Idlewild
Idlewild’s Roddy Woomble on Their Forthcoming Eponymous Album
The band’s tenth lengthy participant is out subsequent week (Friday third October)
Sep 26, 2025
Net Unique
Images by Euan Robertson
Roddy Woomble has been having fun with the white sandy seashores and clear blue waters that encompass his residence island of Iona, nestled amongst Scotland’s Interior Hebrides.
Regardless of the climate fluctuating from wild winds to superb sunshine, it sounds idyllic and feels impolite to tug him away simply to sit down in entrance of a display for a Zoom name.
However Idlewild have a brand new report popping out and he’s right here to inform us all about it.
The band’s eponymous tenth album, scheduled for launch on 3 October, is a report that leans closely into the melodic indie-rock that was synonymous with their noughties vital and business peak. Unsurprisingly, the report’s three singles up to now – “Keep Out Of Place”, “It’s Not The First Time” and “Like I Had Earlier than” – have already picked up renewed assist on the airwaves of British radio stations.
Don’t be lulled into pondering Idlewild have phoned in a nostalgic retread of previous methods although. Thirty years for the reason that band fashioned as college students in Edinburgh, they proceed to furrow contemporary paths with a brand new report that sits comfortably amongst a few of their most interesting work up to now.
Andy Robbins (Below The Radar): You had been interested by making a brand new Idlewild album for a while, perhaps so long as 4 or 5 years in the past. How did it will definitely come about?
Roddy Woomble: We have been actually pleased with how our earlier report, Interview Music, turned out. It was the primary album we’d really made as a band with the brand new line-up (with Andrew Mitchell and Luciano Rossi becoming a member of founding members Woomble, Rod Jones and Colin Newton). The one earlier than that, All the things Ever Written, had been type of accomplished in a form of scrapbook fashion. However each Interview Music and All the things Ever Written have been put collectively over an extended time frame.
We didn’t actually wish to do this with the follow-up, so we began writing just about as quickly as we completed touring Interview Music. That was in late 2019 and the thought was to report in 2020. The pandemic completely derailed that. It made it nearly unattainable. Significantly as a result of all of us reside elsewhere, so everybody went off and we did our personal issues.
I made some solo data, Rod did numerous manufacturing work for different bands and our drummer, Colin, is now a schoolteacher.
It took us a few years to regroup across the twentieth anniversary of The Distant Half. We did a couple of live shows and that introduced the main focus again to engaged on a brand new report.
So, though it’s been six years for the reason that final report, it isn’t like we’ve been engaged on the brand new one all that point.
The brand new report has a pleasant, thought-about, concise feeling about it and that’s as a result of it wasn’t laboured over. We wrote the songs over the course of a 12 months after which we recorded all of it in two weeks.
The final time I caught up with you was forward of The Distant Half anniversary exhibits that you just talked about. They will need to have been nice enjoyable to play.
I’m not particularly an enormous fan of these live shows which might be album particular, however I additionally realise that followers of the report are. I’ve solely been to at least one myself. I went to see Sonic Youth play Daydream Nation, as a result of I really like Sonic Youth and I really like that report. I’ve seen Sonic Youth quite a bit, but it surely was unusually thrilling in a very completely different manner since you knew what you have been going to get.
There’s a component as a songwriter or a performer the place you’d actually prefer to play all these different songs, however I respect the fan’s perspective and the way thrilling it’s for them to listen to the report that they love, performed precisely how they find it irresistible.
I’d at all times somewhat be engaged on one thing new and incorporating that in with among the previous songs, however I undoubtedly did get one thing out of these anniversary exhibits. Definitely, as a spotlight for the band, these exhibits have been actually essential as a result of it made us all get collectively and follow, hang around and socialise and speak about new music.
Additionally, while you’re performing a report that folks actually love, the response is nice from the beginning. You’re not having to heat anybody up. You go on, play “You Held The World In Your Arms” and everybody’s in your aspect immediately.
So these gigs acted because the spark that you just wanted to get again collectively and create one thing new?
