Idlewild

Scotland's Idlewild bolster their heterogeneous indie rock sound with elements of alt-rock, Britpop, punk, and lush melodic rock. The group released their first full-length, Hope Is Important, in 1998, then cracked the U.K. Top 20 for the first time two years later with 100 Broken Windows. They started downplaying their more dissonant tendencies in favor of a more sweeping and contemplative sound on the Top Ten albums The Remote Part (2002) and Warnings/Promises (2005), although they maintained a mix of approaches that extended beyond a hiatus in the early 2010s. The band regrouped for their seventh long-player, 2015's Everything Ever Written, which hit the U.K. Top 20, as did their ninth album, Idlewild, which appeared in 2025, marking their 30 years as a band.Formed in Edinburgh in late 1995, Idlewild originally comprised singer Roddy Woomble, guitarist Rod Jones, bassist Phil Scanlon, and drummer Colin Newton. A year of steady touring preceded the release of the band's 1997 debut single, "Queen of the Troubled Teens," which immediately found favor with Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq. The resulting media exposure brought Idlewild to the attention of Fierce Panda, and the London-based label agreed to issue their sophomore single, "Chandelier," which doubled as their first recording with new bassist Bob Fairfoull. A mini-album, Captain, followed in early 1998, and as word spread of their chaotic live shows (described by one U.K. magazine as "a flight of stairs falling down a flight of stairs"), the group signed with Food Records and released Hope Is Important in late October. It made in onto the U.K. album chart, peaking at 53. 100 Broken Windows followed in early 2001. It announced their mainstream arrival, climbing to number 15 in the U.K. and leading to a record deal with Parlophone. A subsequent U.S. tour launched later in the year. In 2002, Idlewild issued The Remote Part. "American English" and "You Held the World in Your Arms" were massive hits in Europe, making the album Idlewild's most successful project to date, rising to number three in the U.K. as well as charting in Ireland and France. Not everyone in the band was happy, though, and bassist Fairfoull was kicked out of the lineup after an Amsterdam show in September. Guitar technician Alex Grant stepped in to fill his shoes for the remaining European dates. Gavin Fox (bass) and Allen Stewart (guitar) were added permanently to the lineup early the following year, just prior to the American release of The Remote Part in March. The Top Ten-charting Warnings/Promises followed in 2005, featuring songs that had been written during an inspired four-month session in the Scottish Highlands. Fox left the band the following spring and was replaced by former Astrid bassist Gareth Russell, who made his debut on the 2007 album Make Another World, which charted four slots outside the U.K. Top 20. Meanwhile, Woomble made his solo debut with My Secret Is My Silence, an intimate acoustic album featuring background vocals by Kate Rusby, and joined folk musicians Kris Drever and John McCusker to record the collaborative Before the Ruin in 2008. One year later, Idlewild bucked convention by releasing their sixth album, Post Electric Blues, as a free, fan-site-only download; a traditional release followed in October. In 2010 the band went on a hiatus that lasted three years. During that time, Jones launched a solo career and formed the side project the Birthday Suit, while Woomble released two further solo albums. Idlewild reconvened in 2013 on the Isle of Mull to start sporadic work on their seventh studio album, with new members Lucci Rossi and Andrew Mitchell replacing Russell and Stewart. The record was finally finished and set for release in February 2015. Entitled Everything Ever Written, it was produced by Jones and self-released through PledgeMusic. It nevertheless charted at number 20 in the U.K. In 2019, the band reunited with Dave Eringa (The Remote Part) for their eighth album, Interview Music. Recorded in Scotland and L.A. and preceded by the single "Dream Variations," it was a mature and stately album of grown-up pop/rock with bluesy, faintly psychedelic flourishes. Fans were on board with the maturation, and it went to number 22 at home. The band had their highest-charting album in 20 years with the Jones-produced Idlewild, which peaked at number 16 upon its release on V2 in 2025.
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