Apr 01 2003
It’s a beautiful day, as a few groups have noted over the years, but this time the season is particularly fine. Why? Apart from the backdrop of war, which casts its shadow over all, D:things are good. With the album taking some decent shapes and a couple of recent trips out in public, the eyes of the band are fixed on the horizon. Here’s what they’re seeing…
news:
Perhaps the D:boys have got their eyes on some particularly fine cutlery sets as they seem to be mad keen on earning their Air Miles these days. March ended and April began with a pair of trans-Atlantic day trips. The journey might have been long (it was) and the gigs short (they were), but the 40 minute set was enough to convince both groups of punters at the Acquire The Fire festivals that the D:boys rock. The official word is that the band loved it (and they did). The unofficial word is that some were a little disappointed with their pre-gig performance on the golf course.
Once back home it was time to weld themselves back to the world of sofas and stale air that is the studio. But not to work on the album, oh no. Cyber Smalltalk has a tasty through-the-keyhole scoop for you: the boys were working on a track for a forthcoming collection of U2 covers. U2, you ask? That’s right – the band that Delirious? get compared to on an almost hourly basis. Well, they gave it a crack and it seems that their version of Pride isn’t half bad. Apart from that, all we know is that the American project also features P.O.D. tucking into Bullet The Blue Sky.
[Can you think of a more unusual band & song that you think D: should cover? Write in with your idea and we’ll give the best suggestion something free from the stock room. We might also chuck in a copy of ‘The Joshua Tree’ too.]
Once they’d got through with Pride it was back to grafting on the latest D:original project. It’s still without a name, but, according to Jon the album is getting on for 65% finished. They’ll be mixing it in July, so there’s still a little time for things to evolve even more than they have already. Co-producer Julian Kindred was recently getting more than a little excited about some of the high points so far. Apparently the band has spent time improvising and recording the results. Rumour has it that there is one 20-minute segment which sounds particularly amazing. Julian’s taking his sonic scalpel to it and the result may well be making its way to a pair of ears near you in the future.
Oh yes, one more bit of news... the boys have been entertaining a crew from Meridian TV over the last few weeks who are shooting a material for a forthcoming series of arts documentaries. One of the 30 minute shows is going to be based on the life and work of the D: boys, getting under the skin of a small town band that don’t mind letting people have a peek at their beliefs. The film crew have been at the office, in the studio and even joined them on the latest American trip. Just a final thought to add in: you may remember that 2001 brought with it some startlingly similar news as a Channel 4 film crew trailed the band around while in the process of making a documentary. Did you see it? Course not, as it never made it to air. But that’s life in the media game and rather than get disappointed it’s much more the band’s style to keep a clear head about these things which sometimes work out and sometimes don’t. That being said the Meridian show is apparently a sure thing for May/June, but we’ll let you know when we’re in the TV guide.
future plans:
What with all the travel and recording of late, the band’s future plans are looking a little, um, samey over the next few weeks. More recording, Easter holidays, more North American gigs, more recording. These are the rhythms of life for a big band like Delirious?, with creative periods like these breathing in an air of tranquility before the seasonal chaos of promotion, tours and releases. Altogether, though, things are looking bright for the band, with the forthcoming 10-date US tour lining up some tasty crowds queuing up for some equally tasty sounds.
behind the scenes:
His name is Hutch, but you can call him Andrew Clive Hutchison. Video director, photographer, sometime lighting bloke, he’s the member of the Delirious? creative team who has performed the most varied range of jobs, even, at one point, taking on the role of tour bus DJ until Stew decided that they’d all had enough of Big Country, Runrig and Texas.
He first worked with the band on April 1st 1996, the day they officially became Delirious?.‘My first impression of Martin was that he had the most feminine hair I had ever seen on a man. It was nice, but disturbing. Then there was Jon who seemed to be about 4,1/2 years old. They were all friendly and it was Stew at the end who mumbled something about how if I was lived a little nearer Littlehampton he’d like me to do some more work with them. 9 months later I was living in his spare room.’
Hutch soon became an indispensable member of the crew, not only as photographer but also as lighting director on tour. In fact, his unique approach to the job soon marked him out as someone to look out for.
‘It was on the D:tour – our first major UK tour – and I was pleased with the way that the first night had gone. The second night at Leicester De Montfort I put the wrong tape in the machine when Martin was trying to sing Louder Than The Radio. He wasn’t happy.
‘Then there was the time that Paul Burton and I misheard the tour manager. We thought he said we had 10 minutes before a major US showcase began so we went on a wander. Turned out as we were in the lift that he’s said ‘one minute’. We were hearing something that sounded way too loud for a CD and frighteningly like a live band, our live band. It’s funny, but no matter how many times you press a button on a lift the thing never goes any faster.
‘This is what I remember most about being with the band: as well as my mistakes and the gigs it’s the games of footie, the meals and all the great times spent hanging out with a bunch of lads.’
