 In 1986 The Ex added former Rondos vocalist/cartoonist Johannes van der Weert as a back-up singer and booked a European tour with British group The Membranes.Gigs were recorded by The Ex's sound engineer Dolf Planteijdt and mixed with material recorded in the studio to comprise the songs for "Roo Many Cowboys".In addition to material not available on any other Ex release, the album contains live versions of songs previously found on the band's double-single/book about the Spanish Civil War and from their then-forthcoming Peel Sessions compilation album, as well as a cover versions of songs by seminal communist Dutch punks The Rondos and contemporary British anarcho-punks Chumbawamba, with whom The Ex were beginning to collaborate.