iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

012

Fred, our beloved CPD/SpanAm cat, died yesterday. The sweetest and gentlest of giants, he brought only joy into our world. We shall miss him terribly. This is one of many tunes inspired by the lad... ❤️ youtu.be/wVEBTMOrKk4

youtu.be

The Chickpea Darlings - The Cat Likes A Good Box Set

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Morrisons supermarket, Letchworth. It should, of course, read, 'Made by two plaice who loved each other very, very much, somewhere in the North Atlantic... or, possibly, God.'

000

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

...and we were, as it turned out, really pretty good. Complete strangers said so. And a hairy man offered us a threesome (we think - we were packing leads and suchlike by that point). "More fun than the psychiatric hospital" - our verdict. Blezzings to Paul for making it happen. 👍

120

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

youtu.be/ZRz7v074l18 Chickpea Darlings have been invited to play the Green Room at David's in Letchworth on Friday. Last time I played anything live: 2022, drums (badly), in a psychiatric hospital (employee, not patient) - mostly Sex Pistols covers. From this afternoon's rehearsal, anyhoo... 🙂

youtu.be

Chickpea Darlings - The Boy Salome - Rehearsal Footage

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

One member of the SpanAm/Chickpea Darlings collective has a book launch today (a proper one, down in that thar London, with wine and nibbles and everything). It is NOT: i) Me ii) The Cat iii) Ivan iv) Annik shutterhub.org.uk/shop/into-th...

shutterhub.org.uk

INTO THE TREES by Jo Stapleton – Shutter Hub

In the forest nothing stands still. Time layered through thoughts and feelings, leaves kicked and crunched as we walk. The trees talk to each other, sending mycelium messages, carbon gifts, and warnin...

The Green Party of England & Wales @greenparty.org.uk · 29/05/2026

Reposted by The Spanish Amanda

@elliechowns.bsky.social responds to proposed expansion of Israeli military control in Gaza.

616267

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

Two-thirds of Hagar The Womb on Tuesday night at the Hope & Anchor. Bloody marvellous. Mini-Mekons (also featuring wee Mitch...) also stonkingly good value... especially the tiny 'Three Johns' sub-set at the end... ...happy, happy, happy... ❤️

000

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Prospect of seeing the Waco Brothers at the Lexington in July is almost painfully thrilling. Last spotted (by me, anyway) at the Camden Underworld circa 'Wacoworld' around a quarter of a century ago (and blisteringly fine they were...). 'S been too long... ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

Am generally not one for dispensing scattergun endorsements, but this is rather fine... and 's on that thar Bandcamp: billpritchard.bandcamp.com/track/lillie

billpritchard.bandcamp.com

Lillie, by Bill Pritchard

from the album Haunted

141

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

Reading Ed Tudor Pole's autobiography - and realise now, for the first time, that Tenpole Tudor's 1981 hit, 'Wünderbar', was NOT, in fact, entitled 'Won The War' (as literally *everyone* in the 2nd Snaith Cub Scouts troop believed, at the time). Was this purely a localised misconception..? 🤔

000

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Am delighted that an all-action starring role has FINALLY been found to meet the talents of the mighty John Robb... ...and that his hair's grown back at the sides a bit. 'Robb for Bond', I say. 'S never too late.

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

A hearty "Cheers..." to everyone who gave us a fiscal bung for 'Paint, Sing...' these last couple of months. As promised we've passed on the (vast, vast) profits of £57.52 to UNICEF... and topped it up to something more festive on your behalf. Gawd blezz y's all, and all best for '26... Amanda x 🍷

Larry the Cat @number10cat.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

Reposted by The Spanish Amanda

You don't know what day it is. You're eating countless meals a day with lots of snacks in between. You're napping throughout they day. Either it's the time between Christmas and New Year or you're a cat.

493499598

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

...and a very merry Christmas from the SpanAm/Chickpea Darlings collective. Do drop by if you're passing - 's sherry around about now, then a DVD of 'The Great Escape', and we'll be carving the Waitrose (yes, Waitrose..!!) vegan roast around 4-ish. All goodhearts welcome. Love to youse all. X

060

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

Dashed civil of you to shine a little light upon the Darlings, sir. Mrs Darling (currently attempting to persuade Fred Darling - the cat - to scoff a little of his medicinal 'kidney' kibble) will be mighty chuffed. 😘 (...me) 👧 (...Mrs D, looking mighty chuffed) 🐈‍⬛ (...Fred, inscrutable) 👍

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

Mrs Darling said we should make this available again in the run-up to You Know When: thechickpeadarlings.bandcamp.com/track/merry-... Any income will go to UNICEF... because, frankly, they need it more than any of us. Like young Bill Pritchard once sang: "Sometimes it's better to be bitter..." 🙂

Merry Christmas, Elizabeth, by The Chickpea Darlings

track by The Chickpea Darlings

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

Aaaah, the ravages of time. A fortnight passes... and I can now report that 'Paint, Sing...' is NO LONGER WARM but now IMPERIOUSLY COLD, icily unapproachable and FROSTILY MAJESTIC. It doesn't, in its present state, give two shits whether you buy it or not - it's just TOO DARNED GLACIAL. ❄️🏔️🥶🏔️❄️

