idle talk
07/03/07 Eventful
We're going to use Eventful, now that we are live performers again. Here it is, spread it around.
04/03/07 Detritus
Thank you for attending last Friday's show. Here are a couple of short videos shot on the night. If you have pictures or anything else of interest then mail them to us so we can include them.
Here's some, not all, of I Love You
and here is Sad Songs
21/02/07 London cancellation
That London date we had planned for March 3rd is now cancelled. Apologies to anyone intending to go there but the promoters have pulled out and there is no time to arrange an alternative. We promise to do more though so watch this space. If you know of somewhere we should play then let us know.
09/02/07 Rehearsals
The 'Blaise are actually rehearsing tomorrow, and it's David W Brown's birthday. Still no confirmation on a London venue but it will be here as soo as we know.
07/02/07 London date
MB will play in London on March 3rd at the Turning Worm, venue TBC. You should check our myspace site for quickly updated info. See you there, where? I dunno yet.
16/01/07 Actually playing live
We're pleased to announce that, after a six year hiatus, we will be playing live on March 2nd at The Cooler on Park St, Bristol. What are the chances of that happening? Supported by Woog Riots of Darmstadt, Germany it costs a trifling £5 entrance. As Gwen Stefani might say, what you waiting for?
02/01/07 Missing Architect
The Architect of My Own Downfall has now been taken from the Sounds page. That was it, season of goodwill over.
01/01/07 Happy New Year
Festive greetings to everyone. We're excited about 2007. Expect an album from us, expect some live stuff and expect it all to be later than I think.
Melancholia is now available on iTunes, including the Full Version of Carol Mountain, previously available only in Japan. Click here and this link should take you there.
25/12/06 Merry Xmas
Merry Xmas to you one and all. I have nothing better to do today than mess around on a computer so please accept our humble offering, an mp3 of The Architect of My Own Downfall available until the new year. Go to Sounds and have a listen and have a splendid festive season.
18/12/06 Vinyl
Rooting around whilst looking for t-shirts, we've found some copies of A Beginner's Guide to Modesty Blaise on vinyl. Long thought to be sold out, now's your chance, get in there quickly. Available in the shop now!
18/12/06 Podcast
Pretty soon Melancholia will be available via iTunes. To celebrate such a thing, we're planning a podcast talking about the album song by song, writing, recording and any anecdotes that suggest themselves along the way. Is there anything you'd like to hear about Melancholia? Any burning questions? Why did Carol Mountain take half of the entire budget? That sort of thing? E-mail us, or contact us via the myspace site.
25/04/06 That was nice
It was indeed. Upstairs at The Lansdown was very pleasant and there were some very pleasant people there too so it was, on the whole, enjoyable. May even do it again at some point. Photos to follow when we get them.
22/03/06 Playing
Well, curious as it may seem, there will be a show. There is an engagement for an acoustic set on April 20 at Lost In The Woods 4 , at The Lansdown which is in Clifton, Bristol. Going on early, about 9pm, playing for 30 mins or so if I can remember that many songs. The first of many, how many times have you heard that before? Any particular songs you'd like to hear? Mail me and tell me the chords if you know them.
03/03/06 Safari Pop
Josep Barbara of the esteemed radio show, Safari Pop, has been in touch to say that I was wrong in my assertion that I played my Coronado on the Sad Songs radio session he recorded and that it was his Rickenbacker. Sounds plausible to me so I've amended on the Sounds page. He also cannot find the photos which I guess would prove it one way or the other, he says I've got them. He is probably right. If you have any old MB pics that we don't have on the site somewhere why not let us know and I can update.
02/02/06 Pay attention
Have you been paying attention? Lots of stuff happening here including new mp3s on the sounds page. Really of interest only if you have Melancholia. If not, why not start by going to the shop and buying a copy, dirt cheap for a classic?
31/01/06 Just try it.
