Hello, Hope you had a good Christmas and New Year and managed to survive the worlds most depressing month January. I think the 21st Jan is the biggest day for suicides I dunno where I read that maybe its rubbish. (Itís the 22nd, I just googled it.ìBlue Mondayî they call it, officially designated by a psychologist too.)

Itís funny when the New Year comes around and everybody decides ìI`m gonna change my waysî, stop smoking, stop drinking, lose weight the list goes on …endlessly. I have noticed this most at my local gym, the sudden influx of red sweaty faces all huffing and puffing away, or straining like Elvis on the toilet seat trying to lift some ridiculously heavy weight. I would just like to say to you all now … STAY AT HOME. You guys are messing up my schedule in the gym. I canít get on any of the machines and I was doing this long before you even thought about it. Thank you.

As weíre on the subject of exercise, my manager phoned me up the other day and asked me if I wanted to play 5-a-side football with him, I think heíd had a few vino`s. After 10 minutes or so of his famous Jedi mind tricks I had agreed. I hadnít played football seriously in a decade or so and the idea was filling me somewhat with slight unease. With none of the apparel I visited a friend who gave me some shin pads and footy socks. My old man used to play professionally but I wasnít really the protÈgÈ he had hoped for I think. Music is more my game.

Everyone that turned up on the night apart from me and one other was kicking forty and there was no ìkeepy-uppiesî going on …my confidence grew slightly. It was a 6-6 draw in the end and I had a good time running about like a headless chicken ìmaking playî if you can call it that. My attempts at goal verged on the ridiculous, like a ricocheted bullet going in unexpected directions or when you see those angry golfers slice their ball into the rough. I spent most of the second half in goals like when that machine fires tennis balls at you. Itís taken me the best part of a week to recover and I have bruises all over me from diving onto the wooden gymnasium floor but it was a good laugh. Will I be going next Wednesday hmmmm …. Juryís out on that one.

Iíve been enjoying quite a musically creative streak recently, its great when that happens; it allays the fear that you will never write a song again. Iím using a computer out of the ark to record stuff on but itís pleasantly limiting as there arenít so many choices to make. Iím three songs in so far and showing no signs of letting up. What Iím going to do with them is another matter completely.

I hope you are all well and in good spirits. If youíre not, I just read that ìBlue Mondayî article I googled. A psychologist at the University of Warwick recommends spending 15 minutes trying to write down three reasons why you should be grateful. Great idea!!!!! Instead of going to my gym try some ìgratitude exercisesî, failing that the pub is always just round the corner.

All the best

Stuart

Ron is upstairs trying to piece together all the footage we took from touring with the Proclaimers into some kinda tour diary come live DVD thing, so to celebrate 500,000 plays on MySpace and the end of another year I’m doing another blog. It’s also far too cold to venture outside for more than 10 minutes and I don’t really have any winter clothes either. A t-shirt and a thin jacket don’t really cut it at the moment.

We came back off tour about 3 weeks ago now and decided to go back into the studio while the band was playing well and put down some new songs. I don’t know about other bands but it’s a pain staking process in this one. Everything seems to take forever or we are re-recording something. I guess it’s like a pint of Guinness???it takes time. We left the studio with anew version of “Satellite”, two songs called “Into your arms” and “Don’t Let Me Down” and another tune that surprisingly went from conception to a final master mix in about 7hrs called “Lost at Sea”. Whether these tunes become part of our next album, an EP, or in a reworked version of sugar and spite who knows???

Hey there all,

Tad from UB here, we know we haven’t been doing proper blogs for awhile but we’re trying to get in the habit again, so here we go!

We went back to our roots and played the ‘Oran Mor’ in Glasgow this week. Although we had quite a few technical issue’s (Rick’s guitar strap broke during first song, Geoff’s laptop died, Stuart’s Guitar fell over and went out of tune) the gig went pretty well and we had a friendly audience (one shouted ‘Welcome back to Glasgow!!’) and we had a great time after although I’m never going back to a club called ‘Campus’ ever again.

Next time you see us live you may notice something different, I’ve finally been dragged into backing vocals, so if you hear some horribly out of tune singing going on then its probably me (but buy me a drink for trying ;P)

This week we’ll be playing the re-scheduled ‘TRUCK’ festival praying for good weather, then our final head-line show in London at the Water Rats in Kings X before we go on our epic 40 date UK tour support with the ‘Proclaimers’. After that is over we go back to the studio to record some new material including a full band version of ‘Swans’.

