a-ha to split up after 25 years

Pop group a-ha, best known in the world of James Bond for their title song accompanying Timothy Dalton’s 007 debut in The Living Daylights, have announced they are splitting up after more than 25 years…

a-ha

Enduring chart act a-ha are to split following a farewell tour next year.

The Norwegian trio, who were pin-ups for many years, will split after marking a quarter of a century since their debut release Hunting High And Low.

They will play their final shows in Oslo in December next year, rounding off a string of goodbye dates.

The band, who have also released a string of solo albums, achieved more than 35 million global album sales, with 15 Top 10 UK singles.

Announcing their split, the band’s Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy said bowing out would give them a chance to pursue “other meaningful aspects of life”.

In a statement they said: “We’ve literally lived the ultimate boy’s adventure tale, through a longer, more rewarding career than anyone could hope for.

“Doing this now will give us a chance to get more involved in other meaningful aspects of life, be it humanitarian work, politics, or whatever else – and of course through new constellations in the field of art and music.

“We are retiring as a band, not as individuals. Change is always difficult and it is easy to get set in one’s ways. Now it is time to move on.”

Details of tour dates will be announced nearer the time.

Be sure to keep checking the CommanderBond.net main page and our Discussion Forums for all the latest James Bond-related news.

Dame Shirley Bassey to perform at BBC Electric Proms

Three-time James Bond title theme performer Dame Shirley Bassey has been lined up to perform at the 2009 BBC Electric Proms.

The BBC News reports that Bassey will be performing alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra at the London Roundhouse on Friday, 23 October. It will be her only scheduled live performance of the year.

The Welsh singer is planning to include several of her classic songs in the performance as well as debut some of the new tracks from her forthcoming album, The Performance (which is produced by current 007 composer David Arnold and includes a composition from John Barry and Don Black amongst many other notable names in the music business).

‘What I’m most looking forward to at the BBC Electric Proms is performing songs from my new album The Performance for the first time—it really will be a special moment for me,’ she was quoted as saying.

The show will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 2.

The Performance album is due for release on 9 November and can currently be pre-ordered online:

• Order Shirley Bassey’s The Performance from Amazon.co.uk

Keep watching the CommanderBond.net main page—and our Twitter feed—for more news on this exciting album.

Another James Bond theme for Shirley Bassey? Never say never…

Welsh superstar and three-time 007 theme song performer Shirley Bassey held a grand reception at The Ritz in London earlier this week to preview her eagerly-anticipated new album, The Performance.

Produced by current James Bond composer David Arnold, The Performance features songs penned by Manic Street Preachers, the Pet Shop Boys, Gary Barlow, KT Tunstall and Richard Hawley.

The album, due out on 9 November, also marks the reunion of Bassey with longtime Bond regulars John Barry and Don Black, who last collaborated together in 1971 for Diamonds are Forever.

As probably all Bond fans are aware, Bassey holds the record for the most 007 title tunes with Goldfinger, Diamonds and Moonraker. The Times was curious to see if she was at all interested in adding a fourth song to that list and posed the question to her at the London event.

‘Of course,’ she responded. ‘After doing three, why not do one more? But it’s not my choice, it’s up to the producers and composers, sadly.’

Arnold, who was nearby, added in: ‘It depends on the storyline. James Bond isn’t about nostalgia, it’s about the present and future. But trust me, if the the song is right for her, then it would be incredible to have her sing. Never say never.’

• Order Shirley Bassey’s The Performance from Amazon.co.uk

In any event, Bassey looks to keep quite busy in the weeks ahead as the album’s release nears. Paul Williams, Music Week magazine editor, commented: ‘She could be on the verge of a very big comeback indeed.’

‘Shirley Bassey is a truly iconic artist and one of the most successful British female singers of all time, but this new album gives her the potential of achieving the kind of commercial success she has not enjoyed in years.’

‘A truly remarkable cast list of songwriters has been gathered for it, from the likes of John Barry and Don Black, who have been behind her past signature songs like Diamonds Are Forever, to more contemporary names including Barlow and Wainwright.’

‘These great songwriters have brought out the best in Bassey’s voice and it all adds up to both a contemporary and classic-sounding album, which, if it gets the right exposure, will appeal to her long-term fan base and could well deliver many new fans as well.’

‘Given the number one record company, Universal, is behind this project, there is no doubt all the stops will be pulled out to make it a success and I know they are lining up some great promotion for her, including TV, to ensure word gets out about the album.’

Keep watching the CommanderBond.net main page—and our Twitter feed—for more news on this exciting album.