Instead of worrying, I've decided to just publish stuff. Starting with an acoustic live version of Little Things. It's ropey and recorded from the audience. Tell us what you think, is this a good idea? Oh yeah, it's on the Sounds page.
31/01/06 Ideas, ideas.
I'm just throwing this one out there, I have this idea whereby I might put up mp3s of the workings of Melancholia. However, I'm a bit concerned that people that aren't totally familiar with the album might mistake the tracks for the finished article, really they are of interest to obsessives only, like me then. Maybe we'll do them as a podcast, what do you think? Send a message and let us know if you have any thoughts on that idea or any other ideas, especially things that will delay us from actually doing any work to complete the album!
31/01/06 My Space
Ok, I said I was to be convinced and I have been. We like the MySpace site. Certainly no reason to duplicate anything that's here but it has it's place. So why not visit our space and send us a message? If you've got an account there then please request to be our friend, it's embarrassing how few friends we have. Former drummer Valentina did just that and we're thrilled to be in touch again. We will reply to messages, we promise.
01/01/06 Happy New Year
So Happy New Year to everyone, hope you all added that nanosecond to your watches last night. We've been astounded that so many people have listened to Come Lie Beside Me over the festive season and we've had a few messages that it has been difficult to get onto the site because of congestion. Therefore we're going to leave the song there for another week for your listening pleasure. Go on then, click on sounds. Over there, on the left. And then go and buy some records, you know you want to.
20/12/05 New MP3
As a small Xmas treat, go to sounds and listen to Come Lie Beside Me, from the forthcoming album The Modesty Blaise. It will be there until the end of the year so interrupt your merrymaking for a brief moment. Happy Xmas and an excellent New Year.
20/12/05 Merry Xmas/ Mailing List
Well, season's greetings to you all. Today we're sending out an e-mail to those good folks on the mailing list. If you think that's you and you don't get an e-mail from us then we've done it wrong and you should mail us and tell us, include your felicitations to us at the same time because we're feeling all Xmassy right now so don't break the damn spell.
13/12/05 Myspace
I know, what an active day. We've been told, by those that are in the know, that you HAVE to have a myspace site these days. We remain unconvinced because we have this website, however, we do now have one. It's at www.myspace.com/themodestyblaise so if you're into that sort of thing, go ahead.
13/12/05 Xmas
Well, we're beginning to feel all festive and goodwill to all men - ish. Therefore, and also in the spirit of an apology for not actually having completed the album, we intend to put a new mp3 onto the site as a Xmas present sometime next week. The e-mailing list is in a terrible state but we'll e-mail everyone on it to let them know, it'll be there for about a week only so move quickly.
16/08/05 P.O.Box
The Post Office seem to have cancelled our P.O.Box and assigned the box number to somebody else. Oh dear. It seems we have to have a new box number and address but we don't have it yet so if you need to send stuff to us then e-mail me and I'll send you a postal address. Sorry about that and if you've posted anything recently then I imagine it's in postal limbo somewhere because we don't have it.
26/06/05 Ash news
A brief update on Ashton, see below. Well, he's out and about and sprinting on The Downs (large piece of grass in Bristol curiously, as in most places, very high up and called The Downs - non Bristolian local info). So things are looking good.
26/06/05 An hiatus
We've been offline for a few days, sorry about that. I've moved house and had to have a new broadband connection installed and for some reason they decided to delete my site. Weird. Anyway, back now, did I miss anything?
06/06/05 Some news
Ashton Begent, famed star of Modesty Blaise videos, always as some sort of evil villain, is in hospital. He went in to have tests last Thursday and had a quadruple heart bypass operation on Saturday. Apparently he's now recovering in the Coronary Intensive Care Unit of the Bristol Royal Infirmary, he will get a visit from us later this week. We'll keep you posted but we wish him a speedy recovery and would like to reassure Ashton's family that we won't make him chase us with a large sword in the next video.