000

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

Three-fifths of Skimmington Ride at Hitchin's (delightfully NOT axed) Club 85 last night... remarkable for their amiably beery pep, their winning way with a 14th century banger and - most remarkable of all - their entirely invisible drummer. We have an invisible drummer too. T'ain' easy. ❤️

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

Spanish Amanda nominated for 'BEST SEXY CHANSON' Grammy - by the French..!! Yes - WE couldn't believe it either, until we (think we) DISTINCTLY HEARD it in the between-song DJ patter RIGHT HERE: canalb.fr/lollypop/8526 ...admittedly, in a language we don't actually speak. But hey - A GRAMMY..!!

canalb.fr

Lollypop | paul felix

120

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 09/11/2025

One of our people ('the cat') informs us of the presence of 'Walter Benjamin' - a recent SpanAm creation - on this otherwise exemplary selection of tunes. Be under no illusion - listening to 'Walter Benjamin' WILL cause temporary blindness, uncontrollable pottymouth and hives. Stay vigillant..! 🧐

120

Reposted by The Spanish Amanda

Luetgewatz @luetgewatz.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

Today's arrival: "Paint, Sing, Burn Down Everything" by The Spanish Amanda ... Limited edition CDr in a gatefold cardboard case ... Profit made from CD sales will be sent to UNICEF. So order a copy on bandcamp. @spanishamandauk.bsky.social #TheSpanishAmanda #NewAlbum #IndiePop #JanglePop

142

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOmH... What with that nice Mr Musk about to become a trillionaire, it seemed a pertinent time to post this again. 'S on the album, y'know - a better mix, actually (but just as drenched in cheerily apocalyptic bile... 🙂).

youtube.com

The Day The World Turned Cosplay - The Spanish Amanda

James Clossick @jamesclossick.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

Reposted by The Spanish Amanda

Racist Nigel Farage has grifted over a £1M from his jobs on the side since becoming an MP. He’s never in Clacton, probably can’t even find it on a map, and now he says £10 an hour minimum wage for young people is too much, and it should be cut. He’s a cunt. Sack him Clacton!

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Reposted by The Spanish Amanda

Out now..!! Get 'im while 'ee's hot..!! ☕ thespanishamanda.bandcamp.com/album/paint-...

Paint, Sing, Burn Down Everything, by The Spanish Amanda

10 track album

043

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

Still 'out' (if you will), and while technically no longer 'hot', I can nonetheless confirm that this long-player remains acceptably warm throughout, and is crisping nicely at the edges. Delicious. So... erm... 'STILL out now..!! Get 'im while 'ee's ACCEPTABLY WARM and crisping nicely..!! 🍳❤️🍳❤️🍳

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

thechickpeadarlings.bandcamp.com/track/your-h... AND there's a black cat on the sleeve art. Jes' sayin'. "Maow..!!" 🐈‍⬛👻🐈‍⬛💀🐈‍⬛👻🐈‍⬛ 🐈‍⬛👻🐈‍⬛🎸🐈‍⬛👻🐈‍⬛ 🐈‍⬛👻🐈‍⬛💀🐈‍⬛👻🐈‍⬛

Your Hungry Ghosts, by The Chickpea Darlings

from the album 'Beef' EP

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Amanda loves you, Mr Voodoo, sir... and in the event that Mrs Voodoo ever tires of your mighty beard and deft poetic chops (which, clearly, she WON'T), then Amanda is waiting in the wings to cleave you to her more-than-ample bosom. You lovely man, you. Amanda (Spanish) xxxx xxxx xxxx

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

FIFTEEN HOURS 'til execution time. Brave New Girl has made its final confession and chosen its breakfast (brioche roll, haloumi, avocado, fried egg, loads of hot sauce, bloody mary chaser) - then it's OFF TO THE CHAIR. Our advice - download 'er WHILE YOU STILL CAN..!! 💀❤️👻❤️💀❤️👻❤️💀

000

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

A hearty 'Yo, chaps..!!' to our celebrity chums - Bono, Taylor, Donald - who've already had a lackey download a copy of BNG for them. Everyone else - y'll have to do it y'selves, and within the next 48 hours... 'cos after that, we're TAKING IT OUTSIDE and PUTTING IT OUT OF ITS MISERY. Harsh times.

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

Celebrating its quarter-century today - our 1st album, 'Brave New Girl', given an imperceptibly light remaster and a free '25th Anniversary' re-release on Bandcamp... for ONE week only! thespanishamanda.bandcamp.com/album/brave-... New album - 'Paint, Sing, Burn Down Everything' - out NEXT Sunday!

