Crossed Line On The Grapevine

What's on in the land of Total Vegas

10/4/2001 - THIS IS THE END... MY ONLY FRIEND - And now, the end is near, and I must face that final curtain... Dear Fans, it's with no small degree of regret that I must announce the subsequent cessation of any new updates to the site. Yes, a new album has just come out (and yes, I think it's pretty good... kind of the way Shaving Peaches should have been), but I'm a busy person these days and, to cut a long story short, I can't be arsed any more. In fact you've probably noticed that I haven't been arsed for over eighteen months, but as I gaze out of my window on this cold and grey Tuesday afternoon, I've decided it'd only be polite to close down officially. The site will remain up and running (it won't disappear off the face of the earth like Oblivion did), but nothing new will be added from this day forth. Unless I have a sudden epiphany or something, but that's unlikely. So, until we meet on God's golden shore, thanks for all the support over the past three and a half years, thanks for the emails and guestbook entries and pictures and God knows what else, and don't go slitting your wrists. It hurts.

21/9/99 - HONEY, I'M HOOOOOME!!! - It's been long. It's been painful. The site has fallen into disrepair, I've missed out on all the 'Best Of...' News, I couldn't get to any gigs, people have signed my guestbook and I haven't been able to reply and thank them, and generally everything's gone a bit pear-shaped, twisted and twined like a good'un. But. The wait is over. For the boy Ad is BACK!!! Back at Uni! Back with free internet! Back on the mailing list! Huzzah, indeed. I shall therefore be endeavouring to keep the site as up-to-date as it used to be, although modesty forbids me to nick the incredibly juicy news which Johnny Glycerine's site has obtained in the past few weeks - so if you want to know the latest on the 'Best Of...' album and several other Terror topics, you'd best pop along to his site for a bit. Aren't I good to you, John? The best news, of course, is that the Best Of... album might be called 'Whales And Dolphins'... they named it after my site! (Yeah right, dream on...) Anyway, there's still plenty here to see, hear, and do, so feel free to have a wander and soak up the good vibes as you vainly attempt to recover from those Reading/Leeds hangovers. Bastards, aren't they?

23/8/99 - STILL THE WEBSHITE GOES... (JUST ABOUT) - There's a bit of a kerfuffle going on in WNDY land at the moment. The problem is I'm back from Uni for the summer and my home computer has blown up, so I can't update the site regularly (stinging net time off a mate has allowed me to put this little message here). This is why I haven't updated it since June - not that an awful lot has happened in the meantime in any case, besides a few festival appearances and lots of faffing about trying to decide on the tracklist for the 'Best Of...' - but who can blame them? Most notably, the old Northern Scum mail-based fan club has now been closed down, and the fan club is now entirely based around the Official Terrorvision Website. So for now just sit back, enjoy the sun (or the rain, or whatever), down those Tequila Sunrises and I'll see you in late September. Adios, amigos...

12/6/99 - A SAD DAY?!? NO WAY!!! - It's been a bit of an odd week at Terror Towers. Some fans have been wailing, some have been cheering, but the vast majority of us have just been damn confused. Why? Because it was announced a few days ago that Terrorvision have now officially split from their major record label, EMI. The press have been apparently clueless as to the reasons behind this split, but I think it may have had something to do with the band coming to the end of their five-album contract with EMI when their 'Best Of' album (yes, you heard me correctly) is released in September. This would mean that even before 'Tequila's success and 'III Wishes's under-achieving, this split was on the cards. As to whether this will cause the band themselves to go their separate ways, have no fear - although they have yet to find a distributor, they will still be writing, recording and releasing new material under their independent label of Total Vegas! They are apparently extremely pleased to be free of EMI's dictatorship over the kind of music they can record and release, and are therefore already working on new material for their next album, to be released next year, and described by Leigh as their 'best yet'. So expect a sound that's the purest Terrorvision you've heard since the Spoilt Bratz demo tapes! They will also still be playing all their summer dates and festivals this year (see Crossed Line for details). So rather than going away and crying, just step out into the street and hug your fellow humankind, for this is not the end, it is merely the beginning! Long Live Vegas!!!

9/5/99 - OH... SHIT!!! - So, after all the promise and all the hopes, with 'Tequila' romping into the Number Two slot and Terrorvision appearing all over your telly, 'III Wishes' limps lamely in at a shockingly obscure Number 42. Goddammit. Well, despite adamantly believing that something like 'Babyface' or 'Can't Get You Out Of My Mind' - heck, even poor old 'Day After Day' - would have done better, I don't think anyone's to blame except the British public. I think we've basically all got to come to the sad conclusion that 'music' these days is not the music we used to know... I know that sounds really cliched, but it's true that while certain forms of dance music are branching out and experimenting, and deservedly charting well (ironically though, it tends to be the more hip-hop/Drum'n'Bass side of the genre, i.e. the stuff you don't really 'dance' to as much), the majority of the tosh in the charts these days is brainless stuff which is sold on image more than content. Supporters of experimental and unconventional music have always moaned about this, but the sorry truth is that it never goes away, it only gets worse. I'm sure TV are in it for the money as much as the next group, but at least we can say that while we don't chart as high, it's going to be our music which lasts and changes lives. It's just a shame that's not what the charts are really about...

1/5/99 - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW IS HERE, PLUS MORE STARTLING REVELATIONS!!! - iT'S TRUE!!! yAAARGH... [tAKES cAPS lOCK OFF...] Ah, that's better. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, it's true! I've finally typed up my interview with the lads - well, Leigh and Mark - recorded on April 24th, just before they played at the Cambridge Corn Exchange. You can read it by clicking here, and soon there'll also be a review of the gig itself. For now, you'll just have to take my word for it when I say it was possibly the best TV gig I've been too! In fact, one of my many plans for the future of the site is a new section filled with various gig reviews and interviews from the fans. Don't hold your breath, though... While I'm writing, I'll also break the stunning news that 'III Wishes' may be the last single to be taken from Shaving Peaches! This is tragic news for us supporters of 'Babyface' as a single, as it is highly unlikely to ever happen now. Even 'Day After Day', the single planned to be released before 'Tequila' went and disrupted everything, and for which a video was even shot in Prague, will apparently never be released. There are plans afoot to put the video on the official website, along with the radio edit of the song, but it's condemned to be a 'mystery' single forever more. Quite what EMI think they're playing at is a mystery. To only release three singles from an album packed with catchy, memorable tunes - and even then, to resort to a remix in the case of one - seems like madness. Oh well, that's the music industry for you. On a slightly happier note, I also picked up a 'III Wishes' promo CD this week; it contains the radio edit (which basically halves the length of the second guitar solo), the Scuba Z remix (which is okay-ish) and the Arthur Baker remix (which isn't going to be on the general release, but judging by the quality of it, this isn't necessarily a bad thing). But remember to go out and buy the real thing when it's released on Monday! After all, it could be the last time you do...

