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22 Years after forming The Mustangs with Adam, Derek has decided to step away from the band. In tribute, Adam writes: 

 

"One dark, wet Autumn evening back in 2001, on the invitation of my cousin, I drove down to a quiet village in Hampshire called Rowland’s Castle, where I was told there was a great Saturday night blues jam, and that I might enjoy joining in.

I walked into the Fountain with my guitar and sure enough, there was a lively jam going on in the corner, in front of a packed pub full of great characters and much bonhomie. The good vibes were instant and ran deep. All overseen by the bright, wide beaming smile of Herbie Armstrong.

I managed to blag a spot with the house band, which consisted of Keith Newman on bass, the late Brian Iredale on drums, and Derek Kingaby on blues harp. I warmed to them all instantly but there was a special connection between Derek and me that was immediate and hard to pin down. Was it that he sounded like Roger Moore? Was it that he looked like Richard Gere? He was considerably older than me, but he had a glint of mischief in his eye and, as I was to learn, no little sauce in his sense of humour, and that night was the start of a 22 year friendship we couldn’t have possibly imagined.

Sometimes two completely different people just connect, and that’s what happened with me and Derek, as we carried on playing together and that house band morphed quickly into the Mustangs. Somehow my gung-ho energy and enthusiasm, combined with Derek’s wise counsel and mature perspective created a partnership that saw the band play every corner of the UK, Northern Europe and - rather wonderfully – the Glastonbury Festival in 2017.

We have driven 100s of thousands of miles together discussing and debating music, football, politics, history, culture, literature, the cosmos and beyond…..we have slept in every possible hovel (often together) and played every kind of venue from Hyde Park to a nuclear battleship. We have written scores of good, great - and ghastly - songs together and made 12 albums with each other, all of which I am very proud.

I’d have to write a book to give you the full picture, but suffice to say I have loved every second of my time with Derek. His intelligence, wisdom, sensibility and sense of fairness have so often been a timely, and necessary, foil to my rather more spontaneous and (potentially) counter-productive streak. I know I speak for Ben & Jon when I say his presence will be profoundly missed both on stage and off. His warm stage personality and unique harp-playing saw him soon become the band’s most popular member and its true heart and soul. A role that, despite being the lead singer, I was not only happy to defer to him, but even delighted in seeing.

We once sat down as a band and wrote a list of aims and ambitions and I’m happy to say that, to one degree or another, we achieved every single one. But I’d have enjoyed my ride with Derek just as much even if we had not been so lucky. He’s that kind of company.

We will miss playing with you King Bee, but we look forward to catching up soon and sharing memories deep into the night.

“One more, then bed?”

14/12/22 DEREK KINGABY RETIRES FROM THE MUSTANGS

27/01/23 BRAND NEW SOLO ALBUM FROM ADAM 

Adam's brand new solo album Talking Pictures is out now!  Preceded by promo singles Talking To Myself and Radio Nights, the album is more

acoustic-based than last year's Infinite Hotel but was once again co-produced with  Wayne Proctor. Adam plays all the instruments on the album apart from drums, which were played by The Divine Comedy's Tim Weller, and the violin, played by the LSO's Ellie Fagg, 

Talking Pictures is available on CD now from Adam's website at www.adamnorsworthy.co.uk or digitally from this link HERE

YOU can watch the video for Talking To Myself HERE

and for Radio Nights HERE 

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17/10/20 - THE MUSTANGS RE-RELEASE TWO BLUES CONCEPT ALBUMS TO MARK 20TH ANNIVERSARY 

 

The Mustangs, one of the UK’s most established, best-known and multi-disciplinary blues rock outfits, are marking 20 years together as a band by re-releasing their two most acclaimed and ground-breaking albums – 

Just Passing Through and Watertown.
 

The albums, which came out in 2017 and 2019 respectively, were both beautifully conceived works of conceptual blues; each carried a narrative theme that wove the songs, and the stories within, together. 
 

