (revised edition)|year=2005|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=0-19-861057-2|url= http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html? subview=Main& entry=t140.e69266 popular amongst The Wurzels and their fans, and frequently referred to in their songs.
History
Adge Cutler and The Wurzels
The Wurzels were formed in 1966cite web|title=The Wurzels|url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/8580ec50-775a-4486-8240-49115cf0114b|publisher=BBC|accessdate=15 November 2011 as a backing group for, and by, singer/songwriter Adge Cutler .cite web|title=Adge Cutler & The Wurzels|url= http://www.somersetmade.co.uk/scrumpyandwestern/wurzels.php|publisher=Scrumpy & Western|accessdate=15 November 2011 With a thick West Country dialects|Somerset accent , Adge played on his West Country roots, singing many folk songs with local themes such as cider making (and drinking), farming, muck spreading|dung-spreading , local villages and industrial work song s, often with a comic song|comic slant.
During the latter half of the 1960s, the band became immensely popular regionally, and the release of the single Drink Up Thy Zider in 1966 led to national fame and it reaching number 45 in the UK charts,cite web|title=Drink Up Thy Zider|url= http://www.chartstats.com/release.php? release=4348|publisher=Chart Stats|accessdate=15 November 2011 despite the B-side Twice Daily being banned by the BBC for being too raunchy.cite web|title="Drink Up Thy Zider" - Adge Cutler & The Wurzels|url= http://www.thewurzels.com/drinkup.htm|publisher=The Wurzels|accessdate=15 November 2011 This was because it told the story of a farm labourer who begins a physical relationship with a female co-worker called 'Lucy Bailey'.
A number of live albums were recorded at local pubs and clubs, filled with Adge Cutler penned favourites such as Easton in Gordano , The Champion Dung Spreader , and ''Thee's Got'n Where Thee Cassn't Back'n, Hassn't? together with songs written by others and some re-workings of popular folk songs of the time.cite web|title=The Wurzels|url= http://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/the-wurzels/id14803701|publisher=iTunes|accessdate=15 November 2011
Adge Cutler died after falling asleep at the wheel of his MG MGB|MGB sports car which then overturned on a roundabout approaching the Severn Bridge . He was returning alone from a Wurzels show in Hereford in May 1974. He is buried in Nailsea .cite web|url= http://www.somersetmade.co.uk/wurzelmania/wurzelography-adgecutler.php|title=Fan pays tribute to Wurzel Adge|year=2005|publisher=BBC|accessdate=28 March 2010
The Wurzels
Adge's death marked a turning point in the history of the Wurzels. Deprived of the main song-writing talent, the remaining Wurzels recorded The Wurzels Are Scrumptious! in 1975, an album containing many favourites from the back catalogue, including a number of previously unrecorded Cutler-written songs. In order to continue the surviving band needed its own songs, and these mostly took the formula of re-written popular pop songs of the time with the lyrics changed to include the usual Wurzel themes (cider, farming, local villages, Cheddar cheese , etc.)
In 1976, the Wurzels released "The Combine Harvester", a re-work of the song " Brand New Key ", by Melanie Safka|Melanie , which became a UK hit, List of Number 1 Hits (UK)|topping the charts for 2 weeks. The band quickly followed its success with the release of a number of similarly themed songs such as I Am A Cider Drinker (a rework of an existing melody "Una Paloma Blanca", which was written by and had been a hit for the George Baker Selection and also covered by Jonathan King the year before) which got to number three in the charts,cite web|url= http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/s-star-man/article-568073-detail/article.html|title=He's the star man|date=27 December 2008|work=Western Daily Press|publisher=This is Bristol|accessdate=18 August 2009 and ''Farmer Bill's Cowman (a reworking of the Whistling Jack Smith instrumental I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman ).
