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Q Branch Archive for March, 2013

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07.07.007

Sarah’s been asked a lot recently why she started the Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band….. and it all started with a date! 07.07.007 (7th July 2007 to be exact) it had to be THE most amazing date for a Bond Themed event.  In 2005 Sarah realised that the ultimate Bond date was approaching and really wanted to run another charity event to raise funds for four local charities.  There was a lot to organise for the event and pulling it all together took a fair bit of time!  It was nigh on impossible to find a band that specialised in playing James Bond music so Sarah chose instead to have 3 amazing live party bands and went all out on the Bond theme for everything else. There was no shortage of entertainment on the night: casino tables, bond car themed scalextrix set, fire eaters, stilt walkers, golden bond girl statues, amazing moving floor with fire or fish escaping with every footstep, our bond girls and boys escorting guests down the red carpet on arrival, bond cars and a Shirley Bassey tribute, Sean Connery & Baron Samedi look-a-likes.  There was one thing missing however – a Bond Tribute Band!  Although Sarah had been spending a lot of time organising the charity event she had also set the wheels in motion and was starting to get all the music for the James Bond Themes ready for starting up her own Bond Tribute Band….. so although the band wasn’t ready in time for the 7th July event, it was certainly ready shortly after! There’s no point rushing these things – if something is worth doing then it’s worth doing properly – with the Bond Themes being so famous and instantly recognisable we wanted to make our versions as authentic as possible!

March 26, 2013 Short URL
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007 at Villa Balbianello on Lake Como

This has to be one of the most romantic venues in the world! Villa Balbianello has been used in two Hollywood films – Star Wars Attack of the Clones where Anakin Skywalker and Amildala had their wedding ceremony and also in Casino Royale where 007 James Bond was recovering from his interrogation by La Chiffre and the Villa Balbianello is used as a hospital.

Situated on Lake Como the views and scenery from the hotel are stunning!  And the Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band should know – as we’ve been there!  In fact we arrived in true style on THE most gorgeous executive speed boat after a tour of an hour around the Lake.  The villa and grounds are absolutely stunning and all the houses surrounding the Lake are simply beautiful.  You’ll see pictures of the james bond tribute band members in the grounds of Lake Balbianello on our website www.bondtributeband.co.uk as well as our entry for the Olympics Synchronised Swim – but without the synchronised bit!

We were flown out to Lake Como for a wedding that was themed Star Wars and James Bond and it was possibly THE most incredible weekend that The Name is Band have had the pleasure to attend and perform at!  The Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band will travel anywhere in the world for any event – just contact our own Miss Moneypenny to arrange your very own Bond party.

Going back to the torture scene in Casino Royale we do wonder how007 actually managed to survive such a battering.  The interrogation was designed to inflict as much pain as possible without killing him but we love the fact 007 shouts out “I’ve got a little itch down there… do you mind?” Classic!

March 17, 2013 Short URL
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Meet 006.5 Secret Agent Pavey

Bond music is timeless and there are many variations from jazz, funk, pop and of course – orchestral themes that have been produced over the decades.  Our Secret Agent 006.5 Pavey spends hours writing out the music for all the bond music so that it fits our size Bond band perfectly!

With an awesome four piece brass section consisting of the best brass players in the business – we have two trumpets, a saxophonist and a trombonist – our Agent 006.5 makes sure that all the important phrases and key parts are covered in each and every Bond theme.  Having just done a live recording of the new Bond Theme Skyfall, it is sounding PHAT!  Having sneakily let only a handful of people hear our new demo CD so far we know that this recording is awesome and we know that you’ll like it too!

Our sound engineer has helped the live recording and provided the right chorus/treble/effects etc so that the live recording sounds as close in the final mix as the original!  Having just heard Live and Let Die – our version is sounding FANTASTIC!  The Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band are a Bond Tribute Band and we can achieve this sound every time we perform for every occasion – and we would stress that each of our performances is totally and completely live!  There are no backing tracks in sight, no pre-sampled effects or phrases in the keyboard – its just pure talent oozing out of every number!  The Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band only ever performs as a full team – it’s all the band or 00 nothing! So you can be assured of a completely awesome sound and performance each and every time!  Schweeet

March 11, 2013 Short URL
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New Director for the next Bond Film!

