Those very good friends of this blog, The 1957 Tail-Fin Fiasco have released a new album. And to mark the occasion – some notes on the ten tracks, along with ten things about the band (nine of which are true).

With thanks to the band’s Malcolm Moore, here are those notes about the new release, Are You Sure? That’s the name of the album, but it also applies to his notes:

1. Strictly Hickory – scenes from a diner in Alabama set to a twisty southern rock Bossa Nova. We recommend the pork belly or the Rueben.

Our name comes from Pierre Bourdieu’s Theory of Cultural Change in which he posits that societal changes are mirrored in design and architecture. He uses the demise of tail-fins on cars from 1957 as an example. We obviously haven’t read it, but we think he meant that not all change is progress and, if we use our imaginations, we might be able to have a lot more fun.

2. Happy Couple – an ode to the noble wedding DJ. 120bpm disco, of course.

This is the fifth full Fiasco album – all have three word titles. Nobody knows why.

3. Do You Think I Might Be Jesus? – his flock are far more likely to be found at a garden centre than at church on Sunday mornings, so for his second coming, Jesus chooses to spread the gospel while selling nasturtium and sweet peas to a Yacht Rock shuffle.

Paul Mason is in charge of our drums. If you’ve ever watched TV or listened to the radio, you’ve probably heard him. You know the fast bongo paradiddle that accompanies a cartoon character running? That wasn’t him, but loads of other stuff was. He’d win an intra-band brawl, if we had one.

4. Bench Warmers – those plaques you see on park benches telling you that someone’s loved one used to like to sit there? Alma Fitt, RIP. Essex Doo-Wop.

David Myers writes our lyrics. He once played tennis with Derek Nimmo and received a gift of home-made Piccalilli from Chas Hodges AT THE SAME PARTY.

5. It’s Not All About Eve – a young man’s dreams come true as he finally gets to be a member of the audience at Top of the Pops. Titled after the famous episode where a miming band couldn’t hear that the track had started, and so sat completely still as their song played on TVs all around the country.

Between them, the Fiascos have appeared on Top of the Pops more times than Jackie Brambles, but less often than The Hairy Cornflake. We can confirm that Gary Davies smells delicious.

6. The Commissionaire & the VIP – a love story set in 1960s London between a young speed typist who is self-conscious about the size of her fingers, and the doorman of her office building. A tale as old as time set to a soul-jazz beat, Daddio.

The Fiasco’s first manager was Matt Salad, who had three fingers on his right hand.

7. Young Man’s Game – the music festival is fraught with danger for people of a certain age. It’s time to face facts.

The Fiasco rhythm section was doing a gig at a truck stop called Truckworld on the night Princess Diana died. Judging by the timeline of events, we think we were probably playing Rubber Biscuit at the moment of impact. It’s what she would have wanted.

8. Not My First Rodeo – it would be nice to get wiser as we get older, and stop making the same mistakes. Or maybe we’re better off listening to our inner child and playing cowboys?

Patrick Duffin is chief of guitars, banjo and ukelele. He wrote the theme music for Loose Women (the UK version of The View) and appeared in the movie Rush with Thor, who would also lose a fight with Paul.

9. All Roads Lead to Rue – a vaudeville drag act gets involved with some heavy Canadian hoodlums and is hoodwinked into buying a hotel. Incredibly, a true story.

Malcolm Moore runs our tunes, chords and bass departments. He was briefly in Spinal Tap, and once turned down a blind date with Penelope Cruz.

10. We Finish On A Song – there are degree courses in stand-up comedy. Boot camp for clowns. Open with your best stuff, finish on a song. Sounds easy, right? An open-mic nervous breakdown set to a wonky acoustic guitar strum-a-long that morphs into a Broadway show tune within two minutes

The Fiasco are not allowed to talk about, or be within 500m of Neil Sedaka. 

So, now you know. But Are You Sure?

You can download the album here. And you may like these previous Tail-Fin-related Piece of Pink Pie posts:

How Jean lives on in a beautiful and moving song

‘Monogamy will be the death of me’ – the 29 marriages of Scotty Wolfe celebrated in song

Doing The Harvard Tango with Mal and David (and Dirk, Evie, and Bess)

More Leigh-on-Sea than LA, meet the Essex Steely Dan

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