Some news for U.S. and Canada fans, we are planning on coming to you guys at some point in the new year, whether or not we get signed, this year we had to wait ’til I was legally allowed to drink over there but now its fine

well there you go everyone, hope the next blog isn’t too long away

lots of love

Tad and the Bobs
x x x x x

1. Could you start by telling us about your band name? (Its origin, the choice/decision to use it)
Rick- The band name is in reference to where myself(rick) and geoff met for the first time – at a beach place called “unkle bob’s” in Sihanoukvile Cambodia – Serendipity Beach. We named the band after that when we later met again in Glasgow, Scotland where the band was born.
2. What is the significance of “Sugar and Spite” as an album title?
Rick – Well, it is comes from a lyric in a song on the album called “vagabond” . It was our friend Phill Savidge who spotted the lyric at a gig and we all agreed immediately that it represented the overall sentiments on the album and should be the title. Up till that point it was going to be called “Love Stains”. and i’m not joking.
3. What is your song “Birds and the Bees” about?
Rick – i guess it is quite a pessimistic love song- “love hurts- in the end”. it was written whilst contemplating how i was made.
4. Can you tell us about “The Hit Parade”? What is it about?
Rick – Getting laid, getting played and walking down the Hit Parade of course!
5. You sing the lyrics “I wanna get laid, I wanna get played, I wanna walk down the hit parade”. Do you mean that sex and success come hand in hand? Why do you think that is?
Rick – hmmmmm Yes. Probably due to the preservation of favored races in the struggle for life. thats what all my groupies tell me…
6. What is “Put a Record On” about?
Rick – Its very self-explanatory! there’s no trick, its about records, vinyl, girls etc etc

7. Your song “Put a Record On” contains the lyrics “I put a record on, put it on and sing along with you”. What album(s) are you notorious for singing along to?
Rick – The Smiths- everybody has a good Morrissey inside them.
8. It’s interesting that artists still use the word “record” when writing music when there has been such an evolution in music’s format. It seems there is something classic even romantic about it. Do you think that will ever change? Will you ever “Put a mp3 on” or “put an i-pod play list on”?
Rick – haha. maybe – As formats go out of fashion and circulation they become romantic, nostalgic. Someone will be singing about MP3s in 50 years time i’m sure
9. What moments call for a record to be put on?
Rick – Moments of romance and nostalgia- and cooking.
10. Do you think music is a complimenting element that should accompany sex?
Rick – hahaha. why not
11.What is your favorite make out album; an album that sets “the mood” right?
Rick – hahahahahaha. Prince – “Do me, baby” , in fact i’m listening to it right now.
12. Can you tell us about your beautiful song “Swans”? What inspired it?
Rick – It was inspired by someone i loved, or did i? maybe i did.
13. How did it feel having your song “Swans” featured on Grey’s Anatomy, currently one of American television’s biggest shows?
Rick – Really, truly amazing for us. We have (and still are) spreading all over the world. And we didn’t even leave the house.
14. How does it feel being called “the next biggest thing” among all the great praises and reviews you are receiving? At what point did you think to yourself “Ok, I think we have a hit album here”?
Rick – The album is still unreleased in most countries so it is really an underground thing so far. in fact, its not yet available anywhere in Canada! only by import… everything has been word of mouth up till now which we’re pleased with – there’s nothing worse than being sold music like it’s baked beans. maybe it will be a hit and Canada will be first?
15. Your album is so bitter sweet. I can’t help but think that you have been in love at soaring heights and then crashed down to a rock bottom with your heart in pieces. Is this a fair judgement?
Rick – I guess so, but i’m sure everybody knows how that feels- i just wrote it down
16. What do you believe to be the top 3 poisons of a relationship?
Rick – another man, another woman, or both

