News/Reviews :

The Man on the Moon - Cambridge | 3rd October 2008 8:00pm

Carrying on from where we left off at the Boathouse we threw a rocker set at the crowd with Richard Tofts making his debut on bass guitar. The gig was mighty fun and we had a good turnout including Paul Christoforou from 209 fm who had played ‘Pollen’ on his radio show the Monday before. There was a lot of good humoured banter as we played through the 12 song set (Dan – Muffin Top is copyright so stop humming it) which included the new songs ‘Shame’ and ‘Watch me in my playground’.

Richard and Aidan made a great impact on the music - it just rocked a lot more with the two of them on board. This all came to a head on ‘The Gift’ when Ashley took up his strat to make up a classic rock line up. Simon, behind a full drum kit, was even happier than earlier in the evening, when he discovered that his pint of Guinness wasn’t off it was just that he a cold. His bass drumming made the stage move, or so he claimed, but we think his Guinness was actually off and the resulting flatulence was the real source of stage instability. Rozenn, gamely ignored the suspicious stage rocking and gave, what many thought, was her most confident performance to date.

Sue Marchant, form BBC Radio Cambridge, had offer us a chance to do a few live numbers on her show that evening but we couldn’t make it across town and back in time so we had to let her down. Typical....Still, she’s happy to offer us another slot so we might make it on to her show yet.

Quote of the gig from the audience (Dan) –

“Your brother could learn a lot from you, Ashley....Muffin, Muffin, Muffin top...” True, but coming from someone who likes the Muffin top song takes the edge of the compliment somewhat.

The Boathouse - Cambridge | 7th June 2008 9:30pm

The Boathouse gig turned out to be a lot of fun. We ran with a rocker set that went down well and received a pleasing barrage of heckling and general whooping between songs. Rozenn was looking gorgeous, Simon claims to have been looking gorgeous, Ashley made no claims to be looking gorgeous ‘cause he says there’s no need ‘cause he is gorgeous, Aidan simply smiled a lot and we can only assume he has his own definition of gorgeous.

Simon took to his drums and was back in his natural habitat when he reigned supreme and once again won the most entertaining person on stage award. Ashley picked up his bass for the ‘Gift’ and it rocked by some margin. Rozenn, demonstrated that she can sing the songs in the rock context, perhaps to her surprise, and she came in for a lot of praise.

Aidan Whyte joined us for his first gig with DZ. Aidan has a wealth of musical experience and talant and is a great addition to the band. He adds the icing to the DZ cake - great guitarist, great guitar.

Still looking for a bass player - the Bints feel that they are the perfect candidates but ..... well, what do you think! (great T-shirts)

Thanks to those that came to support – see you at the next one. Thanks to Jo from AcouticStage for putting us on and handling the sound. Roll on the Mucky Pup .....

The Bakers - East Road | 11th May 2008 8:00pm | Author - Ashley

Well, you have to have your highs and lows and this gig was a bit of a low. The venue space was ok and Phil from the AcousticStage set the sound up well, but I think the inability to take the lights down and to create an atmosphere left us feeling it was a bit stark. Also there were not too many people there, partly as we didn’t have time to muster the troops as this gig was a last minute affair, and partly because the headlining band’s singer was taken ill and so they missed the event. Still, we did learn a thing or two and thanks go to Alexandra for once again taken turning up and taking some great photos and to Justin M, who patiently sat through everything and then told us we were good – what a lying bastard.....

Sound Wall Studio - Fowlmere | May 1st 2008 8:00pm | Author - Ashley

The EP was finally launched on Thursday 10th April with a distinct lack or national or, indeed, international acclaim. Maybe these things just take time to filter through the industry. I'll sit by the phone a little longer I'm sure the call from Bob Geldof will come soon....

Go listen to the sounds at www.myspace.com/dblzro and leave us lovely comments either on our myspace page or here by using the Guestbook option. If you'd like to own the CD, and who wouldn't, then give us a shout and well sort it out for you. They cost £3 + p+p.

Actually, the EP has already done us a favour - AcousticStage, a local music promotion group, gave the tracks a listen and have put us on at the Boathouse on the 7th June - see our gig guide for details. I'm confident that the naked picture of me on the inside cover will generate a strong reaction - I take the warts and all approach to promotion .....

Sound Wall Studio - Fowlmere | 16th February 2008 8:00pm | Author - Ashley

Day 3 of the EP recording - the final day. We've finished recording now, can't be arsed with any more for the moment. We want the EP out so we can tout it around and hopefully pick up some gigs. Adrian has been fantastic and really calm about the whole process - we are in serious amounts of coffee orientated debt to him. There is still some mixing and production to do as well as the cover and other associated rock'n'roll recording stuff that we know bugger all about.

Here are a few pics of the recording session if you really care - although there is a picture of my super sexy Babicz Spider...

CB2 - Norfolk Street, Cambridge | 29th January 2008 8:00pm | Author - Ashley

The gig with Matoke came and went really quickly. CB2 had removed all the seating from the cellar and the room, although small, was much more atmospheric. We played as a three piece which seemed to work and although the crowd where pretty quiet they didn’t throw bottles or boo at us in any obvious way. Actually the crowd were interested, more a muso bunch than most audiences, so they listened. Afterwards, having thought it hadn’t gone that well, people gave us great feedback and a few more people joined the ranks of the interested.

