#WeekendSingles Morning Wonder by The Earlies and Straight to the One by Balloon were my most played tunes on Spotify this year. They’re both on my Turn of the Millennium playlist of great songs from 1995-2005 🎧▶️ open.spotify.com/playlist/0MW...

Very sad to say that my old pal Phil Vinall has just died. I'll write more about Phil at somepoint - in the meantime here's a nice piece by Ian from Balloon. Rest in Noise Phil, dear friend.

I posted some thoughts about my friend Phil Vinall 🖤. It's free to read here: www.patreon.com/posts/to-inf...

To all who visited Balloon's Bandcamp page yesterday and splashed out on a copy of Gas 'n' Air, thanks a million. You're stars. And don't forget, if you fancy seeing Balloon live, grab your tickets now at: linktr.ee/balloontheband balloontheband.bandcamp.com/album/gas-n-...

We were lucky enough to see The Earlies in Hackney in October and can’t wait to see Balloon in March - dates and tickets here linktr.ee/balloontheba... (THREAD) #WeekendSingles @ianfromballoon.bsky.social youtu.be/P1zBr_aKFOg

Tickets for all shows for the Balloon March UK tour are now on sale here linktr.ee/balloontheband The London show at The Betsey with @dannythechamp.bsky.social is an old-fashion Saturday matinee. So you’ll be home for tea. Can’t promise popcorn, but you never know 😉

Excited to announce Balloon’s first UK tour since backing comic genius Bill Hicks in 1992. Capacity is limited, so don’t hang around. Get your tickets now via the links in the bio. *Ticket details for the London show follow soon **poster by the brilliant Louise de Viry

Read more at www.stateofsoundmagazine.com/one-to-watch...

Fab to see @ianfromballoon.bsky.social on this week’s @state-of-sound-mag.bsky.social magazine. Thanks for the shoutout, too! www.stateofsoundmagazine.com/one-to-watch... Both Balloon albums are well worth your time.

Balloon in the new issue of the fab @State-of-Sound-mag.bsky.social. Oh, and some other obscure stuff 😂 www.stateofsoundmagazine.com/one-to-watch...

NEW: Extraordinary scenes in Amsterdam this afternoon (Sunday, Oct 5). An estimated 250,000 bring the city to a standstill; people all wearing red to show solidarity with Palestine 🇵🇸 (🎥 Ahmed Zantac)

big thanks to the excellent @state-of-sound-mag.bsky.social for including Balloon in its fab October collection. Hear it here: open.spotify.com/playlist/0sQ...

Woohoo! Thanks so much to all who bought Gas 'n' Air yesterday (Bandcamp Friday). Truly appreciate your support !🙏

Wanna hear the LP that moved @lukehaines.bsky.social to tears? Described in Record Collector mag as “a total 24-carat masterpiece” Balloon’s Gas ‘n’ Air is out now at balloontheband.bandcamp.com. It’s a limited edition, so get it while you can.

Talking journalism, parenthood, and all sorts of other grown-up stuff + digging deep on Gas 'n' Air with the warm and welcoming @hiartontheedge.bsky.social. Streaming now in all the usual places.

IT'S OFFICIAL SURPRISE CAST #203 Ian Bickerton (Balloon) Please enjoy my heartfelt conversation with this amazingly thoughtful musician! @ianfromballoon.bsky.social @gidcoe.bsky.social @mojomagazine.bsky.social #indiefolk #fatherhood #music Listen: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s...

Surprise Cast w/ Ian Bickerton (Balloon) October 3, 2025 This week, I'll post episode #203, and it's a beauty. We discuss... - Role in journalism in life and music - Valuable lessons from fatherhood - Gas 'N' Air album + deep analysis @ianfromballoon.bsky.social #interview #podcast #surprisecast

Listeners are writing in to complain. “There’s only so much Balloon you can take!” Am clearly doing something right 😉 🤣 Hear for yourself @ www.mixcloud.com/RadioReverb/... @radioreverb.bsky.social

Listen up people! Live now on the Balloon Patreon page: Six songs, three from each LP. Enjoy this and more for free. Huge thanks to Pete Jones for hosting. And to your for tuning in....❤️ Link in the bio. #radioreverb #singersongwriter #balloontheband #indiefolk #petejonesshow

Been down by the seaside playing Balloon tunes in the sunshine. If you missed us, catch the playback on www.radioreverb.com/show/the-pet... Big thanks to Pete and the gang @radioreverb.bsky.social for bringing the love. ❤️

It’s Bandcamp Friday, people. You know the drill. Record Collector Magazine called Balloon’s Gas ‘n’ Air “A total 24-carat masterpiece”. Wanna hear what moved @lukehainesart.bsky.social to tears? Follow the link in the bio☝️ recordcollectormag.com/articles/luk...

Good read on the (hoped for/expected/imminent 🤞) demise of Spotify in Far Out Magazine: faroutmagazine.co.uk/non-place-sp... Echoes something I wrote a few months back www.patreon.com/posts/128059... To paraphrase Tom Waits: “They must have been reading my mail.”😉

Huge thanks to @gidcoe.bsky.social @marcrileydj.bsky.social for playing There is Love off the new Balloon LP Gas ‘n’ Air on @bbc6music.bsky.social tonight. And to the righteous @lukehaines.bsky.social for tipping them off. Thanks fellas 🙏

Thanks again to Pete Jones @radioreverb for playing yet another tune from the new Balloon LP Gas ‘n’ Air on his epic Monday show (repeats Saturday). Hear it here: www.mixcloud.com/RadioReverb/...