Golfer, hot-tub dweller and VW freak, the Andy Hutch show will be supporting Delirious at a show near you sometime in the not too distant future.
news:
Perhaps the D:boys have got their eyes on some particularly fine cutlery sets as they seem to be mad keen on earning their Air Miles these days. March ended and April began with a pair of trans-Atlantic day trips. The journey might have been long (it was) and the gigs short (they were), but the 40 minute set was enough to convince both groups of punters at the Acquire The Fire festivals that the D:boys rock. The official word is that the band loved it (and they did). The unofficial word is that some were a little disappointed with their pre-gig performance on the golf course.
Once back home it was time to weld themselves back to the world of sofas and stale air that is the studio. But not to work on the album, oh no. Cyber Smalltalk has a tasty through-the-keyhole scoop for you: the boys were working on a track for a forthcoming collection of U2 covers. U2, you ask? That’s right – the band that Delirious? get compared to on an almost hourly basis. Well, they gave it a crack and it seems that their version of Pride isn’t half bad. Apart from that, all we know is that the American project also features P.O.D. tucking into Bullet The Blue Sky.
[Can you think of a more unusual band & song that you think D: should cover? Write in with your idea and we’ll give the best suggestion something free from the stock room. We might also chuck in a copy of ‘The Joshua Tree’ too.]
Once they’d got through with Pride it was back to grafting on the latest D:original project. It’s still without a name, but, according to Jon the album is getting on for 65% finished. They’ll be mixing it in July, so there’s still a little time for things to evolve even more than they have already. Co-producer Julian Kindred was recently getting more than a little excited about some of the high points so far. Apparently the band has spent time improvising and recording the results. Rumour has it that there is one 20-minute segment which sounds particularly amazing. Julian’s taking his sonic scalpel to it and the result may well be making its way to a pair of ears near you in the future.
Oh yes, one more bit of news... the boys have been entertaining a crew from Meridian TV over the last few weeks who are shooting a material for a forthcoming series of arts documentaries. One of the 30 minute shows is going to be based on the life and work of the D: boys, getting under the skin of a small town band that don’t mind letting people have a peek at their beliefs. The film crew have been at the office, in the studio and even joined them on the latest American trip. Just a final thought to add in: you may remember that 2001 brought with it some startlingly similar news as a Channel 4 film crew trailed the band around while in the process of making a documentary. Did you see it? Course not, as it never made it to air. But that’s life in the media game and rather than get disappointed it’s much more the band’s style to keep a clear head about these things which sometimes work out and sometimes don’t. That being said the Meridian show is apparently a sure thing for May/June, but we’ll let you know when we’re in the TV guide.
future plans:
What with all the travel and recording of late, the band’s future plans are looking a little, um, samey over the next few weeks. More recording, Easter holidays, more North American gigs, more recording. These are the rhythms of life for a big band like Delirious?, with creative periods like these breathing in an air of tranquility before the seasonal chaos of promotion, tours and releases. Altogether, though, things are looking bright for the band, with the forthcoming 10-date US tour lining up some tasty crowds queuing up for some equally tasty sounds.
behind the scenes:
His name is Hutch, but you can call him Andrew Clive Hutchison. Video director, photographer, sometime lighting bloke, he’s the member of the Delirious? creative team who has performed the most varied range of jobs, even, at one point, taking on the role of tour bus DJ until Stew decided that they’d all had enough of Big Country, Runrig and Texas.
He first worked with the band on April 1st 1996, the day they officially became Delirious?.‘My first impression of Martin was that he had the most feminine hair I had ever seen on a man. It was nice, but disturbing. Then there was Jon who seemed to be about 4,1/2 years old. They were all friendly and it was Stew at the end who mumbled something about how if I was lived a little nearer Littlehampton he’d like me to do some more work with them. 9 months later I was living in his spare room.’
Hutch soon became an indispensable member of the crew, not only as photographer but also as lighting director on tour. In fact, his unique approach to the job soon marked him out as someone to look out for.
‘It was on the D:tour – our first major UK tour – and I was pleased with the way that the first night had gone. The second night at Leicester De Montfort I put the wrong tape in the machine when Martin was trying to sing Louder Than The Radio. He wasn’t happy.
‘Then there was the time that Paul Burton and I misheard the tour manager. We thought he said we had 10 minutes before a major US showcase began so we went on a wander. Turned out as we were in the lift that he’s said ‘one minute’. We were hearing something that sounded way too loud for a CD and frighteningly like a live band, our live band. It’s funny, but no matter how many times you press a button on a lift the thing never goes any faster.
‘This is what I remember most about being with the band: as well as my mistakes and the gigs it’s the games of footie, the meals and all the great times spent hanging out with a bunch of lads.’
Golfer, hot-tub dweller and VW freak, the Andy Hutch show will be supporting Delirious at a show near you sometime in the not too distant future.
