The Tinkerman speaks

Exciting news has reached us here at Balustrade HQ and that is that after many months of fevered anticipation, the Stalisfield EP is finally complete! The existence of this fabled artifact has oft been spoke of in hushed corners of dark and dingy pubs over a flaggon of Old Speckled Hen, but thanks to some frenzied action in recent weeks, our favourite fat lads have finally finished their magnus opus!! To honour this occassion we were priviledged to be granted a rare interview with the tinker man himself, the one and only man they calle Lex.

BHQ: So, Lex, it's finally finished eh? it's about bloody time isn't it?

Lex: All in good time young fella me lad, all in good time. The Tinker man does not make do with secdon bext and so after several months of feverish knob twiddling late at night in the Alpine Studios, the Stalisfield EP has finally taken shape and morphed from a pretentious and out of tune caterpillar, into a beautiful, yet slightly melancholy, indie-caterpillar.

BHQ: So what exactly does it sound like?

Lex: Apart from fantastic?

BHQ: Obviously

Lex: Well, imagine the sound of Teenage Fanclub inviting Will Oldham, Ryan Adams, Belle and Sebastian, Blind Melon and Keane around for a nice cup of tea and a sing song - possibly with a bit of coffee sponge thrown in for good measure. Unfortunately Blind Melon's Shannon Hoon couldn't make it owing to an acute case of death and Belle and Sebastian have forgotten their recorders and so Stuart and Stevie aren't talking to the girl with the incredibly large jumper muffins. Will and Ryan are trying to have an earnest discussion about the nature of the universe and Keane are just too polite to join in and so are sat in the corner playing Super Hero Top Trumps. Eventually the Fannies decide enough is enough and they break out the guitars and run though a quick medley of their hits with the the all joining in on hand claps and whistling to rapturous applause, except Stevie who is whistfully staring out of the window watching a butterfly on a pansy.

BHQ: So it's not just Lex and Cart's singing songs with silly lyrics then?

Lex: Most definitely not! You snide folk at balustrade HQ laughed when I said I would be laying down drum samples, but where would El Mariachi's Bossanova beat be without it?! You sniggered when I said I would put piano on Americana and now we have managed to wheel a baby grand into the studio and now I have nowhere to sleep as a result. And you poured scorn when i said You Sleep should have an orchestral accompaniment, and if we could have fitted those extra viola players and that kettle dsrum in we would have it would have sounded chuffin' brilliant!! I've had enough of your sniping, I'm out of here! Bums to the lot of you!

Lex then flounced off as only a fat ginger lad can! And that was our interview with the enigma they call The Tinker Man.

Don't forget, Stalisfield will be avilable from no good record shops on Monday, so make sure you keep 'em peeled! If you can't find a copy however, email balustrade@hotmail.com and we'll see if we can't sort you out with a copy - ask nicely and we'll see if we can get one of th boys to scribble on it with their monkey like signatures.

So until more exciting news comes through the Balustrade newswire, this is BHQ, over and out!!