We have been joking about that as a result of we began writing Interview Music in 2016, simply after we’d toured All the things Ever Written, and it didn’t come out till 2019. We did two gigs in Glasgow for the fifteenth anniversary of The Distant Half and it was these ones that obtained us collectively collectively once more to complete Interview Music. We have been joking that we’ll must do some exhibits for each anniversary of The Distant Half simply to verify we get collectively to complete our new music.
It’s not like every of us are slackers. In actual fact, we’re all fairly organised, but it surely simply appears troublesome to get us all collectively on the identical web page. However once we are on the identical web page, it’s actually nice.
As a result of everybody has different initiatives and obligations as of late, I’m guessing Idlewild has to revolve round these? With Colin being a instructor for instance, I assume it’s a must to plan numerous reside exhibits round faculty holidays?
Lately it’s been a bit like that, however that’s fairly good in a manner as a result of I’ve obtained two kids and Andrew has kids. Lucci lives in London, Colin is in North Berwick which is the alternative aspect of Scotland from me, Rod’s in Edinburgh and Andrew is in Dundee, so at the very least we all know there are durations of time we are able to block out.
All bands are like that although, except you’re Coldplay or Muse, or a type of large bands that may play arenas and stadiums.
I feel most working bands that I do know have needed to adapt and be actually resourceful with how they continue to be inventive and piece collectively a residing from it, as a result of that’s additionally troublesome typically.
One factor that’s good about Idlewild is, even from early on, that was by no means the main focus. The thought of taking part in punk rock for a residing was ludicrous, so in some ways we nonetheless have that angle in direction of music. It’s all about creativity and making one thing collectively. It’s clearly nice to have the ability to make a residing, however we’ve by no means gone into it with that being the primary goal. I feel that’s most likely why we’re nonetheless collectively as a band.
Idlewild have been collectively for 3 a long time. Do you continue to get that very same sense of satisfaction from being in a band, getting collectively in a room, turning up the amps and simply making music?
I’ve met numerous bands over the course of my time of being in a single. Most of them are teams of disparate folks to a level, and customarily people who find themselves in a band are on the perimeter of issues. They’re typically outsiders who’re introduced collectively. Everybody has sure little issues that make them who they’re and in case you are working collectively that’s typically good and typically unhealthy, however I don’t suppose there’s something unfavourable about inventive friction. I feel it could produce actually good work.
Once we’re all working collectively on one thing and all the pieces’s going properly it’s distinctive. It’s a singular expertise to have.
Lots of people write songs or make artwork, however that’s typically a solo pursuit. In case you are writing a poem or a novel, portray an image or writing a music on an acoustic guitar or no matter, that’s one thing you might be doing by yourself. However Idlewild may be very a lot a collective, so we write songs once we’re collectively. No one is available in with a music they’ve already written after which all of us work on it like numerous bands would do. We at all times work on stuff collectively and we’ve at all times accomplished that. That’s what the band is de facto. It’s a collective expertise and a singular factor.
I’ve realised that now, and the explanation we sound like we do is as a result of we’re all these distinctive characters. Clearly there was completely different folks within the band over time (together with former bass gamers Phil Scanlon, Bob Fairfoull, Gavin Fox and Gareth Russell in addition to reside guitarists Allan Stewart and Jeremy Mills), however principally it has at all times been me, Colin and Rod, and Lucci and Andrew have been within the band now for a decade, so it’s fairly solidified and their affect is everywhere in the new songs.
You wrote numerous the songs for the brand new album collectively within the library on the Isle of Iona, within the Scottish Hebrides. How was that?
It’s known as the library as a result of it’s obtained some books in it, however actually it’s only a room. I feel it was (rich Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist) Andrew Carnegie’s cash that was used to construct it within the Nineteen Thirties. It’s a good looking little room. It sounds implausible as a result of it’s obtained a picket ceiling and picket partitions, an actual fireplace and it’s very atmospheric.
