By Dick Straughan
June 17 2007

After successfully reforming last year the Press Gang have announced plans for a stadium tour during the coming season. They will kick-off with two warm-up gigs in August at the Camborne Rec before appearing live to an expected sell-out crowd at Polson Bridge in September.

News of the tour, leaked to the press, confirms the revival in fortunes of the Press Gang after they split in 2005. With a new line-up, a much changed backroom team and money in the bank they are enjoying a new flush of success.

The original line-up kicked off in 2004 with their debut release "No Sleep `til Nottingham", a loud but poorly supported venture that took them to the verge of bankruptcy in just a few short hours.  Undeterred they pushed on with "Singing with the Welsh" in October of that year, although in truth very few people did. Costs had to be cut as funds dwindled. A Christmas gig, "The Henley Hoe-Down" was hastily arranged to generate funds but it bombed. The Press Gang were staring into the abyss.

Lead vocalist, percussionist, and A&R man - Alan "Marshy" Marsh - remembers those days all too well. "We were taking one pace forward and thirty two backwards every week. It was desperate stuff. Almost enough to drive a man to drink."

With their mysterious Russian producer now absent, the Press Gang stumbled onwards to a final performance at the "Perfidious Albion" gig at the Plymouth Brickfields in April 2005. "We let our fans in for free. I kind of thankyou for their loyalty. We all knew it was over though", added Rotterdam Roger. It was and the Gang split.

Former Grateful Dead roadie, Dotcom, had heard about the plight of the Press Gang but liked what he saw and tried several times to re-form the group. Eventually after months of trying most of the former members agreed to talk and a deal was struck. "The world needs the Press Gang. They have got so much to offer. It was only a matter of time before they realised it", explained Dotcom over a bacardi and coke and a mouthful of chewing tobacco.

With a new line-up a one-off gig at Monks Lane was arranged in January. The Gang travelled in a cramped and battered bus to Newbury and stole the show with their final number, "A score, a score!" The Zelah Warriors were then recruited as backing vocalists after the "Jimmy Moore`s drop goal" project, and the Gang`s following increased measurably.

Then followed a collaboration with Bert from Midlands based the Doughboys, and Iain H from cult indie band, The Magic Sacks. This culminated in the epic EDF gig at Twickenham stadium during the April heatwave. "The Press Gang rocked" said a jubilant Dotcom. Iain H added, "I had such a good time I fell over on stage and couldn`t get up. The whole crowd laughed but I just didn`t care!"

Anyone who witnessed their last gig at Coventry for the "Stick it up your Butts (Park Arena)" festival will know these guys can party. "They sang their songs, they danced, their costumes were awesome, and they nearly drank us dry," quipped a local fan.

The new season will see one notable change as the Great Bard takes over as lead vocalist. The Zelah Warriors have lost Kelly to progressive rock band The Bristols, but she will still guest at Press Gang gigs when available. It is also strongly rumoured that the Doughboys, the Magic Sacks and legendary Lincolnshire based punk outfit, Woll & the Wigs, will be supporting the Press Gang in Cornwall in August.