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Q Branch Archive for June, 2013

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James Bond Baddies

From the first Bond Villain – Le Chiffre – to the latest – Raoul Silva – Bond would not be Bond without the ultimate Bad guy as his nemesis.

If you had to pick the best, the worst, the funniest, the weirdest, the freakiest, the ugliest, the most unique or the ultimate Bond Villain who would it be?  With over 14 films there are certainly enough villains and side-kicks to choose from.

Mr Big in Live and Let Die? He ended up swimming with sharks who didn’t think much of his front crawl.  Auric Goldfinger perhaps from Goldfinger – the man with the midas touch? Ernest Stavros Blofeld who appeared in several Bond films such as From Russia With Love, Thunderball, Her Majesty’s Secret Service and You Only Live Twice?  Scaramanga in The Man With the Golden Gun?

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John Barry and the Bond Music

Eleven of the James Bond Films, from EON Productions, had the illustrious John Barry to thank for the bond music.

As a young boy John Barry gained most of his musical influences after spending hours with his father who worked as a projectionist in cinemas all over York.  He was a trumpet player in the army and after leaving became a music arranger for Jack Parnell and the Ted Heath Orchestras.  He then spent many years composing music for organisations such as the BBC and  EMI Columbia and, in 1962 the producers of Dr No approached him to write for the latest James Bond film, and with Monty Norman writing the theme, John Barry was the arranger of the one and only James Bond Theme. Unmistakable and unforgettable.  The second this bond theme is heard every man in the room will start raising an eyebrow and putting on their best bond impression!

John Barry worked on the soundtracks for all the following James Bond films and his brassy and moody style can be heard in each and every one: 1962 Dr No – James Bond Theme with Monty Norman, 1963 From Russia with Love with Lionel Bart, 1964 Goldfinger with Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse, 1965 Thunderball with Don Black, 1967 You Only Live Twice with Leslie Bricusse, 1969 On Her Majesty’s Secret Service with Hal David, 1971 Diamonds Are Forever with Don Black, 1974 The Man With The Golden Gun with Don Black, 1979 Moonraker with Hal David, 1983 Octopussy with Tim Rice, 1985 A View To A Kill with Duran Duran, 1987 The Living Daylights with Paul Waaktaar-Savoy.

The Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band love playing the Bond music at events, parties and celebrations all over the UK and abroad.  Each Bond theme is different but they all have fantastic orchestral scores and the challenge we face is replicating these amazing scores so that our live 10-piece band is as close and authentic to the original as possible.

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Bond Themed Proms

Well although the weather isn’t really proof – it is actually summer! And that can only mean one thing:…. it’s time for school proms!

The Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band are looking forward to a few Bond Themed Proms in the near future where glamorous dresses, fantastic hair styles, raised eyebrows and lots of serious and funky DJ’s will be worn.  Of course, there will be the casino tables, the cars for photographs, large golden guns, martini glasses and red carpets galore!

But, more importantly, there will be the Bond Tribute Band: The Name is Band, the 10-piece live band playing as guests arrive.  Sometimes we will start early with our versions of all the Bond Themes from Skyfall through to Live and Let Die, Tomorrow Never Dies to The Living Daylights. For the Bond set there will be lots of sequins, feathers and of course the dancers!  For some Cocktail receptions the Bond Tribute Band will be playing easy listening jazz standards with a bit of Etta James, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Ella Fitzgerald as guests arrive and the Bond Themed set through dinner.

Of course, once the cocktail or drinks reception with fun casinos and photographs with look-a-likes are over it’s time to party and the Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band will be ready to get the dance floor packed with the best hits from the 1960’s to present day chart numbers!  So expect some great party hits by Paulo Nutini, Beyonce, Barry White, Tom Jones, Duffy, Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars and many more!

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Nobody Does It Better

….. than the James Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band! An awesome live 10-piece Bond Tribute band consisting of some of the finest musicians on the circuit!

Bond music is timeless and there are so many variations and versions from performers such as Adele, Lulu, Matt Munro, Tom Jones, Chris Cornell, Garbage, Shirley Bassey, Nancy Sinatra, Tina Turner, Aha, Duran Duran and many more!

The Bond Tribute Band perform a cabaret style set of Bond themes and we particularly like Nobody Does It Better by Carly Simon from the Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.  Nobody Does It Better is such a simple song, beautifully sung with lovely words that even manage to capture the title of the Bond Film as a line within the lyrics.

The Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band have a fabulous version of this song on our website for you to listen to.  If you are looking to book a Bond Tribute Band for your Bond themed event then please get in touch with our own Miss Moneyspent!

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Mendes to Direct Bond again?

Woo hoo! Well it seems that the rumours may be true and that Sam Mendes may be returning once again to direct the next Bond Film.  However, filming can’t begin until after the launch of his new venture at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – due to launch at the end of June!

Sam Mendes has ruled himself out as taking over the National Theatre role as director as it would mean he wouldn’t have the time to direct films – could he mean Bond films?  The James Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band hope so!  We’d like to see another Bond film directed by Sam Mendes soon!

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Adele – Services to Music

Adele won an Oscar for her Bond Theme Skyfall for the Bond film with the same title.  Adele co-wrote the music and lyrics for Skyfall and it became a number one hit!

Adele has now received membership of the Order of the British Empire for her services to music as part of the Queen’s 87th Birthday celebrations – the physical award will be bestowed on her later this year in a formal ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

This is fantastic news and the James Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band think that Skyfall was a cracking Bond Theme!  In fact, it’s one of our favourites to perform at Bond themed parties and events!  To hear our version please visit the website.

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NEW BOND GIRL

Well, if the rumours are true, then Penelope Cruz looks set to be the next Bond Girl in the next Bond Film with Daniel Craig again playing James Bond.

Penelope Cruz is a stunning woman and would make a great Bond Girl.  Sexy, sassy and surprisingly over the age of 40 years!  This is unusual for Bond films as normally the ladies are also a lot younger.  But Penelope isn’t the oldest Bond Girl so far – that title goes to Dame Judy Dench who played “M”.

Well, that’s the next Bond Girl sorted but what about the Bond Music?  Who will be successful in the bid for the next Bond Theme?  Having listened to a bit of Muse lately they fit the bill of Chris Cornell who performed the Bond Theme for Casino Royale with his “You Know My Name”.  This Bond theme was edgy, fiesty, rocky, was face paced and full of energy.  Muse would be fantastic with their dark, emotive, energetic and extravagant feel.  Their live shows are incredible and the Bond Tribute Band The Name is Band think they would be really big contenders!