24/4/99 - CAMBRIDGE GOES WITH A BANG, INTERVIEW IMMINENT, AND 'III WISHES' ARTWORK EXCLUSIVE!!! - The wait was too long, the 25% tariff put on the merchandise was irritating, and the timing was absolutely dreadful (don't ask...), but finally, finally the day arrived when I was to see Terrorvision live at the Cambridge Corn Exchange and interview the band exclusively for my lovely website! Well, nearly. Unfortunately, Shutty and Tone were off grabbing a bite to eat before the sound test, but rest assured Leigh and Mark were in full TV just-avoid-answering-the-damn-questions interview mode! The gig was also brilliant - and I have to say that Leafeater are the perfect openers in support, and they deserve a record deal so everyone email EMI now and make sure it happens! Full details of both the gig and the exclusive interview will be up here once I sort my life out (some time tomorrow, hopefully - hmmm... along with the downloads section and the b-sides lyrics I've been promising for years now...). But for now, amuse yourselves as the artwork for new single 'III Wishes' is revealed on the internet for the first time! Simply click here to see CD1's artwork, and here to see CD2. Sorry about the quality of the pictures - they were scanned from a crumpled, black-and-white flyer and are about fifty times their original size! Anyway, keep holding your breath because the best is yet to come!

17/4/99 (again) - HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY (ALMOST...) - I am most perturbed. As some of you may or may not know, I'm a student at Cambridge Uni. And as some of you may or may not also know, Cambridge Uni is divided into colleges, which are a bit like school houses, only more literal. That is, you actually do live in them, and work in them, and drink in them, and you also compete with the other colleges in terms of sport or what-have-you. And at the end of every summer term (which has just begun), several colleges hold things called 'May Balls', which is basically a weekend of drunken debauchery in a dinner suit. Even better, though, is the fact that these events also have live music.
Now, being the sensible bloke that I am, I thought 'No, I won't suggest Terrorvision to the guys arranging my college's ball, after all, they're not the kind of band you can listen to in black tie without wanting to headbang or at least pogo, thereby ruining your suit'. TV gigs are at their best when most of the audience can sing along or at least recognise the tunes, or even the band, which in Cambridge is an understandably low proportion of the student population. Much as I love the guys, much as we could get them to play for us, I seriously don't think they'd enjoy it (mind you, free drink all weekend...).
But. Yesterday I sneaked a peek at a rival college's line-up. And who's on there? Yes!!! Bloody TV!!! And they didn't even tell me! Their biggest fan in the entire bloody university, and their playing at a damn rival college's ball! Which, naturally, I can't afford to go to as well as my own (which I still wouldn't miss for the world). Well, really. They'll regret it, believe me. Perhaps if the two balls don't clash I'll try and wangle a performance here as well (or at least an appearance), but I'm fuming, believe you me.
Also very irritating is the fact that Robbie Williams has postponed his European tour (on which T'Vision were supposed to support him) due to illness. Actually it's a bit late telling you now, seeing as the tour'd be over by now anyway, but rest assured in the fact that new dates will be announced for the summer. Talking of which, Terrorvision are set to healdine the Kerrang! stage at the Big Day Out festival in Milton Keynes on July 10th (I knew I'd get around to posting that up here eventually), and have also been linked with the Reading Festival in August. Both festivals have also got some other great bands lined up (so great I've forgotten who they are at the moment...), so get yer tickets pronto. Before that, though, we've got the current tour to savour - apparently it was kick-started with excellent gigs in Belfast, Dublin, Bradford and Sheffield, so look out! Little rare gems on the setlist this time round include 'Too Stoned To Dance' (yay!), 'TV on TV' (a great new track apparently, perhaps for an ITV programme's theme tune, I've heard), and 'American TV' (always a joy to hear). Only a week to go until I interview the guys before the Cambridge gig - so if you're going, I'll see ya there! Finally, the Official Terrorvision Website has been updated again, and now contains pictures from Never Mind The Buzzcocks last week as well as exclusive info about what goes on behind the scenes at every TV gig! Banzai! Oh yeah, and there's a strange rumour linking Shutty with a future series of Changing Rooms...

17/4/99 - III WISHES B-SIDES REVEALED AND SOME OTHER STUFF TOO! - Yes folks, the ever-marvellous Rob from Northern Scum has revealed, via the medium of email, the confirmed b-sides and formats for the new single 'III Wishes'. The single is set for release on May 3rd in the following formats -
Cassette - III Wishes (Radio Edit), Tequila (Mint Royale Shot), Moonage Daydream;
CD1 - III Wishes (Radio Edit), III Wishes (Scuba Z Remix), 100 Things;
CD2 - III Wishes (Radio Edit), Tequila (Mint Royale Shot), If That's What It Takes
Interesting to see we're still relying on Tequila to pull in the punters... at least the Bowie cover 'Moonage Daydream' is a welcome sight, I remember the band playing that live way back in '96! Hope you all enjoyed Tony on Never Mind The Buzzcocks last week, even if he did seem a little... err... inebriated. While I'm here I'll also plug Glycerine's Glastonbury Spectacular - the whole set, unavailable anywhere else, has been compressed into mp3 for your listening pleasure by the inimitable Johnny G. Buy that man a drink! And don't forget the new tour dates - you can find them below!

15/3/99 - EUROPEAN ROBBIE SUPPORT DATES AND... ERR... SOME OTHER STUFF - Terrorvision have caused a bit of a stir amongst their loyal fanbase by agreeing to support ex-boy-band-now-pop-guru Robbie Williams on the European leg of his world tour. The millenial mischief-maker isn't really our lads from Bradford's scene, but at least it shows that we're getting some well-deserved recognition from the music industry at large. Even better, it gives a chance for all Terrovision's gig-starved European fans to see their heroes in full live flow! The dates and locations (though not the venues, I'm afraid) are as follows -
25th March - Paris
27th - Cologne
28th - Ossenbach
29th - Hanover (Hangover?!?)
31st - Berlin
1st April - Hamburg
2nd - Tilburg
Other breaking news is that the b-sides to up-and-coming new single 'III Wishes' may include some remixes instead of/as well as the new tracks such as 'One Hundred Reasons' which were originally intended for the 'Tequila' single. Nothing is certain yet. Also, I have managed to provisionally secure an exclusive interview with TV before the gig at the Cambridge Corn Exchange on April 24th. Any suggestions for questions (INTERESTING questions) are welcome... watch this space for more details! And thanks to the marvellous Gillian at Press Counsel for all this info, you're a star!