Well who is going to direct the next Bond film with the totally gorgeous, suave and sophisticated Daniel Craig as Bond?  Sam Mendes has said no to directing the next Bond film so the role is now up for grabs!  Looking back in time, how different would Bond be if directed by Alfred Hitchcock? It would certainly have been given a different slant altogether and there would be lots of twists and turns throughout.   Quentin Tarantino would be an interesting choice and would take it to a whole new level.  We’d certainly have a more violent and bloodthirsty Bond on our screens.  If the director was to be Tim Burton then he would possibly most definitely replace Daniel Craig with Johnny Depp and the hot Bond Girl would be a quirky Helena Bonham Carter!  How about Clint Eastwood with his Dirty Harry hat on – taking Bond back to a Cowboy arriving not on a highly polished and powerful DB5 but a thoroughbred stallion in-between his thighs (ladies – to be fair either works for us right?).   The bookies favourite appears to be Guy Ritchie of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels fame but who has also recently directed the new Sherlock Holmes movies which proved to be hugely successful also!  Interesting times – the James Bond Tribute Band shall watch and wait with interest!  To be honest, we think that Muse would be GREAT at producing the next Bond music for the film….!

March 10, 2013 Short URL
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Bond Music – At It’s Very Best!

The latest Bond Film “Skyfall” broke more than its fair share of box office records!  For bond music, and with the success of the latest Bond film, it was great to see how well the title song “Skyfall” did at the Oscars. For the musicians amongst us, it is hugely pleasing to see how important music is to the success of the bond films. This is obviously where our Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band comes into its own.  Being able to perform these great songs to a live audience is such a great opportunity. Many of the Bond songs are such a good example of how jazz, rock and orchestral styles can be fused together and they of course always sound best when played live! The Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band enjoys playing the songs and being part of such an amazing Bond band with each instrument facing its own challenges and technicalities in the different bond music titles available. Long may it continue! Bring on the Bond music!

March 10, 2013 Short URL
Articles

Bond Girl Hairstyles

Sarah (female vocalist and Bond Girl in the Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band) has spent hours looking on-line for inspirational Bond Girl hairstyles for a recent live DVD recording. The Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band recorded several songs: Skyfall, From Russia With Love, Live & Let Die, The Man With The Golden Gun, Thunderball and Diamonds Are Forever. To see the videos then visit our website.

Sarah found that the early iconic styles used big curlers followed by a huge amount of backcombing.  Then followed about a litre of hairspray to hold it all in place so everything moved at the same time or didn’t move at all!  Thankfully new products and styles have been made since then and Bond girl hairstyles now are much more relaxed but are still really glamorous.  There isn’t really a Bond Girl hair look anymore so there are lots to choose from.  So whether your hair is long, short, curly or straight there is a glamorous and sexy style that will suit both the event and your chosen dress for the evening.

If you have long hair then go for the loose big curls that fall casually to the shoulders, or tight curls along the 50’s Hollywood styles. For short hair, opt for the cropped sultry look or even the messy “bed hair” look for the ultimate in phooaar.  If you have mid-length hair a tousled and loosely pinned “up-do” or a well-groomed and brushed back but seriously sexy ponytail.

Add some sparkles, diamante pins, ribbons, fresh flowers, bows, sequins to the finished hairstyle for added bling.  All Bond girl hairstyles have something in common though – the hair looks glossy and healthy and has ooooodles of glamour! So whatever your own hair length and style there is a Bond girl look that will match both you and your chosen outfit.

When that bond music starts, and if you’re lucky enough to be at a Thunderball where The Name is Band the Bond Tribute Band are performing, then you’ll be A View to a Kill on the dancefloor!  (See what we did there?)

March 8, 2013 Short URL
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How do I dress like a bond girl?

