Topic: blancmange

[Andy Pandemonium]

i would love to know wot the 2 members of Blancmange are doin at the moment, there names were Neil Arthur(vocals) and Steve luscombe(keyboards).

[JonassanoJ]

Hi Andy!

I don't know if this helps, but:

1. In 2001 Blancmange re-released "Second Helpings" - a Best of compilation. I have it at home and will have a look at the booklet later today. If there are any info I will post it here.

2. I think that Stephen Luscombe was performing in the 90's as a solo artist and with Pandit Dinesh and the West India Company.

3. Neil Arthur was a solo artist in the 90's. "Suitcase" was released in -92, but I haven't got it and only know that it was a softpop record. I don't think he made another record, so perhaps he quit after that.

4. As to where they are now... I haven't been able to find out. But when info is sparse the reason usually is that the artists no longer are in business. They are (hopefully) not dead......

A reason why they haven't played together for a long time perhaps is that they couldn't stand each other. As Wham! once did.

[Shytot]

1. In 2001 Blancmange re-released "Second Helpings" - a Best of compilation. I have it at home and will have a look at the booklet later today. If there are any info I will post it here.

I've got that Jonas - nothing on te sleeve just pics of the single covers.

[Karnataka]

Found this info on Neil Arthur:

"Throughout the 90’s Neil concentrated on composing music for television and throughout the decade wrote almost continuously for documentaries and short films produced by the BBC, October Films, Pioneer and Tigress Productions, amongst others. Neil has written for programmes as diverse as ITV's 1998 World Cup coverage and Nigel Slater's series, ‘Real Food’. In 2002 he scored the Granada drama serial ‘Ted and Alice’ starring Dawn French. Together with co-writer Adam Fuest, Neil has produced a large body of work including a complete package of musical idents for BBC Wales.

Neil’s recent work includes music for a new Disney game show ‘Inside Clyde’. As well as a busy schedule of composing for television, he has returned to his love of song-writing and is currently working on new material."


So now you know!


   

[Andy Pandemonium]

thanx for all the info guys, i knew i could rely on you as usual, yeah i got the cd second helpings it still gets played a lot, i did aquire a neil arthur cd single from 94 called "i love i hate" which wasnt bad at all, i got a really big interest in these guys cus i saw them supporting Depeche mode many many moons ago, so technically they are the first live band i ever saw, once again thanx guys.

[StrangerWithin]

A reason why they haven't played together for a long time perhaps is that they couldn't stand each other. As Wham! once did.

  I never knew that, they always looked so happy in the video's!

[JonassanoJ]

Oohhh!

Perhaps you misunderstood what I wrote... I don't know if they fought. I only suggested that that could have been the case. :-/

[toddmeister]

Hello there! I just read your note on blancmange and i cannot find the single "Blind Vision" anywhere! Is there anyway you could send or share the file with me?Thanks

[birman]

Well I knowwhat stephen has been doing for the last 20 years.
Indeed West India Company (founded in 1984 by S & Dinesh) is active in the same media field as Neil although on a slightly more diverse level. They worked in 1987 with the amazing dance company from Montreal called La La La Human Steps on the soundtrack of the production 'New Demons' and released an album on EG records of the same name in 1989. A single remixed by Alex Paterson and Andy Weatherall 'Bhaghwan Boogie' came out in the same year featuring the Indian playback goddess Asha Bhosle, the wonderful voice on 'Ave Maria' (1984)

In 1990 he spent a year in Bombay with a whole troup of people including Ashaji, Dinesh, the Indian Film composer RD Burman and others, on an album project - due to a number of reasons, including mismanagement, the project failed to lift off, although two tracks (Nepali Gana & Only You) appeared as part of the Lonely Planet TV series and subsequent album 'Music from Lonely Planet'. They worked on eight shows for the series during the early 90s. WIC also did the soundtrack for a fabulous mad movie called 'Masala' starring Saeed Jaffrey all about three disfunctional Indian families living in Toronto.

In 1994 WIC worked at the Royal National Theatre (UK)production 'Wicked Yaar' . They remixed tracks for Apache Indian  (Chak De, Warning etc). Another single ' Hello Darling' first made 1983 was realeased on Cherry Red in 1995. This was also use as part of the soundtrack for the BBC doc 'The Legend of Leigh Bowerey' ( an old friend of S who also designed the costumes for the 1983 tour for Blancmange) and was a regular dancefloor filler at the infamous Taboo club in the mid 80s).

I do know that WIC are still active although S became quite ill - probably due to the usual excess - but not all. Probably due to also being too adventurous (no bad thing?). I don't think he's particularly self promoting, hence the lack of info.

However, I have it on v good authority that N&S have something up their sleeve - probably a genetically engineered Budgie which will sing the day before you came to order instead of them having to demean them appearing in one of those appaling 80s tours.

Irene and Mavis will strike back....

BIRMAN