3/3/99 - NEW TOUR, NEW SINGLE - WHAT MORE COULD YOU WISH FOR?!? - Wooo yeah baby! Yesterday afternoon, the marvellous Rob from Northern Scum divulged to us members of the fan club the hot-off-the-press news that TV have confirmed a set of new tour dates for April, as well as the release date for new single 'III Wishes'. The new April gig dates are as follows -
13th, Belfast - tbc
14th, Dublin - tbc
16th, Bradford - University
17th, Sheffield - Octagon
18th, Morecombe - The Platform
19th, Glasgow - Garage
20th, Newcastle - University
21st, Manchester - Ritz
23rd, Norwich - UEA
24th, Cambridge - Corn Exchange
25th, Hanley - Royal
26th, Nottingham - Rock City
28th, Folkestone - Leas Cliff
29th, London - Forum
30th, Portsmouth - Pyramid Centre
The band will also be supporting Robbie Williams(!) on the European leg of his next tour, which is surprising see as he BLATANTLY RIPPED OFF the Regular Urban Survivors artwork; and they will also make an appearance on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show (grrr) on March 22nd, live from L.A.
'III Wishes' is to be released at the end of the new tour, strangely enough, on May 3rd. B-sides haven't been confirmed but will probably be the new tracks originally intended for the 'Tequila' single. And after all that, what more could you wish for?

25/2/99 - CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!!! - 'III Wishes' is to be the next single, it's official! It's something of a slap in the face for all us peeps who were busy arguing between 'Day After Day' and 'Babyface', but not so much of a surprise seeing as 'III Wishes' is such a damn popular song and is, let's face it, really good! I never would have expected this to be the next choice, but I can see the logic behind it - it's got the acoustic-y feel of 'Day After Day' mixed with the sheer energy of something like 'Babyface'. An all-round good-egg decision, then, if a bit of a surprise. Release dates haven't been confirmed yet. Also, TV will be touring AGAIN this April, starting with Belfast on the 13th and Dublin on the 14th, before crossing the Irish sea to play a few unconfirmed dates in Blighty, including Norwich on the 23rd. Huzzah! Good to see that the band obviously still enjoy playing live - which is, after all, where they're (usually) best! Cheers to Zoe of Terrorvision Repeats for this ground-breaking news, go visit her site 'cos it's got loads of really old TV reviews from Kerrang!... but until the next update, stay happy and get those acoustic guitars in tune!

18/2/99 - BABYFACE VS. DAY AFTER DAY - ROUND 2!!! - Some of you may remember me ranting a while ago about how I reckoned 'Babyface' should be the next single off Shaving Peaches instead of 'Day After Day', which was actually planned as a single (and had its video shot) before the rushed release of 'Tequila'. Well, the marvellous TV site Glycerine set up an electronic petition for fans visiting the site to sign, pledging their support for 'Babyface' - I linked to it myself for a while. And now, only a week and a half after the petition was sent to TV Towers, the fan rep Rob has replied by saying that 'Babyface' is now indeed being considered as the next single, along with other fan favourites 'III Wishes' and 'Can't Get You Out Of My Mind' (which I pray they don't release, simply because it takes so long to type out every time). Sadly we can't release six singles off one album ('Why not?' cry all the Alanis Morrissette fans), but this is excellent news that at least one, and possibly two, of my favourite songs off the album are going to get released! Okay, so perhaps there was some personal opinion leaking into that last statement - but what do I care?!? This is my website and I'll say what I damn well like!!!

10/2/99 - 'HOW I WAS CONVERTED TO THE CAUSE' - A FAN'S TALE - Okay, so most people got into Terrorvision either (a) when 'Formaldehyde' was released (everybody tries to claim this), (b) when 'Oblivion' was released, (c) when 'Perseverance' was released (like me, I admit), or (d) after the recent success of 'Tequila' (if this applies to you, then let me welcome you to the fold). However, one particularly lucky lassy was converted to the cause by none other than the band themselves, in person, over the course of a perfectly normal fanzine interview and one gig. Her name be Mel, her website be Wonderful, and here, in her own words, is her story, exclusive to WND(Y) - take it away, Mel:-

Terrorvision have always been seen as the stereotypical rock stars. They are expected to break things, throw things and scare away small children. That's just the way it is. Now, I may not be a child but I am small so I was rather wary of walking into a room and meeting a bunch of scary lads. Very scary stuff indeed. But, in some ways, I was intrigued. I wanted to see if all this hype was in fact true - and if Terrorvision really were the kind of lads the press had made them out to be. I walked into the room expecting growls but instead, there were smiles. Nope, this can't be THE Terrorvision, can it? But enough about me and my opinions, here's what happened.

Terrorvision had been off the road for a very long time. They hadn't properly toured or released anything. In amidst of golf, carpentry, mountain biking and staying at home with their slippers on, they have produced yet another fine album. But what exactly did they do with their huge amount of time off?
"It hasn't been time off really, we've been working hard, we've been writing songs," Tony tells me. "The album's been ready for a while actually, it's just we've had a bit of a shake up with the record industry where we didn't have a managing director for a while and we had to wait till we got one to come and record with us and then we got round to releasing a record. It would've been out a long time ago."
Ah, this clears things up.
They sit contentedly eating what seems to smell like soup, but looks like something different. I look at it warily and ask what it is. They inform me that it's leek and potato soup and is "very nice, actually". Tony offers me some but I refuse.
Err, I've already eaten, thanks. Leek and potato soup, not at all rock and roll. But are Terrorvision really the mad rockers they are made out to be? They don't seem like it. What is the most rock and roll thing they have ever been guilty of doing?
"I once jumped off a motorway bridge onto a tree: you know them bridges on dual carriageways, they go up on a ramp, don't they? And everyone walks underneath them and walks up the ramp? Well, I couldn't be bothered walking miles to get on the ramp so I jumped off into a tree."
Ouch.
"I've had a couple of fights with hotel rooms, just with the room, you know what I mean? Ended up with big bills and stuff," Shutty says.
"And the Old Bill as well," Tony reminds him.
"Yeah and the Old Bill as well, we've been taken off by the police and had everyone barred from the hotel," he reminisces.
"It's like trying to get the window through the telly, not the telly through the window," Tony adds in. So maybe there is a little bit of truth in what the press have said. But I'm still not convinced.
As everyone will surely know, Tony is dad to a son, Solomon. However, does he act like a stereotypical dad? Does he walk the dog, read the paper and wear slippers? And has he gone all mature and sensible?
"Are you saying I wasn't before? Nah, I'm the same person as I was but I just happen to have a small child," he says with a smile.
"Except you've got a metal elbow as well," Mark reminds him.
"Yeah, like I've got a metal tooth and a metal arm" Tony says as he proudly shows off his very scarred elbow to me.
"Through being mature and sensible!" Mark laughs.
"And I smell of baby sick as well," Tony informs me. Oh yum. It probably looks like the soup that's sitting on the table right now.
After being off the road for almost 2 years, the band came back with a brand new single, 'Josephine'. It was unlike anything they've done before and was revolved around a man's best friend, Joe, who mysteriously turned into Josephine one day, if you know what I mean. This sparked lots of "Is someone in the band a transvestite?" and "What name do you actually use at the weekends?" throughout the music press. But Terrorvision stayed calm about it all.
"The world's full of Josephine's, you know what I mean?" says Tony.
"It's just a story we made up, just a story to entertain punters," Mark adds.
What a disappointment. I thought there was a bit of gossip there. Unfortunately, 'Josephine' only reached No. 23 in the UK charts, which was a bit of a disappointment for the fans who had hoped for a better entry. But the band remain optimistic.
"We've had a long time off, haven't we? It's like we played the [Glasgow] Barrowlands the last time we were here and we've had like 2 years without doing stuff, it's good to come back and be anywhere really but I don't know, not a lot of people knew our single was out. You see posters in the street and I saw every single band when our single was out except for ours and considering we didn't get radioplay 'cos of the radio polices and considering there weren't posters or adverts for it, I think it did very, very well. It'll be like one of those things that people will be searching for 'cos they didn't know it was out the first time."
However, 'Tequila', their next release from the bands album, 'Shaving Peaches', proved to be a high climber and entered in at No. 2, making it their highest chart entry to date.
Terrorvision have always been a touring band. They have always made a point of getting out on the road and letting their fans hear the music they love. As Tony says, "The only reason you're in a band is to get on the stage and play, y'know what I mean? All the other bits are good but that's the best bit." And Terrorvision look like they are going to stay this way.

