[Dixielandjazz] George Melly & the Press Gang

[Fred Spencer]

Dear Dave and Bill,
    There are three more "jazz"books by (a and b),and about, (c) George 
Melly:
(a) Mellymobile. 1870-1981 (Robson Books, 1982).
(b) Slowing Down (Viking/Penguin, 2005/2006).
(c) Take A Girl Like Me. Life With George by Diana Melly, (wife, Chatto and 
Windus, 2005).
    The cornetist in the "Davies and Day" band is almost certainly John 
Postgate, who is an eminent English microbiologist (Fellow of the Royal 
Society-the most scholarly decoration in Britain) with these "Recreations" 
in Who's Who, 1999: "Listening to jazz and attempting to play it". He is the 
author of one of the best introductions to jazz-A Plain Man's Guide to Jazz 
(UK--Hanover Books. USA Oak Publications, 1973), and Looking For Frankie. A 
Bio-Discography of the Jazz Trumpeter Frankie Newton. Bob Weir and John 
Postgate, 18 Tydfil Place, Roath Park, Cardiff, CF 23 5HP, Wales UK, 2003. 
(I am surprised the Principailty still acknowledges its fealty to the 
Queen). Hywl.
Fred


Sospan fach.

Fred

Fred

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Richoux" <tubaman at tubatoast.com>
To: <drjz at bealenet.com>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 2:40 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] George Melly & the Press Gang


> Maybe not surprisingly, I found some messages about Melly on the  Bonzo
> Dog list - maybe because of his general notoriety in the UK  music scene -
> he did, after all, record a track with  the long  running Punk Band "The
> Stranglers" in 1978...
>
> anyway, here is a tribute video done for him on YouTube:
>
> http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ncq35PiMRwQ  Not OKOM for most, I  guess!
> Punk Rock  music on the DJML?
>
> Horrors!
>
> Dave Richoux
>
>
> On Jul 10, 2007, at 10:25 PM, Bill Haesler wrote:
>
>> 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.
>>
>>
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