17. Most people would consider being unfaithful the ultimate betrayal in a relationship. Would you agree with that? (If not what is the worst for you?)
Rick – I’m sure there are many ways to betray someone, but being unfaithful physically probably tops it.
18. Your song “Better Off” seems to be about knowing your friend is shagging your love interest. When it comes down to it and you have a choice to make, would you choose your friend over your lover, or your lover over your brother? (Why?)
Rick – hang on, is it your brother or your friend? your brother would be worse haha. i don’t know – it depends upon the situation, maybe you can choose both friends and lovers and forgive and forget. maybe not.
19. In what point of a relationship do you believe you are “better off alone and living for no one”?
Rick – The end of one.
20. Do you believe that without heartbreak, sorrow and certain bitterness someone doesn’t mature or experience life they way they should? Does someone need to experience heartbreak in order to know what love is?
Rick – Perhaps it enriches the experience or maybe you’re just unlucky. i really don’t know the answer to that one..
21. Are you a believer of the saying: “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone”?
Rick – Yes, its so true
22. Your songs are very personal. Have you got feedback from ex-lovers or current lovers on the songs on your album?
Rick – No. What if they read this!
23. When you wrote the album, did you realize how much listeners would relate to your lyrics? (If there is one thing we all have in common and share as a human condition, it’s love and heartbreak.)
Rick – I never imagined people would discuss the lyrics in the way they do. If you look on uTube there are videos from all over the world with people mouthing the words and even ballet dancing to it. and to think Swans wasn’t even going to be on the album…

This is the weirdest interview i’ve ever done. Am i in the agony unkle column?

love Rick x

Hello, I thought it about time to write a new blog about Unkle Bob’s adventures. First stop Amsterdam. A drive through the night from Middlesbrough to Dover, ferry to Hook of Holland then bit of a drive to our hotel…our tour manager cleverly decided to book us into a hotel slap bang in the middle of the red light district. Arriving a day early we got the chance to walk round Amsterdam and see the sights. Gig Day…after sussing out the park and ride, (driving a riot van in the dam ain`t too easy) and going to the wrong venue we eventually arrive at the Melkveg.
We meet up with Travis after watching them soundcheck, really nice bunch of guys. Can’t help feeling you already know them but you don’t. Fran recognises Tad from Banners, and clocks my accent “Where you from?”. We meet the rest of Travis then start soundchecking.
We walk out to a full Melkweg, seems everyone turned up early…. a few familiar faces from Feeling tour, people singing along to Put a Record On, clapping along to the Hit Parade. Its one of the hottest gigs I think i`ve ever done and I’m sweating bullets. The crowd are up for it and it feels great to be playing to loads of people. Our pigeon dutch seems to go down well too…I think the fans are glad we’re trying.
We watch Travis, meet a few of the fans at the merchandise stand and say goodbye. We head to new hotel and have a few more drinks… I fall asleep on the bed fully clothed, wake up in the morning with my jeans round my ankles and Tad`s legs lying across me. I ask the band what happened last night…nobody knows…..
We pack up and drive through Belgium to France…I fall asleep in the van and wake up feeling like my brains been addled. We visit friends in Chateau de Warsy an hour north of Paris. It’s a huge chateau with 80 acres of grounds, outdoor heated pool and as much food and booze you can shake a stick at. As I soak up the sun by the pool I begin to wonder what Travis are doing right now. Fran said “Disneyland”, Dougie said he was going to the Louvre. I can’t think of anywhere I would rather be on my day off than here.
Well rested we leave the chateau mid-afternoon and head to the Bataclan. We sound-check then head next door for something to eat. It seems no time at all before we are on stage again. The Bataclan is full again, our French is better than our Dutch and the crowd seem to like it too. Having never played in France before, we go down really well. Hopefully have made some new fans. We don’t get to meet any of them as we pack down straight away then head to London to catch a flight to Lisbon. Travis come on stage as we are leaving dressing room and the ceiling outside our dressing room falls in!
Outside the venue I catch Tad talking to a pretty French girl “Poulet de Promoter?”. I think it means “Are you the chicken promoter?” I don’t know but it makes me smile, God loves a tryer!!
Ron is currently camping in the Welsh countryside… when he returns he can tell you all about Lisbon. Thanks to Travis for having us and to all the people we met on tour.

Stuart xx

Our trip to the USA seems like a dream now. Dazed with none stop flights at 7am, huge bagels, vodka red bull and giant cars (all at the same time)… I need to jog my memory of our wild trip over the big pond. Flying up and down giant skyscrapers, speeding round in yellow cabs (narrowly missing anything in the way), eating in cool diners and drinking red wine in Soho bars. New York has got to be the liveliest city I’ve ever been toÖso many people, so many shops and so many lights. It was a very quick visit but from what I saw, I can’t wait to come back with the rest of the boys for some gigs. Hopefully it won’t be too long and we can meet our new myspace friends over there!! A flight to Atlanta, then another flight to Houston, a 4 hour drive in a giant hire car and we arrived in Austin, Texas

Love ron x

In texas I did what I always do in a new town, drink. Infact, all my favourite things were all in sxsw, Texas ñ wine/beer, music, and women.