This interview is a little outdated now as it was done last October but I'm sure their thoughts and opinions stay the same. They seem totally unfazed by their recent taste of stardom thanks to 'Tequila'. The fans love it, the media love it, and most of all, the band love it. Even I love it. But for god's sake, please don't bring that soup anywhere near me again.

Melissa Gunn

Mel has a Wonderful Website of her own, dedicated to Terrorvision and The Bluetones, and also writes for the general music fanzine The Last Resort.

6/2/99 - OXFORD B-ROCKS!!! - WOOOOOOOYYYEEEAAAAARRRRRGHHH!!! That's probably the best way to describe the volcanic goings-on at Oxford Brookes Uni two nights ago (Feb 4th). You can tell by the fact that it's taken me this long to recover and feel well enough to write up about it! It all started innocently enough - I set off about three with my mate and after a two-and-a-half hour coach journey we arrived in Oxford with no idea where the Brookes was; a further hour of aimless wandering later and we occassioned upon not only the building but the bar, which was handy.
When we waltzed into the venue it was all very black except for TV's backdrop which is a kind of glam-rock tin-foil horrendous thing (their mike's were all wrapped in it too). Only minutes after we'd arrived, Leafeater came on and promptly blew the pants off everyone, actually getting the dancefloor pogoing which is quite impressive for a support band; especially when the singer is also the guitarist, and can't afford any Tone-esque cavortings around the stage. Needless to say, they were great fun ('We're Leafeater and we're from Bradford' - sound familiar?) and sounded like, well, a Bradfordian Green Day, which is better than it looks on paper.
But then (gasp) after several problems with the bass amp, on come TV and start off a set which was actually disappointingly similar to the one used last September/October, not at all like the weird sets used earlier this tour, but still a tried and tested formula that worked really well, especially as everyone now knew the words to the Shaving Peaches songs. My vague recollections of the setlist, in roughly the right order, are -

Alice, What's The Matter
Enteralterego (during which I received a crowdsurfer's foot to the head, although I didn't notice the stream of blood down my face until after the gig!)
Easy
Josephine
Some People Say
Babyface (totally mental - and can I remind everyone to sign the Glycerine virtual petition to get this released next?)
Hide The Dead Girl
Can't Get You Out Of My Mind (a nice surprise, and an excuse for Tony to do lots of karate kicks)
III Wishes (with acoustic guitar for Tone, and yet again he cocked up the words at the 'just decide what you want' bit)
If I Was You
Middleman
Discotheque Wreck (lovely scream from Jo )
Day After Day (by which time I had retired from the mosh pit - and believe me, this is the perfect song to listen to whilst leaning against the bar and pouring yourself down with cold water)
Celebrity (S)Hit List
Still The Rhythm
Go Jerry (mental again - in fact they were all exceptionally wild from this point in)
My House
Perseverance (guess who sung along loudest to the bit about aquatic mammals?)
Pretend Best Friend

(Encore) Tequila (a strange mix of remix and original, with Leigh and Mark actually playing the ridiculously hard guitar/bass parts that the single reliend on a synth for; but it did go down well, and this time the singing girlies were their merchandising roadies who could actually sing)
Oblivion

And that was it.
Oh, and while I remember, the best onstage quote was from Tone - 'This next song's not about... vodka... [small cheers of realisation] it's not about... lager... [growing cheers] and it's not about... whisky... [whistles and everything] it's about-' [holds microphone towards audience, you can guess the rest].
Such a shame then, after such a great gig, that the staff insisted on herding everyone not only out of the venue but off the whole bloody site, thus ruining our chances of meeting the guys again. Boo! But of course, if anyone did meet them, tell me and I'll forever more admire your persistence and initiative! Overall though, a storming gig - not the best TV one I've been to, but well worth travelling halfway across the country (well, it felt like that) then sleeping on a freezing park bench all night to just see it!

Two/Two/99 - TEQUILA DROPS IN VALUE... - Hmmm, well, it would appear that evil demons led me astray the other day when I predicted that 'Tequila' was going to push it's way past the Offspring this week and nestle lovingly in the top spot of the UK charts. Instead we've got to make do with No. 6, whilst the US punksters sit and grin malevolently in our former No. Two slot. Grrr, etc etc etc. But still, far be it from me to complain about spending two weeks in the Top Ten; yet again, well done to the lads and thanks to everyone who bought the single - last week, this week, in the future, whenever! And let us also thank the Dark One for the new tour, which has already managed to cause a hoohah when the moshers at JBs in Dudley managed to break the floor! Now THAT'S rock 'n' roll...
As for me, I've still got two days to wait - but if anyone else is going to the Oxford gig, I'll seeya there!!!

A bit late and a bit pissed - ALL OVER THE BLOODY PLACE - Aaargh, it's far too late for me to be doing such complicated stuff as this, but anyway, let me tell you that since our glorious stomp into the number Two slot we've been all over the place, media-wise. Besides various mentions in various publications and TV shows, the band have more importantly appeared on several thingummy wotsits. Firstly they were on the Pepsi Chart the other day, and I was lucky enough not only to be in the audience but also to avoid the camera, thus side-stepping any future embarrassment concerning videotapes of the broadcast showing me drunkenly headbanging and pogoing like a big fool. The band looked much happier than I have been led to believe they looked on Noel's House Party (one of our less fortunate television appearances), which probably had something to do with (a) the number of dedicated fans in the audience, singing along madly, and (b) the amount of alcohol they consumed beforehand. Click Here to see the gory, but admittedly tabloidated details for yourself (cheers to Lukooooooo for that). At least Mark noticed and returned my loyal devil-horn gestures, showing that they haven't forgotten their continuing rock status in the current pop-dance euphoria. But talking of tabloids, we were also in the Daily Star this morning. Apparently. According to Zoe Ball, who I wouldn't usually listen to (especially after recent events), but just happened to find whilst surfing the airwaves. I can't remember what it was about, but I wouldn't be seen dead buying that dubious publication so I suppose I never will...
Elsewhere, Kerrang doesn't actually feature TV this week except in a poster where the guys are looking slightly less boy-bandey than in most recent photoshoots but still too nicey nice for my reckoning. Long live the Middleman twelve-inch poster, etc. And the 'Pandora' cartoon is about us and Tequila too, but isn't very good. We're also on the NME website, which, although I wouldn't usually advocate such an anally retentive publication, does have a hilarious three-and-a-half minute video interview with Tone at some party, whilst very very drunk. Trust me, it's brilliant, and sometime soon I'll infringe copyright and bung it up here for you lovely lot to view after NME have taken it off and burned it. Cheers to Mel for pointing that last one out to me, cheers to you for coming, seeya soon, Gargob.

