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
Internet 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 Internal Hebrides.
Regardless of the climate fluctuating from wild winds to wonderful 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 file 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 file that leans closely into the melodic indie-rock that was synonymous with their noughties essential and industrial peak. Unsurprisingly, the file’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Don’t be lulled into considering Idlewild have phoned in a nostalgic retread of outdated tips although. Thirty years for the reason that band fashioned as college students in Edinburgh, they proceed to furrow recent paths with a brand new file that sits comfortably amongst a few of their best work up to now.
Andy Robbins (Beneath The Radar): You had been excited about 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 proud of how our earlier file, Interview Music, turned out. It was the primary album we’d truly 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, The whole lot Ever Written, had been form of completed in a form of scrapbook fashion. However each Interview Music and The whole lot Ever Written have been put collectively over a protracted time period.
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 concept was to file in 2020. The pandemic completely derailed that. It made it virtually unimaginable. Significantly as a result of all of us dwell elsewhere, so everybody went off and we did our personal issues.
I made some solo information, Rod did a whole lot of 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 just a few live shows and that introduced the main focus again to engaged on a brand new file.
So, though it’s been six years for the reason that final file, it isn’t like we’ve been engaged on the brand new one all that point.
The brand new file 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 yr 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 simply talked about. They should 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 file are. I’ve solely been to 1 myself. I went to see Sonic Youth play Daydream Nation, as a result of I really like Sonic Youth and I really like that file. I’ve seen Sonic Youth quite a bit, but it surely was surprisingly thrilling in a completely totally different method 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 wish to play all these different songs, however I admire the fan’s perspective and the way thrilling it’s for them to listen to the file that they love, performed precisely how they like it.
I’d at all times relatively be engaged on one thing new and incorporating that in with among the outdated songs, however I undoubtedly did get one thing out of these anniversary exhibits. Actually, as a spotlight for the band, these exhibits have been actually necessary as a result of it made us all get collectively and observe, hang around and socialise and speak about new music.
Additionally, while you’re performing a file 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 facet right away.
So these gigs acted because the spark that you simply 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 The whole lot 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 need to 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 several of us are slackers. In reality, we’re all fairly organised, but it surely simply appears tough 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 tasks and duties lately, I’m guessing Idlewild has to revolve round these? With Colin being a instructor for instance, I assume you must plan a whole lot of dwell exhibits round faculty holidays?
Just lately it’s been a bit like that, however that’s fairly good in a method 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 other facet of Scotland from me, Rod’s in Edinburgh and Andrew is in Dundee, so no less than we all know there are intervals of time we are able to block out.
All bands are like that although, until you’re Coldplay or Muse, or a type of huge 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 dwelling from it, as a result of that’s additionally tough typically.
One factor that’s good about Idlewild is, even from early on, that was by no means the main focus. The concept of enjoying punk rock for a dwelling was ludicrous, so in some ways we nonetheless have that perspective in the direction of music. It’s all about creativity and making one thing collectively. It’s clearly nice to have the ability to make a dwelling, 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 usually 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 if you’re working collectively that’s typically good and typically dangerous, however I don’t suppose there’s something damaging about inventive friction. I feel it will probably produce actually good work.
Once we’re all working collectively on one thing and every little thing’s going effectively 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 track 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 track they’ve already written after which all of us work on it like a whole lot of bands would do. We at all times work on stuff collectively and we’ve at all times completed that. That’s what the band is basically. It’s a collective expertise and a singular factor.
I’ve realised that now, and the rationale we sound like we do is as a result of we’re all these distinctive characters. Clearly there was totally different folks within the band through the years (together with former bass gamers Phil Scanlon, Bob Fairfoull, Gavin Fox and Gareth Russell in addition to dwell 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 all around the new songs.
You wrote a whole lot of 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 fantastic little room. It sounds improbable as a result of it’s obtained a picket ceiling and picket partitions, an actual hearth and it’s very atmospheric.
Typically, it’s used for group conferences and issues like that, however sometimes it’s used for gigs. I’ve completed a whole lot of 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 return 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 a superb studio in Edinburgh, which is run as a industrial studio, however we are able to use it just about each time we wish.
It means you go from one expertise of being in a country library within the Hebrides writing the songs, and then you definately transfer them to a very cool studio in Edinburgh. It actually didn’t take too lengthy to file, 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 outdated floor. Was that one thing you have been aware of when making it?
We’ve been a band for fairly numerous years now, so we have now a form of ‘sound’ and I suppose we have been simply referencing {that a} bit. Sometimes we would suppose ‘This appears like one thing from 100 Damaged Home windows’, however that’s not a nasty factor.
I feel it’s fairly simple as a result of, like I stated, 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 right away. We at all times need to undergo a course of and it could undoubtedly be pulled up if anyone thought it sounded an excessive amount of like one thing else.
On the similar time there’s a particular sound once we let unfastened a wee bit. Rod’s a really explicit sort of guitar participant as a result of he’s self-taught. The identical with Colin on drums. Lucci and Andrew are totally 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 most effective form of rock music is like that and we’re a rock band, however fairly an attention-grabbing and considerate one.
Primarily although, folks nonetheless wish to sing alongside and really feel the ability of the music once we begin enjoying it.
Once we play a whole lot of our outdated songs dwell, they actually make a reference to folks. I suppose we wished to jot down some new songs that may really feel like that once we carried out them.
The brand new file undoubtedly has a whole lot of massive anthemic choruses, which has been a function of a few of Idlewild’s best moments. Are probably the most memorable tunes typically the toughest to jot down although?
