Selling England by the Stone

I’ve just dropped off the ‘Two Fat Lovers’ master’s artwork and audio to our friends at PURE for pressing. The sleeve design is sheer Neapolitan ice cream courtesy of Ben at Fountain and Fairfax, looks very striking, good enough to eat even. We’ve been planning bits of promotion around the single. We have a Janis Long session confirmed for 10th May at 12.30am [her show runs from 12 midnight]. Janis is supporting the single on her show which is nice. We’re hopeful also for other bits of Radio 2 and 6 music support but the promos have only just gone off so I guess we’ll have to wait and see. We did a Tom Robinson 6Music live session last year upon the release of the Growing Up album; I think we’re in with a chance of a return, fingers crossed, just waiting on the dates. Personally I’ll be hugely relieved to have something available that features the new band as it seems to have taken awhile to get here and I’m also really proud of the songs. Obesity, Pornography and Madness are the themes of the single…lets hope the PC sensor doesn’t get too heated about content and critique. We should have more shows booked around release and the tour dates section will reflect these as and when. OK that’s enough of the old sell sell self for one day, below recent live pic from the last of TSOOL shows, VPx

poster plus

It’s been awhile since; blame the spyware. I’m finally techno fixed and online thanks to Steve Cowell at the Computer Hospital, Crosby. Steve, a friend from way back, is someone I and many friends have relied on to fix technical problems for far too long . Now he’s gone and got a proper job which is great for Steve but not so good for the rest of us pc dummies. Hence it all took a bit longer. Meanwhile we’ve been recording new songs for the album and additional songs for the forthcoming single [I know it’s taking forever but it will be worth it I promise]. We’ve also done a few support shows with Soundtrack of our Lives. The Liverpool show was solo acoustic. Afterwards I met up with Arthur and Penny who were at last years Carling Apollo gig, they are coming over to the single launch party in Manchester once its been arranged [we’re looking at venues nothing definite yet but if you have any inspired ideas do let me know]. A&P have an inspiring encyclopaedic knowledge of music, especially the Liverpool scene. A week later we played Leeds Cockpit, it’s a band show and we use TSTOOLs backline. We meet up with Anna and friends and really enjoy watching TSTOOL. Ebbot the singer has proper stage presence, a huge man in oversized vicars dress cutting a deranged thor like stature. We leave before the end to miss the snow. Our final show with TSTOOL is in Manchester’s Academy 3 [ known to most as The Hop and Grape].It’s been ages since I played there, memories of freshers balls and toga parties flood back upon arrival; oh the things you do in the name of light entertainment. Scott the distributor turns up as does Neil the promoter so we have a good old lig and natter after the show in the name of world domination and all the usual nonsense. This is TSTOOLs last date of the British tour, they’re looking forward to some time off before the US. We arrange to meet Kalle for a beer afterwards but he's knackered. Scott and I get off to mine, the others go to SOUTH. Kalle [TSTOOL bass player and VP producer] has been dropping into Spooner’s Manchester Studio in-between shows to oversee more recording throughout the past week. We end up working throughout the day and overnight after the Liverpool show and during the day of the Leeds show. Kalle and Spoon are very much hands on producers and the songs are really benefiting from this, onwards and, VPx