THE KING EARL BOOGIE BAND
MUNGO JERRY ?
THE ROOTS OF THE KING EARL BOOGIE BAND
In the beginning was
MUNGO JERRY - a band born of the
late sixties who impudently
upstaged The Grateful Dead and roared on to sell 23 million copies of
Ray Dorset's classic song IN THE SUMMERTIME. The band captured the
imagination of the audience not least for the clever lyrics of their songs (many
attributable to Paul King), the wonderfully raspy vocals (uniquely
Ray Dorset) and the manic karate chop style of piano playing (black-belt
piano by Colin
Earl). For a while MUNGO JERRY prospered, but
sadly - eventually the band
drifted and came apart. While Ray Dorset went his own way still using the MJ
name; COLIN
EARL and
PAUL KING took their
share of the creative talent
from MJ and set
up their own band.
Imaginatively named:
THE KING EARL
BOOGIE BAND.
The whole story of the split of Mungo Jerry was the subject of speculation in the papers at the time - and the full story has never really been told. While I'm sure there are many versions of the truth, Colin Earl's version was eventually published in the November 2006 edition of Blues in Britain magazine. visit www.bluesinbritain.org to find out how to subscribe.
The KEBB originally made their mark with some seminal records - Trouble At Mill and The Mill Is Gone were two collectors pieces, and their first single, Plastic Jesus, is remembered by many. It was famously banned by the BBC who thought from the title that it must be profane - although of course it isn't. Over the years Paul sometimes played on his own - sometimes as himself and sometimes under a variety of pseudonyms such as "Levi Grumble" and "Paladin". The Band also traded as "Skeleton Crew" at various stages of it's development. There have been periods of intense activity and periods when virtually nothing happened (not least because Colin Earl spent some time in the USA helping his brother Roger Earl establish FOGHAT - a band in the style of Roger's previous team - The Savoy Brown Blues Band. Both bands enjoyed a huge American following.)
Eventually Paul King retired and moved to Cornwall but still the KEBB wouldn't lay down and die ! Paul graciously allowed the band to continue to use his name and he sometimes guests with the KEBB. He has recently moved back to Surrey and revived Skeleton Crew with Colin Pattenden and Geoff Ward. Mr Earl still guest performs with them from time to time.
The bands' musical style has changed subtly with the change in personnel, and while they still play the favourites of In The Summertime and San Francisco Bay Blues, the blues roots and songwriting ability of DAVE PEABODY has broadened the band into a magical brew of boogie woogie rhythm and blues and jug band all rolled into one. LES CALVERT with his background with Alexis Korner, Mike Kooper and Jona Louis has added vocal range and a more solid rock feel to the proceedings. Then in 2005 JOHN COGHLAN brought his spectacular hard drumming from STATUS QUO and transformed the KEBB yet again. IAN CAMPBELL still plays his soul out on lead guitar and the current incarnation of the band remains under the leadership of COLIN EARL who still karate chops his poor keyboard whenever he thinks piano protection league aren't looking ! You can read about them each on the WHO? page of this site.
The bands current CD is
called LOADED & LIVE recorded live
during 2005 at Carnglaze Cavern and at Sterts Open Air Theatre - both in
Cornwall. You can get a copy - see the front page of this web
site.
Still available from anewdayrecords.co.uk is a CD
entitled FEELIN'
GOOD which was recorded
live at the 1999 Skägen Festival in
Denmark.