Alan Draper has written a book that has caused whirlwinds of excitement in the
Stackridge - Korgis camp!

I have only had a brief look through this but got to say his observations for me were pretty 'on the money'! Not only does he cover every Stackridge song but also every solo album from James, Andy and Mutter (not sure if Crun ever did one?) and of course all The Korgis albums including Kartoon World.

I am often pleasantly surprised by how well Kartoon World is received by the hardcore Stackridge fans. Perhaps because when we began to make it, we through away the rule book! If a wild idea occurred to us, we went with it. If the lyrics were a bit 'out there' then perhaps that is because the whole world was feeling that way.

Anyway, I got talking to Alan via email and it turns out that he is coming to our gig at The Spring Arts Centre in Havant on October 28th. I thought 'Hey!... bring some books along as I am sure a lot of peeps at that gig would love a signed copy. It turns out he has given them all away other than a couple of emergency copies.

Undeterred, I contacted the publisher to see if we could buy some to have handy on the merch stand. As the publisher wishes to sell books and we wish to buy them(!) his answer was YES!

Alan Draper has agreed to bring his signing pen, so if you have already bought the book then bring them along, and if you haven't yet got it, then don't despair, you can grab one from us.

We have 3 very different gigs in quick succession and Spring Arts is our proper 2 - set show with all the favourites and a good helping of Kartoon World. Alan said 'Í would be happy if you played the whole album from start to finish!', but we pointed out that we did that last year.

Tickets as always from The Korgis Website or from this direct link to Spring Arts

Hope to see a good few of you there and please come and say hello at the end of the night, if you do!
Al Steele ❤️ The Korgis

The Korgis Go All Beatles & Book An Orchestra!

THE KORGIS GO ALL BEATLES & BOOK AN ORCHESTRA!

Way back in 2020 James Warren and Al Steele were working on a side project called James Warren and his Mighty Miniature Orchestra. The idea was to have a small orchestral ensemble fronted by 4 people who would cover lots of instruments... a bit like Brian Wilson's band. We set about choosing songs that would suit that line-up.

Concurrently Al was doing a couple of gigs a year with The Mike Smith Big Swing Band... an ensemble he had taken over a few years earlier. Once a year he would perform a concert and expand the band with a string section, and the Swing Band would become an Orchestra. James was a guest on one of these concerts and as well as some Beatles songs he did a fantastic orchestral rendition of Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime.

THEN THE WORLD WENT BANANAS FOR A TIME!

During lockdown The Korgis wrote and recorded Kartoon World and the idea of James Warren and his Mighty Miniature Orchestra was shelved as it was now in conflict with performing the new material.

However the idea was always there to play The Korgis songs with an orchestra. Also on the horizon was a resurrection of the The Mike Smith BSB, but we were all worried about how many of our mature audience would venture out.

Al hit on the idea of fusing the two. The Mike Smith BSB would do the opening set and then The Korgis with Orchestra would take the second set. Who knows there might be some grand finale as well - but it is early days yet.

So now the venue is booked and it is really happening. In fact before tickets even went on sale we had sold 30 seats! So we would like to take this opportunity to invite you to The Civic, Trowbridge on October 23rd. There are still a few good seats left so if this sounds like it will be a good night - and we guarantee it will be! - then grab a ticket now!

As with most things Korgis you can get them from the website  - The Korgis With Orchestra & The Mike Smith Big Swing Band

The Korgis

On August 12th we are heading down near Brighton to the rather brilliant venue Trading Boundaries. Apparently this place has been around longer than even us!!!... since 1770 to be precise.
I learned a little about this venue standing in a queue for a bar in London. Our good friend Robert Parry sidled up and said 'Hey Al, what are you doing here... meant to give you those Korgis pics from the Concorde Club etc... The bloke behind taps me on the shoulder and says 'Did you say The Korgis?... I am doing sound for you next month! He was telling us what an amazing venue it is and how great the staff are.

At this point it was called the Sheffield Arms Hotel. but after a bit of a refit and a couple of hundred years it is more like this and had changed it's name to Trading Boundaries.

The stage area looks amazing and we are so looking forward to this one, as after that we are on summer breaks so NO GIGS!... and no... Steve Hackett is NOT joining us onstage for this one!

We want to tempt you to this gig so in order to do so we are giving away a FREE GOODY BAG!

Well what is in this Goody Bag I hear you ask... ONLY A SPECIAL EDITION OF KARTOON WORLD, THAT'S ALL!!!...and actually that is not all, because  you get the posters that come with the big proper version and even a couple of badges (new ones!), as well as the Goody Bag itself that you will proud to walk around town with! Hardly anyone else will have one! 

We are very well aware that many people at the gig will already have a copy of Kartoon World so this Goody Bag is worth a £5 trade-in off any merch. If you came without a shirt, then the Korgis T-shirt is the one for you! Without your pants?... you could probably cover up with one of our giant A3 posters!

People at the last couple of gigs will have noticed the absence of our Johnny Baker - well he is absent no more! We have the full line-up for this gig and of course our multi-media to go with it.
 

So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE support this amazing venue and us into the bargain and pop along to Trading Boundaries - just south of Gatwick. Handy if you are flying in from Japan or Brazil to see us... not so strange the way things are going!... but that is another story...

Have a great couple of weeks and see you there we hope!

Al Steele - The Korgis