Idlewild’s Roddy Woomble talks new album, is ready for The Gramercy Theatre & Knitting Factory shows

by | Oct 20, 2015 | Coming Up, Culture, Events, Music

Formed in Edinburgh in 1995, 2015 marks the 20th anniversary of influential Scottish rock band Idlewild. With a string of gold albums in the U.K., the band finds themselves in a unique position of playing major festivals and theaters in most of the world, yet playing clubs in the United States. Part of their first U.S. tour in seven years, Idlewild comes to Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory (October 22nd) and Manhattan’s Gramercy Theater (October 23rd) this month in support of their seventh album, Everything Ever Written.

All these years later, the core of Idlewild remains vocalist Roddy Woomble, guitarist Rod Jones and drummer Colin Newton. But as pointed out within my Q&A with Roddy, Everything Ever Written is the work of a “different band” than had been heard on 2009’s Post Electric BluesEverything Ever Written is Idlewild’s first album since their three-year hiatus – which ended in 2013 – and shows a band that’s rediscovered their passion.

Aside from Idlewild, Roddy is a not only a prolific solo artist, writer and family man, yet also the proprietor of a surprising business on the Isle Of Mull; you’ll have to read more to find out what that business is. I wasn’t able to get “last words for the kids” from Roddy, but on the bright side, that gives me an excuse to pursue another interview with him in the future.

Idlewild_Promo5

What do you remember about your first trip to New York City?

Roddy Woomble: Playing CMJ in 1998, we played with Verbena at Brownies. Dave Grohl was playing bass for them that night. It was a surreal weekend. I had a blast.

What has been the most noticeable change for you within New York City in your years of touring?

R: I got to know it more, and actually ended up living there for a period in 2004. We also recorded some of The Remote Part at The Magic Shop [49 Crosby Street] with Lenny Kaye in 2001. The area I knew was the East Village, although I spend a lot of my time in the city just wandering.

Everything Ever Written is your seventh full-length album. Has songwriting gotten easier for you over the years?

R: Well, it’s a constantly evolving thing, so it’s not got easier or harder. I guess we have more idea of what constitutes a good song, but then again sometimes the accidents are the best things…

How would you compare Everything Ever Written to your last album, Post Electric Blues?

R: It’s a different band, basically. Post Electric Blues is quite workman-like and although it has real moments, it also falls flat in places. Everything Ever Written is a whole new thing and sounds that way — we are just finding new places to go to. It’s an exciting record for Idlewild. It suggest possibilities.

How did Idlewild first found out that [actor] Jay Baruchel, who stars in your latest music video, was a fan?

R: He contacted us on Twitter. He’s a nice man and flew over to Scotland to hang out and be in a video.

2015 marks your 20th anniversary as a band, but I don’t see this tour carrying an anniversary tag to it. Any reason why?

R: I don’t think there’s any need. We’ve got a new album out that we’re all into so we’re happy to make that the reason to tour.

You’ve recorded a solo album every few years beyond your work with Idlewild. Do you have any plans for another solo release in the near-future?

R: Yeah, probably. I enjoy doing them and enjoy working with the musicians in my solo band. It’s a low-key thing, we make the records pretty quickly and record them in an arts center on the Isle of Mull — where I live — and release them ourselves. We tour in a car when we do shows.

You used to write a column for The Sunday Herald. Might we ever see a memoir or a collection of essays from you in published form?

R: Probably not a memoir, but I am doing a book of words and pictures. I’m working on it now with designer and photographer Alex Brown and it’ll be out next year.

When you’re not occupied with touring or recording, how do you like to spend your free time?

R: I run a bed & breakfast with my wife. I also look after my son — normal family stuff. I like to read and take walks. Drink beer by the fire.

Idlewild aside, who is the best Scottish band that our readers may not already be familiar with?

R: I think Happy Meals are good, and Bdy_Prts. Also the experimental folk band Lau. Anything the Optimo guys put out is also always great.


-by Darren Paltrowitz

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