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Back catalogue CDs now available! See below

Barndancing CD

Reviews for the album:

April 1999 issue:
"It must be ten years since the Spuds-I-Like released an album, the splendid Born In A Barn, still one of my favourite sets by a British outfit... There is much to enjoy here... Blue Moon Of Kentucky is wonderful... Jambalaya is delirious... The one track that, for me, sums up the Potatoes musical attitude is the standard, Hindustan. With a front-line of trombone, fiddle, accordion, vibes and guitar, it's hilarious. I defy anyone not to smile - or, better, laugh out loud, as I did - at the guys' musical inebriation. This is real Happy Hour music... They call it Soil Music. I call it Fun. Go buy." ****

Folk Roots, May 1999 issue:
"Eight-piece ceilidh band from Essex with fiddles, squeezeboxes and rock rhythm section plus occasional brass. Agreeably lively, if not reaching the 'absolutely must dance' level." F

efn (formerly Essex Folk News), June 1999 issue:
"One of the South-East's best and most popular dance bands... toe-tapping music compiled to capture the flavour of an evening's dancing with the band, complete with comprehensive liner notes containing the calling instructions for each of the dances that go with the tunes. The dances... are described very clearly, in a way that makes it possible to fit them easily to the music. So is it any good I hear you ask. Good? It's better than good, it's excellent! Although it's nearly impossible to capture the sheer energy of a live performance on any recording, this CD certainly has me and my girl bopping round the kitchen, especially on the more Cajun/Bluegrass tracks such as Choupique Two-Step and Jambalaya. The musicianship displayed throughout the CD is first rate... a particular highlight for me being the tasteful guitar soloing of Tony Littman and Charlie Skelton's exuberant fiddle playing. Great stuff! For me this CD gets the full five stars. Buy it and see!"

Rock 'n' Reel, Autumn 1999 issue:
(Rock 'n' Reel doesn't appear to be on the Net but their e-mail is rocknreel@zetnet.co.uk)
"Their latest album is a collection which - as the title suggests - showcases their well-honed and much practised skills within the barn dance / ceilidh area. The eight-piece manage, with ease, to plough through the southern-fried flavours of 'Cherokee Shuffle', with melodeon, accordion, recorder, fiddle and a cracking rhythm section driving everything before them.Throughout - as on 'Blue Moon Of Kentucky', 'Jambalaya' and closer 'Repeal Of The Licensing Laws' - they excel with a crisply executed set that improves with every listen."

See the "Songs" page for track listing and other details.

Other Famous Potatoes product

We made three other LPs, "It Was Good For My Old Mother", "The Sound Of The Ground", and "Born In A Barn", the last of which was made Record of the Month by Country Music People magazine. All of these are now available on CD. We also made three even earlier cassette-only recordings, "Get Your Skates On", "Twist With Ken" and "Dig".

Discography

As the Folk Pistols:

	1981: Get Your Skates On (cassette) Privately produced
	1982: Twist With Ken (cassette) Privately produced

CD of both of the Folk Pistols albums available as a special order - see below

As the Famous Potatoes:

	1983: Dig (cassette) Privately produced
	1984: I Like Chicken Pie (7" single) Waterfront WFS8
	1985: It Was Good For My Old Mother (LP; cassette produced 1986) Waterfront WF018 / WF018C 1987: It Was Good For My Old Mother (limited edition cassette including "I Like Chicken Pie" and "Chicken Reel Stomp" from the 7" single) Waterfront WF018C (no labelling to indicate any difference to original) 2006: It Was Good For My Old Mother (CD) Sweet Soil Music SSMCD2
	1986: The Sound Of The Ground (LP & cassette) Waterfront WF028 / WF028C 2006: The Sound Of The Ground (CD) Sweet Soil Music SSMCD3
	1989: Born In A Barn (LP & cassette) Waterfront WF046 / WF046C 2006: Born In A Barn (CD) Sweet Soil Music SSMCD4
	1998: Barndancing (CD & cassette) Sweet Soil Music SSMCD1 / SSMMC1

Appearances on compilations:

1987(?): The Southend Connection (track - Johnson Boys) Waterfront LP
1990: Down By The River - The Greenhouse Album (track - Famous Potatoes) Edge EC7020
1997: Southend Rock 2 (track - Eight More Miles to Leigh-on-Sea, shown on the label as "Going Down to Leigh-on-Sea") Lunch 01702 001

The first two were deleted long ago but the "Southend Rock 2" CD may still be available.

What to buy...
(For ordering details see "To order" just below)

CDs etc.

Barndancing
CD £8
Cassette £4

Born In A Barn
CD £8
Vinyl LP in plain cardboard sleeve (only a few available) £2.50

The Sound Of The Ground
CD £8
No vinyl or cassettes currently available - all sold out

It Was Good For My Old Mother
CD £8
Cassette (the version including "I Like Chicken Pie" and "Chicken Reel Stomp"; only a few available) £2.50
Vinyl LP in plain cardboard sleeve £1.50

I Like Chicken Pie
Not currently available, but copies turn up from time to time - let us know if you'd like to be added to the waiting list!

Dig
Cassette (only one copy available) £5

Folk Pistols CD
Get Your Skates On and Twist With Ken, both on one 57-minute CD: £8

T-shirts

Barndancing ones £8 (black, with red & white design)
Accordion ones £8 (white, with black and red design)

Badges

Various designs 15p each (only a few available)

To order:

Send to Paul McDowell, 13 Marine Avenue, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 2JD - phone (01702) 474255. For all orders please add 10% for postage and packing. Post free (within the UK) if the order is £15 or more. Make your cheques (drawn on a UK bank only, please) payable to Paul McDowell; allow 21 days for delivery. We also accept VISA credit cards or Paypal (please ring or e-mail to discuss prices for delivery outside the UK).

We accept Euro but in cash only please, at the standard published bank rate. There's no easy facility in the UK to pay in cheques made out in Euro without accepting extortionate bank charges. If you have to send cash, we recommend you send only banknotes and by recorded delivery.

Also available:

Pottery mugs and any other pottery items - Famous Potatoes designs can be ordered!

Designed and hand-made to order by Richard Baxter at Old Leigh Studios (01702 470490) - prices on application, and visit the Richard Baxter home page for full details of his work.