1st September

September 1, 2003

Stephen Bennett’s video for No-Man’s ‘Things I Want To Tell You’ is, in accord with the mood of the track, haunting, evocative and lovingly lingering and slow. Given our mixed and frequently embarrassing history with film, it’s possibly the best video the band has ever had. Bizarrely, it’s also perilously close to the dividing line between art and soft-core porn.

The idea of No-Man achieving ‘below the counter’ notoriety is a strange one, but, assisted by BennettVision, now seems wholly possible. Back-street shops around the world will resonate with the request, “I’d like Jurassic Pork 5 and, ahem, Things I Want To Tell You.”

Myself and the man Wilson are still determined to decline the Playgirl centrefold, though.

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A weekend of catch-up and industry queries, and a series of discussions with Lord ‘swan, quail eggs and brie for breakfast’ Chilvers on how to take Burning Shed forward.

As well as an assessment of ongoing work with Centrozoon and Italy’s Fjieri Group, the weekend’s soundtrack included Nitin Sawhney’s ‘Prophesy’, The Korgis’ ‘Don’t Look Back’, Gene Clark’s ‘No Other’ and King Crimson’s ‘Thrak’.

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‘Everybody else, they’re just fooling themselves. Not you.’