| 25.01.2007 |  |
 Ian Brown was interviewed tonight by Steve Lamacq for his BBC 6Music radio show. Ian was in high spirits throughout and more than happy to discuss what he's up to at the moment and no doubt got everyone's pulse racing when he announced that his forthcoming album could be completed as early mid-March, seeing a possible May '07 release.Ian explained that he started seriously thinking about which songs to use as far back as February 2006 and started working with producers, Black Ops, in the July. He also revealed that he's just finished recording with a full 30-piece orchestra conducted by Simon Hale, who had previously scored strings on the Jamiroquai track 'Cosmic Girl', among others. He confirmed that Andy Rourke and Paul Ryder will indeed appear on the record (no mention of Sir Paul McCartney on this occasion though) that he thinks will end up entitled 'The World Is Yours'. He corrected the title of 'Goodbye To The Broken'; which he explained is about saying "goodbye to the broken, all them that are broken up, goodbye to them." When asked whether the album had an upbeat feel to it, like his others, Ian said: "It is, I think my biggest tune at the moment is a tune called 'Soldiers Come Home' where I'm writing directly about UK involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, like I don't see why these young guys have got the bottle to do it or they don't wanna do it or they're just blanking but to me it's like a major thing, someone's got to address it. So at the moment, it sounds like Star Wars with all the music I've got going, all the orchestration. But the lyrics of 'Soldiers Come Home', it's a direct appeal that this war's all wrong, stop it, let's have it right, y'know. "I'm trying to do my own 'What's Going On' so it's socially conscious but beautiful at the same time, that's me brief to myself." Ian also let us into a little secret: "Well each LP that I make, me own working title is 'The Victory's Already Been Won', I call them all that until I think of the title." Ian spoke about the soundtrack for Paragraf 78 again and said that he would be attending the premier of the film in February and also playing a show and a club while he is over in Russia. He finished to say that he is hoping to play a few new tracks at the forthcoming Manchester Versus Cancer gig (30th March, MEN Arena). For the full transcript of the interview, click here and to listen again to the show, check out the 6Music website. |
| 10.01.2007 | |
 Ian Brown has been confirmed for this year's Versus Cancer concert at the MEN Arena, Manchester on 30th March 2007 (starting at 6.30pm). Other acts confirmed so far are The Charlatans, Echo & The Bunnymen and New Order's Peter Hook (with more to be announced in the next couple of days).Tickets are priced at £40 and go on sale Friday 12th January at 9am. More more info, visit their website. |
| 04.01.2007 | |
 Happy New Year and welcome back to another year at Ian Brown Whispers. Starting the year off in the right direction is the first real update of the new Ian Brown album in absolutely ages.Ian is hoping to work with some big names on what will be his 5th studio album, which has the working title, 'The World Is Yours' and is pencilled in for a late 2007 release. Two tracks name-checked for inclusion are 'Goodbye To The Badlands' and 'Some Folks Are Hollow' and apparently 6 tracks in total have been completed. According to the NME he has already spoken to Paul McCartney's assistant about the legendary Beatles' bassist appearing on the album. He is also set to work with Manc bassists ex-Smiths Andy Rourke and former Happy Mondays (and 2005 live guest) Paul Ryder. Ian is also rumoured to be looking to work with irish singer Sinead O'Connor, he told the NME: "She's the best female soul singer in the world." Of course, it was about a year ago that the official Ian Brown website rumoured that Brown was, at one point, to write a song for the vocalist. Ian has been working with a production team called Black Ops and young New York hip-hop producer and Snoop Dogg collaborator, Emile. On the sessions so far he said: "It's sounding like this LP is going to dwarf the others. I know everyone always says their latest is their best, but I really feel that this time. "I've really gone all out with the lyrics and melodies. I'm trying to make my own What's Goin' On (seminal Marvin Gaye LP). "It's going to be something really beautiful, with violins, dead sharp beats, socially conscious lyrics – this time around, I'm trying to bury everything I've ever done." |