In Germany on Monday, a Delirious? CD called World Service (Silver Edition) was released (see news item). It's basically a re-release of the World Service album, which was originally released in Germany back in March.

Re-releases are a controversial subject for some people. The US music trade magazine Billboard recently carried a front page story debating the ethics of re-launching albums. The article singled out Switchfoot's 'The Beautiful Letdown' which sold a million units with it's original release. It was then repackaged with new artwork and a bonus DVD, and sold at a 50% increased price. It then went on to sell a further half million units. Understandably that upsets some people. All those people who bought the original CD now have a lesser version of the album. If they want to get the bonus material, they have to buy the CD again, and it now costs 50% more then the original did.

Some would say that re-releases are all about greed. The fact that the original Switchfoot CD sold a million units makes me wonder why the record company thought it necessary to re-release it. The only reason has to be that they wanted to make even more money from the album. That's not unusual, normally re-releases are to 'maximise sales'. But if an album has already been hugely successful, then re-releasing it does seem very 'money grabbing'. On the other hand, if an album doesn't do as well as expected when it's first released, but a band then goes on to get increased publicity, I'd say you could justify re-releasing the album because more people now know about the band and should be given a chance to buy the album. That's what I believe is happening with Delirious' World Service album in Germany.

When World Service first arrived in Germany, the band had a very low profile in the country. Since then, they've gone on to release two singles and appear at a number of festivals and events. Clearly more people in Germany now know about Delirious? than did when the album was first released. Albums that were released several months ago no longer get prominent positions in record stores, or promotion in magazines or on radio. That makes it hard for people to know about the album. So by re-releasing it the CD gets fresh publicity and allows more people to buy it who would normally have missed it.

I suspect that another reason for the World Service re-release is to do with the recent split of J-Star Records from BMG. When World Service was released in March, J-Star Records (the German label Delirious? are signed to) was owned by BMG, a major world-wide record company. A few months back BMG pulled out of its deal with J-Star, leaving J-Star to go it alone as an independent label. So that must causes some complications with the original World Service CD, which carried the BMG logo on the cover. The re-release is just by J-Star so avoids any such complications.

There will always be cynics who say re-releasing a CD is just about ripping off the fans. Indeed there will be some people who bought World Service originally and now feel obliged to pay out again to get the 'Silver Edition' with it's bonus tracks and videos. For those people it is unfortunate and I see their point of view. But I can also see why World Service is being re-released in Germany. There is some logic in the decision, even if it's hard on a few people.

At the London gig of the World Service UK Tour a few weeks back, I did an interview with Delirious? The whole band were there, in their dressing room sat on sofas. I threw questions at them, and each of them pitched in with an answer when they wanted to. As well as finding out how the tour was going, there were a few things I wanted to ask them about.

Delirious? in their dressing room, dressed in their
matching pinstriped suits, minutes before going on stage.
I asked them if they thought World Service was their best album to date. There was quite a long moment of silence while they considered that, before Stu came up with an answer. He basically said that it was the best, but that they always think their latest work is their best. It was also interesting to hear them say that while on tour they'd taken the time to listen to some of their old albums. Stu mentioned Glo and Mezzamorhpis and Stew said that he'd recently listened again to King Of Fools and realised what a good album it had been.

Perhaps a rather sensitive topic that I wanted to touch on during that interview was that of Grapevine. At first there were nervous laughs and comments like "Grapevine, what about it?". I wouldn't have blamed them for not wanting to give an answer, but Martin spoke up and gave a very open and honest account of their experience when a section of seating gave way while they were on stage, leaving a handful of people injured. I didn't ask about Grapevine to stir up any controversy, but I did think it would be good to get their thoughts and comments on what happened. I've not heard them speak publicly about it before, so it was good to get their reaction to the event.

