The Wurzels

The Wurzels are a Scrumpy and Western band from Somerset, England, best known for their number one hit Combine Harvester and number three hit I Am A Cider Drinker in 1976.[1]
==Name==
The name of the band was dreamt up by 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'.[2]
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 southwest England,[3] 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 1966[4] as a backing group for, and by, singer/songwriterAdge Cutler.[5] With a thick Somerset accent, Adge played on his West Country roots, singing many folk songs with local themes such as cider making (and drinking), farming, dung-spreading, local villages and industrial work songs, often with a 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 chart.[6] The B-side "Twice Daily" was banned by the BBC for being too raunchy.[7]
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.[8]
Adge Cutler died after falling asleep at the wheel of his MGB sports car which then overturned on a roundabout approaching theSevern Bridge. He was returning alone from a Wurzels show in Hereford in May 1974. He is buried in Nailsea.[9]
===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, which became a UK hit,topping the charts for 2 weeks.[1] 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 theGeorge Baker Selection and also covered by Jonathan King the year before) which got to number three in the charts,[10] and "Farmer Bill's Cowman" (a reworking of the Whistling Jack Smith instrumental "I Was Kaiser Bill's Batman").
The Wurzels at Guilfest 2012The Wurzels have never stopped performing, but record releases during the 1980s and 1990s were few — and included singles such as "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 songs including the single "I Wanna Be An Eddie Stobart Driver" (released as a limited edition lorry-shaped disc). The interest in this record sparked off renewed interest in The Wurzels.[11]
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.[12] This album was recorded and produced by Louie Nicastro and George Allen [13] The album title and cover were a spoof of 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.[14] (Bailey is a Wurzels fan,[15] 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 limited edition split single with British Sea Power.[16]
In 2007, The Wurzels and Tony Blackburn re-released "I Am A Cider Drinker", with the royalties from the song going to the BUIProstate Cancer Care Appeal in Bristol.[17]
The Wurzels continue to gig around the UK,[18] including playing at the 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,[19] 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 popular with supporters of Bristol City F.C. Their song "One For The Bristol City" is the official club anthem.[20]First released in 1976, a newly recorded version of this song reached number 66 in the UK chart in September 2007.[21] 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 who, like Bristol City, play the track after home victories. In the 2010-11 season and thereafter, 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 — a first for the band, entitled "Ode To Adge" - a tribute to the band's founder, Adge Cutler.
In 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). The same month the band released the band's latest album A Load More Bullocks - timed to coincide with their appearance the previous Saturday at the Glastonbury Festival.[22] Their session took place on the Avalon stage.
In 2011, BBC Four 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's The One Show included an item on the story of the "Combine Harvester" song, featuring further interviews with Budd and Banner and extracts from the 1976 promotional film.
In 2014 they released a new song "The Mendip Windfarm Song" inspired by a local protest about wind turbines being constructed very near the Wurzel HQ in Laverton.[23]
In 2015, the Wurzels teamed up with the Farm Safety Foundation with a rewrite of their classic, Combine Harvester, focussing on Farm Safety. The song was accompanied by a light-hearted video produced by students from Moreton Morrell College, drawing attention to the various dangers on the farm.[24] [25]
==Current members==
Tommy Banner is the longest serving Wurzel. He joined the band in November 1967. 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. 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 Cutler'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.
John Morgan, also known as 'Amos', is the oldest drummer in the land according to fellow band members, hailing from the Forest of Dean  — prefers hot cocoa to cider and during 'live' gigs the claim is made that he is 79 years old.
Sedge Moore, born and bred in Somerset is the bass player.
Louie 'Gribble' Nicastro, latest member of the band, also the producer of the band's recent releases, plays keyboard.
==Past members==
Over the years many Wurzels have come and gone since Cutler first formed the group.
The original Wurzels line-up to accompany Cutler 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  – Reg Quantrill, John Macey and Reg Chant. 1967 saw a year of several changes  – Reg Chant left the group, soon followed by John Macey. Their places were 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 Cutler, Davies, Banner and Quantrill. Shortly afterwards they were joined by Melt Kingston for a short period, whilst Henry Davies went to work on other projects. Kingston left when Davies returned at the end of the year. Early in 1969, Davies left the group permanently and was replaced by Tony Baylis, in time for the band's fourth album release Carry On Cutler, the line-up now being Cutler, Banner, Baylis and Quantrill.