24/1/99 - TEQUILA IN AT NO.2!!! - Yes folks, that's right, The Offspring may have barged their way into the Number One spot but we've still secured our biggest ever hit with 'Tequila' lodging itself triumphantly in at Number Two in the UK charts!!! We'll be appearing on the Pepsi Chart on Wednesday, which is admittedly a bit teeny-boppy but is a definite sign of our current success, and more importantly I'll be in the audience! Whoopee-Doo! And I'll still plug CD2 of the 'Tequila' single as it features the excellent new track 'Risk Worth Taking' - well, I say new, it was actually on the band's set list at Glastonbury '97! It's a song of such rockin' speed-punk attitude that I'm surprised it didn't get the slot as the first song on 'Shaving Peaches' - but am I the only person who thinks the guitar in the background to the 'I don't know what all the fuss is about' bit sounds like the 'Lost In Space' theme tune?!? Anyway, I'm off to celebrate and get totally plastered - seeya round, and thanks to everyone who bought the single!

21/1/99 - THE GOOD NEWS OR THE BAD NEWS? - Well, which do you want first? The good news? Tough, I'm giving you the bad news first. Yes, sad but true, we are not Number One, according to the mid-week charts. We must make do with Number Two, whilst the coveted top spot is occupied by - The Offspring! Well, the fact that this is undoubtedly the best Number One-Two combination in the past ten years is a bit of a consolation - I myself bought the Offspring single and it really is good - and it's still our biggest hit to date. But all the same, it's a bit annoying, isn't it? Let's cheer ourselves up with the good news, which is that this week's Kerrang! (ah, that ever-reliable publication which was condemned by Germaine Greer as "the truly dreadful thing about young people's music... the place where sexist culture really gives itself away". Bloody feminists...), yes, this week's Kerrang!, has possibly the best interview with t'Vision I've ever read. There are some real insights into their characters here! It also has the instructions for the 'Tequila' dance from the video, which I'll plonk up here as soon as I finish this damn essay. Keep it happy, children...

18/1/99 - IT'S TEQUILA DAY!!! - Calloo-callay, it's released today! So what are you doing reading this? Quick, go out and buy 'Tequila' on all three formats from your local music merchant! What do you mean, you already have? I don't care! Go and buy another copy! It's all for a good cause, isn't it? Take me for example. I set my alarm for eight o'clock this morning. EIGHT O' BLOODY CLOCK. I think I have earned the honour of being the first person in Cambridge to purchase the single!
Anyway, I suppose what you all want to know is what the b-sides are like. Well for a start, the 'chaser' mix isn't actually the version you've been hearing on the radio, despite seeming to be the main track, released on both CD1 and the 12". It's actually the 'shot' mix on CD2, a cunning ploy so that people buy CD1, realise they haven't got their favourite version, then go out again and buy CD2 as well! Huzzah! Actually, the 'chaser' mix is not that different from the radio 'shot' mix - it's basically the same, but with extra bits (chasers?) stuck at the beginning, end and middle, in the form of the new twiddly guitar bit, lots of laughing (from the end of the album version) and lots of whispering (from the second verse of the album version). The 'slammer' mix is like the 'chaser' mix but without the words. Bit disappointing, really! And finally, the moment you've all been waiting for, 'Risk Worth Taking'! To be honest, I don't know why it didn't feature on 'Shaving Peaches', it's that good. It's a natural driving song, perfect for singing along to whilst overtaking fiestas on the M25. The strange thing is, it doesn't really sound like Terrorvision - mind you, I said the same thing about the Utah Saints-produced tracks when I first heard them (this is produced by John Cornfield and mixed by Pat Grogan, incidentally). It starts off sounding like rock from the seventies, and then lots of synthesised bits come in that wouldn't sound out of place on the first 'Mansun' album - but rest assured, this is rock through and through! In fact, I think this is the highlight of the release - at least equalling the album version of Tequila! To give you an idea, I've wavved up a VERY small bit here for you to listen to. Just click when I say click. Ready?.... cllllock! Just testing. Three, two, one, click!
And before I leave you once more, let me update you on my marvellous 'Babyface' campaign. It seems that the ever-lovely Glycerine has been converted to the fold and has even gone so far as to create a 'virtual petition' for us fans to sign, pledging our support for this pogo-matic sure-fire hit of a song. I've signed my bit (and don't let it be said that this is all I'll be doing for the cause!), and you can (should?) too, by clicking when I say click. Ready?.... clllllitor- no, I'm not gonna sink that low... just click here, okay? Cheers!

16/1/99 - DROP EVERYTHING!!! NOW!!! - Okay, okay, this is very important - I know this is the third time I've updated the site today, but's it's all go! It seems that the Official Terrorvision Website has undergone a major rehaul, and it's now REALLY good, REALLY up-to-date (apart from the b-sides for 'Tequila', I think...), and most importantly YOU DON'T NEED A PASSWORD TO GET IN!!! It would appear that there has been a long delay not just for myself, but for all the fan club members, in getting the new membership stuff posted out, so for now the password feature on the site has been disabled. Huzzah! Most importantly, though, the links page has 'Whales And Dolphins (Yeeeaaahhh)' in second place on the list of their favourite unofficial sites, second only to the excellent (and now sadly deceased) 'Oblivion'! Thank you one and all for your support! Now get out there and damn well visit the Official Terrorvision Website, goddammit!

16/1/99 - STUFF AND NONSENSE - I have been reliably informed (thanks to Andrea) that the Official Terrorvision Website has now been updated (that is, it now says that Shaving Peaches has been released...), and actually has some stills from the video for 'Day After Day', which it also claims will be the next single after 'Tequila'. This is obviously something of an obstacle in my glorious quest to get 'Babyface' released first! I myself, still being devoid of my new Vegas-class Northern Scum membership (which I sent off for in December, goddammit!) cannot visit the site or email the band personally, but I beseech anyone who can, and who agrees with my righteous quest, to do so immediately and tell the guys of our good cause! Cheers muchly! Oh, and while I'm here I ought to tell you that TV were yet again on kids TV this morning (CDUK to be precise), and will apparently be on Noel's House Party tonight [shudders fearfully]. Selling out? Never! The guys are also mentioned on the TFI Friday website (cheers to Glycerine) after their third appearance on the show yesterday, where it says that they've built up 'a substantial following', despite 'widespread media criticism'. Widespread what? Er, whatever you say... And finally, I'd like to say a big
HELLO!!!
to anyone who was lucky enough to be on t'Vision's guest list for TFI yesterday - you lucky bastards!

