On Her Bentley's Secret Service

Everyone's favourite psychedelic beat monsters, Bentley Rhythm Ace, return with a spanking new LP, For Your Ears Only, and an Irish live date this week.

Also prolific DJs, Richard and Mike are now re-adjusting to the promotional merry go round.
"Sorry, I'm a bit tired mate" yawns a weary Richard March. "I've been out all weekend, and we have the single coming out in a few days time, so we're busy all the time giving out flyers."
You mean you give out your own flyers even though you are signed to Parlophone?
"Nah, not really. We have been busy though honest!"
By the sounds of it, they have been very busy Bentleys. For Your Ears Only and its first single, 'Theme from Gutbuster', add new twists to their spaced out beatfest. As BRA are best known on these shores as frequent guest DJs, did their increasingly regular forays behind the decks contribute in any way to For Your Ears Only being a more dance-floor friendly affair?
"Well, it s difficult for me to say whether this album comes from a clubbier place or not. We spend a lot of time in night-clubs so I suppose so, but then again we also spend a lot of time sitting in the garden enjoying the sunshine. The new single is to us the sound of the ice cream van coming, but we recorded it last winter. We keep being asked to DJ in Ireland and it s very difficult to say no. The last time we were over was Paddy's night and we had a brilliant time. Deejaying has taken us as far as Mexico, so I have to say that we love it!"
Did your jetsetting DJ schedule contribute to the delay in completing this album?
"Possibly. But it also really helped 'cos we're able to burn CDs and give 'em a spin in clubs. That helped us to re-work and tweak a lot of the album, and it s the best way of receiving feedback from people while we are recording, even if they have no idea what it is! Otherwise it is very difficult to tell what the record really sounds like."
BRA shows to date are legendary for being quite anarchic affairs. What tricks are the Bentley's going to sort us out with this time?
"Playing live is going to be a lot different because we have a lot of guest musicians and vocalists," explains Richard. "Kermit (formerly of Black Grape) is coming out on tour with us, so that should be fun. He kept saying that he gets very bored and depressed sitting at the side of the stage waiting to go on, so since he gets paid the same wages he might as well be onstage all the time either playing keyboards or rapping.
The stage show is going to be pretty good. We don't have the car any more, but there's plenty of mad slide shows and funny flashing lights that we spent absolutely ages doing. Dublin is the first date of our world tour, and on previous experience, it is bound to be good."
Bentley Rhythm Ace play the Temple Bar Music Centre on Friday 26th May. For Your Ears Only is out now on Parlophone/BRA Sounds.