Hi there to all the people who've just joined from the other Belle and Sebastian list, I hope you'll all find it more fun here. I was going to stick up the Frequently asked questions file, but I've lost it... hang on, no I haven't! You're a gonna get it anyway. There's also some hints for getting some notoriety on the list. Depending on how you want it 1. Give yourself some sort of title, like "The Lord of Neasden", or "The Bard of Cumbernauld". This usually makes people think that you're cleverer than you actually are, or more important and so on. 2. Write *enormous* emails to the list every day (at least), cataloguing almost every thought you've had in a single day, safe in the knowledge that everyone else wants to know, that's sure to win you a load of chums. 3. Belt on about how rich people are great, tramps should just get a job, and certainly shouldn't bother anyone for cash if they need something to eat. Actually, don't do this, this is what the infamous Northy did, the last known survivor of the Thatcher generation. 4. Most importantly - entitle your mail "10 Roddington Place". This is highly important for historical reasons. About a year and a half ago, Paul did a check to find out what the most popular email subjects were on this list, and it was "Tigermilk" at that time, so we're trying to put the late (of this list) Mr. Roddddddney Beeegggggerbie up at the top as a claim to fame. Roddders was a bloke who used to mail to the list quite a lot - he's pretty fly for a white guy. 5. Come into the chat room. You can get chat clients all over the place, Microsoft Chat comes with IE4 and 5. mIRC can be downloaded from the web by using Altavista to search for "+mIRC +Download". The server is called "chat.virgin.net" and the room is called "#sinister" (you join in by typing "/join #sinister" once you have connected to the server. Most of all though, have a bit of a laugh on the list, it's certainly not all about Belle and Sebastian, so get emailing. IMPORTANT : There are no cliques around here, contrary to rumour. Everyone I've met, including myself are into meeting new people and generally having a laugh. We often take the piss out of each other for laughs. I think people assume that cliques must appear, and that people becoming friends automatically means cliques - it's not the case, please come along and meet us all next time we meet up, there are quite regular meet ups. If anyone wants to meet in Central Scotland, give me a shout, and I'll let you know what the next scam is. Here's the FAQ - which may be out of date as I've not updated it in ages. Love Keith. Belle and Sebastian : Frequently asked Questions 1. What is Tigermilk, where can I get a copy? Tigermilk is the bands first album and was released around about May 1996. It was released as part of a Stow College course whereby Alan Rankine (of the Associates) fronts up the cash to record a single every year, although with Belle and Sebastian they decided that there was enough material for an album, hence Tigermilk. There were only 1000 copies pressed and so the record is worth a lot of money now. The band have always mantained that Tigermilk will be re-released at some point, and this will definitely be the case, currently likely that about March 1999, although this may change. It now looks like this release is coming in about a month, so you'll all be able to get your grubby hands on a copy of this - one of the greatest records of the 90's 2. Who is the guest singer on Lazy Line Painter Jane? The female singer on Lazy Line Painter Jane is Monica Queen, formerly of countryish Glasgow band Thrum. Thrum released a record a few years ago, about 1994 I think. Last I heard she was recording with her own band which is called "Monica", or at least that's what it was called in February 1997. She could've followed Ian Gillan in calling her band "Gillan", but unfortunately "Queen" is a trademark. Here's a list of releases. "Purify" 7", "Thrum" / "Here I am" / "So glad" 12"/CDs and the "Rifferama" LP/CD 3. What is "Elvis" in A Century of Elvis. No-one knows bar the author really, but it's probably a cat, perhaps a tortoise, maybe actually Elvis, maybe it's Tortelvis from Dread Zeppelin who knows, and to be quite honest, who cares. 4. Who is in the band... Stuart Murdoch - singing guitar, trumpet apparently now, for the twin lead trumpet effect. Isobel Campbell - singing, cello, various Sarah Martin - violin, weird things Stevie Jackson - Guitar, piano, singing. Stuart David - Bass Mick Cooke - Trumpet, various Chris Geddes - keyboards Richard Colburn - Drums Neil Robertson has been known to play bass on Stuart David's "Spaceboy Dream", which brings me on to... 5. What other bands have members of Belle and Sebastian involved in? There's quite a number of things here. I'm sure it's not complete either, it's just what I can remember off hand. Chris Geddes : currently V-Twin and Golden Rodeo (think that's what they're called). Has played on Arab Strap records. V-Twin have released two singles (to my knowledge), Gifted, and a 12", In the land of the Pharoes. Mick Cooke : Used to play with Hardbody, who released two singles on Epic (On your own, Hazel's hob). Now plays with the Karelia and the Amphetameanies. Has also played on releases by Mojave 3, Ex-Cathedra. Probably others too. Stuart Murdoch : Played on releases by Polarbear and Arab Strap. Previously : (Early) Digger$, Lisa Helps The Blind, Rhode Island. Richard Colburn : Has played with Polarbear/Snowpatrol Isobel Campbell : Has played on Arab Strap records, also played on the Snowpatrol record and sings her own songs. She's in the Gentle Waves, Stuart David : Stuart David has a side project called "Looper". There has been one single released on Sub-pop singles club called "Impossible things" and there is an album planned. 