Belle and Sebastian

Biography

Belle and Sebastian are a Scottish indie pop band formed in Glasgow in 1996. Led by Stuart Murdoch, Belle and Sebastian have released twelve studio albums. The band are often compared with acts such as the Smiths and Nick Drake. Belle and Sebastian took their name from a short story Murdoch had written about a boy and girl, whose title was a play on the 1965 television series Belle and Sebastian.

Formation, early years and Tigermilk (1994–1996)

In 1994, Stuart Murdoch and Stuart David both enrolled at Stow College's Beatbox programme for unemployed musicians in Glasgow. The pair recorded some demos, which in 1996 were picked up by the college's Music Business course, led by music professor Alan Rankine (formerly of the Associates), that produces and releases one single each year on the college's label, Electric Honey. As Murdoch had a number of songs already and the label was extremely impressed with the demos, he was granted permission to record a full-length album, which was recorded mostly live over three days, entitled Tigermilk×Tigermilk6 June 1996 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1The State I Am In4:58A2Expectations3:34A3She’s Losing It2:22A4You’re Just a Baby3:42A5Electronic Renaissance4:51B1I Could Be Dreaming5:56B2We Rule the School3:27B3My Wandering Days Are Over5:26B4I Don’t Love Anyone3:57B5Mary Jo3:30.
Murdoch and David recruited local musicians Stevie Jackson (guitar and vocals), Isobel Campbell (cello/vocals), Chris Geddes (keys) and Richard Colburn (drums), the latter of whom shared a flat with David and was a student on the Music Business course, to perform on the album, with Murdoch describing the process as a "product of botched capitalism". The band chose the name Belle and Sebastian from a short story Murdoch had written inspired by the television series of the same name, about a six-year-old boy and his dog, named Belle, a Pyrenean Mountain Dog. In June 1996, Electric Honey pressed up one thousand copies of Tigermilk on vinyl.

If You're Feeling Sinister and early EPs (1996–1998)

The warm response Tigermilk received led to the band being signed to Jeepster Records in August 1996, who released their second album If You're Feeling Sinister on 18 November. The album was named by Spin as one of the 100 greatest albums between 1985 and 2005, and it is widely considered the band's masterpiece. Just before the recording of Sinister, Sarah Martin (violin/vocals) joined the band.
Following this a series of EPs were released throughout 1997. The first of these was Dog on Wheels, released in May and consisting of four demo tracks recorded prior to the real formation of the band. In fact, the only long-term band members to play on the songs were Murdoch, David, and Mick Cooke, who played trumpet on the EP but would not officially join the band until a few years later. It charted at No. 59 in the UK singles chart. The Lazy Line Painter Jane EP followed in July. The track was recorded in the church where Murdoch lived and features vocals from Monica Queen. The EP narrowly missed out on the UK top 40, peaking at No. 41. The last of the EPs was October's 3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light. The EP was made Single of the Week in both the NME and Melody Maker and reached No. 32 in the charts, thus becoming the band's first top 40 single.
Despite the band's growing popularity, during this period they kept a low profile at the insistence of Murdoch, who was still regaining his strength following years struggling with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The band played gigs sporadically, rarely gave interviews, and refused to appear in publicity photographs, often getting friends and acquaintances to pose instead. The relative reclusiveness helped to create an aura of mystique around them.

The Boy with the Arab Strap, Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant and Line-up Changes (1998–2003)