Usually, it’s used for group conferences and issues like that, however sometimes it’s used for gigs. I’ve accomplished numerous my solo songs there and Idlewild have written some songs there over the previous 10 years.
It’s only a particular place for us as a result of it means everybody has obtained to take the time to come back right here. It’s actually good enjoyable socially, simply hanging out on seashores, having bonfires and that feeds into the songs that we’re writing.
After which Rod’s obtained an excellent studio in Edinburgh, which is run as a business studio, however we are able to use it just about every time we would like.
It means you go from one expertise of being in a country library within the Hebrides writing the songs, and then you definitely transfer them to a extremely cool studio in Edinburgh. It actually didn’t take too lengthy to report, and I feel there’s a freshness to the music due to that.
The brand new album manages to faucet into the Idlewild ‘sound’ with out sounding such as you’re retreading previous floor. Was that one thing you have been aware of when making it?
We’ve been a band for fairly various years now, so now we have a form of ‘sound’ and I suppose we have been simply referencing {that a} bit. Often we’d suppose ‘This seems like one thing from 100 Damaged Home windows’, however that’s not a foul factor.
I feel it’s fairly simple as a result of, like I mentioned, there’s at all times a specific amount of inventive friction. I don’t imply we don’t get on, however no one agrees on something immediately. We at all times must undergo a course of and it will undoubtedly be pulled up if someone thought it sounded an excessive amount of like one thing else.
On the similar time there’s a particular sound once we let free a wee bit. Rod’s a really specific kind of guitar participant as a result of he’s self-taught. The identical with Colin on drums. Lucci and Andrew are completely different as a result of they’ve a educated background, so that they’re extra musically savvy than we’re.
In the end my most important factor is that I don’t need it to be too sophisticated. I at all times need issues to be fairly simply translatable. Each musically and the phrases. Not as a result of I’m dumbing it down. Removed from it. I simply suppose the perfect type of rock music is like that and we’re a rock band, however fairly an fascinating and considerate one.
Basically although, folks nonetheless wish to sing alongside and really feel the ability of the music once we begin taking part in it.
Once we play numerous our previous songs reside, they actually make a reference to folks. I suppose we needed to write down some new songs that may really feel like that once we carried out them.
The brand new report undoubtedly has numerous large anthemic choruses, which has been a function of a few of Idlewild’s most interesting moments. Are probably the most memorable tunes typically the toughest to write down although?
It’s fascinating as a result of we’re doing an additional CD for the pre-orders and it consists of numerous the demos that we did from Iona. Lots of people aren’t fascinated with that and simply wish to hear the album, and that’s truthful sufficient. The demos aren’t that completely different from the completed songs, however I’d describe them as sketches.
We’re fairly instinctive as musicians. We provide you with issues shortly, and we dismiss them shortly as properly. But when we don’t dismiss it, it typically doesn’t change that a lot.
I assume there’s a little bit of a fable about it. In case you watch any music documentaries or learn a lot of interviews with bands, they’ll speak about how songs simply type of seem. Or how one can sit down and write an incredible music in 10 minutes, however while you attempt to do it once more you possibly can’t.
I do suppose there’s a level of reality in it. With out eager to sound too unusual I feel there’s a component of magic to music in a manner that I don’t actually perceive it. You’ll be able to theorise about it, however why do two chords collectively make me really feel a sure manner, and while you mix it with a line on prime of that, why does it flip right into a music that’s actually significant to me?
Definitely “You Held The World In Your Arms” and “American English”, probably the most well-known songs that Idlewild have written, have been written in a short time. They simply type of appeared. Inside 5 or 10 minutes we’d written a verse and the refrain of “American English” and that didn’t change a lot.
On this report there’s a music known as “It’s Not The First Time” that I assume is without doubt one of the catchiest songs we’ve written in a very long time, and that occurred in a short time. I’d say inside quarter-hour it was type of written.
As a result of we’d had that have earlier than, of engaged on catchy songs with memorable melodies that appeared shortly, that’s once we thought we is likely to be onto one thing once more right here.