The Wurzels have never stopped performing, but record releases during the 1980s and 1990s were few& nbsp;— and included singles like I Hate JR and Sunny Weston-super-Mare . To help celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Eddie Stobart Ltd in 1995, the group signed to Cumbria record label Loose Records & Music , and recorded four new new songs including the single "I Wanna Be An Eddie Stobart Driver" (released as a limited edition lorry-shaped disc) which hit the lower end of the national singles charts. The interest in this record sparked off renewed interest in The Wurzels.cite web|url= http://www.crucialhosting.co.uk/lrm/wurzels.htm|title=The Wurzels|publisher=Crucial Hosting|accessdate=28 March 2010
The late 1990s saw the continuing of this revival of the fortunes for the surviving Wurzels, gaining a cult status amongst students and a resurgence in their popularity in their native West Country. Under the new management of The Stranglers manager Sil Willcox a number of CD releases followed, largely featuring re-recordings of older works, but also ''Never Mind The Bullocks, Ere's The Wurzels'' containing cover versions of contemporary British rock songs.cite news|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/westcountryproperty/3363995/Ooh-arr-goes-all-ooh-la-la.html|title=Ooh-arr goes all ooh-la la|last=Tyzack|first=Anna|date=20 August 2008|publisher=The Telegraph|accessdate=28 March 2010 This album was recorded and produced by Louie Nicastro and George Allen manager of The Mission.cite web|title=Wurzels, The& nbsp;– Never Mind The Bullock's Ere's The Wurzels|url= http://www.discogs.com/Wurzels-Never-Mind-The-Bullocks-Eres-The-Wurzels/release/2866206|publisher=Discogs|accessdate=15 November 2011 The album title and cover were a spoof '' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols .
The Wurzels covered British Sea Power 's Remember Me while British Sea Power covered The Wurzels' I Am A Cider Drinker . The band also supported BSP at their gig at the London Forum in November. In 2004, The Wurzels appeared on Never Mind The Buzzcocks in that year's Christmas special, performing Christmas songs to Bill Bailey 's team.cite web|url= http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1577339/|title=The Wurzels|publisher=IMDB|accessdate=28 March 2010 (Bailey is a Wurzels fan,cite news|url= http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/bill-bailey-the-laidback-standup-guy-613425.html|title=Bill Bailey: The laid-back stand-up guy|last=Ross|first=Deborah|date=7 October 2002|publisher=The Independent|accessdate=28 March 2010 and stood and saluted upon hearing Combine Harvester, later claiming that he had the tune on his doorbell at home!) In 2005, the band released a Remember Me/I Am a Cider Drinker|limited edition split single with British Sea Power .cite news|url= http://www.metro.co.uk/home/9058-british-sea-power-the-wurzels|title=British Sea Power + The Wurzels|last=Collier|first=Fliss|date=25 November 2005|publisher=Metro|accessdate=28 March 2010
In 2007, The Wurzels and Tony Blackburn re-released I Am A Cider Drinker with the royalties from the song going to the BUI Prostate Cancer Care Appeal in Bristol .cite web|url= http://www.normanrecords.com/records/90026|title=The Wurzels with Tony Blackburn I Am A Cider Drinker|publisher=Norman Records|accessdate=28 March 2010
The Wurzels continue to gig around the UK, http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/articles/2006/06/19/wurzels_big_summer_party_review_feature.shtml BBC - Somerset - Entertainment and Leisure - Review: The Wurzels' Big Summer Party including playing at the Shalbourne|Shalbourne Festival for nearly 11 years, although they pulled out of the 2007 Glastonbury Festival , having been scheduled to play the bandstand stage where they could not use their own sound engineers, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/6761101.stm Wurzels pull out of Glastonbury BBC News, 17 June 2007 although they had played the same stage at the 2000 Glastonbury Festival. They were also one of the headliners at the 2007 Bristol Community Festival , and made a return to Glastonbury in 2008 (on a higher profile stage).