It’s your opportunity to be a Bond girl for a night – and there are lots of Bond girls to model yourself on!  Pussy Galore, Plenty O’Toole, Holly Goodhead and Honey Ryder!  Lots of names with double entendres! Of course, it may get a bit chilly if you turned up at a party dressed like Ursula Andress in a bikini or with gold body paint all over but you’d certainly grab more than your fair share of attention!   There’s also the black bodysuit/catsuits although be warned these outfits are fairly unforgiving – you may be a little bit more Pussy Galore than you intended to be!

You don’t have to go that far though!  There are stunning dresses available and every bond girl had the opportunity to wear a sexy and stunning dress either in the film or walking down the red carpet afterwards so there are lots of options available.  Look at your own figures – what style dress works well on you – backless, plunging necklines, halter neck, bodycon, floaty and flirty – there will be a bond style dress to fit!

Whatever your bodyshape remember the emphasis should be on top to toe glamour.  To be honest, the more glamorous the better and this may be one of the occasions when you can actually get away with wearing top to toe in sequins without looking like you are a Shirley Bassey tribute singer!  That’s the job of the female singer in the The Name is Band the Bond Tribute Band – now she LIVES in head to toe sequins – all day, everyday!

March 8, 2013 Short URL
Articles

Bond Themed Party

There are lots of themes for parties nowadays but a Bond Themed Party is still one of the best themes around! It’s certainly an iconic theme and works for both males and females.  Ladies can be Bond girls for an evening and let’s face it, there are lots of Bond girls over the decades to base the look on – from the haughty Pussy Galore to the voluptuous Plenty O’Toole! Men can be Bond for the night and look suave and sophisticated with the single raised eyebrow and the strong chiseled Bond jaw clench.

If you really want to get the party started then Bond music is totally essential.  If you are planning an informal and laid back relaxed event with a few people attending, then buy one of the many 007 Bond Theme CDs with all the original performers – maybe even buy a Bond themed Karaoke CD and get everyone singing along to them.  To encourage people to get involved offer a prize for the best performance of the night such as a bottle of Martini – The Name is Band of course!

However, if you are planning something spectacular and really want to give your guests the WOW factor then you HAVE to get a live band that can really perform the bond music and, just like Bond, do not make any compromise on our sound or quality.  Of course, not just ANY band will do – you need THE best James Bond themed band in the UK – you need…… the Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band!  There is no other band like it and the Bond Tribute Band perform everything totally live with no backing tracks in sight.  Don’t accept any substitute!  Book the best!

March 8, 2013 Short URL
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Skyfall

Wow! What an amazing week for awards – Adele especially with an Oscar and a Brit Award!  Well, a little closer to home, an exciting week has also been had by The Name is Band the Bond Tribute Band! We spent some time in the recording studio where we planned on recording just five tracks – we couldn’t help ourselves and ended up recording an extra one and rounding it up to six!  It was too difficult to choose only five Bond themes from all the Bond music available! To be completely honest, the whole band would have been quite happy to stay and record all the Bond themes we were having such a great time! With Adele winning an Oscar and a Brit Award for Skyfall we have included this one and it sounds AMAZING! So six new numbers are in the bag and a new demo CD with them on will be available soon.  If you want one then it will be available mid March – just contact Miss Moneypenny and she’ll send one out to you!

March 1, 2013 Short URL
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Testimonial

Having searched high and low to find a James Bond Tribute Band in Italy with no success, we moved our search to the UK and, with only two months until the party, we contacted Shaken not Stirred to see if they would be up for it! From the moment we contacted Sarah and the rest of the band they did everything they could to make it happen for us. We couldn’t have done it without their never-ending enthusiasm and energy for the vision for our party. They even added a Star Wars song into their set especially for us! They really did make the party – there was absolutely no question of getting people up on the dance floor and the number of our guests who told us the following day “the band were amazing” speaks for itself. Shaken not Stirred are not a Tribute band, by any means, they are a group of extremely professional and talented musicians who we’d highly recommend.

Victoria Johnson
March 1, 2013 Short URL
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