Inspired by a re-reading of the John Le-Carre novel “The Spy who came in from the Cold”,  “Midnight” by Joe Blank & the Inserts  is the band’s  first track to be released online and the opening track of their forthcoming debut album “Leamas”. 

The record, produced by Arie Van der Poel, features a distinctive Cello sound played by Italian classical musician Maria Rodriguez,  recorded at Soup Studio’s in London which try to capture the sense of melancholy and unease caused by serious sleep depreciation and the abuse of alcohol described in the opening chapter of Le-Carres novel.

MIDNIGHT

Heavily influenced by a re-reading of the John Le-Carre novel “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold” and  generally exhausted by the recording and the release surrounding Shabby Rogues’ critically acclaimed 2nd album “By Hook and By Crook “ culminating in the eventual  break -up of the band,   Shaun Litton and Tom Sheppard retreated to their studio … 

The pair began to write, striving to capture the atmosphere of the Le-Carre  book and within weeks a collection of songs were written,  making up the material featured on the debut album of their new project Joe Blank & the Inserts, entitled “Leamas”. 

The band chose to work with producer Arie Van der Poel and the recording process began in 2014 at the bands new home studio in Hackney. In the following months they added Vocals and Guitar in various studios with Van Der Poel. 

The songs slowly began to take shape, sessions now taking place in Soup Studios in London as the band added live Drums with a session drummer and layers of Cellos’, crucial to the overall sound the band were striving for, all played by Italian cellist Maria Rodriguez. The album finally neared completion.
  
The last touches to the record were to add some Grand Piano, played by Italian Classical Composer and Pianist Gianluca Fronda, recorded at the London venue The Spice of Life. 

With producer Van der Poel having been constantly mixing during the whole recording process the band finally completed the record in December 2017. It was then mastered by Italian Producer and Songwriter Franc Cellini.

The album will gradually be released in 2018 …….

joe blank & the inserts