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Many gigs came and went (highlights included supporting Daniel Johnston on his first UK show, an appearance at the Happy Robots fest in Reading alongside Pram, and headlining a show at the Hyde Park Picture House in Leeds), as did 3 full length albums, 'Clumsy Music' (EGG29), 'Love is Gone Mad' (EGG36) and 'We Have No Need For Voices When Our Hearts Can Sing' (EGG49) as well as the EP 'I See Creatures' (EGG45). The last Big Eyes album featured a collaboration with Terry Edwards ('Bugle Junior') and was a sign of things to come with regards to the future of the band. In 2004 the the live set-up folded in order to concentrate on studio-based activities.

James and David continued to write and record and decided to put together a collaborations album. The next 2 years were taken up with this project, and the results were released in May 2006 as:

..'Do the Musiking' by the Big Eyes Family Players (EGG58)...

The 29-track album featured contributions/collaborations with such luminaries as James Yorkston (Domino/Fence), Jeremy Barnes (A Hawk and A Hacksaw), Rachel Grimes (Rachel's), James William Hindle (Badman/Track and Field), Suzy Mangion (George) as well as many others...

The album is a heady orchestral spin through klezmer, drone, balladry, folk and modern composition and comes in a lovely cd-digipack.

all of the above releases are available from Pickled Egg Records (www.pickled-egg.co.uk) and in all good independent mail-order/record shops..

The Yorkston-collaboration 'Sunday Jacket' featured on the flip-side of the 7-inch version of his single 'Woozy With Cider' in 2007 (on Domino Records).

2008 started with an 8-track album released on Irish label Rusted Rail. The album is called 'Donkeysongs'. It was put together by James, David and Chris Boyd (of Chora), playing lots of instruments, but not all at the same time. Perhaps the most psychedelic of the Big Eyes-related releases? If you want to buy one or just find out more go to www.rustedrail.com/bigeyes2.html or www.myspace.com/rustedrail

2009 has been a busy one. Firstly the band flew off to Amsterdam to perform at the Dwars Festival (alongside United Bible Studies, Micah Blue Smaldone and more) and also record a VPRO radio session.

In August 2009 the band released a collaboration album of folk material with Fife's James Yorkston entitled 'Folk Songs' on Domino Records. Just as it says, it is a collection of folk music from the UK, Eire and Spain. As well as both Jameses, the album features Ellie Bond (violin), Paul Fletcher (drums), Nancy Elizabeth (vocals and piano), Luke Daniels (melodion) and Pip Dylan (lap steel).

The group toured this album in Oct/Nov 2009, with another version of the band featuring David Jaycock and Mary Hampton, and two 7inch singles have been released from it, 'Martinmas Time' and 'Mary Connaught and James O'Donnell'.

Finally in 2009, The Big Eyes Family Players released their third album 'Warm Room' on Pickled Egg. Meant as an 'ode' to folk music (rather than a 'folk' album), the album boils down the genre to its bare bones and takes a microscope to each one, abeit with a Big Eyes squint. Go to www.pickled-egg.co.uk/bigeyes to find out more.