[Dixielandjazz] George Melly & the Press Gang

[Bill Haesler]

Ivor Jones wrote:
> I first came across George at a Pub at the bottom of Fleet Street, the 
> home of the British press. It was 1954, more or less, I don't remember 
> the pub.The band was called the Press Gang, and it was probably 
> comprised of journalists. George sang 'Judge, Judge,sweet mister Judge 
> send me to the 'lectric chair' . He was bloody awful but very 
> entertaining. The question is, Who was in the Press Gang ? Not even 
> Mr. Australia will know that . How about it Bill.

Dear Ivor,
This is the best I can come up with:
    In his first book, 'Owning Up', George Melly said that his initial 
experience of live jazz was was at a farewell concert for Graeme Bell & 
His Australian Band at the Leicster Square Jazz Club in London. The 
Bells left London for Australia on 9th July 1948 and handed the LSJC 
gig to Humph, so this effectively dates Melly's introduction to the 
London jazz scene.
George became impulsively involved and decided to be a singer. He sat 
in with Humph and was then in a band with John RT Davies on banjo, 
pianist Norman Day and John Postgate, cornet.
They did at least one gig at the legendary Eel Pie Island on the river 
Thames.
Mick Mulligan was rehearsing his Magnolia Jazz Band at this time and 
invited John RT and Norman Day to join. He also, somewhat unwillingly, 
got George - courtesy of Norman! The Mulligan band played its first 
paid job in Oct 1948, had several changes of personnel, then recorded 
for Tempo in Jan 1950.
The band 'turned' professional later in 1950. George was to remain with 
Mick M until the early 60s.
However he did work with others and made the first record under his own 
name in June 1951.
Now for the Press Gang in 1954.
George appeared at a Royal Festival Hall concert in London on 30 Oct 
that year with Fred Hunt, p; Nevil Skrimshire, g; Frank Thompson, sb 
and Pete Appleby, d. Could it have been them at the pub?
I have found here (and in Britain) that there are musical cliques of 
mates who regularly work together in small pickup groups fpr pub jobs, 
outside their normal gigs.
Kind regards,
Bill.