Early days | Spearmint? | A Week Away | A Different Lifetime | My Missing Days |
Paris In A Bottle | Songs For The Colour Yellow | Oklahoma! | A Leopard And Other Stories |
The Boy And The Girl That Got Away | The Future...

What next?

Once we had finished making "Paris In A Bottle" in 2006, it seemed like the end of the second phase for the band. We immediately felt like doing something more band-based, more rock and roll... I came up with a couple of songs which we tried out on our most recent German tour in early 2007. We were happy with them and I started writing the next album in earnest that summer, my intention being to write a full album along those lines.

As I said before I often find that if I start out with one idea in mind, I will end up writing something else. That is what happened - I actually wrote an album which mainly comprised personal love songs, and this became the first Shirley Lee solo album.

The Spearmint songs from the tour never got recorded. I have an idea that we will return to these along with some new songs and record them in the new year with a view to releasing an EP in the autumn to coincide with the 10th anniversary of "A Week Away". I would like us to release an EP on 10 inch vinyl. I have always wanted us to release a 10 inch - I have very fond memories of "Slates" by The Fall...

I hesitated to write the above words, as by writing them it makes a plan, and once a plan is made I will probably steer us elsewhere.

As you can tell from what I have written, I am intense;y proud of what we have achieved. There is something undefinable and special about the five of us working together - it is not about friendship, more something akin to brotherhood maybe, or just being part of a closely knit team that has gone through a lot together. I do not intend to lose that, and I want to see it through to its finish - I feel that there are more albums we need to make... I also would like to see the guys get the respect they are due for what they have created.

So, we will be back soon.

Unleash the parrot!