One of many indicators that you just’ve obtained some catchy songs is radio play and “Keep Out Of Place” was not too long ago added to the BBC 6Music playlist.
That’s the primary time that’s occurred to us in about 20 years! Our music has at all times had bits and items of radio play, however we’ve not been on the playlist for a very long time. “It’s Not The First Time” has had a couple of performs on Radio 2 as properly, so we’re crossing a couple of spectrums with this report, which is nice.
It’s good that DJs like Jo Whiley, Steve Lamacq and Shaun Keavney, those that have performed Idlewild songs over time, are nonetheless taking part in us. That’s one thing none of us take with no consideration as a result of there are such a lot of bands attempting to get radio performs. It’s very nice {that a} band that has been round for so long as Idlewild nonetheless will get an opportunity.
I don’t imply this in a big-headed manner, however I do suppose the songs are actually good and we do have a robust fanbase. The advantage of our band, as I mentioned earlier than, is that none of us have been careerist about it. I assume we’re very Scottish about the entire thing. We’re very practical. Goal low – that was once our motto!
Generally folks speculate over bands which have been round for a very long time like Idlewild, questioning if every new album shall be your final. Nevertheless, you’ve obtained a longtime fanbase and also you all produce other jobs and initiatives separate from the band. Do you suppose meaning you might be extra doubtless to have the ability to proceed making new music than some newer bands which might be nonetheless attempting to determine themselves with the added strain of not having the ability to depend on album gross sales anymore?
On a profession stage perhaps, however not on a inventive stage. We fashioned a band at a wierd time within the historical past of music, when it comes to how issues have been altering. None of us had e mail addresses once we fashioned Idlewild. The web was solely simply getting going. Then by the point we’d put out Warnings/Guarantees (launched in 2005), everybody was speaking about downloads and streaming, report labels have been beginning to reduce and everybody was actually anxious about that.
The mindset of a younger band have to be utterly completely different now.
We’re nonetheless a type of bands that makes albums. I feel folks will at all times do them, like folks will at all times write novels, however whether or not that format loses its reputation finally…it most likely will.
Whereas Idlewild exists and whereas we’re writing songs, we’ll do it in an album format and I feel the followers of our band like that. We don’t make lengthy albums as properly. This present day when folks can take heed to what they need, we don’t take up an excessive amount of of individuals’s time.
That’s definitely true of the brand new report which has obtained 10 tracks and by no means feels prefer it outstays its welcome.
I feel in case you are an Idlewild fan you’ll actually like this report as a result of it references a lot of the traditional sounding data that we’ve made, like 100 Damaged Home windows, The Distant Half and Warnings/Guarantees, but it surely undoubtedly feels prefer it’s written by folks of their late forties in 2025. We’re not attempting to be younger and due to that I feel there’s an authenticity to it.
It’s obtained some songs we’re actually pleased with. There are some robust melodies and Rod and I sing rather well collectively. The actually optimistic factor is that I feel typically you set a report out and you might be actually pleased with what you’ve accomplished, however minimize to 5 years later and also you aren’t taking part in that many songs from it. We’ve obtained data like that, which we don’t actually play any songs from, or we’d play one music. However with this report I actually do really feel like there are songs that shall be in our setlist for a very long time.
You sometimes publish video updates on Instagram, typically filmed if you are strolling alongside the seaside on Iona. Do you are feeling any strain to maintain up with the fixed churn of content material being put out throughout social media as of late?
I’m not superb at that type of factor as a result of I’m not from that era. I don’t thoughts speaking right into a digicam like this, or for Instagram or no matter if I’m speaking about one thing I’m doing. Nevertheless, I don’t like the thought of simply speaking as a result of I need folks to concentrate to me.
Instagram’s principally like a store the place you possibly can promote your merchandise, so I have interaction in that a bit bit. However it’s not one thing that comes naturally to me and I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t have tour tickets or an album to promote.