16/1/99 - TV ON TV ON TFI! - Yes indeed folks, Terrorvision made their long-awaited return to TFI Friday last night, with a live rendition of 'Tequila' - backing singers and Jo (yay!) included! However, I have to confess that I only know this because, in a rather suitable manner, I staggered into a kebab shop somewhat inebriated at half eleven last night and saw them playing on the TV behind the counter! It was a bit of a shock actually, and I had to just sit there gaping lovingly at the screen until woken from my trance by a surly Greek voice grunting, 'Hey, you want this chip butty or not?'. Apparently we were also on the Big Breakfast that morning, although I'd never be seen up at such an ungodly hour. In fact, I think it's our first foray into British TV since the Regular Urban Survivors days (excluding an appearance to play 'Josephine' on Saturday morning kids TV, plus several shows of 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks'...). And you know what? I reckon we've got ourselves a Number One here. No kidding! Let's just hope we don't do a Cornershop and, having released a hit remix, release a slow song as the next single which no-one associates with us, and promptly fade back into obscurity. Yes, I'm talking 'Day After Day' here - I like it as a song, and definitely a fourth single, but I think we ought to reconcile our renewed position in the limelight first with a catchier tune, like (you know what's coming) 'Babyface' (why hasn't it been released yet? Is it the single 'f*ck' in the lyrics? Surely it could be dubbed out?). Even 'Can't Get You Out Of My Mind' would make a good single in my humble opinion! So come on, if you agree with me (or disagree), hurl an email at me and let's get a movement going! Remember, we are the fans, we have the power!!!

14/1/99 - AAAARRRRRGHHHH!!! - That's it, it's all too much! Terrorvision seem to be having something of a media overload at the moment, you can't open a music publication, turn on the radio or watch three seconds of MTV or The Box without having a reference to Tequila or Bradford hurled in your general direction. Which is okay I suppose, but I'm having to be selective about what I give you! To think, this time last year I was scrounging around for any little snippet of info! Anyway, this week's Kerrang! has their promised report from the shoot for the 'Tequila' video (I was right, it IS Sean Hughes in the background!), as well as a KKKKK review of the single (as a remix - they still slate the album version, boo-hoo). The same mag's readers' poll doesn't feature TV at all (grrr), except that Tony came ninth in the 'Scruffiest Bastard' category. Hmmm. Judging by the 'next week' page at the back, they might even be on the front cover of the next issue, too. The band also pop up in Melody Maker this week, reviewing singles and generally being very sarcastic about everything. And calloo-callay, I have finally got my tickets for the Oxford gig! Seeya there, amigos!

12/1/99 - TEQUILA VIDEO CLIPS! - It's true, the video for Tequila has now been shot (Kerrang! promise to have a report of the shoot for it in their next issue, which is out tomorrow) and a clip of it can be found on the net! However, I'm not linking to it directly from here - if you want to go there now you'll have to use the link on Glycerine's Terrorvision news page, because it was him that found it and far be it from me to snaffle someone's scoop without giving their (admittedly excellent) site a bit of advertising. Dare I say that the video features the band dancing? And Tony getting his maracas out? You'll just have to go and look, won't you? Oh yes, and the b-sides for Tequila are now confirmed (see yesterday's entry), and CD promos are being distributed as I write. The cogs of Bradford grind ever onwards in their unstoppable hit machine...

11/1/99 - TO 'QUILA OR NOT TO 'QUILA? - Yes, well, excellent puns aside, my marvellous musical mate Mel has sent me this rather spiffy little article concerning the controversial release of 'Tequila' - read it and let me know if you agree!

Terrorvision release Tequila on 18th of January 1999. It's official but is it a good move for the Bradford quartet? Will Terrorvision fall into the trap other bands have slipped into and go drastically downhill after releasing the dreaded cover version of their career?
The future is undecided but the decision about the release is certainly one that is mixed. Choosing to do a cover of Tequila for the album was understandable; it was a reminder of Tony and his broken ankles in Madrid but going so far as to releasing it as a double a-side with a Mint Royale dance mix is just plain confusing.
Terrorvision have been and always will be capable of releasing material that is of a good quality, and in fact, down right fantastic. They don't need to release a cover as only their 2nd single after their comeback; they could do much better and the album proves this point.
Will this attract the teenyboppers when they hear the infectious tune? I certainly hope not. Terrorvision have always been a band that has went out and had a laugh trying to entertain the crowd that had gathered to see them. And they did entertain them…so much so that the same crowd would return gig after gig to be entertained again. They have a bond with their audience. A bond that a lot of other bands around today seem incapable of producing and the reason they can make this bond so easily is the fact that they are just like everyone else. They know exactly what everyone wants to hear. They might as well be at the other side of the barriers for they have as much fun as their crowd when playing live.
Tequila truly will be the deciding point for Terrorvision. It will either gain them respect or lose it. However, although some may be lost from their more 'dedicated' fans, they will gain it from the new fans; the fans that will claim to have realised what a talented band they are. In reality, they will have no idea what Terrorvision are capable of after listening to Tequila, especially the Mint Royale mix.
In my opinion, Terrorvision are 'selling themselves short' with this release. I, along with many other fans, know that they should have released something better and which shows the sound and lyrics they are famous for producing.
Whether any of what I have said will actually happen still remains to be seen but hopefully next time they will choose something which has feeling and emotion to it; in general, anything of their own.

Melissa Gunn
09/01/99

You can also visit Mel's Wonderful Site Of Loveliness, where you can obtain more of the same Bard-worthy ramblings, or email her if you so wish.

11/1/99 - TEQUILA B-SIDES CHANGED! - Will it ever stop? This week's Kerrang! (which also promises that next week's issue shall have a report of the video shoot for 'Tequila') has announced that the b-sides to the next single 'Tequila' will NOT be the new songs reported in my last bulletin, but will in fact be as follows : CD1 and 12" - 'Tequila (Mint Royale Chaser Remix)', 'Tequila (Album Version)', 'Tequila (Mint Royale Slammer Remix)'; CD2 - 'Tequila (Mint Royale Shot Remix)', 'Tequila (Album Version)', 'Risk Worth Taking'. It's a bit worrying to see remixes on a scale unheard of since the release of 'Alice, What's The Matter' (and don't ask me which one they've been playing on the radio loads), but I expect (and shall hopefully, after a quick phonecall, confirm) that the previously announced b-side songs will feature on a future single. I'm glad, though, that the band have seen fit to put the album version on all formats, and that the semi-mythical 'Risk Worth Taking' has finally made an appearance! Oh, and I know Kerrang! has already been out for five days now, but I have been prevented from telling you this news by a combination of a) laziness, b) moving back to Uni, and c) the builders in my college 'unwittingly' cutting through the cable connecting my PC to the outside world. It's all a conspiracy!

