This was the fifth 7" 45 rpm vinyl single by Adge Cutler & The Wurzels, released on 6th October 1967. It was issued on the Columbia EMI record label in mono, catalogue number DB8277.
At the time of the recording of this single the Wurzels supporting Adge were Reg Quantrill, Reg Chant and John Macey. By the time it was released both Reg Chant and John Macey had moved on: Reg's full-time job was landlord of the Midland Hotel in Bristol and he found it hard to balance the responsibilities of his 'proper' job with playing in Adge's newly formed group. John Macey just felt that full time work in a 'band on the road' wasn't for him having previously tried and been unhappy with a similar role with Acker Bilk's group. In their absence Pete Shuttler (of 'Yetties' fame), and Ken Scott, stood in at gigs.
This was the first appearance of these two tracks. 'All Over Mendip' was written by Adge and first appeared on his set list for gigs on April 15th 1967 and was probably written earlier in 1967. It reappeared again in 1969 when it was included on the 'Carry On Cutler' LP but both versions are quite different. The single version is lively with a longer introduction and sounds a lot clearer than the slightly shorter album version. It is most likely a studio take from the two-day May/June session at EMI's Abbey Road. 'The Threshing Machine' is credited to Dwayne Detroit (new lyrics and adaptation) - an alias used by Adge's record producer Bob Barratt. The original version of this song is nigh-on impossible to track down - it appears all across the country in various forms and has been traced back to at least the 1850's in a copy in the Bodleian Library. The existence of an acetate for this single (see 'Collectors' Extras' below) labelled as 'no atmosphere' - lends credence to the fact that this track is a studio recording (again most likely at the May/June session mentioned previously). The single version of this song is identical to this acetate except that the single has bursts of audience sounds on occasions. This song surfaces again on the 1972 'Don't Tell I, tell 'Ee' album but on this album it is preceded by chat to introduce it which appears to be taken from the evening recording session for 'Adge Cutler's Family Album' LP on May 3rd 1967. This would infer that the song was recorded that night but the recordings wasn't of sufficient quality to be used on the album and was replaced by this studio version. Like its predecessor, 'All Over Mendip' failed to chart.
Above left - Home Polaroid of Adge and the Wurzels taken on 7th July 1967 at Yate Carnival. The line-up here from left to right is Reg Chant, John Macey, Adge Cutler and Reg Quantrill. This photo was taken a few weeks after the recording of the 'All Over Mendip' single. By the time of its release on 6th October John Macey and Reg Chant had both moved on to pastures new. Above right - programme from the same event - autographed by Adge with an out-dated photograph of the band on the front (includes Brian Walker who had left by now).
This single was released on the standard Columbia EMI label and appears to have had only one pressing, sales were relatively low. Produced in mono only.The examples below and the associated statistics are taken from the collection of Professor Wurzel and represent what a collector should expect to find. For more information on references to matrix information (including information on acetates), vinyl tax codes , album sleeves, singles sleeves, and Columbia album labels, then refer to the Vinyl Collecting Guides on the main menu.
Image Ref. 11967 pressing of DB8227 with the 7XCA 30431-1 and 7XCA 30432-1 matrix, pressed with a first master, first mother on both sides and a 'G' stamper on each side. This example has a four-pronged centre, with the embossed tax code 'KT' (indicating a pre-November 23rd 1968 pressing) and on both sides the standard 'sold in UK...' message across the centre of the label (indicating a pre-June 1969 pressing). The tax code 'KT' is also found on the run-off on both sides of the record.
Image Ref. 21967/68 pressing of DB8227 with the 7XCA 30431-1 and 7XCA 30432-1 matrix, pressed with a first master, first mother on both sides and a 'G' stamper on each side. This example has a solid centre, with the embossed tax code 'KT' (indicating a pre-November 23rd 1968 pressing) and on both sides the standard 'sold in UK...' message across the centre of the label (indicating a pre-June 1969 pressing). The tax code 'KT' is also found on the run-off on both sides of the record.
Image Ref 3:1967 demonstration pressing of DB8277 with the 7XCA 30431-1 and 7XCA 30432-1 matrix, pressed with a first master, first mother and 'G' stampers for both sides. Demonstration (or promotional) copies were produced for radio stations etc. This record, with the new standard Columbia green demonstration label and a large white 'A' to show the primary track, has the British release date of 6th October 1967 printed on both sides (6.10.67). The A side timing is given as 3 minutes 22 seconds. and the B side timing is 2 minutes 24 seconds. This example has a solid centre (no example yet found as a pronged centre.) There is the embossed tax code on the disc (and this tax code also appears on each side of the disc on the vinyl run-out). The standard 'sold in UK...' message is not present as this record was for demonstration purposes only, not for commercial sale, as printed on the label.
Interesting example of DB8277 - 'FACTORY SAMPLE NOT FOR SALE' ... as the sticker clearly shows. Most records had a few pressings with labels like this and it was purely a pressing removed from the production line for a quality assurance check. From a collector's point of view it often means that the record has been played once to test and then filed away.
Very rare 7" 45rpm single sided metal acetate for Adge's fifth single - with a white EmiDisc label; the title and artist appears typed along with the date, 22.6.67, and the play speed (45). This date perhaps confirms the theory that the track was recorded in the May/June recording session. The handwriting on the label '1st version - no atmosphere' is a note by producer Bob Barratt.
This is an unusual and unique 'factory Sample' copy of the 'All Over Mendip' single. It came from the personal collection of Bob Barratt - Adge's record producer and close friend. Bob's handwriting can be seen on the sleeve giving the record title and his own collection reference number.