The Wurzels are also very popular with supporters of Bristol City F.C. . Their song "One For The Bristol City" is the official club anthem.cite web|url= http://www.bcfc3lions.co.uk/page47.html|title=The 3 Lions and A Robin guide to Ashton Gate and the Wurzels|publisher=Bristol City Fan Club|accessdate=28 March 2010 First released in 1976, a newly recorded version of this song reached number 66 in the UK charts in September 2007.cite web|url= http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/bristol%20city%20%26%20the%20wurzels/|title=Bristol City & the Wurzels|publisher= The Official Charts Company |accessdate=7 January 2011 It is played at the final whistle at Ashton Gate if the home club win and it is sung by fans along with another Wurzel song "I am a cider drinker". The song has also been adopted by Bath City F.C.|Bath City who, like Bristol City, play the track after home victories. In the 2010-11 season and so on, the songs after a victory for the home side was changed for "Drink Up Thy Cider".
The band continue to spread the message of wurzelmania across the country. In December 2009 they released a new single, available by internet download only& nbsp;— a first for the band, entitled 'Ode To Adge' - a tribute to the band's founder, Adge Cutler.
Early June 2010 the Wurzels' released another single (a cover of the Kaiser Chiefs "Ruby") and as another first in the band's history, issued in preview form, together with a promotional film, on their YouTube channel. The single was made available for general release only as an internet download (traditional hardcopies were made available as promo discs to radio stations).
28 June 2010 saw the release of the band's latest CD album 'A Load More Bullocks' - timed to coincide with their appearance the previous Saturday at the Glastonbury festival.cite news|title=The Wurzels record new album for Glastonbury Festival|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/somerset/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8689000/8689114.stm|publisher=BBC|accessdate=15 November 2011|date=18 May 2010 Their session took place on the Avalon stage to a crowd of some 20,000 fans.
In 2011 BBC4 started a series of repeats of the popular long running programme 'Top of The Pops' starting with 1976 and a programme dedicated to that year. Two of the Wurzels, Budd and Banner were interviewed as part of that programme with their first performance on the programme (1976) being screened. In the same month the BBC 'One Show' included a 7 minute item on the story of the Wurzels' Combine Harvester' song featuring further interviews with Budd and Banner and extracts from the 1976 promotional film for the 'Combine Harvester' song.
Current members
Tommy Banner is the longest serving Wurzel, Tommy joined the band in November 1967, and is still going strong. He is usually seen playing accordion, but has also played piano in the Wurzels' past. Hailing from Penicuik , his Scottish accent remains but with a strong Somerset twang.
Pete Budd is the familiar front-man of the post-Cutler band, Pete Budd originally joined the Wurzels as a banjo player in 1972, and his distinctive West Country vocals made him an obvious replacement lead singer after Adge's death. He continues to sing, and play banjo and guitar for the band, including in his repertoire a Mark Knopfler -esque guitar lead on their modern version of I Wish I Was Back On The Farm , originally made famous by George Formby, Jr.|George Formby .
John Morgan, also known as 'Amos',is the oldest drummer in the land according to fellow band members hailing from the Forest of Dean& nbsp;— prefers hot cocoa to cider and during 'live' gigs the claim is made that he is 79 years of age.
Sedge Moore, born and bred in Somerset. A skilful bass player, his cheerful, happy style is perfectly suited to the band.
Louie 'Gribble' Nicastro, latest member of the band, also the producer of the band's recent releases, plays keyboard. Responsible for the majority of 'live' animal noises during the songs!
Past members
Over the years many Wurzels have come and gone since Adge Cutler first formed the group to accompany him in singing his scrumpy laden ditties.
The original Wurzels line-up to accompany Adge recorded their first album (“Adge Cutler and the Wurzels”) in 1966 and consisted of Brian Walker, Reg Quantrill, John Macey and Reg Chant.
Brian Walker left in 1967, soon after the band's first album was released. Their next offering “Adge Cutler and the Wurzels’ Family Album”, was recorded with the remaining members& nbsp;– Reg Quantrill, John Macey and Reg Chant.
1967 saw a year of several changes& nbsp;– Reg Chant left the group, soon followed by John Macey. But their places were quickly filled by Henry Davies and Tommy Banner.
The group's third album “Cutler of the West’ was released in 1968 with a line-up featuring Adge Cutler, Henry Davies, Tommy Banner and Reg Quantrill. Shortly afterwards they were joined by Melt Kingston for a short period whilst Henry Davies went to work on other projects. Melt left when Henry returned at the end of the year.