6/1/99 - BITS 'N' BOBS (HORDES OF 'EM)... - Well, I don't know, I turn my back for five minutes to get on with some REAL work, and what do you lot go and do? Bombard me with news, that's what! Firstly, and perhaps most importantly for those of a Welsh disposition, there is a new date tacked onto the next tour, at 20 Stow Hill, Newport (01633 222555) on January 30th - doors open at 6 pee-emm, tickets cost £9 in advance. Last week's Kerrang! also contained a free Terrorvision calendar for 1999 (I know it's a bit late to tell you now, but the photo looked a bit silly and boy-band-y anyway), and had a small interview with the guys in which it was revealed that the b-sides for 'Tequila' will be the previously unheard 'If That's What It Takes' and 'One Hundred Reasons', plus a cover of David Bowie's 'Moonage Daydream', which they performed on the winter '96 tour and has previously only been available on a very rare EMI compilation album. Huzzah! Leigh also said the next album might be out as early as spring 2000, so going by previous experience we should expect it some time in the middle of 2003. Oh, and before I go, I ought to tell you that the superb Terrorvision site American TV now has the full three-and-a-half minute video footage of Tone singing Bucks Fizz on Channel 4's 'Last Chance Lottery' - essential viewing!!! So until we meet again, ciao for now, amigos...

18/12/98 - THE TEQUILA SAGA CONTINUES... - It's been something of a hectic week here at Whales And Dolphins (Yeeeaaahhh), what with me finding out on Sunday that a mix of Tequila had been playing on Radio One without my knowledge for the whole previous week, and the following six days being spent trying to find out the truth about what's REALLY getting released next. Well, today I spoke to Terrorvision's very helpful PR company (thanks to Mel for the number and Gillian for being generally nice and helpful), and after all the rumours and guesses I can safely say that the (current) truth is that the next single, scheduled for release on 18th January, will be a double a-side of BOTH the album version of 'Tequila', and it's popular 'Mint Royale' remix. This should hopefully please everybody! Unless you don't like either version, of course... but then, if that applies to you, then I really don't care what you think! 'Day After Day', which had previously been the next planned release, will probably still be a single, in the future. So until EMI change their mind again (probably tomorrow), I bid you farewell and may much alcohol be with you this Christmas...

15/12/98 - NEW FEBRUARY TOUR DATES! - Yes indeedy! Courtesy of the Terrorvision Bulletin Board, here are the dates of TV's next tour, in February: 2nd Guilford Civic Hall (01483 444555), 3rd Southampton Uni (01703 595221), 4th Oxford Brooks Uni (0171 344 4444), 6th Leicester Uni (01159 159200), 7th Warrington Parr Hall (0161 832 1111), 8th Exeter Uni (01392 425309). Tickets are £10 everywhere, except in Leicester where they are £9. Note the cunning way that the band come nowhere near me, in Cambridge. Grrrr!!!

14/12/98 - WHOOPS! - Okay, I think I've got my facts straight over this Tequila mix now. Apparently TV's PR have confirmed 'Day After Day' as the next single, and Ms. Ball and chums have only managed to persuade EMI to release the 'Mint Royale' remix of Tequila as a b-side on this single. I still have this horrible feeling, though, that the remix (whether you like it or not) will get far more radio coverage than 'Day After Day', which is a shame because it isn't really pure Terrorvision. It also means the original track is unlikely to be a future single. Boo! Mind you, the guys did rip a bit of it off of Chuck Rio anyway... but hey! Once we've infiltrated the mainstream (very Marilyn Manson-esque tactics here) with this mix, maybe we can knock 'em all for six with 'Babyface'. We've missed Christmas - but Easter Number One, does that sound good or what?

13/12/98 - OOO CON TEQUILA! (MAYBE...) - What's this? Tequila a single? Hmmm. It seems that the mischievious Zoe Ball has taken a shine to TV's new rendition of the old Chuck Rio song, and has been playing it very frequently on her Radio One breakfast show of late, so I am told (cheers Mel). I wouldn't know, never being awake myself before eleven o'clock these days. But apparently she's such a fan of it (I usually find her really annoying, but for this I can commend her highly) that she phoned up EMI and got them to release it. In fact, a remix of the song (by whom? I don't know), which will probably be a b-side, has been aired not only on Radio One but also Xfm (excellent London indie station). It's a controversial release decision - people either seem to love the song (like me) or totally hate it. What do you think? Let me know!!! As usual, I am investigating the matter further as we speak (any information would be greatly appreciated, do email me if you have anything useful). Have fun now... and have a Tequila on me!!!

29/11/98 - CONGRATULATIONS!!!...? It's a girl!!! Maybe. I'm not sure. If you're as confused as I am, then you might like to know that my contacts have alerted me to a recent interview with Tony on Italian radio, in which he possibly revealed that he is now a father for a second time, this time to an ickle baby girl! Aaaah! Whether this is actually true or not is uncertain; my contact was getting the information second-hand, and the interviewer apparently couldn't speak awfully fluent English, let alone Bradfordian, and Bradfordian over a crackly phone line at that. So it may just be us fans getting over-excited. But fear not, I am investigating the matter further as we speak (any information would be greatly appreciated, do email me if you have anything useful) - just remember, you read it here first!!!

27/10/98 - TONE ANNOUNCES NEXT SINGLE? At TV's gig for Radio One's Sound City in Newcastle this evening, broadcast live on Radio One, Tone made the mysterious announcement that 'Day After Day' might be the next single, sometime in the new year. This is somewhat contrary to earlier reports that there'd be a single sometime in November, but hey, we shouldn't be impatient. Whether 'Day After Day' should be a single or not is debatable; among people with whom I have had cause to speak, the general opinion is that something catchier like 'Swings And Roundabouts' or 'Babyface' should be released. What do you think? Email me with your thoughts, pray.

26/10/98 - ROBBIE WILLIAMS RE-RELEASES 'REGULAR URBAN SURVIVORS'?!?!? It's sad but true, folks. It seems that Robbie Williams, that naughty boy-band drop-out turned indie flop-out turned commercialised cop-out, has pilfered TV's James Bond parody for the artwork of his new album 'I've Been Expecting You', released today. Obviously his execution of the idea is far weaker than the Bradford boys', although his album will undoubtedly get higher in the charts than 'Regular Urban Survivors', with the result that in years to come, people will look back at both albums and say 'Just look at that, those Terrorvision blokes sunk so low that they had to copy Robbie Williams'. Grrrrr!