26/04/05 More studio
Another productive day saw guitar parts on the two aforementioned songs completed. Bells also added to Girls Just Wanna Dance. Photos.
25/04/05 Studio
It's been a day at the studio today. Messrs Collins, Brown and Bradley started recording "Girls Just Wanna Dance" and "Catwalk Queens". Photos here, much the same as other studio photos. Tomorrow Gregory will join us.
17/04/05 Orchestra
Can you play a real orchestral instrument? We are putting together another small orchestra a la "Melancholia", to do all the strings and horns and woodwind and whatever else we can find. Would you like to be part of that? Mail us and tell us what you do and why. It will happen some time this year.
16/04/05 Some things
Oh has it really been that long? Sorry. MB are doing fine actually. An awful lot has happened this year so far, it's hard to know where to start. Maybe I won't. The important thing though is that we have been rehearsing, a rare thing, and will be going into the studio next week to start two more songs for the upcoming album, The Modesty Blaise. We've garnered many fantastic reviews from the Rough Trade compilation, we think being track 2 has helped but, given that there are 43 tracks on the album, it is astounding how many reviewers picked out "Carol Mountain" as the best track. Thank you and hello to everyone that has discovered us through that compilation. Where have you been?
21/12/04 MB shop orders
If you were expecting to get your bright shiny new Modesty Blaise recordings in the post by Xmas, it may be too late now, I'm afraid. However, if you are awaiting an order then please mail us and tell us what it is, we've been inundated and we need reminding. Seriously, if you haven't had your stuff yet then please let us know. If you haven't ordered yet, then what's keeping you?
18/12/04 Xmas
Well, a merry xmas to you one and all. We've had a spectacularly indolent year and we promise to be less so next year. There are big changes afoot here but we do fully intend to release a new album in '05. Hold us to it, if it gets to October and there's no new album then complain to your MP or whatever you have in your country. Thanks for your interest, it spurs us on, and keep in touch! Love.
03/12/04 Links
Added a couple more links to the site, go and have a look. If you think your site should have a link from the MB site then mail us and tell us so. You may well be right.
27/11/04 Xmas show
We did say we might do a Xmas show, well we're not. So now you can relax and enjoy your festive season.
24/11/04 Even more studio
Did the lead vocals and some banjo parts on the two songs we've been recording this week. No photos as only 1 person there and the self-timer doesn't work.
23/11/04 More studio
So, another day at the studio and plenty of stuff done. Including the Hammond Organ debut of the esteemed Mr M.O'Connor. Here are some photos.
22/11/04 Studio
The 'Blaise are back in the studio this week. Today we have done drums and bass for two songs "I Love You" and "Oh! Redmond" at The Whitehouse where we can often be found. Here's a photo of the esteemed rhythmn section.
04/11/04 Home again
We're back in Blighty again after a short trip to Berlin. Sang backing vocals with Rockformation Diskokugel in Zosch which is in Mitte in Berlin. And here are some photographs.
24/10/04 The Cavern
Astounding isn't it? You only play one concert each year but that's the time that you fall ill. Mr Collins, suffering from acute pharyngitis (medical speak for a bit of a sore throat) battled bravely at The Cavern last night. Photos on the archive already.
22/10/04 News Archive
There's a link at the bottom of this page to the News Archive. Various bits of rubbish, not dissimilar to this page, in fact, can be accessed and you can see what we were doing and when. It goes back to 1999 with links at the bottom again. The links and old e-mail addresses in the text don't work anymore but I'm not going to update them, the whole thing is an historical artefact. If you do feel like wading through and would like clarification on anything then mail us and we'll see what we can do.
18/10/04 Berlin
If you'll be in Berlin on Saturday 30th October, you could do worse than go to see the mighty Rockformation Diskokugel live. A guest appearance by a certain Mr J Collins is planned. Backing vocals, in German, anyone?
