Hi all,
Sorry not been any word from us for a while, but there's been no real news here apart from our usual writing / recording. Rest assured we are working all the time and not just in the pub or hoovering the garage! We aim to have this record finished by the end of summer, songs are already starting to be mixed.

STOP PRESS!!! News just in...
We might be treading those boards again this September with a couple of UK gigs, nothing's confirmed yet and we can't give you details, but you'll be the first to know when things are going to happen (we are gonna try and work out some free tickets for the faithful on doves.net) it'll be great to step out into the outside world again and play some of these new songs live.

As ever thanks for you're patience and hopefully see you soon
Andy, Jez and Jimi
x

ps: also I'd like to say a big thanks to everyone who wrote congrats & well wishes on our site to me & sara on the birth of baby alice, shes 4 & half months old now & all good.

pps: a few 'working titles' to whet your appetite include Spellbound, House Of Mirrors, Drifter, Kingdom Of Rust and Jetstream.

So we've been hauled up 4 some time in the studio.

We've done 8 tracks. We will be recording another 8 tracks so we still have some way to go. Again thanks for all your words of encouragement, it means a lot to us. When we finish this album and enter the "touring bubble like world" (I'm hearing a lot of requests to play in your cities / towns - noted!! We will try and visit as many places as possible.

The studio is a little farmhouse barn in cheshire (half way between manchester and liverpool )we did some mixing in RAK studios owned by the ledgenary producer Mickie Most. John Leckie has since moved on due to previous commitments (he's now recording with African artist Baaba Maal). Co-production wise, we've hooked up with an amazing up and coming producer called Dan Austin (Cherry Ghost / Massive Attack). We immediately clicked. As a result the recording is very intuitive, so the mood is really positive and upbeat in the doves camp - Andy is about to become a dad for the first time so were all really excited for him - obviously were taking 3 to 4 weeks out of recording 'cause Andy will be in baby mode. We will all be writing new tunes in the spare time, it's a good break to write fresh material.... errr sorry no album release this year 'cause it's got to be right... we do appreciate you being patient.

xxxxxxxxx

Winter seemed to linger,
seems summers coming.

We start recording in May.

Love to all
Dovesband
xxxx

Winter seemed to linger,
seems summers coming.

We start recording in May.

Love to all
Dovesband
xxxx

For anyone under the impression that we’ve been sitting back holidaying/taking it easy, they’d be mistaken, we’ve been grafting hard for the last few months, writing lots & lots of songs / music, last month we relocated temporarily to a cottage in the Peak District, Derbyshire (next to a llama farm - that’s the front cover of the album sorted) for a change from our regular M56 studio & it's done us a lot of good, creatively that is.

This record has required a little more writing & work to find a direction, something that feels new to us, that’s just the way it us sometimes, but thank f**k we’re getting there now.

We’re hoping to get in the studio proper Feb '07 to record these songs fast (that’s the plan anyway) & we’re aiming, all being well, for summer/autumn 2007 release.

Thanks as ever to you lot for sticking with us & have a great xmas & a splendid new year - we’ll see you soon.

Andy,Jez,Jimi x

We are starting to get somewhere...

It took us a while to warm up, what with all the usual technical issues of new and old gear. Since we finished touring last year i worked it out that having four or so months off is the longest we've not worked together in seventeen years ! Hades, seventeen years..... the figure makes me shudder.

Lots of ideas and songs floating about ... put down three or four so far. Many rivers to cross.

Seem to have acquired a feral kitten. Beautiful little tabbie. It appeared at the back door peering out of the bushes but is completely wild. 'Bout five weeks old, either been forced out of litter by other kitties or lost his way. Not seen the Mother cat for weeks. I managed to pick it up when it was hiding near the drain, the idea being to see if the farmer knew where the litter was and got bitten and scratched, badly! This kitten is nails! We are feeding him/her til' it can fend for itself. Farmer has opened a barn door a little to appease the sentimental townies, so little dude has shelter at night.

\
More from country file soon
Jimi.