being 747.......Onwards......along for a bit....and then upwards!!

Following the many successes and disasters of one of Leeds’ finest ever pop groups LANDSPEED LOUNGERS, Dave Coooke left the group to take stock of his life. Dave decided that a steady career as a Ceramic Artist specialising in sculpting life-size penguins was not enough to assuage his hunger for the absurd, so after a short period of time with his head in the clouds, Dave emerged triumphantly sporting a large, ungainly papier-mache aeroplane head-piece and a freshly twanged guitar in his hand. He declared himself ‘BEING 747’

The next few months were spent lulling acoustic and folk-night audiences into a false sense of security before bamboozling them with unpredictable, choppy melodies and twisted-persepectives on everyday matter, whether they be profound, mundane or downright surreal. All of which were delivered with Dave’s unmistakable baritone through the mouthpiece of his giant prosthetic aeroplane head.

Such eccentricity was bound to attract attention from the like-minded. And so, in the middle of 2001, Dave was approached by siblings Steven & Paul Morricone from well-established art rock behemoth, THE SCARAMANGA SIX, who offered to add a bit of muscle to the proceedings. Paul assumed the unfamiliar role of drummer, whilst Steven tackled the other roles of organ & bass - preferably at the same time. All three members embarked on a voyage of the utterly awkward, each constantly challenging themselves with their array of new-found toys. The now dynamic and completely un-acoustic BEING 747 were ready to take off with the aim to astound, confuse and bemuse through the medium of pop music.

Within a short period of time, enough starkly original material was accrued to convince the Morricone brothers to get together with their own group and a couple of other pop outsiders around the West Yorkshire area to form a collective known as WRATH RECORDS at the start of 2002. All bands were united by the same direct, yet avant-garde pop aesthetic and an outlet was established for all to work on and release their own irksome records.

Being 747’s dreamy debut EP ‘Weathergirl’ was released in the spring of 2002 on Wrath Records to a generally disbelieving press. How could something so beautiful, well-crafted and pre-meditated come from some tiny DIY label in Leeds? Dave Cooke was perceived as some kind of ‘Smoking jacketed Noel Coward of Indiedom’, despite his collection of comfortable sweaters. A fair amount of plays on various national, local and web-based radio stations later and Being 747 had made their mark.

Thanks to a growing reputation as an entertaining oddball outfit who'll turn up at the last minute and play for peanuts - some plum supports (The Fall, Cinerama). They've also supported a number of bands who, at the time - would have played for peanuts, but who have since gone on to sell bucket loads ie: The Kieser Chiefs, Maximo Park, The Cribs. Eventually (and this may take some time) we shall eclipse then all with our ramshackle and 'difficult to pigeon hole' pop!........ but don't hold your breath.

Who do we like? - in no particular order....
To stop this reading like a play list from an indie disco - i'll go into some more detail.
Ahh yes Twins Peaks .....'Now thats a damn fine cup of coffee' . I recently borrowed series one on DVD and on second viewing its even more brilliant and intriguing than i remember. But no series 2 and 3 on DVD!!!! why!!!!! If anyones got em on VHS for sale/hire - get in touch pronto!
David Attenborough - We're currently adapting Life On Earth as a musical experience. Me and Steve have both got plenty of BBC wildlife videos/DVDs ('Lost Worlds - Vanished Lives' is particularly good)
the late great Gene Pitney - Paul and Steve saw him a couple of days before he died, and said that he was in fine form - a true original who will be greatly missed.
They Might Be Giants - a band with their head in the same musical bird box who equally, can be accused of being a bit 'wacky' or 'clever clever' - but are in fact just being interesting and entertaining
The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin' is my favourite album at the moment - Feeling Yourself Desintegrate is brilliant - off to see them in April. Just Listened to 'Clouds taste Metallic' again 'They all said thanks but no thanks man. But to be concerned is cool' fantastic!!
Oliver Postgate - Bagpuss was key to my development as a child - im still haunted by the theme tune.
Johnny Cash - the late great - We're all big fans - I'm a bit affraid of the new film though, and i havn't seen the new The Hitch-Hikers Guide to The Galaxy yet either.
Captain Beefheart - I wanted to name my son 'Captain' - this wasn't a popular suggestion
the White Stripes, The Arcade Fire, The Research, Jamie and the Magic Torch, Talking Heads, The Moomins, Smoked Jarlsberg, Mature Cheddar, Shropshire Blue, Neil Young, The Fall, Velvet Underground, The Kinks, Bowie, The Cardiacs, The Pixies, Camper VanBeethoven, Dexys Midnight Runners, Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Julian Cope, Calexico, The Beastie Boys, The Beach Boys, Stereolab, Burt Bacharach, Philip Glass, The Damned, Lalo Schifnin, Sam Cooke, Jimi Hendrix, The Buzzcocks, Barryonyx, Pachycephalasaurus, Stegasaurus, Bonzo Dog, Scott Walker, The Swell Maps, The Stranglers, The B52s, Madness, PIL, Ella Fitzgerald, Nena Simone, John Barry, ELO, Krupnik, Becherovka, Navy Rum,The Beat, Wire, Louis Armstrong, XTC, Bob Dylan