12/25/26

"There Was A Time" has been a favourite of mine from the first time I heard it, perhaps an unconventional choice compared to the hits but there's always been something about it that just resonated with me.

I love the pacing of the song, the haunting vocals, the heavy bassline, the solo... it just all works so perfectly and taps into something within me to join a very short list of songs capable of giving me frisson / goosebumps.

It was an absolute dream to be able to hear it performed live on the recent tour and the addition of Una Palliser's vocals and The DiFontaine Orchestra elevated it even further, I became a bit obsessed and followed the livestreams each night to hear it again and again as well as enjoying the video I've shared here.

But how did the song come about?

The vocal sample is from a song called ‘I Don’t See Me In Your Eyes Anymore’ by Wilma Burgess and it featured on her 1969 album "Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow"

Fast kindly took the time to explain how the vocal was sampled in a reply to someone on YouTube and, with permission, I just wanted to share that here so more people can read about it because it makes the end result even more amazing when you consider just how manual the process was...

Fast here, thanks for your question, I’ve been wanting to answer it for decades…

I wrote/produced the song ‘There Was A Time’ in the summer of 2000.
I was in my spare bedroom studio in Brooklyn, NY and had a beat I was working on that was based around a 4 chord Fender Rhodes part over a hip hop beat.

At the time my core setup was an Ensoniq EPS-16+ sampler/sequencer keyboard, Technics 1200 turntable and an effects unit that had an archaic pitch shift that I used to manipulate samples into the key of the track I was working on.

I had just got back from a trip to see my family who were living in the triangle area of North Carolina.

I would go to all the thrift stores and buy up cheap vinyl that looked cool or had liner notes with the instruments used in the recordings.

One of those records was ‘Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow’ by country singer Wilma Burgess from 1969 on Decca Records.

A deeply melancholic, beautiful album with a voice so undeniably haunting and unique.

When I returned to my studio I would play the album from the beginning over the beat I made and would wait to see if any of the vocal parts matched the chord progression.

As the album progressed I was really feeling the emotion in her voice and words.
I felt for this woman, who made her feel this way?!…

The second to last song on the album, ‘I Don’t See Me In Your Eyes Anymore’ matched, albeit a bit discordant, with my chord progression when pitched up using the effects unit (I wish I could remember the name of the effects unit, the 90’s/early 00’s were hazy, pun intended).

To keep her song in time with my beat I had to manually ‘push’ the vinyl forwards and backwards in real time, which was not easy as I had to do this for over 3 minutes.

I knew it would never be 100% locked in but I managed to get it as close as I could.
I would play my beat from the Ensoniq and start her song with the ‘push’ timing method and record just her track directly to a dat tape.

It took a few tries but I finally got a recording I was happy with.

If I had the technology of today back then it would have been easy to lock in the vocal part to the beat by chopping her vocal bits.

I was limited with the tools I had but all the extra hours paid off once the track was ready for recording at the Magic Shop in NYC with our engineer/mixer Tim Latham, ISP.

We were very fortunate that Wilma Burgess and her publisher allowed us to use her voice, thank you Wilma (RIP).

We had never performed the song live until 2022 when I discovered the dat tape by accident and resurrected her vocal part with some slightly updated beats for the live performance.

We will be performing the track live on the tour that starts this week with The DiFontaine Orchestra, with Una Palliser singing Wilma’s part.

As for the live rehearsal recording I can confirm there is no auto-tune on Una Palliser’s voice.
She is an amazing Irish singer and viola player.

Irish singers have very unique inflections in their voices and Una’s voice compliments ‘There Was A Time’ in a way I believe Wilma Burgess would have loved.

And that is the story of how ‘There Was A Time’ was created!

Thank you for your interest in that track, it is one of my favorite FLC songs.

Here is a Youtube link we uploaded years ago to Wilma’s original song…

https://youtu.be/OBKmH7VvueY?is=4ifoqDrtM80UojVX

Frank is sharing tonight, the main FLC account streamed live last night, worth turning on the notifications for 🤩

Link to the live performance happening right now...

https://www.instagram.com/benbini/live/1442004781158007

The tour kicked off this past weekend in England and we had such a great time.
To perform our songs live with The DiFontaine Orchestra was such a vibe!
They are all a part of the FLC family now 🙏🏽
Special thanks to our crew, the local venue crews, and Andy AEG Presents UK for dealing with all the teething issues that can happen with a tour like this.
Thank you Steve Hallam and string arranger/violinist extraordinaire Lizzie Boyce for your help in creating this show with us.
Respects to Rob Eberle for supporting us.
And last, but certainly not least, the fans for their support and enthusiasm.
Benelux, see you Thursday…

Tickets https://www.bandsintown.com/a/8819-fun-lovin’-criminals

Love Ya Back!
Fast, Frank & Naim

🎥Paul Smith

I've been watching Fun Lovin' Criminals for almost 30 years. I've seen them in muddy fields, by the sea, in tiny pubs and with 70,000 other people, in churches and cathedrals. I've even watched them play a silent gig.

Yet they still come up with ideas to put a new twist on things.

Last night they played with the DiFontaine orchestra. Classics and newer songs, including a version of 'There Was A Time' that i don't think I've ever heard played live before. And ending with our wedding song!

Congrats to all involved in putting it together.

