Idlewild (band)
Idlewild are a Scottish indie rock band formed in Edinburgh in 1995. The band's line-up consists of Roddy Woomble, Rod Jones, Colin Newton, Andrew Mitchell and Luciano Rossi. During live performances, the band are joined by former core member Allan Stewart. To date, Idlewild have released ten studio albums.
Initially, Idlewild's sound was faster and more dissonant than many of their 1990s indie rock contemporaries. However, it developed over time from an edgy and angular sound to a sweeping, melodic rock sound as displayed on The Remote Part and Warnings/Promises.
In 2010, the band entered an indefinite hiatus, but reunited in late 2013 to record their seventh album, Everything Ever Written, released in 2015. This was followed by Interview Music in 2019. The band released its tenth studio album, Idlewild, on October 3, 2025 to critical acclaim. It became the band's highest charting album in over twenty years, reaching number sixteen on the UK Albums Chart.
History
Beginnings (1995–1996)
Idlewild, named after the quiet meeting place in Anne of Green Gables, formed in December 1995 in Edinburgh, Scotland when a 19-year-old Roddy Woomble met drummer Colin Newton at a party. The two discovered that they had much in common, including similar musical interests and record collections. By the end of the night, they had discussed forming a band together. On the same night, the two were introduced to guitarist Rod Jones and the three kept in contact afterwards, meeting up to listen to music. Soon, the trio began writing songs together, and, in need of a bassist, they brought Phil Scanlon into the fold, due to the fact that he owned a bass.Idlewild played their first show on 16 January 1996, at the Subway Club in Edinburgh to a crowd of thirty friends, which led to many more shows around Edinburgh throughout the course of the year. In May 1996 the band, now with over twenty songs written, entered Split Level Studios to record. The tape of these recordings earned the band many bookings at various venues around Scotland, including Glasgow. Local publications that heard the tape reviewed it favourably.
Phil Scanlon decided to leave the band in February 1997 to concentrate on his studies. Since leaving Idlewild, he has become a highly successful chemical engineer and currently resides outside San Francisco. Woomble asked Bob Fairfoull to replace the departing bassist. Fairfoull had been present at every Idlewild show since the middle of 1996, and had impressed the others with his spoken-word, solo acoustic shows as well as his performances with Edinburgh band, Pussy Hoover. Fairfoull's debut with the band took place on 28 February at Glasgow bar, Nice N' Sleazy's.
''Captain'' and ''Hope is Important'' (1997–1998)
The band's debut single "Queen of the Troubled Teens" was released on 17 March 1997, and built upon the chaotic reputation of their shows. Along with 'Self Healer', 'Satan Polaroid' and 'A Film for the Future', the song was included in a live session on Jeff Cooper's show 'XS' on Sheffield's Hallam FM. It was also supported by BBC Radio Scotland DJ Peter Easton, and influential Radio One DJ Steve Lamacq. Lamacq was particularly impressed with the track "Self Healer" and asked, on the air, that if anyone knew anything about the band, they should contact him. In the summer of 1997, Idlewild played their first London shows which were attended by the likes of Lamacq, and representatives from Deceptive Records. Reviews at this time, in the pages of NME and Melody Maker compared their live gigs to "a flight of stairs falling down a flight of stairs". The band were soon asked to record a single for Fierce Panda and to record an EP/mini-album with Deceptive Records. In October 1997, the band spent six days with producer Paul Tipler in South London. The result was Captain, which the band describes as "an innocent, frank nugget of noise pop magic". After the release of the "Chandelier" single, the band signed a deal with Food Records/EMI in December. Following the record deal, the members quit their respective jobs or university courses.1998 marked the year where the public became actively aware of Idlewild, who kicked off the year with their first UK tour, supporting the band Midget. The release of Captain, on 18 January, received positive reviews in the NME, Melody Maker and Kerrang!. In February the band re-entered the studio, again with Paul Tipler, to record their first full-length album for Food Records. Two singles were released before the album's release, "A Film for the Future" and "Everyone Says You're So Fragile". Both singles helped to expand the band's growing fanbase alongside notable appearances at summer festivals. October marked the arrival of their debut album Hope Is Important which the band now describes as "a confused, skewered, noisy, sad pop record". Further singles from the album included, "I'm a Message" and fan favourite, "When I Argue I See Shapes". Tours supporting Ash, Placebo and Manic Street Preachers followed the release.