When thinking about what questions to put to Delirious? when I interviewed them, I thought about what questions had caused the most discussion on the forum recently. I came up with three: Will they ever make a live DVD? When will the next album be released? What is the song American President about? The question of a DVD has been a hot topic for months and Tim took on the task of answering it. He said that the band would love to do it, and probably will one day, but because of how expensive it would be to make a live DVD they've put it off for now.

On the subject of the band's next album I've read various stories on the web about how they'll enter the studio in the new year and record the songs they've already written. The truth, according to Martin, is that they're in no rush to start recording the next album. They're still having too much fun with World Service to go back into the studio. There are plenty of countries that they'd like to go to next year to introduce other fans to the World Service songs, and that could take up much of the year. Their minds are still on a new album, but they haven't set any dates for recording or releasing it yet.

The question about American President made them laugh. It seemed relevant since America will be voting for a President shortly, and it's also been talked about a lot on the discussion group lately. It's a fun song, but rather baffling. After a bit of banter about whether or not Martin really did want to become the American President, he finally admitted that there was no significant meaning behind the song and that he just liked the words.

Read the full interview for yourself and find out exactly what they had to say on all of these and other topics. Over the past few years I've carried out several interviews, with individual band members and even with Damo, their former roadie. I've now collected these all together on to one page of Exclusive Interviews. I already have plans for the next two interviews to keep the series going, but more on that another time!

So the World Service UK Tour has now come to an end, and what a fantastic tour it was too! I haven't yet mentioned the London gig which I also attended (photos, review). Whenever possible I always like to go to at least two gigs on a tour, mainly because I find it impossible to take everything in the first time. When there's a video screen I find myself so busy watching that at the first gig, that I forget to enjoy the music. So going twice gives you the chance to see and hear everything.

The Shepherds Bush Empire has to be one of my favourite venues. The hundred year-old building is drenched in history and superb architecture, and by the end of the night it's always drenched in sweat and an amazing atmosphere! It was the sixth time I'd been to the SBE to see Delirious? play, and every time I've been amazed by what a great place it is. Downstairs is very 'compact', with a crowded floor area which turns into one big mosh pit. Further back, alongside the bar, is a raised section where those fans who don't want to get too squashed can get a pretty decent view. Upstairs there are several balconies, providing superb views of the stage. Where ever you choose to watch the gig, the sense of intimacy and adrenaline is huge.

In 'the wings' backstage, the walls are plastered with posters of bands who have performed there in the past, showing just how popular the venue has been over the years. Artists such as Radiohead, The Kinks, Primal Scream, Johnny Cash, Sheryl Crow and Cyndi Lauper all feature on the 'trophy wall'. As the band waited to go on stage, I jokingly asked Jon Thatcher why there was no poster of Delirious? on the wall. He agreed that there should be, "we've played here enough times!" he said.

I turned up to London just as the band were finishing a few interviews with various websites and media people. In the Delirious? dressing room, Jon's Mum & Dad chat away to pop star Daniel Bedingfield. Talk about surreal and sublime. With their duties over, at least for now, Delirious? settle down in the dressing room to watch the second half of the England match on TV. When the football finishes, Delirious? turn their attention to me. Or rather, to my questions, as I start my interview with them. Don't worry, you haven't missed it - the Delirious.org.uk exclusive d: interview is arriving on the website tomorrow!

Anyway, enough about London, that's old news already. As I said at the start, the tour has now finished and Delirious? are taking a well earned rest. Having just done 10 concerts in 12 days, they probably need it! It's the school half-term holidays in the UK this week, so no doubt the band are enjoying time off at home with their families. It's a full month till they next take to the stage with a mini 4-date US Tour in November.

By the way, it's been said that some of my postings in this blog sound like I'm bragging. My apologies if that's how any of it comes across. I try to give other fans an insight into the life of Delirious? that doesn't normally get seen. I don't think I'm giving anything away that the band wouldn't want people to know (I'll save the blackmail material for another time!). I realise how privileged I am to be able to see backstage and behind the scenes, and I very much appreciate Delirious? allowing me to tag along. Hopefully by sharing some of these experiences other fans can also learn a little more about Delirious?

