Babylon Zoo

The silver sarong worn in the Spaceman video was made by Jas' mom. It was given away in one of the competitions - the lucky winner was a Ms Alexandra Firkins from Halesowen, England. After Top Of The Pops performance wearing the sarong and bindi many celebrities have followed fashion - let us not forget who set the trend. Often copied but never beaten.

During a visit to Poland, on stepping out of the plane Jas was speedily approached by three gigantic, chunky looking Military type chaps holding machine guns in their hands. Jas looked at them in a shocked and despairing manner; a million thoughts went through his mind. Jas froze in bewildermere, what was going on; there were these giants briskly pacing towards him with their hands firmly gripping the machine guns. Jas' mind was just full of fuzzy colours, it didn't make sense, he uttered "Oh sugar, I'm a gonna", or words to that affect. Thud, one of the Polish Policeman stood right in front of Jas; he delved deep into his pocket and pulled out a pen and photograph - "Can I have your autograph!". Phew, that was an underpants dirtying experience but, luckily there wasn't a stain on Jas' underpants - he doesn't wear any!!!! (or does he).

Being famous has its goods points but bad ones are very much a part of life. We were not told in which country, but whilst going for a meal in a restaurant a mad woman came charging at Jas with a knife in her hand. It was thanks to the quick thinking of the security personnel that prevented what may have had fatal consequences. Jas did receive a slight nick from the knife but nothing life threatening.

Jas was involved in the Movie Independence Day, no he did not star in it or direct it; he recorded a track for it. The track was not played in the movie itself but was put on the Independence Day CD.

1996 was the best and most exciting year of Jas Mann's life, so far. However, as you may know from physics - to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; well the reaction was stress and exhaustion due to the extensive amount of travelling and touring. In the fifty-two weeks of the year Jas visited fifty two countries, a tiresome task in itself but to make matters worse he fell ill in India. The change in water made Jas sick throwing his electrolytic levels out of balance. Reluctantly the UK April 1996 gigs had to be cancelled under doctors orders to R&R (Rest and Recuperate).

It's always a challenge recording a cover version; this was one of Jas' interests in taking on a song from the 1970's. Eighteen months ago or so he spent time in the studio with David Essex, a heart-throb from that generation, recording his song 'I'm Gonna Make You A Star'. Although the track was recorded it was never released for some unbeknown reason perhaps for the better. Also at this time there were strong rumours that Jas Mann and Robbie Williams, the ex-Take That member, might be teaming up to do this number but once again nothing transpired. However, more recently whilst working on the new Album, the vocalist Ian Hunter surprisingly from the 70's band, 'Mop The Hoople', approached Clive Black (Babylon Zoo's Manager) with one of their golden oldies called 'Honaloochie Boogie'. Clive didn't need persuading, his vision told him this was perfect for Jas - and was he right!! We have heard a rough mix which is an excellent cover of the original, which incidentally reached number 12 in the charts hack in June 1973.

Christmas 1996 was a very bad time for J. Mann, the night before Jas was due to fly back from Italy to spend a well deserved Xmas break he fell seriously ill. Three weeks in an Italian Hospital felt like a lifetime, family and friends rushing to his side to best comfort his fearful thoughts. It's a time I think we would all like to put behind us but unfortunately our minds will not erode those memories. Even with this experience Jas has a special place in his heart for Italy, it's a place he has always been welcomed with open arms. The many friends he has made have shown him a lot of love and affection; a couple of his closer friends include the Italian Radio DJ, Ringo and the Italian Footballer Paolo Maldini.

Although 1997 was a quieter year for Babylon Zoo, it did give the band some official recognition by nominating it for the Ivan Novello Awards. Disappointingly though it wasn't to be, the award was picked up by the one and only Girls of Spice.

KING KONG GROOVER, the entitled second Album was not chosen without competition; other titles included 'Silver Surfer', and "Chrome Invader'. It was not legally possible to adopt Silver Surfer due to copyrights; this name depicts a comic character and hence there may have been too many complications in attempting to use this title. And Chrome Invader, well this came second to King Kong Groover - personal choice I guess. The first single on the Album KKG and the first to be released on 28th September (in the United Kingdom) is titled All The Money's Gone. In brief, this track makes the observation that when someone comes into money; for example winning The Lottery, there are so many friends, so many people that want to be associated with you. However, when that money dwindles away, your so-called friends vanish - 'they play dead, it's a crazy world'. True friends are always there no matter what your circumstances.

The video to this single, different from the previous ones - yet again, which is animated in its entirety took 7 months from conception to completion. However the drawings, paintings and filming took around the 3-month mark employing 7 full-time animators. Although the Chrome Caped Crusader went to Art College he did not part-take in the animation side; his input was the imagination and the script. When we look at the video, the characters within, the tracks on the Album and the booklet that comes with it, we can see a jigsaw puzzle coming together. 'All The Money's Gone' video portrays the characters Chrome Invader/King Kong Groover, Leopard Prince and Aroma Girl. Both Chrome Invader and Aroma Girl are other tracks featured on the Album; where the video fades to a close at the end of the song, the story line is continued as a comic strip which will be found in the King Kong Groover booklet. Sounds exciting? Well it is, a well thought out idea but you eager beavers will have to wait until October for that to become available. We have just learned that you guys are in for a real treat, the brand new single will also feature another cool track from the Album - 'Chrome Invader'. Both of these songs are brilliant; the release will include 2 CD's and a cassette which will also incorporate 'All The Money's Gone' mixes from Tin Tin Out, Space Raiders and Wiseass. Watch out for the wicked looking Silver Album sleeves.

"The Eagle has landed" - The 11th of August '98 saw the return of Jas Mann and Babylon Zoo. The band's new single, 'All The Money's Gone', was performed to a packed house at The De Montford Hall in Leicester. The band along with other various artists received a rapturous and warm hearted welcome which was fantastic, as the gig was held in aid of raising money for various charity's - I suppose the song title 'All The Money's Gone' was pretty apt for the occasion. The crowds inside the hall, and outside where external speakers had been installed, were privileged to hear Honaloochie Boogie, also from the forthcoming Album. And of course it would not have been fair if Spaceman had been missed from this line up of songs. All in all it was a good night for Babylon Zoo, Jas being mobbed and hounded for autograph and interviews.


Source: Babylon Zoo Fan Club
 

Quote from Jas Mann:

I think it's part positive and part negative, which is what I basically went for. Like any great film, I think the title of the piece sets a sort of common ground, a philosophy of how the film sort of moves on. I mean, I deal a lot with evolution, and I deal a lot with us now, and what we were in the past and what we will be in the future, and in that whole futuristic sense of writing.

The word "Babylon," I wanted to use that because it existed before Egyptian times as a paradise where everything was free, everybody was equal, and the word "Zoo," which is maybe society now, this geometric concrete jungle that we live in. This is us enslaved within our boxes. You know, our car, our home, our office. We live in boxes every single hour of the day. You deal with the two, how we evolved from paradise to a supposed modernist paradise, but is it? That's the sort of feel that I was trying to get at with the name. **

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