Also, I believe you can find a copy of this album on vinyl lurking in @lookingforthemagic.bsky.social in south London.

I’ve said before Gas ‘n’ Air by @ianfromballoon.bsky.social is an astonishingly gorgeous record and one of 2024’s highlights. But if my word isn’t enough, maybe that of Luke Haines will be: recordcollectormag.com/articles/luk...

At the risk of sounding like a stuck record (ouch!) huge thanks due (again!) to Pete Jones for placing Balloon’s new LP balloontheband.bandcamp.com/album/gas-n-... on heavy rotation on his epic @radioreverb.bsky.social show. Have a listen here if you missed it: www.mixcloud.com/RadioReverb/...

Gas 'n' Air by Balloon is one of my favourite albums of the past 12 months. Listen to it and and buy a copy here (THREAD) ▶️🎧🎈 balloontheband.bandcamp.com/album/gas-n-...

Here's a beautiful article by Luke Haines (@lukehaines.bsky.social)‬ about Balloon (@ianfromballoon.bsky.social)‬ from the latest edition of Record Collector magazine (THREAD) 👀 recordcollectormag.com/articles/luk...

Wow! Balloon’s new LP Gas ‘n’ Air is “A total 24-carat masterpiece,” writes @lukehaines.bsky.social in Record Collector Magazine. Hear what all the fuss is about at balloontheband.bandcamp.com Read all about it at recordcollectormag.com Thanks a million Luke for keeping the faith ❤️

Huge thanks again to the fab Pete Jones for his unwavering support for Balloon's new LP Gas 'n' Air on his Radio Reverb show ! Listen back here www.mixcloud.com/RadioReverb/...

Want a full-on, straight-up rocking guitar track for this Friday? Can't do better than Hard Enough by The Experimental Pop Band. Pre-order track went live this morning on Bandcamp, album out on #vinyl and digital 25th July: unspunheroes.bandcamp.com/track/hard-e...

New from Balloon on Patreon: our first US tour. For now it’s a trip down memory lane but who knows, with luck, there may be a return. Meanwhile indulge yourselves and me, for free, at www.patreon.com/Balloontheband.

I wrote about Hot Air, our club in Haarlem, the Netherlands, in Science & Magic, the newsletter from Violette Records, from where, I happily admit, we borrowed the format. Read about it here: www.violetterecords.com/science-and-...

First Sly, now Brian. Damn. 😢

Just heard the sad news that Bob Andrews has left the building. Lovely fella. Rest easy, Bob.

Read and hear the story of Lafayette, a long lost Balloon tune, on Patreon now. Link in bio. #GrandDrive #Basementtapes #DylanandtheBand #Dedicatedrecords #BalloonGravity #NewOrleans Pic: Balloon outside Bill's Records, Dallas, Texas; June 1992. (photo: Alex Hofmann)

I always go back to Astral Weeks. Not as popular these days. I wonder if it’s too mystical/spiritual for modern sensibilities? It probably doesn’t help that Van is a cantankerous old bugger. I think it’ll always be my favourite. Genre-defying, fearless, wonderfully inscrutable, utterly transcendent.

Congrats Arsenal women. Champions league winners ! What a performance!

But my favourite thing from today is getting a copy of this 1992 gem by @ianfromballoon.bsky.social which has stunning photography on the cover and inner by Karin Rosenthal. See more of Karin’s stunning work: karinrosenthal.com/photography....

Been barking on about bleedin’ streaming. It’s here to read, for the more enlightened among you patreon.com/balloontheband

Big thanks to Pete Jones for spinning Underneath My Bed from the new Gas 'n' Air LP on his terrific www.radioreverb.com show today. If you missed it, tune in again Saturday at 6pm (UK) at 97.2FM, DAB+ or via and streaming platforms. #balloontheband

The Pete Jones Show on RadioReverb www.radioreverb.com today at 5pm (UK). Tune in for Balloon and more. 97.2FM, DAB+ and streaming far and wide.

Not so long ago I did a great two-parter with the awesome Surprise Cast talking all things Balloon. If you didn’t catch it then, listen now on Patreon via link in bio. (Photo Kingsway, New Orleans, during recording sessions for the Balloon LP Gravity). Thanks a million to hiartontheedge.bsky.social

Got a new (free) post up on Patreon continuing the story behind the new LP Gas 'n' Air. Hear here: www.patreon.com/Balloontheband

Never in doubt 😉

Thanks to the gang @unionmusicstore.bsky.social @lookingforthemagic.bsky.social #recordstoreday #vinyl #balloontheband

Got a thing up on Patreon now about me and Beyoncé. No, seriously. www.patreon.com/Balloontheband

happymonday, is your song next? tune in to hear great tracks on 24/7 rotation zeno.fm/radio/theret... ft'ing @rearwindowmusic.bsky.social @warmcoat.bsky.social @ianfromballoon.bsky.social @sundayjunkie.bsky.social @thespeedofsounduk.bsky.social and many more

happy monday. is ur song next? tune in to hear great tracks on 24/7 rotation zeno.fm/radio/theret... ft'ing @ianfromballoon.bsky.social @sundayjunkie.bsky.social @translator-band.bsky.social @mikeyjmusic.bsky.social @katyekellyeandthei.bsky.social and many more