Welcome to all the e-mail subscribers who joined after my previous post. Hopefully you'll now be receiving this and all future posts to the Delirious.org.uk Blog in your inbox. If you thought you'd subscribed, but didn't get an e-mail for this entry, you may have not completed the subscription process. When you enter your e-mail address, Google sends you an e-mail asking you to confirm your subscription by clicking on a link. Several people who signed up didn't do this last step, so aren't fully subscribed yet. If you have spam filters set up it might be that the Google e-mail didn't get through - so you might want to double check that.

It's not always convenient to keep visiting a blog to see if it's been updated since you last visited, so today I'm introducing another way to keep up to date with the Delirious.org.uk Blog. You can now subscribe to the blog using the form in the grey column on the right. Just enter your e-mail address, hit the button, and from then on everytime I post a new entry on the blog it will be e-mailed to you. The facility is provided by Google Groups, a new beta service that seems to be pretty good. If you want to subscribe, give it a try here:

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The other day I posted about the Rehearsal Night, but I haven't yet got around to talking about the Portsmouth gig itself. I timed my arrival to coincide with the band's sound check at about 4pm. Having done most of the setting up and a run through the night before, the band just did a few short songs and made sure they were happy with everything. By 5pm they were finished and we headed to their dressing room.

The main dressing room at the Portsmouth Guildhall is fairly basic. In fact, despite what you might expect about dressing rooms at gig venues being grand and luxurious, most of them are fairly low key. In Portsmouth the room is fairly small, with a sofa on either side, mirrors along one wall with lightbulbs around them and a worktop underneath. An attached en-suite bathroom has a not particularly modern looking shower, sink and toilet. Hanging on a rail in the corner of the dressing room are five outfits which the band will be wearing on stage later.

Relaxing in their room for a while, the band members make phone calls, leaf through the pages of Q Magazine, and chat to me about the tour. Being the first night, there's an air of uncertainty,, with nobody really knowing how well it will go. Jon and I take a walk through the venue to the foyer where Paul Smith the band's merchandise king has set up his stall. A whole range of new d: t-shirts will be on sale once the doors open at 7pm tonight. Paul kindly gifts me a very nice tour shirt, with World Service on the front, and the dates on the back.

By now it's time for an evening meal, so the band and I head outside, across the road to a pub opposite where we order our meals. Joining us are a few other people, such as Tony, the band's manager, and Jon Brown who heads up Fierce Distribution. An American singer by the name of Taylor Sorensen is due to be the opening support act tonight, but unfortunately he had problems getting through customs and ended up having to fly to Holland whilst a visa was sorted out. Bizarrely though, Taylor's drummer did make it through customs, and he joins us for the meal. He seems impressed with the menu of very traditional British pub food which includes the likes of Pie and chips, chicken and chips and an all day breakfast.

A little while later the rest of the crew, and the boys from Rock and Roll Worship Circus (the other support band) walk in to the pub for their meals too. The hard working crew are always the last to eat, having to cover the sound check for the support band after the headline act have finished their own sound check. Eventually everyone heads back to the venue, and we wait for 'the hour' to arrive.

Shortly before support band RRWC are due on stage, a final production meeting is called. Everyone crams into Delirious' dressing room - both bands, all the crew, tour manager, band manager, you name it - everyone involved in tonights show is there. Ian the tour manager gives a little talk, introducing all the crew members, explaining how everything will work and telling everyone what time everything will happen. The meeting ends with a prayer, and then everyone leaves.

I watch as RRWC wait in the wings, ready to go on stage. Ian the tour manager signals for the house lights to go down, and instantly a massive roar goes up from the crowd. RRWC walk out onto the stage and launch into their set. I watch from one side of the stage, and on the other side, hidden from the crowd, Stew watches, eager to see how RRWC will go down with the d: fans. The crowd's response is impressive, giving a warm welcome to RRWC's first UK visit.

