INSPIRAL CARPETS keyboard player CLINT BOON could become the next BOB THE BUILDER, when his theme tune to cartoon series ‘ENGIE BENJI’ is released as a single later this year.
The keyboard player/songwriter for the reformed ’90s heroes, who embark on their first UK tour for nine years in March, has written and sung the title track for the CITV series for pre-school kids, which is shown in 18 countries. The cartoon is voiced by showbiz duo Ant and Dec.
Describing Engie Benji on his website www.clintboon.com, Boon said: “He lives in this surreal marzipan-coloured Plasticine world and spends all day helping his friends to solve their problems with the help of nothing more than a dog, a van and a wicked imagination. I can relate to him so much. That’s why I gave him a theme tune.”
Speaking to NME.COM, he said the single could become a big hit. “The theme sounds like The Clint Boon Experience. It will be out as a single some time this year, but I don’t know the date yet.”
Before then, Inspiral Carpets embark on an eight-date UK tour, which includes a date at Brixton Academy, moved up from Shepherds Bush Empire.
“It’s not a money-making venture,” Boon insisted. “It’s purely to get out and celebrate how good the Inspirals were and what a substantial contribution we made to pop music.
“That first gig we do at Sheffield is going to be a beautiful moment – walking on stage together for the first time in eight years and playing the opening notes to ‘This Is How It Feels’ is going to be fucking amazing!”
The band are also currently in the process of putting together a three-disc best-of compilation, which may coincide with summer festival dates. It will include a disc of greatest hits, another featuring B-sides and rarities, and a third DVD with footage from throughout the band’s career. “We’re still assembling it, going through all the old footage, photographs, slides and laminates and stuff,” Boon said. “It’s going to be hard work.” It will be released through Mute later this year.
Boon added that they might decide to start work on a new album after the summer, but were waiting to see how the shows went first. “We’re just taking it a little bit at a time,” he said.
The Inspirals dates are:
Sheffield Octagon (March 27)
Bristol Academy (28)
Leeds University (29)
Birmingham Academy (30)
Glasgow Academy (April 2)
Manchester Academy (3)
Brixton Academy (4)
Manchester Academy (5)