6. What records have been released? Tigermilk (LP) May 1996 If you're feeling sinister (LP) November 1996 Dog on Wheels (EP) April 1997 Lazy Line Painter Jane (EP) June 1997 3,6,9 Seconds of Light (EP) October 1997 The Boy with the Arab Strap (LP) September 1998 This is just a modern rock song (EP) December 1998 7. What's that song at the end of the 3,6,9 seconds of light EP called. It's called "Songs for Children". 8. What about all these unreleased songs that people keep belting on about in order to make themselves look smart? Pocketbook Angel London has let me down Hurley's having dreams These are little demos of old songs that will as far as we know, never ever be released as Belle and Sebastian. Loneliness of the middle distance runner Modern Rock song Rhoda People around the place have tapes of various different versions of these, they've been kicking around for a while and they may well be released reasonably soon, there are numerous different versions of the Loneliness of the middle distance runner. I Know where the summer goes The Gate These two will probably be a part of the next single... Which they are, as the next single contains This is just a modern rock song The gate I know where the summer goes Slow Graffiti Here's another piece by Peter Miller : One of the rarest Belle and Sebastian related recordings is a home produced demo of "To Sir With Love", the Lulu song from the film of the same name. The recording features the plaintive voice of Stuart Murdoch alone with his Casiotone keyboard, and is rumoured to be heartbreakingly beautiful. From the same recording session comes one of Murdoch's earliest attempts at songwriting, but no one can remember what it's called. It mentions "She Made Me Realise" by My Bloody Valentine. Efforts to locate these recordings have proved unsuccesful so far. 9. What sessions have they done on the radio? The first session was around about September 1996 here Mark Lamarr sat in for Mark and Lard at night... They played Judy and the dream of horses Like Dylan in the movies The State that I am in The stars of track and field The second was about February 1997 on Mark + Lard's program again and they played : I could be dreaming Seeing other people (slow version) We rule the school Modern Rock song The third was on Steve Lamacq's evening session and they played : Lazy Line Painter Jane Sleep the clock around Slow Graffiti Seymour Stein They did one of Stevie Jackson's tracks "Wrong Love" one night when the evening session was live from Glasgow. Apparently this is now called "Wrong Girl", will it be called "Wrong Sheep" at some point in the future? The fourth less well known session was on Peter Easton's Radio Scotland music program where he played : The Loneliness of the middle distance runner Slow Graffiti Modern Rock song. 10. Who is Tigermilk dedicated to? Tigermilk is dedicated to Lawrence Bradby, who's a friend of Stuart's. I dunno how frequently asked this question is, but it certainly was asked frequently recently as regards a competition on French radio. 11. Are Belle and Sebastian twee? No, they rock. 12. Dog on Wheels, what's the story there then? Well it's not really Belle and Sebastian on that EP, as you'll see if you have a look at who played on it. Here's the story: All the songs on the EP were recorded some time, either at the end of '95, or start of '96, at Beat Box studios, which is where Stuarts Murdoch and David were doing a doley sound engineering course at the time. Pretty much everyone who plays on it were on the course as well, apart from Mick. One of the guys who ran the studio was Alan Rankine, of Stow College, and Electric Honey Records, which is where he came in. So hopefully that'll put an end to the word of loads of hoary old session musicians playing on it, just kids who were on the course. Makes the recording of that EP sounds less like an episode of Rock School doesn't it. 13. Le Pastie de la Bourgeousie - what does it translate as? Apparently, what it's supposed to translate as is "The Apathy of the Upper Class", however it doesn't, so we're told by reliable French people... Doh! And yes it was sprayed on the wall at Charing Cross for a while, it's in the video for Dog on Wheels, there was another graffiti of the same thing done by a bloke from the Yummyfur apparently, next to Greggs the Bakers on Byres road. 14. Who's on the covers of the records? Tigermilk : Joanne Kenney If you're feeling sinister : Ciara MacLaverty Dog on Wheels : Joanne Kenney Lazy Line Painter Jane : Thea Martin 3,6,9 Seconds of Light : Stuart Murdoch and Victoria Morton The Boy with the Arab Strap : Chris Geddes 15. Are there any differences between UK and US versions of any of the records? No, apart from the fact that the UK pressing of "The Boy with the Arab Strap" is slightly heavier vinyl than the US version. Basically - you'd have to be a bit sad to buy them both. Many thanks to Andreas Hering, Mick Cooke, Chris Leonard, Philippe Garnier and Peter Miller for help with this. +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the reborn Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail "sinister@majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo@majordomo.net". WWW: http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "tech-heads and students" +-+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +-+ "jelly-filled danishes" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+