Back in the dressing room, Delirious? make their final preparations. Jon has his bass and is strumming away. Stew has a drum pad on his knee which he furiously hits to warm up his arms. Tim is ironing his stage shirt. Martin walks around exercising his vocal chords. There is a definite air of nervousness around, which surprises me. I've been with the band shortly before they go on stage at previous concerts and never really noticed any nerves. But tonight, the first night on the UK tour, they're definitely nervous, yet excited.

With just two minutes till they're due on stage, the five d: boys gather round in a huddle, arms around each others shoulders, to say a pre-gig prayer. Then it's time. The dressing room door is opened and they walk purposefully along the corridor and out onto stage. Immediately the crowd goes wild and the Delirious? concert gets underway.


During the concert I wonder around the venue, watching from various locations. The pit at the front provides me with a good position to take some photographs, as does the balcony. Standing next to Colin, the sound engineer, on the side of the stage also provides a unique view of the band's performance. While I'm stood next to him, Colin has to dart onto stage to deal with one or two technical problems with Stew's drums and Jon's bass amplifier. The rest of the time Colin keeps an eye on the band for subtle signals. Stu looks over in our direction and points with his hand at Martin, and then points to his ear, and the points down. Colin, an expert at this kind of sign language, adjusts a few knobs on the sound desk, presumably turning down Martin's vocals in Stu's ear piece.

When the show finishes (see review), Delirious? head back into their dressing room to take a shower. They all seem pleased with how the show went. Then, with the hard work over, they hurry out to a side room where many of their friends and families will meet them after attending the concert.

It's slightly later than normal this month, but here is the Delirious.org.uk Top 10 Lyrics Chart for the month of September. (chart placings calculated by the number of 'page visits' for the lyrics of each song during a month)

1. Majesty
2. I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever
3. My Glorious
4. Did You Feel The Mountains
5. History Maker
6. Shout To The North
7. Inside Outside
8. The Happy Song
9. Rain Down
10. Every Little Thing

'Majesty' tops the chart for the first time, knocking 'I Could Sing' into second place. 'Did You Feel The Mountains' re-enters the chart straight back in at number 4. 'Inside Outside' and 'Rain Down' both drop several places, whilst 'Deeper' drops out of the top 10 completely to be replaced by the current German single 'Every Little Thing'.

Last month's chart: Top 10 Lyrics for August

With the wonders of modern technology I'm currently updating this blog
whilst sat on a train leaving London. It's 11.30pm and half an hour ago
I left the Shepherds Bush Empire after watching yet another fantastic
Delirious? concert. The band were on top form as the World Service UK
Tour trundled into England's capital city. This venue is always 'a bit
special' and true to form the atmosphere was out of this world. As with
previous shows on this tour, Delirious? manged to include the entire
World Service album and even squeezed in a few oldies like King of Fools
and Happy Song.

So here I am, with a Palm handled and a Bluetooth phone (techy heaven)
heading home with my ears sill ringing and my throat still sore. I'll
be updating in more detail soon, but for now I should go before I miss
my stop.

Delirious? are now more than a week into their World Service UK Tour, so I thought it would be a good time to write more about the rehersal evening that I mentioned in the previous post. I put some photos from the night on the site last week, but this is a good oppportunity to show some more pics that didn't make it onto the site.

Back in May at the Alton Towers gig, Jon mentioned to me that they would be holding a production day in Portsmouth the day before the tour began, and that I was welcome to come along. So of course I jumped at the chance. They try and make sure the first venue of the tour is fairly close to home on the south coast, then they book the venue for two nights. The second night is for the first concert of the tour, but the night before is for the production day. That basically means, rehersals, setting up the gear, making sure all the technical equipment is working and a general run through of the concert. The crew, made up of sound and light engineers, roadies, tour manager and the like, turn up early and get the venue set up. The stage gets set up, the lights and video screen go up, the sound system goes in and everything is tested. Sometime after that, the band themselves turn up to get things started.

