[latest news]

[26th january]: The Peel Sessions are to go out on 4th February on Peel's programme on radio one. There are more to follow as more bands take part in his session tour which is full of the best bands he rates. Mark recently said that "He [john peel] was directly responsible for getting us signed". Gene are the support.

Clues of what's on the new album may have been given away by Mark in the same interview as he said "I was up until 8am playing the mandolin. My fingers are almost bleeding" after an all-night rehearsal with the band.

[3rd january]: The support bands at the NME Premier awards will be The Delgados and Six By Seven, with possibly One Lady Owner as the final act, but this has to be confirmed.

The lads have also announced that they will make their last live appearance before they begin work on their next and third album in Wales, at 7.45pm on Sunday 31st January at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London as part of the Peel Session Live. Tickets are already going fast - they can be bought from the box office (0171) 960 4242. Highlights of this session are to be played on the radio later on in February, but i've no details yet of when exactly.

[19th december]: The band have announced the dates of their NME Premier Award warm up gigs. They are:

Monday 18th January Newport, V3 Club (New venue. Tel No. 01633 250600)

Tuesday 19th January Oxford Brookes University

[26th november]: New tour dates: The lads will be playing at the NME Premier Award London show at the London WC2 Astoria on 20th January. The support has yet to be announced.
IABV: I've heard that the 'tones fanzine In A Blue Vein which was edited by Ed Cowburn has been stopped as he's decided to go off to Australia for a while!
For people who live outside of the UK the band's management have said that the following will allow you to send for a copy of the single 4-Day Weekend:

Send a Sterling International Money Order to Superior Quality Recordings per format, plus �2 to cover postage.

People in the UK- the singles will be dispatched really soon - the management were waiting until after the tour was finished before they began the shipping.

[29th october]: "4 Day Weekend", will be released on Superior Quality Recordings by mail order only on 9th November 1998. The official reason for this is, "Following the recent closure of A&M records The Bluetones have announced that "4 Day Weekend" will not be available in record shops. As the band want their fans to be able to get the record they will be selling it on the "Put �Em On The Glass Tour" as follows."

Prices and mail-order information (prices include p&p)
CD and Ltd (1,000) 12" : �3.00

Ltd 7" (5,000) : �2.00
from:

The Bluetones, P.O. Box 3836, London NW3 4XF.

Make cheques and postal orders payable: Superior Quality Recordings.
The lads are currently writing and demoing new songs for the follow up to their gold album "Return To The Last Chance Saloon". They plan to start recording new songs for the third album, on Superior Quality Recordings, early next year.

[20th october]: there seems to be some confusion of where the gig to be played in Leeds is being held. thanks to the genuis that is known as their tour manager Dominic, i've been informed that the date is still friday 30th october and the venue is still Brighton Beach, but it's also known as the Cockpit on Swinegate in Leeds. TICKETS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR ON THE NIGHT, so get there early to get one!

[5th october]: the next single is going to be another off the second album "Return To The Last Chance Saloon" called "4-Day Weekend". It's going to be backed by covers of Buffalo Springfield's "Mr Soul" and Left Bank's "Pretty Ballerina" (which for all of you who weren't at reading, they played). it will be released on the 2nd november.

the video the next single is Manga style. i've been told by a relible source that it looks a bit like "Battle of The Planets" (the cartoon) - it features two girls running around a lot interspersed with loads of cartoon special effects and clips of cartoon Bluetones playing at various points.

[3rd october]: the band have confirmed some new tour dates on the 'putting 'em on the glass tour 1998':

tuesday 27th october, Newcastle Uni (as part of the bbc sound city '98 to be broadcast live on radio one)

friday 30th october, Leeds Brighton Beach

monday 16th november, Belfast Limelight

tuesday 17th november, Dublin Red Box

there is also rumour that the lads are playing another date on their tour at the Margate Winter Gardens on wednesday 11th november. so far their support has been listed as Jack on the tour. i look forward to seeing them.