Burt's Back!
By Ewan Bishop, Shadbury Standard Staff Writer
1August 2012
1August 2012
When last we spoke with Burt MacInnis, the hometown lad was just beginning an incredible year for himself and his band, the Little Blue Men. Excitement was starting to build in anticipation of his upcoming Member of the British Empire award. The ceremony, set to happen later this year, was filling MacInnis with both pride and trepidation.
Now, months later, MacInnis was gracious enough to sit down with us again to discuss the successes he has experienced this year already, his plans for the next few months, and the big event it's all been leading up to: the release of "A Kipper in the Alley," the long-awaited documentary on the Little Blue Men...
Now, months later, MacInnis was gracious enough to sit down with us again to discuss the successes he has experienced this year already, his plans for the next few months, and the big event it's all been leading up to: the release of "A Kipper in the Alley," the long-awaited documentary on the Little Blue Men...
SS: Chubby, it's so nice to see you again.
BM: Well I wish I could say the same, love, but I lost a contact this morning.
SS: How have you been since we last spoke?
BM: Busy, love. terribly busy, I'm afraid. We've been doing these reissues of our catalogue and that's been taking a lot out of me. The big one, of course, was "Prince in the Closet," me solo record from way back when.
SS: The twenty-seven minute epic "concept song" that was famously pressed on both sides of the record.
BM: That's the one, mate. Microgram put out a deluxe version of it this year, a double vinyl edition, pressed on four sides this time. They had me overseeing the re-master, as well as the new artwork. I could give two shits about the artwork -- I go in for songs, as John Lennon said -- but I think it turned out well.
SS: Speaking of Lennon, any thoughts on Mark David Chapman's parole denial?
BM: Well, the thing about Lennon's murder is, it's been thirty-two years, it's time to laugh again.
SS: You can't seriously --
BM: I'm taking the piss, love. 'Twas a tragedy and a great loss, of course. Chapman should rot in that cell. I met John a handful of times, of course.
SS: Really? I wasn't aware of that. What was he like?
BM: Well, he was a white man, first and foremost. I think it's important as a culture to see people by their colour. Stereotypes are very helpful.
SS: There's that MacInnis sarcasm again. Did you hone that here in Shadbury?
BM: Did I "hone" it? What an odd sounding word, innit? To "hone" something. I "honed" it. We were playing Battleship and I "honed" your destroyer. I was failing a class at university so I "honed" it. Your mother "honed" the telly repairman, and now she's the talk of the schoolyard. All the little boys, and many of the girls, they all sing in unison, "Little Jimmy's mother / She's randy like no other / She shagged me dad and me best mate, Chad / And now she's honing me brother." What the fuck were we talking about?
SS: Doesn't matter. How is the new album coming along?
BM: Slowly, to be honest. Narge had laryngitis for a week last month, so we delayed his harmony tracks. We've only got about nine songs in decent shape. We're shooting for thirteen. Puppy, as usual, has been fantastic though.
SS: Any more word on the MBE ceremony?
BM: Not really, no. We're just getting excited to get on with it.
SS: You filmed some scenes this summer for the new Yahoo Serious movie. What was that like?
BM: A joy as always. People say that Yahoo doesn't have it anymore, but they're mental. He has been consistently funny for thirty years now. And he has a big heart. He takes in homeless people, did you know that? He does. He rounds them up off the street, takes them home, gives them a nice hot meal and shower, then collects them in his basement.
SS: Speaking of films, what's going on with "A Kipper in the Alley?"
BM: I understand they're editing as they go to save time or some such thing, love. Don't really understand all that, but we've all done several interviews with Lionel Pepperidge of the BBC. We're scheduled to do at least one more round of those. I saw the official poster the other day and I'm quite keen on it.
SS: Any touring plans in the near future?
BM: Maybe. Depends on how the album shakes out. There's no title yet, by the way. But if we can get it finished by the end of the year, we may do a small European tour in the spring. They want us out there promoting "Kipper," but frankly I'm a little resentful of having to plug all their other projects. We signed a really stupid contract for that film in hindsight.
SS: Last time we chatted, you mentioned that you probably knew my mother. Turns out she knows you. She followed you and the band around in the early days when you drove in a purple van.
BM: Wilma Portnoy?
SS: No, Katherine Salsbury.
BM: Salsbury...doesn't ring any particular bells, mate.
