After a period of tributary
silence following Martin's
death, a series of tour dates
for the end of the year were
announced. The tour would
be the biggest that the new
line-up would have embarked
on, stopping at towns and
cities not normally visited
such as Aylesbury,
Birkenhead and Shrewsbury
alongside the usual sites of
Glasgow, Birmingham and London. Four Summer festival
dates were also announced
including confirmation of
the long-rumoured Guilfest
Festival in July. Two of
the festival dates would see
the group as sub-headliners
under the ever-popular
Embrace who had recently
recorded the official
England World Cup track.
News of the next single to
be taken from 'Suspended By
Stars' was also released.
The choice for second single
was originally going to be
'Last Second Of The Minute'
but in response to media
reactions to the track, 'Sun
Goes Down On Manor Road' was
lined up for released at
the end of May (although it
would be later
delayed to mid-June to
coincide with the release of
Underground Ernie on the BBC
and also bringing it closer
to the Summer's live dates).
Although the track would
only be available as a
digital download, the group
decided to release a bonus
track, the long-awaited
'Shit Out Of Luck', via
their website at the same
time.
Sadly, despite apparent
media interest when the
single was being promoted,
it achieved little success
although sales were boosted
by the fact that in order to
receive the bonus track,
buyers had to send the
Wonder Stuff's record
company a copy of their
transaction receipt.
In the build-up to the
Summer months, more live
dates were added including
an appearance in London on
Miles' 40th birthday where a
small party was held for him
at the Half Moon in Putney,
London which was attended by
friends, family and a small
number of fans who had
purchased tickets. The
group (supported by Dolittle)
played a shortened set to
the excessive temperatures
in the venue but a great
night was had by all who
attended.
In August, Miles was
approached by the ITV
television network to take
part in their next series of
I'm A Celebrity (Get Me Out
Of Here) to be aired in the
Autumn. Miles went along to
the initial interviews with
the best of intentions but
whilst looking around the
meeting room his eyes fell
upon a picture of the show's
hosts Ant McPartlin and
Declan Donnelly (aka PJ and
Duncan from televisions
Byker Grove). Without
engaging brain before mouth,
he proceeded to tell his
hosts of his dislike for the
pair and what he thought of them... Miles never
appeared on the show...!
As September drew to a
close, it became apparent
that the long-rumoured new
live album (due for release
in November) was no longer
in the release schedules.
After numerous delays by
Universal for the planned
rarities release on their
Classics and Collectables
label, it had now been
decided that the live album
would be combined with the
rarities album and released
in March 2007 by Universal
as a complete double album.
To tide fans over,
additional live dates were
added including a mini-tour
of Ireland and the UK by
Miles and Erica on their own. It was
also revealed that Miles had
been working over the Summer
with Ian Prowse (of
Amsterdam) on new material
for a future
Underground Ernie soundtrack
album. It was also rumoured at
the time, and indeed Miles
mentioned it himself on some
occasions, that the BBC were
considering the release of
an Underground Ernie single
for Christmas 2007 although
this never happened.