James Bond: Shaken not Stirred concert in Grand Rapids, Michigan

A series of concerts celebrating James Bond will be taking place this upcoming weekend in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Beginning, Friday, 25 September, the Grand Rapids Symphony will host their James Bond: Shaken not Stirred concert, featuring past and present themes from the 007 films, including Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, For Your Eyes Only and many others. The event will mark the opening of the symphony’s pop series at DeVos Performance Hall.

In addition to the orchestra led by conductor John Varineau, Jeans ‘n’ Classics, a rock group from Ontario, will be joining in on several songs, such as Nobody Does It Better.

‘Everybody knows this stuff,’ said guitarist, arranger and bandleader Peter Brennan.

‘It’s just about impossible to have only an orchestra doing the music of James Bond,’ added John Varineau.

The James Bond: Shaken not Stirred concert will take place at 8:00pm on Friday and Saturday and 3:00pm on Sunday. Tickets cost $18-$90. To attend, phone Ticketmaster at 800-982-2787 or visit Ticketmaster.com. Season tickets are available for the Pops Series. Call the Grand Rapid Symphony at 454-9451 or go to grsymphony.org.

For further details, visit the Grand Rapids Symphony website.

Keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page—as well as our brand new Twitter feed—for all the latest James Bond news and coverage.

007 composer John Barry to receive Life Achievement Award next month

11-time James Bond composer John Barry will be honoured next month with the Max Steiner Life Achievement Award in Vienna, Austria.

Barry, who has won five Academy Awards for his many classic film scores, has been selected to receive the award at the Hollywood in Vienna gala concert event, scheduled for Wednesday, 14 October 2009.

Barry is best known in the world of 007 for essentially creating the James Bond sound following his 11 scores for the films, beginning with 1963’s From Russia with Love and concluding in 1987 with The Living Daylights.

The concert itself will open with the Warner Bros Fanfare and Casablanca and then move into several film classics from Lawrence from Arabia and Out of Africa to James Bond and Star Wars.

Ticket prices range in price from 29 – 78 € and can be purchased by phoning 43 1 242002, emailing [email protected] or from the Vienna Concert Hall website.

The Vienna Concert Hall (Wiener Konzerthaus)address is: Lothringerstraße 20A-1030 Vienna, Austria.

For further information, visit the official website.

Keep turning to the CommanderBond.net main page—as well as our brand new Twitter feed—for all the latest James Bond news and coverage.

A James Bond reunion for Shirley Bassey's new album

Earlier this year, CommanderBond.net reported that Welsh superstar and three-time 007 theme song performer Shirley Bassey had returned to the studio to work on her first full studio album in more than 20 years.

The album, which is now titled The Performance, has been produced by five-time James Bond composer David Arnold and according to a new report from the BBC News, includes contributions from a few other very notable 007 regulars.

David Arnold to produce Shirley Bassey’s The Performance

Of particular notice is the album track Our Time Is Now, written by composer John Barry and lyricist Don Black. As endless 007 fans are well aware, Barry is best known for essentially creating the James Bond sound following his 11 scores for the films, beginning with 1963’s From Russia with Love and concluding in 1987 with The Living Daylights.

Black also has an extensive Bond career, working alongside both Barry and Arnold on songs such as Thunderball, Diamonds are Forever, Surrender and Only Myself to Blame.

This new song for Bassey marks the first time they have all collaborated together since 1971. Says Black: ‘It’s been quite a few years since Diamonds are Forever, but that lyric still applies to Dame Shirley. She lustres on.’

‘Whenever the great Terry Wogan plays a Dame Shirley Bassey record, he says “she doesn’t just sing songs, she bites lumps out of them”,’ he continued. I thought of Terry’s words as I sat down to write these new songs for her. In other words, you have to give her some meaty emotions to sing about.’

Other songs on The Performance come courtesy of the Manic Street Preachers, the Pet Shop Boys, Gary Barlow, KT Tunstall and Richard Hawley.

Talking about the new album, Arnold said: ‘All these songs were just songs, until Dame Shirley Bassey sang them.’

‘There’s something about a Bassey performance that can knock the wind out of your sails, make you laugh, make you cry, let you in on the joke or be led to a more exotic place.’

The Performance is due for release this November. It follows her 2007 covers and remix album Get The Party Started.

Keep watching the CommanderBond.net main page—and our Twitter feed—for more news on this exciting album.

Detroit Symphony Orchestra presents Bond and Beyond

In April 2010, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will have a licence to thrill as it presents music from the 007 series in a performance entitled ‘Bond and Beyond’.

The cars, the gadgets, the women, James Bond has it all. Enter a world of twists and turns as the DSO takes you on a high-octane chase through the music of secret agents and other super human operatives whose mission is to save the world. Take cover because this concert, led by conductor Michael Krajewski, has a license to thrill.

