"There are people who don't like what we do. But because we have a big cross section of audiences, from kids to grandmas and grandpas, it means a lot of people who wouldn't normally watch a classical music program tune in," said Ecker. "This kind of tunnel vision that certain people have is not going to get them anywhere in the long run. All it does is get a lot of press for us."
Classical purists might be aghast at the thought of short-skirted women taking over from virtuosos dressed in black ties and starched collars, but some of the biggest names in the world in both the classical and popular music worlds have been quick to lend the ladies their support.
Prog-rock/heavy metal combo Deep Purple, downbeat fusion funk act Morcheeba and opera giant Luciano Pavarotti are just a few of the acts who have taken time out from their regular routines to perform with the Bond girls. Others have shown an interest in working with the peppery female string quartet.
"Jimmy Page was interested in recording a track with us for the latest album but he was on holiday when were in the studio," said Westerhoff.
Released globally earlier this month, Bond's latest studio offering and fourth album to date, Classified, sees the combo playing a combination of classical standards, Middle Eastern folksy numbers, spicy Latin tunes and dance anthems. Like the band's previous release it is a predominantly instrumental affair on which the four-piece ensemble joins forces with a battalion of session musicians in order to create a selection of stirring classical crossover sounds.
Although not all the band's tunes are instrumentals, use of vocals is not something the band see as conducive to its continued growth. Instead they believe that their future is with their instrumental sound.
"The thing is that if we use vocals we'll sound like any other group. I think people would like it, but it would push the music itself into the background," Ecker said.
George Michael's backing band will feature in Bond's Taipei performances and you can also expect the girls to woo the crowds with some nifty choreography.
Performance notes:
What: Bond live in Taipei
When: 7:30pm tonight and tomorrow night
Where: At the Taipei International Convention Center
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Tickets: Cost from NT$1,000 to NT$3,000, available from ERA ticketing outlets and Kingstone bookstores nationwide
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