By 1974, Quantrill had been replaced by Pete Budd (born Peter Budd, 18 July 1940, Brislington, Bristol), but following the death of Cutler the Wurzels were left to continue on their own  – the future chart topping trio consisting of Banner, Budd and Baylis. The Wurzels obtained their first permanent drummer, John Morgan (born 21 April 1941, Lydney, Forest of Dean), in 1981 and the line-up then remained unchanged until 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, Howe and Pascoe left the band and were replaced by Mike Gwilliam. For the next nine years The Wurzels consisted of Budd, Banner, Morgan and Gwilliam. In 1995 Gwilliam left and was replaced by Dave Wintour. This remained the shape of the band until 2002, when Wintour was replaced by 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 in 2006. The death of Howe in 2007 left the band one man down  — this led to Sedge Moore being recruited to give the current line-up of Budd, Banner, Morgan and Moore.
==Singles discography==
===Adge Cutler & The Wurzels  — UK Singles===
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" 	1969	Columbia 	DB8614
"Poor, Poor Farmer" / "Chitterling" 	1971	Columbia 	DB8793
"Little Darlin'" / "Mother Nature Calling" 	1972	CBS 	CBS8067
"Drink Up Thy Zider" / "Twice Daily" (reissue) 	1974	Columbia 	DB9031
"Little Darlin'" / "Mother Nature Calling" (reissue) 	1974	Santa Ponsa	PNS20
===The Wurzels — UK Singles===
All released on 7" vinyl unless otherwise stated
Title 	Year	Label 	Reference number/format
"Captain Of The Dredger" (Acetate — only one copy known to exist) 	1975	EMI 	7" acetate (Remains officially unreleased)
"The Combine Harvester" / "The Blackbird" 	1976	EMI 	EMI2450
"I Am A Cider Drinker" / "Back Of My Old Car" 	1976	EMI 	EMI2520
"Morning Glory" / "Rock Around The A38" 	1976	EMI 	EMI2568
"Farmer Bill's Cowman" / "Springtime" 	1977	EMI 	EMI2637
"Give Me England" / "Speedy Gonzales" 	1977	EMI 	EMI2677
"One For The Bristol City" / "Cheddar Cheese" 	1977	EMI 	EMI2686
"The Tractor Song" / "Funky Farmyard" 	1978	EMI 	EMI2792
"I'll Never Get A Scrumpy Here" / "I Got My Beady Little Eye On Thee (Demo Only)"	1978	Columbia 	DB9051 7" vinyl — remains officially unreleased
"You Don't Get Drunk On Saturday" / "Don Juan Of The West(Demo Only)" 	1980	Columbia 	DB9076 7" vinyl — remains officially unreleased
"Combine Harvester" / "I Am A Cider Drinker" 	1980	HMV 	POP2017
"I Hate JR" / "I Love JR" 	1980	John Miles 	JM1001
"I Shot JR" / "Albert's Funny Farm" 	1980	John Miles 	JM1003
"If You Got Nothin' On Tonight" / "Little Drop Of Home Made Wine" 	1980	John Miles 	JM1004
"Coughin' Song" / "Shovel It Here" 	1982	John Miles 	JM1009
"Wurzel Rap" / "Wurzels In Stereo" 	1983	Goldliner 	RAP1
"All Fall Down" / "My Somerset Crumpet Horn" 	1986	Dingles 	SID238
"Sunny Weston-super-Mare" / "Sunny Weston-Super-Mare (Instrumental)" 	1988	Far End 	FNS2
"Sunny Weston-super-Mare" / "All Fall Down" 	1988	 ? 	Cassette (private release)
I Want To Be An Eddie Stobart Driver (EP) 	1995	LOOSE Records 	 ?
