Hey Y'all!

Happy new year all!

We've just spent four days in the studio recording a message in morse code on the Guiro, singing drunkenly, warping sampled vocals, checking through guitar parts, choosing our favourite takes, and generally edging closer to a finished debut album!  We were in the bunker until 5pm on NewYear's Eve and it felt good to get all the recording done in time to celebrate the end of a very successful year for us. Hopefully it's just a bit of mixing to do now, and then the fun process of choosing which tracks to include and in what order...

Or in the words of Ollie:

While recording a song in Morse code
We peroused a book called On The Road.
Eating many a toasted
Cheese sandwich, and hosted
By Jon in his Balham abode.

Now three tracks have been done and completed,
For our very first disc - you'll be treated
To a wond'rous record.
We know you won't be bored,
But will play it on loop, and repeat it!

Hasta pronto amigos!
Brian

I don't like to think about climate change and I'm sure most people are the same.  When I was 10 years old I first learnt about it at school and I had terrible nightmares about drowning in the rising seas.  I still get properly scared when I think about the implications of climate change for people around the world. We are crammed onto a planet which quite simply cannot support our current lifestyles - people have calculated that we would need 3 Planet Earth's to support our current rate of consumption.  The effects of climate change are going to result in even less resources to go round, and more fighting over who gets what.  People need to accept that we've had it too easy, and that we need to start making significant lifestyle changes.

The good news is that reducing our carbon emissions needn't result in any loss of quality of life or happiness.  In fact many studies show that a less polluting lifestyle, for example through eating less meat and cycling to work, can actually make us feel happier, as well as saving money.  It might even help to save the rapidly fading concept of 'community'. I personally believe that a sense of community will be vital to the process of cutting back, since at all levels (from the White House to your house) it requires EVERYONE to do their bit - it only takes one selfish thinker to drag everyone else down.

And while I'm on that point, there is nothing that riles me more than climate change deniers.  What an uncaring, greedy standpoint to take.  The facts are clear.  If we don't act now this world is going to become a very ugly place within a short space of time, and our children will never forgive us.  I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say that the future quality of billions of lives is at stake in Copenhagen.

...

Now, on a brighter note, Stornoway have made it on to the longlist of the BBC's Sound of 2010 predictions! Check it out here:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8395789.stm

Bye for now,
Brian

Hi there!
In recent news; we were very happy to play at Jo Whiley's Little Noise session alongside Newton Faulkner and others in the beautiful Union Chapel. After arriving typically late and therefore having an extremely rushed and stressful sound check we were first on. An unexpected solo from Rob in We Are The Battery Human and an eclectic use of instruments by Jon made the set very enjoyable for us all and the partying lasted late into the night! 
We are currently recording the album in a secret ditch in London, working through tracks old and new, so a lot to look forward to for the release early next year!
Coldharbour Road was listed as our local music magazine Nightshift's top song of the year which was great to see.
Some of you may have caught the next item on Scott Mills' show early last week. Huw Stevens chose Zorbing as the record he played on a bicycle powered record player. As would be expected, the changing speed of the pedaling resulted in a mix of chipmunk Zorbing and Barry White Zorbing. Better than the original?
Coming up there are two shows to mention. This Thursday (the 3rd) we are playing at UniTruck in High Wycombe, which we're looking forward to very much. Also playing are Pulled Apart By Horses and Dusty and The Dreaming Spires to name a few. There will be animals and bunting, all together costing just a fiver. The second show will be held in Gloucester city centre where the amazing Spiegeltent will be and we get to headline it on the 16th! It will be like a winter festival and we hope to see you there!
Anyways, a lot of news, lots of crisps and pies to eat, must go. However, hope to see you all soon!

rob

Yesterday was the most surreal day of my life. Sandwiched between Jay-Z and the Foo Fighters in the BBC Studios, and feeling properly sick with nerves, we played 'Zorbing' and 'Fuel up' and somehow just held it together. What a relief when it was over! And what a way for Ollie to spend his birthday!

You can watch yesterday's live recording of the Stornorabbits-in-headlights on iPlayer, or tune in to BBC2 on Friday evening for the hour-long version.  Its good be back to reality today......did yesterday really just happen?

love Brian

In other news, you might have spotted that we have had a couple of reviews of last week’s single launch gig at the ICA from Michael Hann in the Guardian and Lisa Verrico in The Times…Thank you to everyone who made it such a special one.

Last but not least, we are very excited about our gig at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford on 30th October (the penultimate date in next month’s tour), where we will be collaborating with the magnificent Oxford Millennium Orchestra! Tickets for this are now available to buy at WeGotTickets at the following location: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/60317

see you soon!