Mangledwurzels FAQ

Where do The Mangledwurzels come from?

The Mangledwurzels are all Somerset born and bred. The band is based in North East Somerset; Hedge hails from Shepton Mallet, Seth from Farrington Gurney and now resides in Midsomer Norton, and Jethro Too! was born in Nunney and lives in Frome.

Can I book The Mangledwurzels for...?

Of course - you can book the The Mangledwurzels for gigs, parties (all ages!), weddings, village events, agricultural shows, cider and beer festivals or farmers balls. Check our bookings page on the website and fill in an enquiry form for a quote (or call Dave on 01761 416635).
It is a cliche to say 'book early to avoid disappointment', but please do! (Having to tell an upset bride-to-be that we can't play at her wedding in seven months time because we're already booked is no fun.) We much prefer people to arrange things as early as they can. The band calendar will show dates when the band is unavailable (ongoing enquiries notwitstanding).

Are you the real Wurzels?

No, The Mangledwurzels deem themselves a "Scrumpy & Western Tribute Band" (akin to Adge Cutler & The Wurzels). The real Wurzels are still very much active (see below), and have hardly aged since their number 1 hit in 1976; most probably thanks to the quantity of cider they have consumed over the years!

How can I book/see the real Wurzels?

Their manager is Sil Wilcox, check out The Wurzels website for contact/booking details and the website gig guide (or social media) to see The Wurzels' live dates.

What is Scrumpy & Western music?

Scrumpy & Western music has its roots in a variety of sources including jazz, folk, pop, music hall and rock 'n' roll, but can't be easily categorised. According to Bob Barratt, who produced Adge Cutler & the Wurzels' records at EMI "It is impossible to define Wurzel-music. It's not really pop - it's not really comedy. It has been disowned by the West of England Folk-Song Society, and Adge was black-balled from the Long Ashton Jazz Appreciation Group on account of it".
Adge Cutler himself said: "I suppose you can call the sort of music I write 'good-time' folk. I have hardly ever written a sad song. I write songs so that people can sing them. They have got to be simple for me to sing them."

What songs do The Mangledwurzels play?

The Mangledwurzels play Wurzels songs - Adge Cutler classics and the 70s Wurzels hits - blended with self-penned titles and pop standards 'Mangled' (as we put it) in true Wurzels tradition (hence the name!).

Why don't you play... (insert Wurzels' song) ...?

Adge Cutler was a prolific songwriter, and since his death The Wurzels have continued to record and release songs and albums (The Wurzelmania! website lists over 150 Wurzels songs). The Mangledwurzels have also written over a dozen or so songs of their own! The Mangledwurzels normally play a c. 30-song set so we can't do them all! It's no surprise that 18 of our standard set are from the Wurzels' Finest 'Arvest album, as these are the songs that most people know and love and expect to hear.

Is Hedge Cutter (our singer) related to Adge Cutler?

No, not at all! With tongue in cheek, we started a rumour that he was actually the love child of Adge Cutler and Pete Budd(!) - but so many people started to believe this that we all got rather worried! Hedge was originally asked to join the band because we knew that he was the kind of ... erm ... "character" who wouldn't mind dressing up and making a fool of himself on stage - it was only when we started performing and in our stage gear that it became evident that he does look uncannily like Adge (one of our publicity posters even fooled Sil (Wilcox, Wz Manager) into thinking we'd photo-shopped the real Adge into the publicity shot - not our own Hedge Cutter)! After one of our gigs, Adge's step daughter came up to us to say how much Hedge looked like a young version of her dad (and even sent us some early photo's of Adge to prove it)!

Why aren't you drinking scrumpy?

We have been asked that at gigs numerous times. We stand on stage singing about drinking up thy cider, and yet we seem to be drinking coke or water! There are two good reasons for this. Cider, while certainly being good for 'ee, isn't always good for our performances. The Mangledwurzels like to think of ourselves as professionals - and being too drunk to remember the words, or play your instrument (or stand up unaided) doesn't impress the audience - or the person who's booked us! Also, we have drive to gigs, and so need to be sober enough to drive home afterwards... So, one drink a night is a limit - when you are arrive to play at a pub with a barful of real ales and ciders on offer, it is sometimes very hard to maintain that level of professionalism! So - YOU enjoy the cider, and WE'LL try not to drool too much into our instruments...

What is a Mangledwurzel?

The mangold- or mangel-wurzel is a member of the family Chenopodiaceae, genus Beta (beets). The beets include the sugar beet, beetroot, and Swiss chard. The mangold-wurzel (Beta vulgaris vulgaris) is a subspecies of the common beet [source: Mangold Hurling Association website]. First grown in the 18th century in England (with it's origins in Germany), predominantly as cattle fodder, it was replaced by others in the beet/turnip family by proving itself less frost resistant.