The ‘Bond and Beyond’ concert is scheduled for four performances on:

• Thursday, 15 April – 10:45am
• Thursday, 15 April – 8:00pm
• Friday, 16 April – 8:30pm
• Saturday, 17 April – 8:30pm

Ticket costs range from $19.00 to $102.00 and will go on sale in mid-August.

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra performs at the Max M. Fisher Music Center, located at 3711 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, 48201.

To purchase tickets or for further information, phone the box office at 313-576-5111 or visit the official website.

As always, keep watching the CommanderBond.net main page—and our brand new Twitter feed—for all the latest on James Bond-related events taking place around the world.

Shirley Bassey returns to the studio

With Shirley Bassey returning to the studio last month to record her first new album in nearly a decade, James Bond composer David Arnold, with whom Bassey has teamed up, spoke to Variety about working with the 007 chart-topper.

“Shirley has sung so many different styles,” Arnold, composer of five Bond scores, said. “She is probably best known for the big ballads and the Bond themes, but ‘Big Spender’ and ‘Kiss Me Honey Honey Kiss Me’ show her playful and provocative side. [In choosing the songs], I tried to do something which honored all aspects of her character.”

Arnold revealed all but one of the new album’s songs is an original composition, but refused to be drawn on the names of the tracks and the writers behind them.

“[The concept] is to make a serious studio album with a great singer, to explore all facets of her abilities and personality,” Arnold said.

The album will be made up of contemporary songs, recorded, as many contemporary albums are, by laying down the instrumental first and the vocals later.

Variety speculates that the pairing could lead to a fourth James Bond theme for Shirley Bassey, following her classic title tracks from Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever and Moonraker.

72-year-old Bassey recorded the vocals last month at Ireland’s Grouse Lodge. The yet-to-be-named album will be released through Geffen Records later this year.

Keep watching the CBn main page—and our Twitter feed—for more news on this exciting album.

Shirley Bassey and David Arnold team up for new album

James Bond songstress Dame Shirley Bassey will release a brand new album in autumn 2009, to be produced by five-time 007 composer David Arnold.

Dame Shirley Bassey’s website reveals that the album will contain a set of all-new contemporary songs. It will be Bassey’s first new album in almost a decade.

David Arnold confirmed the news in a Twitter update earlier today.

Bassey is best known for her classic James Bond theme songs from the films Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever and Moonraker.

David Arnold has composed every Bond film soundtrack since 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies.

Keep watching the CBn main page—and our Twitter feed—for more news on this exciting album.

Carl Davis shaken and stirred by the music of James Bond

After just recently overseeing the spectacular ‘Bond, James Bond’ concert with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra (read CommanderBond.net’s report here), conductor/composer Carl Davis is already preparing for his next date with 007.

The North Wales Daily Post reports that Davis will be conducting Welsh National Orchestra in the ‘Licenced to Thrill’ concert, which will take place on Sunday, 12 July as part of Llangollen 2009 in Wales. He’ll be accompanied by soloists Mary Carewe and Simon Bowman as well as Goldfinger Bond girl Honor Blackman, who’ll be hosting the event.

‘The music is terrific,’ enthuses Carl. ‘It’s very dramatic and very sensual with compelling tunes. You hear one and that’s fine. But when you hear the series and you see how it’s spot on the style of the time. They always wanted to be cutting edge.’

He continues: ‘So you had rather crooning songs at the start (such as From Russia With Love by Matt Monro), then it went rock and roll with Roger Moore (Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney and the Wings), then it got rhythm and blues with Timothy Dalton (Licence to Kill by Gladys Knight) and Pierce Brosnan and now it’s really raunchy and raw. So you can almost tell the history of music in the last 40 years. From the start of the Sixties to the moment Paul McCartney is writing a title song for them.’

Davis also spoke about working alongside Simon and Mary. ‘He’s fabulous. He’s a real theatre creature. He’s done Phantom, he’s done Les Mis, he’s done Miss Saigon. He brings a lot of characterisation to the songs. Simon and Mary are so good they really make you forget the originals.’

‘[Simon and Mary have] got to move with the styles. I think they’ll find it fun. And we will have come from doing it at Chichester Cathedral.’

Tickets for this Bond-themed concert vary in price from £16 to £39. The concert will begin at 7:45pm.

For further details on the ‘Licenced to Thrill’ concert, see this CBn article.

Keep your browsers locked on the CBn main page—and our brand new Twitter feed—for all the latest news on James Bond-related events occurring around the world.