12/10/98 - 'SHAVING PEACHES' IN AT NO. 23 ON THE U.K. ALBUM CHARTS! Well, it's spookily the same position as 'Josephine's recent debut, and further proof that TV can still pull the punters even if not on the same scale as 'Regular Urban Survivors'. It's a shame, seeing as 'Peaches' is in my view a better album…

27/9/98 - JOSEPHINE DEBUTS AT NO. 23.  'Josephine' leapt straight in at number 23 on the UK singles chart today.  It may seem a little disappointing in comparison to Terrorvision's earlier top ten hits like Perseverance and Bad Actress, but in my opinion it's actually nicer to be back in the mid-twenties positions which characterised the How To Make Friends era.  It sort of shows we've still got the fanbase, but aren't selling out just to sell singles (like the Manics, fnar fnar).  Josephine was always an odd choice for a first single, anyway, especially now I've heard the much more 'instant' Babyface, and TVs 'new direction' is, I think, more of a genuine desire to experiment than an effort to climb the charts.  Besides, we've still got three singles left to release off the new album.  I can hear the crowds now...  'BAAABBEYYFAAAAACE!!!'.

22/9/98 - JOSEPHINE RELEASED AND SHAVING PEACHES SAMPLER OBTAINED!!!  Yes folks, after two years, and an extra agonising week (it was originally scheduled for the 14th, but got delayed to the 21st), the first of the new TV material was finally released yesterday.  Shame on me for failing to set my alarm clock, which meant I didn't buy it until 11.30am!  Still, it is, naturally, brilliant, and I'm not just saying that because I like the band.  You've probably heard it yourselves by now, so I won't go into details about it.  The B-sides are excellent too, although I definitely preferred the ones on CD1 (a digipack style thing with a free poster).  'Go Jerry' is simply marvellous (and perfect live), a kind of ska affair about daytime talk shows with a chorus that's a little similar to the 'I think I'm paranoid' bit from the Garbage song of the same name.  But much better, obviously, and no doubt written first.  Even better, though - even better - is the fact that I have managed to obtain a five-track sampler of Shaving Peaches!  The five tracks are Josephine, Spanner In The Works, Hypnotised, Day After Day, and Babyface.  Needless to say, they aren't a let-down, although some are definitely better than others.  Josephine you already know; Spanner was produced by the Utah Saints and sounds it too, with a definite techno edge but retaining the TV rock riffs - a bit like Conspiracy, but with more of a song-y than thing-to-chant-at-gigs-y feel to it.  There are shades of Mansun in it, but I reckon it could be a single, certainly on the strength of the verse and chorus riffs.  Hypnotised is a weird little thing, a la Superchronic with its kind of 'hard bounce' rhythm, while Day After Day is a pleasing little ditty, clean and quiet, very ambient, a sort of mini-Middleman.  Finally, Babyface, for so long the predicted first single, is a simply magnificent anthem, with the 'do it to you do it to you do it to you' bit at the beginning very reminiscent of Oblivion's 'doo-wop's.  It would have been a great first single, but I can see why they released 'Josephine' first - Babyface is more like the band's older stuff, and you wouldn't want to appear stale.  So is the new material as ground-breakingly different as we have been led to believe?  Well, no.  It certainly is different, with a more technical polish and some more relaxing tunes (28 Hours, Day After Day) mixed with more prominent synthesisers (Spanner, Josephine).  But the famous Terrorvision pop-rock is still present in tunes like Babyface, Hypnotised and Go Jerry, while the harder metal riffs of their early stuff appear too, if only a bit more subtly (that is, if you can have 'subtle metal'!)  It's more of a progression than a new direction, in much the same way that Regular Urban Survivors followed HTMFAIP.  Formaldehyde faithful probably won't take to it all that well (unless they really liked Hy House and American TV - but who doesn't?), but anyone who liked HTMFAIP (especially the singles) or Regular Urban Survivors, should love it.  Still, I suppose I'd better hold further judgement until I hear the rest of the album - roll on October 5th!!!

19/9/98 - Tony yesterday made his fourth appearance on the BBC2 comedy quiz show 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks'.  As usual, he excelled in the 'Guess The Words' round, successfully translating Busta Rhymes' rapping and revealing to us all that the superstar MC has severe bowel problems.  I have the whole thing on video - far more scandalous than this Clinton fiasco.

11/9/98 - Your first and slightly longer-than-usual installment, added a short time before WnD actually gets uploaded onto the net, is a recap of all the excitement in Terror Towers over the past few weeks.  Why?  Because the two year wait is over - the new Terrorvision album is about to hit the shelves!  Preceded by the brilliant new single 'Josephine', available on two CDs and 7" on September 21st, the new album, 'Shaving Peaches', will leap into the record stores on October 5th.  Packed with no less than fifteen songs, and created with four producers (Edwyn Collins, Utah Saints, Pat Grogan and John Cornfield), the album promises to be TV's most adventurous and - although I hate the term - 'experimental', yet.  Unlike Josephine, promos have yet to hit the radio stations or magazines, but early airings of new songs can be heard on TV's current UK tour (dates for which can be found below).  Having gone to the gig at the Colchester Arts centre myself, I have to say that the new material does sound a bit different from the old stuff - I really like it myself, but I can see the band's early, more heavy-metal-based fans being unhappy with the increasingly keyboard-orientated songs and bouncy rhythms.  Mind you, it was this kind of move that made classics like 'Oblivion' and 'Perseverance', and although 'Josephine' may be a little more sinister (reminiscent of 'Alice, What's The Matter'), songs like 'Babyface' and 'Go Jerry' seem destined to go down well with the masses who dictate the charts.  The addition of the lovely Josephine Ellul on keyboards for the band's latest tour (and the forseeable future, as concerns gigs) also adds a new element to Terrorvision's already-infamous live acts, beefing up hits like 'Some People Say' and 'Bad Actress' with synthesised strings.  Best of all, though, Josephine gets to do the excellent scream in the background of 'Discotheque Wreck', at a pitch which Tony never quite managed.  Anyway, here are the latest TV tour dates...

TOUR DATES

October
Tuesday 13th - HULL university
Wednesady 14th - MIDDLESBOROUGH Town Hall
Monday 19th - MANCHESTER Academy
Tuesday 20th - LIVERPOOL University
Wednesday 21st - LEEDS T & C
Thursday 22nd - SHEFFIELD Octogan
Saturday 24th - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Sunday 25th - NORWICH UEA
Monday 26th - WOLVERHAMPTON Civic Hall
Tuesday 27th - NEWCASTLE Riverside (Sound City)
Thursday 29th - LONDON Astoria
Friday 30th - NORTHAMPTON Roadmender
Saturday 31st - BRISTOL University

November
Sunday 1st - CARDIFF University
Monday 2nd - PORTSMOUTH Pyramid

Tickets from £9.00 - £10.00

TERRORVISION Credit Card Hotline - 0115 912 9245

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