Brave New Girl - 25th Anniversary, by The Spanish Amanda

12 track album

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

CD copies of 'Paint, Sing, Burn Down Everything' now exist... and they have, as you can see, been scattered insouciantly on the carpet at Amanda Towers. 'Teaser' song still accessible on SpanishAmanda.com - www.spanishamanda.com/4_The_Doctor... Releases on Bandcamp on 26th October - hurrah..!! 👍

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

Reposted by The Spanish Amanda

We don't normally GET excited by things - we don't have the requisite glands - but our next long-player is just heading down to Essex to be duplicated. This is on it: www.spanishamanda.com/4_The_Doctor... Enjoy.

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

Reposted by The Spanish Amanda

Distrokid informs us, alarmingly, that 'Bitter Lemon turns 5 today!' Christ..!! We never put its name down for Eton, started a trust fund for it or got it a nanny. We are BAD PARENTS. Find out just *how* bad here (and download it for nowt 🙂): thechickpeadarlings.bandcamp.com/track/my-bab...

My Baby Wants A Riot, by The Chickpea Darlings

from the album Bitter Lemon

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

My Baby Wants A Riot, by The Chickpea Darlings

from the album Bitter Lemon

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

Delightfully - as of 5 minutes ago - we appear (after much tea'n'dunkies) to have a rough start-to-end mix of the soon-to-be new SpanAm album. The pic is me (or possibly my brother... can't be sure), c.1976, pre-emptively jumping for joy... a prescient 49 years early. Possible sleeve art..? 🙂

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

It is now RAINING on the Balstock festival. I do not have the Trumpian hubris required to claim that IF the Chickpea Darlings had been asked to play it WOULDN'T have rained... ...I'm just saying that we WEREN'T invited to play, and it did. Jes' sayin'. That's all. Sayin'. 🙂 ☔🌧️☔🌧️☔🌧️☔🌧️☔🌧️☔🌧️☔🌧️☔🌧️☔🌧️☔🌧️☔

James Clossick @jamesclossick.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Reposted by The Spanish Amanda

As usual where Trump’s concerned the politicians and the talking heads have got it all wrong. He wouldn’t spit on the UK if it was on fire, and nothing he says can be trusted. We’re rolling out the red carpet to a Nazi rapist. Shame on us. www.bbc.com/news/article...

bbc.com

Trump loves all things royal. Will that be the King's ace card when he visits?

If anyone can get the president's attention, King Charles and the Royal Family must be close to the top of the list.

031

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

"Career Retrospective"..?!! HA..!! I have it on excellent authority ("myself") that an absurdly fine new 10-choon SpanAm album is only DAYS away from being mixed* - "Paint, Sing, Burn Down Everything" - vinegary ditties for the most vinegary of times... ...oh yes, yes, YES... 🙂 * - by the 🐈‍⬛.

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Reposted by The Spanish Amanda

Now then..!! Apparently, the Spanish Amanda's "Let 'Em Eat Art" - the only EP *ever* to be released in 'confectionery' form ('a heavily customised KitKat') - is 3 YEARS OLD TODAY(ish)..!! Still a cheeky wee bugger today, and FREE to y's all..!! ❤️❤️❤️ thespanishamanda.bandcamp.com/track/the-bo...

The Boy Salome, by The Spanish Amanda

from the album Let Them Eat Art! EP

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Well... the Chickpea Darlings haven't, it seems, made the grade to appear at this year's Balstock festival... ...AGAIN. Unlike the North Herts Ladies' Choir and Are Friends Electric ('an electro 80s party band based in Hertfordshire'). Is this what Kurt died for..? IS IT..?!! IS IT..!?!! 😠

000

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

The Boy Salome, by The Spanish Amanda

from the album Let Them Eat Art! EP

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

I've a TV crew in my shop on Thursday, filming 'my normal life...' background-y stuff for a local game show contestant. The temptation to create a shop playlist composed entirely of SpanAm, False Dawns, Chickpea Darlings and London Fields songs is troublingly powerful. I mean - I *won't*, but... 😁

220

Reposted by The Spanish Amanda

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

Quick note about this release - bit troubling - but we've heard credible accounts of False Dawns CDs actually bullying wimpier discs in people's collections - particularly ones with umlauts - (Queensrÿche, Motörhead, Crüe) - pigtail-pulling, in particular, has been mentioned. Vile, VILE behaviour.

001

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

By means of an update re. "My Baby Wants A Riot" - the CPDs wish to put on the record that over the past month or so, the 'baby' in question has sought to vent her pro-riot sentiments in a variety of ways... ...and that she simply CANNOT WAIT until that Nice Mr Trump pays his state visit to the UK.

100

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

Tomorrow's soundtrack @ Emmaus Letchworth - mostly the Fountains of Wayne, I think. Suits the sultry Letchworth weather & the Letchworthian 'deep-fried' temperament. Shall report back on whether or not the FOW assists in the charitable sale of sofas, bureaus & upcycled hatstands. Watch this space.

140

The Spanish Amanda @spanishamandauk.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

Another Saturday selling (fine, fine) secondhand furniture for Emmaus in Letchworth... ...but WHICH artistes on the shop iPod accompanied most sales..? Well, I can reveal today's top 3 were: i) Microdisney ii) The Smiths iii) The Tansads Another top day, kicking homelessness up the bottom. 👍