''100 Broken Windows'' (1999–2001)
Idlewild eventually returned to Edinburgh in 1999 to begin writing new songs, and contacted engineer Bob Weston, from Chicago, who recorded six songs with them in London. These songs held a more aggressive, emptier sound than those previously, and the band were pleased with the results; however, they remained unsure of their direction. During the summer, Idlewild were invited to play at the opening of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, a momentous day for Scottish history. Scotland is where the band would remain for a while, letting the surrounding environment influence their songwriting and letting the songs represent the band as they were. Hitting a stride, the band returned to the studio with producer Dave Eringa and recorded "Little Discourage" and "Roseability" in their first session. Very happy with the results, the band continued to record what would become their second full-length album, 100 Broken Windows. The song "Little Discourage" was released in September and brought Idlewild a larger fan-base and much more radio play. Hope Is Important was released in America, and to support it, the band performed a small number of tour dates on the East Coast. The remainder of the year was spent mixing the new album in Glasgow.In March the following year, the band released "Actually it's Darkness" and embarked on their biggest UK tour to date. Jeremy Mills joined the band on tour, playing guitar and keyboards. Their sound had now evolved from simplistic punk-rock to a more mature sound resembling R.E.M., Echo & the Bunnymen, and The Smiths. 100 Broken Windows reached silver status in the UK and the band went on tour in Europe and North America. Further singles released from the album included "These Wooden Ideas" and "Roseability".
As 2001 began, the band re-entered the studio, this time with producer Stephen Street, to record songs written in the last half of 2000. While happy with the results the band put their next album aside to tour America. American music magazine Spin named 100 Broken Windows the "number one album you didn't hear in 2000" and the album received other rave reviews in the American press on its release in April. Whilst touring the album in America, Allan Stewart replaced Jeremy Mills as touring guitarist. Readers of The Skinny magazine in Scotland would retrospectively vote 100 Broken Windows 'The Scottish Album of the Decade' in December 2009.
''The Remote Part'' (2002–2003)
Idlewild eventually moved up to the highlands of Scotland and began the writing and demoing process of what would become The Remote Part. Both Allan and Jeremy joined the band in a cottage in Inchnadamph, Sutherland. Woomble began a friendship with Scottish Makar Edwin Morgan who would eventually end up on the song "Scottish Fiction," the album's closing track. The remainder of the year was spent recording and mixing the album in various locations with producer Dave Eringa. This period marked the band's longest absence from performing.The first single from the album, "You Held the World in Your Arms", became 'A-listed' on Radio One and entered the UK Singles Chart at number nine, marking the band's biggest hit to date. A UK tour followed with Ikara Colt supporting and a second single, "American English", was released. On release, The Remote Part entered the album charts at number three, and was considered a record of considerable depth, as well as one of the most melodic records of the year. The album went gold in the UK and a third single, "Live in a Hiding Place", was released as the band embarked upon a four-month European tour in September, which included supporting dates with Coldplay.
On 30 September 2002, Idlewild took to the stage in Cologne with their guitar tech Alex Grant playing bass instead of Bob Fairfoull, with Roddy Woomble commenting during the show that Fairfoull had left the band. On 3 October, Idlewild officially announced the departure of Fairfoull due to “personal problems”. Fairfoull had become increasingly distant from the band over the past year, often being absent during the recording of The Remote Part, and his drinking habits were having a negative impact on his bass playing. Things came to a head with Fairfoull in an argument after a show in Amsterdam, with Woomble later commenting that dismissing Fairfoull “was the best thing that could have happened to the band,” and that “it meant we all finally agreed on how we were going to move forward.” The band and Fairfoull remained friends, with Fairfoull going on to play bass with Edinburgh-based band Degrassi and Paper Beats Rock.
In the immediate aftermath of Fairfoull's departure, Idlewild fulfilled their tour dates for the rest of the year with Grant on bass. On 20 November, Idlewild unveiled Gavin Fox of the Irish band Turn as their new bassist, with touring guitarist Allan Stewart also becoming a permanent member of the band. Fairfoull approved of being replaced as Idlewild bassist by his good friend Fox, though he also added, "It felt a bit like if you left your wife, and a week later she started shagging your brother. But I realised there’s no point being bitter, they’ve got to continue as a band."
2002 was Idlewild's most successful year, with The Remote Part entering many 'Best of the Year' lists. With Fox and Stewart officially in the band, Idlewild spent January of the following year writing songs and practising in an old lighthouse outside Edinburgh. A final single from The Remote Part, "A Modern Way of Letting Go", introduced the new line-up to the UK via several television appearances and another short tour of Britain and Ireland.
The Remote Part received its US release in March 2003 and the band embarked upon a cross-continent, nine-week headline tour playing their biggest US shows in New York City and Los Angeles. The band then returned to America in May at the request of Pearl Jam, who asked the band to open one leg of their Riot Act world tour. These were the biggest venues Idlewild had played in, and they found friends in Pearl Jam, even playing with them onstage on the final night in Chicago. Subsequently, in June 2007 Pearl Jam requested Idlewild to support them for a one-off date at Wembley Arena.