So thanks must go to Lucas from Matoke for giving us the gig – it raised some £300 for the Cambridge Refugee Support Group.

Competition for the MP3 player is hottin’ up – Karen (one of the bints) is now just in front of Tom the Leaf with a number of others close behind. Sue (the other bint) is trying to cheat by booking us for a private gig (we think we’ll allow cheating/bribery/other forms of inducement). OK, triple points on offer at the next gig for those wearing a double zero t-shirt.

Check out the photo's in the gallery - keep well

Sound Wall Studio - Fowlmere | 5th January 2008 10:00pm | Author - Ashley

Day 2 of the EP recording has finished and we're close to completing all the tracks - just 'No Choice' to go. We'll need another day and then some time for mixing and we should be there.

Portland Arms - Cambridge | 30th December 2007 8:00pm | Author - Ashley

The gig party for Karen and Sue (Bints) was a fantastic. People were in a party mood - plenty of banter and general good humoured heckling. Rozenn really rocked out to the cover Teenage Kicks and Simon won the visually entertaining award for this percussion playing - well shit someone has to feel sorry for the drummer. The 'Muffin Top' song, as commissioned by the Bints, went down well but no one was prepared to demonstrate a muffin top. Actually one guy was prepared to bare all, but this was generally thought to be a bad idea and so he was beaten unconscious just in case he wouldn't take 'no thanks' as 'no thanks' (for the drunk bloke lovers amongst you I was only kidding - we were more humane than that, we simply let the Bints loss on him). If you didn't make the gig them you may get to hear the ‘Muffin Top’ song at the next event IF you shout for an encore - you're life won’t be the same after you've heard it, don't miss it!

It was the last we'll see of Diccon with the band - he's off to try and actually finish his PhD before he reaches retirement age. Diccon has been fantastic and we'll miss him. Still, you can catch his bass playing on the EP when its released.

You'll find some photos of the gig under the gallery.

Well, we're back to looking for a bass player - anyone out there fancy a go?

Sound Wall Studio - Fowlmere | 11th December 2007 10:00pm | Author - Ashley

We've just spent the day recording 4 tracks for the long awaited EP. Adrian Asher, friend, sound engineer, and general recording guru turned up this morning with kit and got stuck into the recording. The session went pretty well but we'll need another day or two to get all the elements down. The tracks we are recording are Cynical, Obsessed, Pollen, and No Choice. We hope to have the EP out early in the New Year - I know you're all dribbling at the prospect but the rumours that Muffin Tops will adorn the cover are just not true - I don't think.

CB2 - Norfolk Street, Cambridge | 25th October 2007 8:00pm | Author - Ashley

Well, the gig at CB2 was great fun, actually stormingly good fun (yea yea I know there’s no such word as ‘stormingly’ in your sado world but here in the dark and slightly dusty world of DZ it exists) - good turn out and with a number of the regulars turning up to give their particular brand of advice and commentary. The 'Bints' were there, Karen and Sue, and the dutiful Phil who seems to deal with the affliction of these two with remarkable normality. Tom Kendal, desperate to win the MP3 player, turned up an hour early, grabbed the most comfortable seat in the house and look incredibly relaxed once a beer found its way into his hands. Peter P - the "Cynical Bastard" made another appearance and almost got away without being referenced as a cynical bastard but fortunately Simon reminded me to point this out to the crowd.

The performance seemed to go down well - and a couple of people we didn't know (and didn't pay - Sue/Karen!) made encouraging noises about the songs and asked us for a CD. OK, we'll we'd better get off our variously formed arses and make an EP - trouble is we're having so much fun writing at the moment that we haven't really thought about a CD - I guess we'll have to now. For reference the set list was Cynical | Released | Break the Leaf | Obsession | No Choice | Pollen | Addiction (look under Music for the lyrics if you are interested)

Thanks to Ruby Muse , and in particular Vic King for putting us up to it and to Malcolm for being a good bloke (and guitarist) and sorting out our sound. We certainly enjoyed listening to the Ruby Muse set.

Thanks to all who turned up to watch, and for those that want to see more sign up to the mailing list or keep an eye on the gig guide on this site. Check out the gallery for some snaps. We wan' a do moooooooreeeeeee.

Sound Wall Studio - Fowlmere | 15th October 2007 8:00pm | Author - Ashley

We've aquired a bass player (well done Rozenn) - not only that but Diccon Cooper is a double bass player, and his additions to the songs give them a really good feeling. Diccon is primarily a jazz bass player but seems comfortable enough playing along with us. We'll have to wait and see if Diccon sticks around - hope so. He's agreed to do the CB2 gig on the 25th - can't wait.

Although Tom managed to perform with us at the studio do he's had to step down again as work etc is continuing to dominate is time. The door is still open to him if he finds he can get his head above water long enough to dust of his guitar and come sing for us. Thanks Tom for helping us to get off our arses and out playing music again.

