Dance With Me is the fourth album in the series celebrating the remarkable songwriting output of Mickey Jupp, one of Britain's most respected singer-songwriters and a major influence on the Pub Rock scene that helped pave the way for Punk. With a recording career stretching back to the 1960s, Jupp has long been admired for his razor-sharp lyrics, distinctive vocals and instinctive feel for Rock 'n' Roll, and his songs have been recorded by artists including Chuck Berry, Dr Feelgood, Ricky Nelson, The Judds and Nick Lowe. As Wilko Johnson put it, "Mickey Jupp is the best white singer I've ever heard."
For more than 40 years Jupp has lived in a remote Lake District village, continuing to write and record purely to satisfy his creative urge. The result is a remarkable archive of more than 300 songs that have yet to reach the general public, and Dance With Me offers another 16 selections from this extraordinary period of songwriting. From the rocking If You Want To Rock and That Ol' Right Hand to the bluesy Talk To The Blues Again, the reflective When I Meet My Maker and the wonderfully titled Bills Bills Bills, there's plenty of evidence here that Jupp's songwriting instincts remain as sharp as ever. Little Red Ford, Blue Belle Of The Ball, Chalk And Cheese and I'm A Car add further variety to a collection packed with his characteristic wit and personality.
For established Jupp fans, Dance With Me offers another fascinating glimpse into the huge body of work he created away from the spotlight, while newcomers get the chance to discover why his songwriting has earned such enduring respect. The fourth instalment in this series is particularly worthwhile for anyone interested in British Rock 'n' Roll, Pub Rock and the songwriting tradition that connected the two. With 16 previously unheard songs drawn from Jupp's extraordinary later archive, this is another valuable piece of the Mickey Jupp story.