SS: You may have known her as --
BM: Easy Kate! Oh, too right, love. I'd completely forgotten. Wow. You know, your mum had the most flexible body I had ever seen on a woman from Lancashire. She would do things, things that would make even the whoriest of whores blush, just to keep riding on that bus. Your mum was so insatiable and adventurous in bed. There was nothing, NOTHING that was off limits for that little nymph!
SS: Well I think that just about wraps things up here.
BM: What do you mean, love? I haven't told you the story yet about how your mum found herself at a wedding reception with an open bar and four Royal Navy seamen who took tur --
SS: That'll do, Mr. MacInnis, that'll do.
BM: Well I wish I could say the same, love, but I lost a contact this morning.
SS: How have you been since we last spoke?
BM: Busy, love. terribly busy, I'm afraid. We've been doing these reissues of our catalogue and that's been taking a lot out of me. The big one, of course, was "Prince in the Closet," me solo record from way back when.
SS: The twenty-seven minute epic "concept song" that was famously pressed on both sides of the record.
BM: That's the one, mate. Microgram put out a deluxe version of it this year, a double vinyl edition, pressed on four sides this time. They had me overseeing the re-master, as well as the new artwork. I could give two shits about the artwork -- I go in for songs, as John Lennon said -- but I think it turned out well.
SS: Speaking of Lennon, any thoughts on Mark David Chapman's parole denial?
BM: Well, the thing about Lennon's murder is, it's been thirty-two years, it's time to laugh again.
SS: You can't seriously --
BM: I'm taking the piss, love. 'Twas a tragedy and a great loss, of course. Chapman should rot in that cell. I met John a handful of times, of course.
SS: Really? I wasn't aware of that. What was he like?
BM: Well, he was a white man, first and foremost. I think it's important as a culture to see people by their colour. Stereotypes are very helpful.
SS: There's that MacInnis sarcasm again. Did you hone that here in Shadbury?
BM: Did I "hone" it? What an odd sounding word, innit? To "hone" something. I "honed" it. We were playing Battleship and I "honed" your destroyer. I was failing a class at university so I "honed" it. Your mother "honed" the telly repairman, and now she's the talk of the schoolyard. All the little boys, and many of the girls, they all sing in unison, "Little Jimmy's mother / She's randy like no other / She shagged me dad and me best mate, Chad / And now she's honing me brother." What the fuck were we talking about?
SS: Doesn't matter. How is the new album coming along?
BM: Slowly, to be honest. Narge had laryngitis for a week last month, so we delayed his harmony tracks. We've only got about nine songs in decent shape. We're shooting for thirteen. Puppy, as usual, has been fantastic though.
SS: Any more word on the MBE ceremony?
BM: Not really, no. We're just getting excited to get on with it.
SS: You filmed some scenes this summer for the new Yahoo Serious movie. What was that like?
BM: A joy as always. People say that Yahoo doesn't have it anymore, but they're mental. He has been consistently funny for thirty years now. And he has a big heart. He takes in homeless people, did you know that? He does. He rounds them up off the street, takes them home, gives them a nice hot meal and shower, then collects them in his basement.
SS: Speaking of films, what's going on with "A Kipper in the Alley?"
BM: I understand they're editing as they go to save time or some such thing, love. Don't really understand all that, but we've all done several interviews with Lionel Pepperidge of the BBC. We're scheduled to do at least one more round of those. I saw the official poster the other day and I'm quite keen on it.
SS: Any touring plans in the near future?
BM: Maybe. Depends on how the album shakes out. There's no title yet, by the way. But if we can get it finished by the end of the year, we may do a small European tour in the spring. They want us out there promoting "Kipper," but frankly I'm a little resentful of having to plug all their other projects. We signed a really stupid contract for that film in hindsight.
SS: Last time we chatted, you mentioned that you probably knew my mother. Turns out she knows you. She followed you and the band around in the early days when you drove in a purple van.
BM: Wilma Portnoy?
SS: No, Katherine Salsbury.
BM: Salsbury...doesn't ring any particular bells, mate.
SS: You may have known her as --
BM: Easy Kate! Oh, too right, love. I'd completely forgotten. Wow. You know, your mum had the most flexible body I had ever seen on a woman from Lancashire. She would do things, things that would make even the whoriest of whores blush, just to keep riding on that bus. Your mum was so insatiable and adventurous in bed. There was nothing, NOTHING that was off limits for that little nymph!
SS: Well I think that just about wraps things up here.
BM: What do you mean, love? I haven't told you the story yet about how your mum found herself at a wedding reception with an open bar and four Royal Navy seamen who took tur --
SS: That'll do, Mr. MacInnis, that'll do.
Copyright 2012, The Shadbury Standard