After much prodding (ouch !) by Monsieur Stephane Buron, here is my very first posting (hope it doesn't hurt as much as the postings some boys got at school - that tree they planted in the playground was a source of great fear to all of us under-sevens, I can tell you...), but having lurked in silence on the list for 6 months or so, it's probably time for an excursion. Anyway, I come to bring you news (of sorts) about a TV programme that was broadcast in France last Friday, called "Tracks" on the Franco-German channel "Arte". It was only short, but as it was the only B&S thing I've ever seen on TV, so I'll give you all a blow-by-blow account - you can always make a cup of tea if you get bored... So, on our TV screens appear the words "Century of Fakers", and then in the next frame "A story by Belle and Sebastian". Someone I didn't recognise, with a beard and wearing an apron, was then seen sitting by a canal smoking a cigarette. It then cut to Isobel, doing sign language to the words of the song, which were also subtitled on the bottom of the screen (they turned yellow as they were sung, which was a nice touch). Back to the bloke with the beard, who is opening the metal shutters outside a shop, to reveal Isobel sitting in the shop window reading a magazine. She has sprouted angels' wings, which must be most inconvenient when getting on and off of the bus. Bearded bloke puts a sign outside the shop/cafe/whatever, which says "Java events". Bearded bloke returns to shop or whatever, staggering with a big cardboard box and trying to light a cigarette at the same time (which, as anyone who has ever tried lighting a cigarette whilst carrying a big cardboard box will know, is rather tricky). We then see the band outside the "Halt Bar", and the gentleman with the aforementioned facial hair reappears carrying a guitar case, and goes into the bar. He is later seen cleaning the windows of the shop/cafe/thingy. Isobel is seen kneeling in the grass, surrounded by lots of flowers, reading again, and the video ends. Interspersed into this cinematographic oeuvre are bits of interviews held in the Halt bar with Chris Geddes and Mick Cooke (unless I'm wrong, in which case it was someone else), and introductory bits from the presenter. Because the bits said by the band were dubbed into French, I've had to translate most of it back, so it won't be exactly what was said, but hey, you get the picture... Presenter: B&S took their name from the famous TV programme of the same name, which incidentally none of the band has ever seen. Only 2 of them deign to appear before the cameras, and their concerts are as frequent as solar eclipses. Chris (probably): We rarely travel out of Glasgow, it's quite a strange place. There are loads of good bands that come from here, but Glaswegians aren't the type of people to worship a group, even if they appreciate them...... I don't really know how to describe the Glasgow music scene, there are loads of groups, but the main thing is maybe our way of working, we're a long way from the big centres of the music industry.... Presenter: Their first album, Tigermilk, sold like hot muffins, and today Americans queue around the block to see them, but the group have kept a cool head. Chris (?): I share a flat with Stuart at Church Hall. Musicians often come by to practice; it's good, there are people around all of the time... Presenter: If you go to Glasgow, it's at the Halt bar that you are most likely to see B&S - we tried, and it worked! Chris (?): We were students at Stow College and our first album came out on the college's label "Electric Honey" records. We took them a tape and they liked it. As part of the music management course, they release a record every year, which acts as practical experience for the students - the production of the record makes up part of the course... The whole thing lasted about 2 minutes, but it made by week anyway.... Maybe I'll post again before the next 6 months are out (just to keep Stephane happy), or maybe that was too boring and I'll be sent to the cyber-hell for train spottersÂ…. Jean Charbon ----------------------------------------------------------------------- . This message was brought to you by the Sinister mailing list. . To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". . For subscribing, unsubscribing and other list information please see . http://www.majordomo.net/sinister . For questions about how the list works mail owner-sinister@majordomo.net . Listen, this is pish, I think I'll leave -----------------------------------------------------------------------