17/10/04 Rehearsed
We are now as ready as we're going to be to play The Cavern next Saturday. A set packed with new songs and old favourites. Resplendent with bright shiny new guitars we will be on stage about 8pm, we think. Don't miss it, you never know when you'll get another chance.
11/10/04 Eventful weekend
The 'Blaise had a rehearsal on Saturday and prepared a set for The Cavern in Liverpool on Oct 23. Are you coming? Let us know. Then rapidly travelled to London to see good friends Woog Riots playing at The Bull & Gate in Kentish Town. Excellent show, click here for a picture, minus drummer as in so many band photos, only reasonably.
02/10/04 New Site
Ooh look, it's a brand new Modesty Blaise web site! The old award-winning site was in excess of 250 pages so it'll take us some time to transfer everything over, in the meantime if there's anything you're looking for but can't find then mail us and we'll send it to you by return.
28/09/04 Live date
We are going to play at The Cavern Club in Liverpool on Oct 23rd. It's a Saturday so why not come and see us? MB shows are few and far between these days so make the most of it. If you intend to come and there's a song you want to hear then mail us and maybe we'll do it.
10/08/04 Music online
We've put a couple of mp3s on the site, click on sounds. For starters there's When The World's In Tune, an unreasonably neglected song from MGWA and also When You Were Young from the Uranium Girl EP. We shall be adding more songs starting with "When" when we can and shall replace those from time to time, so you have to keep coming back. However, you could just buy the cds dirt cheap (because we undervalue art) from the MB shop.
04/08/04 RT Compilation
Looks like that Rough Trade compilation has been delayed (see 03/07/04). Here's a link to the Mute site that gives details but it's now scheduled for 13/09/04. Not that I'm suggesting that you haven't already got Carol Mountain somewhere, and if you don't then you should buy it from our shop!
26/07/04 Mixing
Back in the studio to finish off the work of last week. Vocals and backing vocals added and also expanded the range of vacuum cleaners used by recording another one. This one, in fact. So three songs completed then, I think we need a long rest.
20/07/04 More studio work
Back in the studio again today to complete all the backing tracks on 3
songs. Photo's of today's proceedings.
19/07/04 Studio time
We have been in the studio today recording some songs. Here
are a few photographs, vacuum cleaners are being recorded tomorrow.
14/07/04 T-shirts
OK, the small quantity of t-shirts that we actually have are now available
online, amazing. Dirt cheap and in limited sizes until the rest of
them are found. Grab yourself a sartorial bargain from the shop link.
New designs coming soon, maybe. Any ideas for things you want?
12/07/04 Shop
Those among you who are eagle-eyed and with too much time on your hands may well have noticed the changes on the merchandise page. We have finally set up an online shop, and in celebration, are selling lots of stuff at damn cheap popular prices! Why on earth would we do that? Because we love you, of course. Also, we need the room.
There is still the thorny issue of t-shirts. For a very long time David W., Gregory and myself have been sending e-mails to each other saying "You've got them, I saw you pick them up at the airport", "No I haven't, Dave's bass was wrapped in t-shirts, he must have them". That sort of thing. Well, I've found some, not many, and I'll put them on the site soon. If you happen to find a huge stash of MB t-shirts about your person could you please let us know. They're out there somewhere. Anyway, why not go to the shop and complete your MB collection. Just click on the link for shop.
03/07/04 Compilation
Here's something interesting, though I say so myself. There is to be a new compilation album from Rough Trade Shops on Mute Records, called Rough Trade Shops - Indiepop 1, for release on August 23rd. A splendid couple of cds it looks like too and track 2 on cd 1 is the single version of Carol Mountain. Well I never. Seems like we're edging a mite closer to recognition, maybe, let's not get carried away here. Anyway, there is an interview with Sean who has compiled the whole damn thing on the How Does It Feel? website, you need to go to Interviews then it's at the bottom of the page. I think it's the first time the single version has been made available on cd, unless you know better.
News Archive