It’s attention-grabbing 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 all in favour of that and simply wish to hear the album, and that’s honest sufficient. The demos aren’t that totally different from the completed songs, however I’d describe them as sketches.
We’re fairly instinctive as musicians. We give you issues shortly, and we dismiss them shortly as effectively. 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. If you happen to watch any music documentaries or learn a lot of interviews with bands, they’ll speak about how songs simply form of seem. Or how one can sit down and write a tremendous track in 10 minutes, however while you attempt to do it once more you’ll be able to’t.
I do suppose there’s a level of reality in it. With out desirous to sound too unusual I feel there’s a component of magic to music in a method 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 method, and while you mix it with a line on high of that, why does it flip right into a track that’s actually significant to me?
Actually “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 only form 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 file there’s a track known as “It’s Not The First Time” that I assume is likely 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 form 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 simply’ve obtained some catchy songs is radio play and “Keep Out Of Place” was lately 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 just a few performs on Radio 2 as effectively, so we’re crossing just a few spectrums with this file, which is nice.
It’s good that DJs like Jo Whiley, Steve Lamacq and Shaun Keavney, folks that have performed Idlewild songs through the years, are nonetheless enjoying us. That’s one thing none of us take with no consideration as a result of there are such a lot of bands making an attempt 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 method, however I do suppose the songs are actually good and we do have a robust fanbase. The advantage of our band, as I stated 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 life like. Purpose low – that was our motto!
Typically folks speculate over bands which were round for a very long time like Idlewild, questioning if every new album will likely be your final. Nevertheless, you’ve obtained a longtime fanbase and also you all produce other jobs and tasks separate from the band. Do you suppose meaning you might be extra possible to have the ability to proceed making new music than some newer bands which might be nonetheless making an attempt to determine themselves with the added strain of not having the ability to depend on album gross sales anymore?
On a profession degree perhaps, however not on a inventive degree. We fashioned a band at a wierd time within the historical past of music, by way of 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, file labels have been beginning to reduce and everybody was actually anxious about that.
The mindset of a younger band should be fully totally 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 recognition 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 effectively. These days when folks can hearken 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 file which has obtained 10 tracks and by no means feels prefer it outstays its welcome.
I feel if you’re an Idlewild fan you’ll actually like this file as a result of it references a lot of the basic sounding information 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 making an attempt to be younger and due to that I feel there’s an authenticity to it.
It’s obtained some songs we’re actually proud of. There are some sturdy melodies and Rod and I sing rather well collectively. The actually optimistic factor is that I feel typically you place a file out and you might be actually pleased with what you’ve completed, however lower to 5 years later and also you aren’t enjoying that many songs from it. We’ve obtained information like that, which we don’t actually play any songs from, or we would play one track. However with this file I actually do really feel like there are songs that will likely be in our setlist for a very long time.
You sometimes put up video updates on Instagram, typically filmed when you are strolling alongside the seashore on Iona. Do you’re feeling any strain to maintain up with the fixed churn of content material being put out throughout social media lately?
I’m not superb at that form of factor as a result of I’m not from that technology. I don’t thoughts speaking right into a digital camera like this, or for Instagram or no matter if I’m speaking about one thing I’m doing. Nevertheless, I don’t like the concept of simply speaking as a result of I need folks to concentrate to me.
Instagram’s principally like a store the place you’ll be able to promote your merchandise, so I have interaction in that a little bit bit. Nevertheless 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 actually, I can do it within the mediums that I like to precise myself in. I really like visible arts, I like to color, I like images, I like to jot down, and I like to jot down songs and work in bands. That’s how I specific myself.
I don’t want to precise myself by social media, though I’m all in favour of that. I feel it’s fairly punk rock in the best way you can write a track and put it on TikTok and hundreds and hundreds of individuals internationally will likely be participating with you. I feel there’s one thing fairly cool about that, however I’m not of that technology so if I did that it wouldn’t look genuine.
You point out your curiosity in images and also you’ve taken the pictures 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 scholar 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 digital camera out with the concept I wished to get a color {photograph} for the album cowl as a result of we’d not likely completed that earlier than. It was taken the place my dad and mom dwell, on the similar place that the {photograph} on the quilt of Hope Is Necessary was taken. That {photograph} was myself and my teenage mates taking a look at an outdated boat. The concept 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 outdated and it was all sepia toned. It was fairly romantic as a picture I suppose.
So, after I was again alongside the identical seashore, I simply turned the opposite method and took just a few footage, however they have been in color and going through a special path.
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 dwell exhibits coming as much as coincide with the discharge of the brand new album. What can folks count on from these? Will you be enjoying any deep cuts out of your again catalogue alongside some new songs and outdated favourites?
We’ve already performed just a few exhibits, which have been the primary gigs we’ve completed 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 enjoying a whole lot of the songs that folks count on and likewise some songs from the brand new file, however we’ll most likely ask followers if there are any explicit songs they wish to hear. We may decide them, however we would decide 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 effectively, 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 form of hits for us.
Among the exhibits bought out so shortly, we have been actually shocked. Like I stated, we at all times err on the facet of warning so we booked halls that we thought we would be capable to promote out finally. However the Glasgow Barrowlands present bought 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 would not even promote out one!
We’ll be performing some extra gigs subsequent yr. That was at all times the plan anyway, however we’ll undoubtedly do some now.
Idlewild will likely be launched on 3 October on V2 Information.
The band play will play the next intimate file 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 comply with in October and December.
10 October – Newcastle-upon-Tyne – Boiler Store
11 October – Leeds – Mission 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 – Seashore Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
6 December – Dundee – LiveHouse
7 December – Glasgow – Barrowland Ballroom (SOLD OUT)