As I arrive at about 7pm the band are milling around the stage, chatting to the crew, and getting ready for their first sound check. Jon leads me up to the Guildhall's balcony where we have a good view of the stage. The scene impresses me. Three large LED video screens hang at the back of the stage, and giant steel pylons mark each corner of the stage with light beacons placed on top, and a series of lights running up them. As we watch from up high, Neil the lighting guy is testing things out, and a blinding sequence of flashing lights scrolls up the pylons to the roof. Next, images start briefly appearing on the video screens. I find it slightly unnerving sitting next to Jon whilst a giant version of him appears on the screen. He can be seen running and panting, wearing a bright orange jump suit. As we talk about it, he's very modest about the video. The truth is that as well as appearing in it, he also edited the footage so that it is perfectly sequenced with the song. Andy Hutch shot the footage of Jon running along Littlehampton beach, apparently placing the camera in a baby's pram and wheeling it along the beach in front of Jon.

Down on the stage all the talk is about some new equipment the band are using for the first time. Martin and Stu have brand new microphones, and after trying his out for a few songs Martin announces that he's pleased with it, so he and Paul (the front of house sound man) agree that Martin should use the new mic for the tour. The band also each have brand new in-ear monitors for the tour. Each set of ear pieces comes in it's own smart little custom made steel flight box, with the band member's name printed on the front. The band keep Colin (the sound engineer responsible for controlling the band's monitors) busy with requests to adjust different levels to get the sound in their new ear pieces to their individual liking. They all seem impressed with the new kit, and comment that the sound is much clearer than with their previous equipment.

With everything set up, the band do a complete run through of several of the songs. I watch from various locations around the venue: stood at the side of the stage, on the floor directly in front of the stage, at the back near the sound desk, up in the balcony. Wherever I stop and listen, an immense sound fills my ears. Neil is still battling with the lighting rig, so for much of the time the band play in semi-darkness. After a while the band pause to discuss a few things together, and try out a few variations. In particular they practise the change over from song to song for the medley that they will be performing during the concert.

Next they turn their attention to the part of the show where they will be perfoming an acoustic set. One of the movable platforms on the stage is rolled forward. It contains a stripped down drum set and the Rhodes keyboard. Ian, the tour manager, brings three stools onto stage and the band discuss how they should arrange themselves for the acoustic set. Tim sits at the Rhodes and Stew at the small drumkit. Then Stu, Martin and Jon place themselves and their guitars on the stools. With their positions settled upon, they luanch into acoustic renditions of 'Everyone Knows' and 'Bicycle Gasoline'. With only a few onlookers, mostly made up of the crew, it feels like I'm witnessing a private gig.

By about 10:30pm the band are happy and decide to call it a night. The crew head off to a hotel for the night, whilst the band pile into Tim's car for the short one-hour trip back home to Littlehampton. I leave the venue impressed by the amount of work everyone has put it, and contemplate the concert itself the following night. Tonight the venue was empty, but tomorrow it will be packed with screaming fans. I know for certain that in 24hours they will all be going home happy after having seen a top quality concert.

It's been a little while since I wrote here in the Blog. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about it or given up. This is only going to be a quick update, but there will be a lot more to come soon. Last night I was at the rehersal night for the UK Tour, and I was VERY impressed. The stage set is one of the best I have EVER seen at a Delirious? gig. The huge video screen is hung from the ceiling in three seperate parts and the lights are out of this world. The selection of songs, both old and new is perfect. If you're going to see d: on the tour, you will not be disappointed. They've dug a few old favourites out of the store cupboard, and there are a few surprises along the way. An intimate acoustic part of the concert will certainly be one of the highlights. Think d:Tour 1997, but with stools instead of the sofa!

Sorry there's no time for more now. Not that I'd want to give too much away anyway! I'll be back soon with some exclusive behind the scenes photos, and a lot more news and gossip from the d: world.