If I’ve learnt something as a creative particular person, if I’ve obtained something to say really, I can do it within the mediums that I like to specific myself in. I really like visible arts, I like to color, I like images, I like to write down, and I like to write down songs and work in bands. That’s how I specific myself.
I don’t want to specific myself via social media, though I’m fascinated with that. I feel it’s fairly punk rock in the best way you can write a music and put it on TikTok and hundreds and hundreds of individuals internationally shall be participating with you. I feel there’s one thing fairly cool about that, however I’m not of that era so if I did that it wouldn’t look genuine.
You point out your curiosity in images and also you’ve taken the photographs which might be getting used for the paintings of the brand new album.
I’m a failed visible artist actually. I used to be a images pupil and dropped out as a result of I wasn’t superb on the technical facet, however I really like the medium and I really like album paintings. A few of my favorite items of artwork are album covers.
I took my digicam out with the concept I needed to get a color {photograph} for the album cowl as a result of we’d not likely accomplished that earlier than. It was taken the place my mother and father reside, on the similar place that the {photograph} on the duvet of Hope Is Vital was taken. That {photograph} was myself and my teenage mates taking a look at an previous boat. The thought was that we have been younger and had our complete life forward of us, however we have been taking a look at one thing that was previous and it was all sepia toned. It was fairly romantic as a picture I suppose.
So, after I was again alongside the identical seaside, I simply turned the opposite manner and took a couple of footage, however they have been in color and going through a special route.
It’s a little bit of a bizarre album picture, I do know that, however I feel Idlewild followers will prefer it. It’s obtained a wistfulness about it, however on the similar time it’s saturated with color and has a vibrancy about it. Hopefully that’s reflective of the music.
You’ve obtained some reside exhibits coming as much as coincide with the discharge of the brand new album. What can folks count on from these? Will you be taking part in any deep cuts out of your again catalogue alongside some new songs and previous favourites?
We’ve already performed a couple of exhibits, which have been the primary gigs we’ve accomplished for a very long time. It was actually good to get out and do these. We’ve obtained some practices booked earlier than the tour. Clearly, we’ll be taking part in numerous the songs that folks count on and in addition some songs from the brand new report, however we’ll most likely ask followers if there are any specific songs they wish to hear. We may choose them, however we’d choose some that folks aren’t that bothered by!
We’re fortunate that we’ve obtained a handful of songs that we’re at all times going to play, in order that takes care of fairly a portion of the setlist, and it permits us to play some new songs and album tracks as properly, as a result of everybody is aware of they’ll nonetheless get to listen to “American English”, “You Held The World In Your Arms”, “Little Discourage” and all these songs that I assume have been type of hits for us.
A few of the exhibits offered out so shortly, we have been actually shocked. Like I mentioned, we at all times err on the aspect of warning so we booked halls that we thought we’d be capable to promote out finally. However the Glasgow Barrowlands present offered out inside a morning. Everyone seems to be asking why we’re not doing two nights, but it surely’s as a result of we thought we’d not even promote out one!
We’ll be doing a little extra gigs subsequent 12 months. That was at all times the plan anyway, however we’ll undoubtedly do some now.
Idlewild shall be launched on 3 October on V2 Information.
The band play will play the next intimate report store outstore exhibits throughout the UK:
3 October – Kingston – Circuit
4 October – London – Tough Commerce East (signing)/Tufnell Park Dome
5 October – Liverpool – Cavern Membership
7 October – Glasgow – St Luke’s
8 October – Edinburgh – Liquid Room
Tour dates throughout England and Scotland observe in October and December.
10 October – Newcastle-upon-Tyne – Boiler Store
11 October – Leeds – Undertaking Home
12 October – Wolverhampton – Wulfrun Corridor
14 October – Cambridge – Junction
15 October – Bristol – O2 Academy
17 October – London – Koko (SOLD OUT)
18 October – Manchester – New Century (SOLD OUT)
5 December – Aberdeen – Seaside Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
6 December – Dundee – LiveHouse
7 December – Glasgow – Barrowland Ballroom (SOLD OUT)