Sound Wall Studio - Fowlmere | 29th August 2007 8:00pm | Author - Ashley

We held a small studio warming party for a few guests - sorry to those who missed out but the studio only holds around 25 people comfortably. The acoustic DZ played 7 songs and it was good to have Tom come and join us for the event. This performance was a pre-cursor to a hoped for up and coming real gig! (see the gig guide) We'd held a smaller and less formal outing at Simon's Drum Shed warming do a few weeks before which got the ball rolling.

New Home Studio - Fowlmere | 17th July 2007 9:32pm | Author - Ashley

Right, while Tom has been taking a bit of time out Simon and I have recruited Rozenn (see Biog) to come and join us in an acoustic version of Double-Zero. Rozenn adds a soulful voice to the DZ songs which Simon and I really enjoying listening to. We've re-arranged the songs and adapted them for Rozenn and the acoustic arena. This has been great fun and we're almost ready to gig. We've also written some new songs - Hey BINTIES what more could you ever want?

The only down side as I see it is that my fingers bloody well hurt som'ing rotten all the time. No one told me that to play acoustic guitar requires you to have finger tips as tough as a rhinoceros’s testicles (are they tough? - they ought to be given how low slung a rhinoceros is .... I digress - you get the idea).

Tom and Maz get married | 07.07.07 | Hurrah | Simon got horribly drunk and was ill all night | Ashley - stupid sod - went on holiday and missed the whole thing (hangs head in shame, although Italy was really good, erm hangs head even lower in shame).

The Red Bull - Histon | 19th March 2007 8:pm | Author - Ashley

Bad news people - Tom is finding the pressures of work and life a bit tough at the moment, and has had to put DZ on the back burner for the next 4 months. We wont be gigging for a while now but Simon and I aren't sitting on our arses (metaphorically speaking, 'cause we're doing a lot of sitting on our arses in reality), we've started work on recording some of our new songs. While this wont be our EP it will give you a feel for what we are up to.

Don't go away - we'll we back soon in one form or another.

Orchard Cottage Studio | 25th January 2007 9:30pm

OK, OK, you can rest easy now (especially the BINTS) - the long awaited Double-Zero EP will be recorded at the end of March. We've decided to record the 4 track EP at Orchard Cottage Studio. The studio is housed in a barn conversion and has a great feel about it. Damn it - we might just have to practice at our practices and stop drinking so much beer .... na. Also, contrary to popular belief the band wont appear naked on the front cover because that would just be disgusting.

Radio Xfm | 3rd December 2006 4:15pm

Amazing!!! Claire Sturgess, an Xfm DJ was at the Pink Rose Party last night and enjoyed herself enough to give us a plug on her radio show. Her show is (clearly) great so if you get a chance tune in and have a listen.

Shelford Rugby Club | 2nd December 2006

"The band was awesome" according to a number of the audience (damn, the beer is that good at the rugby club). We had a great time with Tom being able to get more intimate with the mic on Addiction, a newly added song, while a number of people seemed to have learnt the lyrics to Cynical. Those setting up the party were treated to some great drumming from Simon at the sound check - he finished to general applause with a *ucking great grin.

There are now a number of you in the running for the back stage pass for Wembley Arena when we get there, so you can't stop now, no really you can't stop.

We need to thank Paul for manning the mixing desk and keeping us out of the red on the noise limiter, and to Flight Path who generously lent us a ruck of mic stands. Also we need to thank Jo and Martin Rowley for giving us the slot - good call guys.

Telephone | 29th October 2006 pm

Following on from the Portland Arms gig we’ve been asked to play at the ‘Pink Rose Party’ event (see the gig guide for details). We are still short of a full time bass player but once again Doctor D has come to the rescue, galloping precariously on his moth eared mule clucking his Musicman and co-codamol…

Portland Arms | 18th October 2006

That was fantastic fun and it was all down to the guys and girls that came to the gig. The support we had for the opening gig of Double Zero’s rock life couldn’t be bettered. We’ve had so much positive feed back that it’s only a shame we don’t have a full set list yet, otherwise we’d be out gigging again as soon as we could. Many thanks to Dollar Sent who put on a great show – they are some loud boys.

A number of people took photos and as soon as we get hold of them we’ll put them up. There were a number taken of the crowd so if you were there you may be able to see yourself in full technogloom. You can also check out Damian's blog on the gig and, if you feel the urge, make a comment or two

We will gig again soon if we can find a slot so please join the mailing list so you can keep up to date with what we’re up to. Once again, thanks to all who came.

FlightPath | 2nd October 2006

Roger's been enticed back to his old band - that's rock'n'roll - so we're once again without a permanent bass player. Fortunately for us the infamous man of few working parts, Damian G-B has offered to step in and help us out (check out his myspace profile). He's going to have to get his brain in gear as there are only 2 practices before the Portland Arms and the abyss...

FlightPath | 18th September 2006

We've just auditioned and taken on Roger Norman to handle the bassing for us. This completes the line up just in time for the up and coming gig (see the gig guide). Check out Roger's biog to see what he's been up to before he joined Double Zero