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Proper Idlewild are back
Diary entry #118
(Roddy Woomble -vocals)
14/12/05
Not sure if I've negelected this website diary thing more this year than other years, I'm no Mr Computer thats for sure. But I'm quite glad of that. I prefer people.
So we're working as we do, on lots of songs. Some very folky some very not folky. It's well known I think (certainly by followers of the band) that I am protagantist number one when it comes to the acoustic concerts and the gentler side of our songwriting, so rather than make the division between songs on Idlewild records even greater, we've decided to seperate it completely. And also, rather than doing a double album, or something as indulgent, we figured the easiest way was to put the folk stuff under my own name, and let the distortian pedals live within the fine walls of Idlewild. So basically they'll be two records coming towards you in the near future, a Roddy Woomble solo folk album (and how strange does that sound) and an Idlewild rock beast (which sounds pretty tasty). Needless to say it's been fun to indulge in both camps. The solo stuff is being written with Rod, the folksinger Karine Polwart, and my good friend Michael Angus and is to be produced by the wonderfully talented folk musician John McKusker. The rock songs are still to be decided upon, but we're talking to a few cool dudes, so it'll no doubt sound pretty great. It's all still a work in progress obviously, but it's a good one. Also look out for Allan's other band Desalvo coming to a town near you in January. If you haven't seen them, watch out. It's an aural onslaught. In a good way.
Another record we're helping to get together next year is a really interesting project where a number of Scottish writers and poets are writing the lyrics for a real mixture of Scottish singers and bands to turn into songs. We've been working with Edwin Morgan and we've played a few of our attempts live. Also involved on the writer side of things are John Burnside, Kevin Macneil, Rody Gorman, Ali Smith, AL Kennedy, Bill Duncan and Robin Robertson and band wise James Yorkston, Alasdair Roberts, Kate Rusby, Karine Polwart, Foxface, Norman Blake, aswell as quite a few more who are still busy with their day jobs (so to speak). It's going to be a very eclectic album, with really great words. As they say, watch this space.
2005 was one of those years when you end up in a very different place from where you started from, but in the best, most unexpected way. We put out some singles, some b sides, an album, did some interviews, played the songs in 95 different places, ate in some diners, drank in some bars, danced in some awful nightclubs, walked round a few museums, sat on some planes, paddled in a few oceans, saw some good concerts. All things I've done in years previous, but feeling always different from before. There's no accounting for the weird twists and turns life (and most certainly life in a band) takes. You can draw significance from everything and end up where you never even started from. And that sounds like a lyric.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and I wish you all continued health and happiness in 2006.
Roddy