this blarb hasn't mentioned the four band members as individuals, there are no end of stories . a study of their website news page and diary is'n't half of it. sufficient to say they are nice, sound, intelligent, articulate and where the band is concerned, intense young men. this blarb is about the unit that is c:b.

in 004 they began the working band stage of their career. everybody in the band and their entourage has a part to play, essential for any cottage industry consisting of fans total belief in their own eyes and ears. sure the group have lives outside the band, but those lives also happen to be obsessed with the band. c:b IS their life.

jan-004 : c:b return to brixton windmill and impress tim, the promoter, with how much they've moved on. (digital sneakers film the show, updating their off stage footage with an interview by art brut's chris chinchilla.) it's a great night out, the swear & the violets also bring the nu wave of nu x vibe that will become "cool" in a few months, the c:b faithful are here, it all makes for a punky party kick start to the year. dexy's bass guitar is still carried around in a heavy as hell case. while getting the bus home, he breaks his little finger... (and will play in discomfort for some time after, without complaint). it's usually rob that has hand and finger injuries from the ferouciousness with which he plays guitar.

injuries and all, they continued to play like their life depends on it. c:b mean it. they support simon bookish at mayfair's infinity club. with so many people in the room, somebody near the front asks "who the fuck are corporation:blend?" before they go on, by the end of a legendary rock performance like an indoor intimate festival headline, they'd definitely found out!

feb-004 : screaming tarts website interview, the gang's first. black velvet rock mag reviews their demo as “an exciting band threatening to explode” . c:b return to london’s metro supporting agels fight the city and new rhodes. the sound is bad , the band are pissed off, and uncharacteristically, (and boy do we all know it! - they are usually far from divas ). glares are scowled and mike's are punched (mind that finger!) in frustration at not being able to sound as good as they know they can. the evening ends with them getting fined instead of paid, but they also get more fans. seems it's not as terrible as they thought, but they are strictly harsh with themselves, always wanting to play as fantastic a show as possible for people that have come to see them. (last time they played here, the equipment broke down after four songs! tonight was probably the last straw) - it's a one off, for c:b the show must go on, there is nobody more critical of c:b than ash, dexy, andy and rob.

the experience makes them stronger. they will return to the metro...

mar-004 : using the last money from the donated band funds, they record at london's zed one studios on 10th, 11th and 12th of march (unemployable welsh scum, djs at pop of the tops club, work/record there) 'for all my sins' (rock) and 'blew it' (roll) would be their introduction to life as a recording and touring band.

on the afternoon of march 13th they are interviewed on goldsmith uni's wired fm, andy gets lost even though he'd been a student there! its the first play of the single but the mix is wrong. the first radio experience, good conversationists tho. oh well.

in the evening, after persuading the bouncers of islington's hope & anchor into letting their younger fans in, their show is a glorious shambles, unbeknown to the audience, ash’s drums have broken. this time, nobody can tell, they give the best show they can. this band learn fast.

superior quality recordings label are in the audience and are impressed sufficiently to leave the venue with an offer to press up their first single for them without them signing anything - which is a help - the rest of the work around the release they do themselves, but they have some cds now.

18th : c:b remix their single. now it is formidably epic and bold for a first release, even if the recording is not perfect. on saturday 20th they appear at "the new cross" an alternative rock event at telegraph hill arts festival. a surreal experience, it's in a church at the top of a hill. an all ages show, after a comedy of diy errors, the show literally explodes that evening. another glimpse into what c:b are capable of.

a week later they are at high wycombe white horse with art brut. when the strppers have finished for the afternoon, the pub becomes a rock venue. c:b rock it like they are on a giant stage. .hugely impressive yet again. positive reactions are becoming pretty noticeable and regularly picked up from people who have never heard of them or are at the gig on word of mouth.

the support and encouragement are appreciated.

on the 29th c:b headline kentish town bull & gate. after the show they are approached by a video director, fashion students, and college work experiencers interested in helping them out. this happens often. lately a cottage industry has started to grow around the band.

high wycombe white horse, 27-mar-004 by joanne ("shoes") joanne.

apr-004 - 1st - april fools day launch of the new co-pop club at the eye, stoke newington, supporting distophia and koala. play a gig of arena sized proportions on a small stage among the sofas ...and leave with half of the audience...

on the 20th they headline pop of the tops club's first birthday. by now new cross is on the media map. the new cross album has been called a glimpse of the future by the national music press and the clubs, the bands, art, djs etec anti-scene are giving trendy camden/east end a run for their money - d.i.y. style! the area is the heart of "art rock" whatever that is, and bournemouth on thames is blossoming.

despite being a core component of all this, c:b aren't really part of it - other than the bands helping each other part. they appear on the new angular compilation for two seconds flat (with art brut) and become a focal topic on the angular records forum.

they are the untouched calm at the eye of the storm which is only just really starting to come to attention. c:b are unknwon, outside of alternative underground rock circles where they are really loved and really loathed.

Anything's better than being "alright".

may-004 : ta dah! they managed it! in preparation for the single's release, c:b got it together and organised their first ever uk tour themselves., at time of writing they have been their own booking agents for three well received and increasingly successful tours so far..

once they had played their first tour and recorded their first single, the rest of their story would write itself - Page 4four WHO THE **** ARE CORPORATION:BLEND?