The Combine Harvester 2001 Remix (EP) 	2001	EMI Gold 	243 8 79448 2 4CD
Come On Santa! (EP) 	2001	Recognition/Universal	CDREC22 CD
Don't Look Back In Anger (EP) 	2002	EMI Gold 	7243 5 51508 2 0 CD
"Make Hay Not War (Demo only)" 	2003	CD 	remains officially unreleased
Ferry To Glastonbury (EP)(Promo only) 	2004	Cruisin Records CD 	remains officially unreleased
"Feed The Wurzels: Bristolian Band Aid" The Wurzels with Bush & Troy 	2004	Bristol GWR FM 	CD
"Peter Crouch In Lederhosen"/Bush & Troy vs The Wurzels 	2006	Bristol GWR FM 	CD
"Remember Me" / "I Am A Cider Drinker" (British Sea Power) 	2006	Rough Trade 	RTRADS302 7" vinyl (limited to 1966 copies)
"Remember Me" / "I Am A Cider Drinker" (British Sea Power) 	2006	Rough Trade Records 	CD (Promo copy only)
"I Am A Cider Drinker" (with Tony Blackburn) / "Ferry To Glastonbury" 	2007	EMI Gold 	0946 3 92653 2 9 7" vinyl (yellow)
"I Am A Cider Drinker" (with Tony Blackburn) / "Combine Harvester" 	2007	EMI Gold 	0946 3 92653 2 9 CD
"One For The Bristol City" / "Drink Up Thy Zider (live)" 	2007	Absolute 	CIA004CD
"Ode To Adge Cutler" 	2009	Internet 	Download only
"Ruby" 	2010	Internet 	Download only
"Sleigh Ride" 	2011	Internet 	Download only
"The Mendip Windfarm Song" 	2014	CIA 	Download only
==Albums discography==
===Adge Cutler & The Wurzels — UK Albums===
Title 	Year	Label 	Reference number
Adge Cutler & The Wurzels 	1967
1974	Columbia
Columbia	SX6126 (mono) 12" Vinyl
SX6126 (stereo) 12" Vinyl
Adge Cutler & The Wurzels Family Album 	1967
1974	Columbia
Columbia	SX6165 (mono) 12" Vinyl
SCX6165 (stereo) 12" Vinyl
Cutler Of The West 	1968
1974
2003	Columbia
Columbia
EMI Gold	SX6263 (mono) 12" Vinyl
SCX6263 (stereo) 12" Vinyl
584 8072 CD
Carry On Cutler 	1969
1969	Columbia
Columbia	SX6367 (mono) 12" Vinyl
SCX6367 (stereo) 12" Vinyl
Don't Tell I, Tell 'Ee 	1972	EMI Starline	SRS5119 12" Vinyl
The Very Best of Adge Cutler 	1974	EMI 	EMC3191 12" Vinyl
Dont Tell I, Tell 'Ee 	1978	Encore 	ONCR502 12" Vinyl
Adge Cutler's Cider Drinking Favourites	1980	EMI 	Notes NTS199 12" Vinyl
Vintage Cider 	1980	EMI 	MFP50476 12" Vinyl
===The Wurzels — UK Albums===
Title 	Year	Label 	Reference number and format
The Wurzels Are Scrumptious 	1975	EMI One Up 	OU2087 12" Vinyl
The Combine Harvester 	1976	EMI One Up 	OU2138 12" Vinyl
Golden Delicious 	1977	EMI Notes 	NTS122 12" Vinyl
Give Me England 	1977	EMI Notes 	NTS138 12" Vinyl
I'll Never Get A Scrumpy Here 	1978	EMI Notes 	NTS160 12" Vinyl
The Wurzels Greatest Hits 	1979	EMI Notes 	NTS190 12" Vinyl
I Am A Cider Drinker 	1979	EMI Encore 	ONCR523 12" Vinyl
The Wurzels Freshly Cut 	1983	Wurzel Records 	WR854675 12" Vinyl
The Wurzels 	1988	EMI IDEAL 	IDL22 CD
The Wurzels AND Adge Cutler & The Wurzels 	1991	EMI IDEAL 	IDL114 CD
Mendip Magic 'Live' 	1995	AFS Television Cassette Tape	
The Finest 'Arvest Of The Wurzels 	2000	EMI Gold 	5 27046 2 CD
The Wurzels Collection 	2001	HMV Easy 	5 32071 2 CD
The Finest 'Arvest Of The Wurzels 	2001	EMI Gold 	5 34401 2 CD
The Wurzels Live 	2002	APR Media Centre 	0700010230 CD
Never Mind The Bullocks, Ere's The Wurzels	2002	Cruisin' 	ZEN 00262 CD
A Taste Of The West 	2004	CIA 	001 CD
Top Of The Crops 	2006	CIA 	002 CD
The Wurzels Greatest Hits 	2007	EMI Gold 	3 93902 2 CD
A Load More Bullocks 	2010	CIA 	CD and Internet Download
The Wurzels Christmas Album 	2011	CIA 	CD and Internet Download
==References in popular culture==
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 — 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 BBC Two'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, set in 1982. Bristol City use the tune "One for the Bristol City" by the Wurzels — 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.
Category:Bands