The Mustangs had planned to gig throughout 2020 to celebrate their anniversary but the Covid-19 virus has meant the band has had to change its plans. Such unforeseen circumstances have, however, led to the perfect opportunity for the re-release of an exceptional set of back-to-back albums. 


Just Passing Through was a metaphorical train journey through life, with stops along the way detailing love, life, loss and faith. The dreamy blues ballad ‘Beautiful Sleeper’ was released as a promo song for the album while the acoustic blues track ‘Just The Way It Is’ received Radio 2 airplay. 


Beautiful Sleeper video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsOL2lMSIfA

 

Watertown was an environmentally-themed album telling the story of a young couple in love seduced by the bright lights and big industry of the new town developing across the river. 
The album was inspired by The Mustangs’ appearance at the legendary Glastonbury Festival in 2017 and the band’s drummer, Jon Bartley, who is also co-leader of the Green Party of England & Wales. 

She Didn’t Get Into The Water video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwdIckQmMZk

 

The band’s main songwriter, singer and guitarist Adam Norsworthy, says of the albums:
“We like to be different and I think we did something really new and fresh with these records. We are very proud of both and the concepts, I hope, add to their depth and appeal. I think Just Passing Through and Watertown stand up to repeated listens and both deserve this ‘second hearing’.”

 

Both albums are available now digitally from Amazon iTunes and all major retailers, and as a CD from this website. 

 

Get Watertown and Just Passing Through for £10 each or both of them together for the Special Anniversary Price of £15

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MUSTANGS RETURN WITH NEW ENVIRONMENTALLY THEMED SINGLE & ALBUM

 

 

The Mustangs are back with a brand new album, WATERTOWN, out JUNE 7TH 2019

 

 

CLICK HERE ON THE ALBUM COVER TO ORDER NOW!

Original photography by Greg Rowe of www.gregrowephotography.co.uk

Original photography by Greg Rowe of www.gregrowephotography.co.uk

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“A group that continues to stretch the musical boundaries and challenge themselves thematically and lyrically” 

Fabrications HQ

“A brilliant collection, one of the finest you will hear this year. ‘Watertown’ is magnificent” - 10/10 

Maximum Volume music

“The music is absolutely first class. They gel so well together and the sound they produce is absolutely flawless” - 10/10 Frame Music

“A wholly original album, a rock masterpiece, ‘Watertown’ flies to peaks unreachable to most of us”  

Metal Eyes

 

'SHE DIDN’T GET INTO THE WATER'

 

The album is an environmentally-themed concept album about industrialisation, Americanisation and pollution, and is the band’s ninth studio album of original material.  The band’s drummer Jon Bartley, is also the co-leader of the National Green Party. Jon says: “This album is very fulfilling to me, it’s the first time we’ve done something that aligns with what I do politically.

But it’s also got some great tunes and lovely performances”. 

 

The album has been mixed by renowned blues producer and four-time British Blues Award winner Wayne Proctor. Wayne has previously worked with acts like King King, Ben Poole and Oli Brown. He also produced the Mustangs’ last album Just Passing Through. “You always know you’re going to get Grade-A songwriting with these guys”, says Wayne.  

“Not just interesting arrangements, but also great lyrics and melodies”.

 

Main songwriter, singer & guitarist Adam Norsworthy says, “We’ve stretched our wings on this record to take in more of our influences and the music we love, including folk, rock, country, prog and psychedelia. The Mustangs DNA is still present, and we’re hoping that our fans in the blues and R’n’B communities will enjoy taking this journey with us.”

 

WATERTOWN will be released on Skyfire Records and available from Amazon, iTunes and all the usual retailers.

 

You can watch the video for the new single 'SHE DIDN'T GET INTO THE WATER' by clicking on the link HERE

WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE MUSTANGS  

YOUR SOURCE FOR ALL THE LATEST MUSTANGS NEWS, TOUR DATES AND MORE!

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