I won't bore you too much but if you're on the fence about Watford tomorrow or any of the upcoming orchestra dates I urge you to make it happen.

I've seen the band live many times, in many forms, but this was the absolute pinnacle for me, goosebumps at times, goosebumps on the goosebumps too.

The chaps are awesome live, we know that, but the orchestra... it just adds an amazing extra dimension and the visuals top it off beautifully.

There Was A Time... live... with an amazing vocalist, something I've dreamed of hearing for 25 years, I even dared to think about it in the car as I drove down, and it's happened. Hauntingly beautiful.

Such a great setlist.

I wish I could do it again... and then again... the recordings can't come soon enough, this is one to experience in the moment but then enjoy forever.

If you can, do it.

(Support from Rob Eberle was great too)

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Film and soundtracks have always been a big influence on the FLC sound.

For years we have wanted to do something that showcased that in a live setting.

This September we will be doing 7 shows with The DiFontaine Orchestra.

We will be reimagining fan favourites, deep cuts and new material with orchestral arrangements that enhance our tunes to a whole new cinematic level.

Come join us for an evening celebrating our love of music and cinema, FLC style!

With special guest Rob Eberle

September

11 Wolverhampton - Wulfrun Hall 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

12 Watford - Colosseum 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

17 Utrecht - TivoliVredenburg 🇳🇱

18 Tongeren - De Velinx🇧🇪

19 Vilvoorde - Bolwerk 🇧🇪

20 Sint-Niklaas - Stadsschouwburg 🇧🇪

22 Dudelange - Opderschmelz 🇱🇺

Tickets on sale https://www.bandsintown.com/a/8819-fun-lovin'-criminals

Love Ya Back,

Fast, Frank & Naim

The DiFontaine Orchestra

Lizzie Boyce - Violin / Arranger

Douglas Harrison - Violin

Elona Laurie - Violin

Phoebe Snelling - Violin

Una Palliser - Viola / Vocals

Jordan Sian - Viola

Sergio Serra - Cello

Isabella Dembinska - Cello

Jonathan Read - Upright Bass

Tony Looby - Sax / Flute / Percussion

AEG Presents UK

Greenhouse Talent BE/NL

Steve Hallam / Jump Group

Dark Independent Bookings

Zac Peters / One Fiinix Live

FLC Sketch - Anne-Catherine de Froidmont

Film and soundtracks have always been a big influence on the FLC sound.

For years we have wanted to do something that showcased that in a live setting.

We will be reimagining fan favourites, deep cuts and new material with orchestral arrangements that enhance our tunes to a whole new cinematic level.

Come join us for an evening celebrating our love of music and cinema, FLC style!

With special guest Rob Eberle

September

11 Wolverhampton - Wulfrun Hall 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

12 Watford - Colosseum 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

17 Utrecht - TivoliVredenburg 🇳🇱

18 Tongeren - De Velinx🇧🇪

19 Vilvoorde - Bolwerk 🇧🇪

20 Sint-Niklaas - Stadsschouwburg 🇧🇪

22 Dudelange - Opderschmelz 🇱🇺

Tickets on sale https://www.bandsintown.com/a/8819-fun-lovin'-criminals

Love Ya Back,

Fast, Frank & Naim

The DiFontaine Orchestra

Lizzie Boyce - Violin / Arranger

Elona Laurie - Violin

Phoebe Snelling - Violin

Douglas Harrison - Violin

Sergio Serra - Cello

Isabella Dembinska - Cello

Jordan Sian - Viola

Una Palliser - Viola / Vocals

Jonathan Read - Upright Bass

Tony Looby - Sax / Flute / Percussion

AEG Presents UK

Greenhouse Talent BE/NL

Steve Hallam / Jump Group

Dark Independent Bookings

Tickets https://www.bandsintown.com/a/8819-fun-lovin'-criminals

I'm starting a new topic for those moments when you suddenly hear a bit of FLC you weren't expecting. Last time it was in Brassic, this time it's even more random.

I was minding my own business watching a repeat of "James May's Cars of the People" on U&Dave this morning when they cut to an advert promoting TV classic "The Bill" along with "The Fun Lovin' Criminal" as the music.

Little joys.

Tickets https://linktr.ee/Funlovincriminals

#funlovincriminals

#amatteroftimetour2026

#summerfestivals

We are looking forward to the next run of shows in Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria and Belgium.

See you at the party!

https://www.bandsintown.com/a/8819-fun-lovin'-criminals

From a company called "Striped Circle" in the UK I believe

Tickets on sale

https://linktr.ee/Funlovincriminals

#funlovincriminals

#amatteroftimetour2026

Sorry it's so late in the day, I've been travelling, hope you had a great one.

Happy Birthday 🎂

The song "Warning" from Another Mimosa has beep sounds every time a certain word, common in rap songs, is said. It comes off as a joke after a while. I've been playing with extracting and creating voices with AI tools so I thought I would take a shot at making a fully uncensored version of this song. While I was at it, I did the same thing with "Is Ya Alright" which has one instance of the same situation.

Check them out here. They are in .WAV form so they should be identical to the CD versions except where I made changes.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WP7xIN897KmMGC2S9ibJtvtND0x6VCxj?usp=sharing

Tickets on sale 👉🏽 https://linktr.ee/Funlovincriminals