Current line up: Tim Booth (vocals), Angelo Badalamenti (keyboards), Bernard Butler (guitar), Mark Egan (bass), Ira Siegel (guitar), Graham Hawthorne (drums)

With the exception of Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe's superb "Barcelona" album, there can be few, if any, collaborations as unusual or as good as the one in 1996 that brought together renowned composer Angelo Badalamenti with Tim Booth.

Tim Booth, the frontman of Manchester group, James, needs no introduction. His music with James helped create the Madchester sound of the early 1990's and has since developed into an unorthodox, intelligent rock often incorporating folk and pop.

On the other hand, 54-year old Angelo Badalamenti, comes from a classical, jazz and operatic background. The Brooklyn-born Italian-American is famous for composing the eerie scores to the TV series "Twin Peaks" and the movies "Blue Velvet" and "Wild At Heart".

Surprisingly, the resulting "Booth and The Bad Angel" album is extremely enjoyable despite the huge differences between the musical styles of the two. The superb hit single, "I Believe", highlights this charting highly in the UK.

The success of the project also relies on the work put in by ex-Suede member, Bernard Butler, who mixed the album as well as playing guitar on all but four of the brilliant eleven tracks (he also plays piano on two). The project also spawned the hits, "Dance Of The Bad Angels" and the song both agree is their favourite, "Fall In Love With Me", highlighting Angelo's influence whilst "Hit Parade" could have been lifted straight off a James album.

Whilst Tim has returned to massive success with James, (their "Greatest Hits" and "Millionaires" albums charting highly), he is keen to work with Angelo again. Thankfully Booth and The Bad Angel will return...

1996

Various