Early in 1969, Henry Davies left the group permanently and was replaced by Tony Baylis, just in time for the band's fourth album release “Carry On Cutler”, the line-up now being Adge Cutler, Tommy Banner, Tony Baylis and Reg Quantrill.
By 1974, Reg Quantrill had been replaced by Pete Budd (born Peter Budd, 18 July 1940, in Brislington , Bristol ), but following the death of Adge Cutler the Wurzels were left to continue on their own& nbsp;– the future chart topping trio consisting of Tommy Banner, Pete Budd and Tony Baylis.
The Wurzels obtained their first permanent drummer, John Morgan (born 21 April 1941, in Lydney , Forest of Dean ), in 1981 and the line-up then remained unchanged until Tony Baylis left in 1983. Just before he left Jai Howe played with the group for a short period, with Terry Pascoe also augmenting the line-up.
Early in 1984, Jai Howe and Terry Pascoe left the band and were replaced by Mike Gwilliam. For the next nine years ‘The Wurzels’ consisted of Pete Budd, Tommy Banner, John Morgan and Mike Gwilliam.
In 1995 Mike Gwilliam left and was replaced by Dave Wintour . This remained the shape of the band until 2002 when Dave was replaced by Jai Howe (who had played with the band in the early 1980s).
A temporary change in line-up occurred in November 2005 when long-term Wurzel Tommy Banner had to step away from performing whilst undergoing treatment for prostate cancer . His place was taken on by the band's production and sound engineer, Louie Nicastro, until Banner's health was restored and he was able to return to the fold in the spring of 2006.
The death of Jai Howe in 2007 left the band one man down& nbsp;— this led to Sedge Moore being recruited to give the current ‘farmyard four’ line-up of Pete Budd, Tommy Banner, John Morgan and Sedge Moore.
Singles discography
Adge Cutler & The Wurzels& nbsp;— UK Singles
All released on 7” vinyl
Title
Year
Label
Reference number
"Drink Up Thy Zider" / "Twice Daily"
1966
Columbia
DB8081
Scrumpy & Western EP
1967
Columbia
SEG8525
"Champion Dung Spreader" / "When The Common Market Comes To Stanton Drew"
1967
Columbia
DB8145
"I Wish I Was Back On The Farm" / "Easton-In-Gordano"
1967
Columbia
DB8222
"All Over Mendip" / "My Threshing Machine"
1967
Columbia
DB8277
"Don't Tell I, Tell 'Ee" / "Faggots Is The Stuff"
1968
Columbia
DB8399
"Up The Clump" / "Aloha Severn Beach"
1968
Columbia
DB8462
"Ferry To Glastonbury" / "Saturday Night At The Crown"
West Country-born stand-up comedians Bill Bailey and Richard Herring occasionally refer to The Wurzels in their respective routines. In Bailey's Bewilderness show he mentions knowing them "when they were a German techno band, Die Würtzels& nbsp;— and then they sold out, went all oo-arr country", as well as performing a pastiche of "Combine Harvester" in the style of Chris de Burgh . In an appearance on BBC2's Never Mind The Buzzcocks , Bailey stood and saluted a playing of the intro to "Combine Harvester". Castmembers sang "Combine Harvester" at the beginning of episode 2.4 of Ashes to Ashes (TV series)|Ashes to Ashes , set in 1982. Bristol City use the tune "One for the Bristol City" by the Wurzels& nbsp;— a reworking of "One for the Morning Glory" as their run-out music at Ashton Gate, and the original version of "Drink Up Thy Zider" at the end of matches when they have won.
See also
British popular music
References
Reflist|2
External links
Official website| http://www.thewurzels.com/
DEFAULTSORT:Wurzels, The Category:Musical groups established in 1966 Category:English folk musical groups Category:British comedy musical groups Category:Culture in Somerset Category:Music in Somerset Category:Music in Bristol Category:Scrumpy and Western
cs:The Wurzels de:The Wurzels pl:The Wurzels
Copyright Citations
This article is licensed under the GNU License
Click here for original article: The Wurzels