But this trip was all about the first two, so we set about visiting venues- trying to find friendly faces from Scotland- we looked for the Cinematics but got stuck outsideówe DID find My Latest Novel , but didn’t hear them playÖhmmm where to nextÖ we watched Mika’s amazing drummer, Get Cape Wear Cape Fly (with bronchitis) , amy winehouse (peering over a fence), and Simple Kid (who was my favourite so farócheck out his song “serotonin”).

I don’t think our manager had ever drunk so much ñ nevermind beer we were drinking red bull and vodka! The next day, heads were sore but aaron(our manager) was ready for another high energy drink so we found him a malt based 7% proof drink that was free from the orchard party and we were all back on top ñ ready for Perry Farrel and the guy from rage against the machine. All in all a great weekendólow point came though when the airline lost all our bags and trapped us in Atlanta ñ as always we came up trumps and found a swinging sushi bar with a dancefloor and a balcony- can’t wait to come back, visit America again and howl at the moon…

Lots of love Rick x

So in typical unkle bob style we spend 20 hours traveling over to berlin to play a tour with the feeling and on the first night after meeting them we eat all their food… When they came to eat no food. Erm… yeah so that was kinda funny but we’ve made up with them and are now on day 3 of the tour in frankfurt writing a communal blog to keep all you guys that seem to be listening to us up to date – as we’ve not really had much time to myspace in the past week. Anyways i’m gonna go find some sausages so heres….. Stuart!!!!!!

love geoffxxxxxxxxxx
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Tag meine Freunde,

Geoff the sausage smuggler… Always knew that standard grade german would come in handy…managed to cobble together a few good phrases now. Berlin was really cool but so is most the places we been so far really. Tour is going well, we have a day off tommorow so we going out in Frankfurt tonight have a Bitburger competition. Then off to Holland ….

Love Stuart xx
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I HAVEN’T EATEN ANYTHING BUT BREAD, CHEESE AND SALAMI FOR THREE DAYS!! But I’m still lovin’ the german beer and Berlin is one of my new favourite cities.

Still, I miss London

Love Tad xxx
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Ich habe ein rosa t-shirt weil ich super schwul bin.

Ron x
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I have been delighting the German crowds with my pigeon German, last night I said “nehmen sie die erste strasse links und der bahnhof ist gegenuber”—you take the first left and the station is opposite” ñ everybody laughed and the band thought I was telling jokes or summit. I like it here. The people think I am funny. Now we’re in Holland I don’t know what to say?

Love Rick

I realised there hasn’t been a new blog up for a while so I thought I would write one and let you know what’s been happening. So………
Firstly we have a new van AMAZING. God bless that little Clio but the days of 5 blokes crammed into a shitty tiny car are over. We now have a 9 seater ex-police riot van we got it off E-bay (coming to a housing estate near you WOOP WOOP). We met a man with tattoos on his head at a petrol station, then followed him to a field…”Got the cash?”….”Got the van?” Felt a bit like a drug deal really but she runs like a dream and still has the prisoner cage in the back…any takers?

Then off to tour with the Wonderstuff! Felt great to be off round the country again. We did a load of great gigs to great people and no inter-band feuds. The lack of duelling pistols capped things at hung-over bitching and a mild explosion in Preston (our set got cut short Boo). Perhaps Erika had a calming affect on us all?

Took a few days off Wonderstuff tour to make “Put a Record On” video in Porto!! The club owner gave us a free bar, Ron dressed up as a general and got a haircut, and we stole all of club Bizzar`s women and put them in our video.” S„o muito bonito, gostaria de estar num mel de vÌdeo de m˙sica?” (Now where’s my Viking helmet?). Apart from my Lynard Skynard moment with Ryan air trying to land in a storm in Portugal it was great fun.

I felt a bit lost after touring for a month and it was over….What do you mean we have nothing to do today?! So like a rehabilitated convict I re-entered society for a while. It seemed like no time at all before I had put the proverbial brick thru the jeweller’s window and we were back on the road for our Christmas hometown gigs. Glasgow, Clitheroe and Barnard Castle….it’s what Christmas is for right??
Hope you all had a good new year! I’ve spent most of 2007 tidying up broken glass, cleaning HP sauce and mud off the walls and woodwork, and generally repairing my house. But if you wanna make an omelette you gotta break some eggs!!

Adios, Stuart x