The band released their third LP, The Boy with the Arab Strap×The Boy With the Arab Strap7 September 1998 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1It Could Have Been a Brilliant Career2:232Sleep the Clock Around4:573Is It Wicked Not to Care?3:224Ease Your Feet in the Sea3:335A Summer Wasting2:046Seymour Stein4:287A Space Boy Dream3:028Dirty Dream Number Two4:139The Boy With the Arab Strap5:1410Chickfactor3:2911Simple Things1:4412The Rollercoaster Ride6:37 in 1998, and it reached No. 12 in the UK charts. Arab Strap garnered an NPR interview and positive reviews from Rolling Stone and The Village Voice, and others; however, the album has its detractors, including Pitchfork, who gave the album a particularly poor review, calling it a "parody" of their earlier work (Pitchfork has since removed the review from their website and re-reviewed the album positively in 2018). During the recording of the album, long-time studio trumpet-player Mick Cooke was asked to join the band as a full member. The This Is Just a Modern Rock Song EP followed later that year.
In 1999, the band was awarded with Best Newcomer (for their third album) at the BRIT Awards, upsetting better-known acts such as Steps and 5ive. That same year, the band hosted their own festival, the Bowlie Weekender. Tigermilk was also given a full release by Jeepster before the band started work on their next LP. The result was Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant, which became the band's first top 10 album in the UK, though critics felt that the band were starting to stagnate. A stand-alone single, "Legal Man×Legal Man22 May 2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Legal Man2:422Judy Is a Dick Slap4:063Winter Wooskie2:42", reached No. 15 and gave them their first appearance on Top of the Pops.

As the band's popularity and recognition was growing worldwide, their music began appearing in films and on television. The 2000 film High Fidelity mentions the band (with Jack Black's character referring to them as "old sad bastard music" and disdaining their soft style) and features a clip from the song "Seymour Stein" from The Boy with the Arab Strap. Two songs by the band ("Expectations" and "Piazza, New York Catcher") appeared on the soundtrack for the 2007 hit film Juno. Also, the title track from Arab Strap was played over the end credits of the UK television series Teachers, and the lyric "Colour my life with the chaos of trouble" from the song was quoted by one of the characters in the 2009 film (500) Days of Summer.
Stuart David soon left the band to concentrate on his side project, Looper, and his book writing, which included his The Idle Thoughts of a Daydreamer. He was replaced by Bobby Kildea of V-Twin. The "Jonathan David×Jonathan David18 June 2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Jonathan David3:002Take Your Carriage Clock and Shove It3:373The Loneliness of a Middle Distance Runner4:33" single, sung by Stevie Jackson, was released in June 2001 and was followed by "I'm Waking Up to Us" in November, which saw the band use an outside producer (Mike Hurst) for the first time. Most of 2002 was spent touring and recording a soundtrack album, Storytelling×Storytelling3 June 2002 · Album · SoundtrackSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Fiction2:322Freak2:193Conan, Early Letterman0:264Fuck This Shit2:315Night Walk2:076Jersey’s Where It’s At0:227Black and White Unite3:558Consuelo2:569Toby0:3310Storytelling3:0211Class Rank0:1212I Don’t Want to Play Football0:5813Consuelo Leaving2:2914Wandering Alone2:3915Mandingo Cliche1:2016Scooby Driver1:1317Fiction Reprise1:2318Big John Shaft3:55 (for Storytelling by Todd Solondz). Campbell left the band in the spring of 2002, in the middle of the band's North American tour to pursue a solo career, first as The Gentle Waves, and later under her own name. She later collaborated with singer Mark Lanegan on three albums.

Dear Catastrophe Waitress, The Life Pursuit and hiatus (2003–2010)

The band left Jeepster in 2002, signing a four-album deal with Rough Trade Records. Their first album for Rough Trade, Dear Catastrophe Waitress×Dear Catastrophe Waitress29 September 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Step Into My Office, Baby4:122Dear Catastrophe Waitress2:233If She Wants Me5:054Piazza, New York Catcher3:035Asleep on a Sunbeam3:236I’m a Cuckoo5:267You Don’t Send Me3:088Wrapped Up in Books3:349Lord Anthony4:1510If You Find Yourself Caught in Love4:1611Roy Walker2:5712Stay Loose6:44, was released in 2003 and was produced by Trevor Horn. The album showed a markedly more "produced" sound compared to their first four LPs, as the band was making a concerted effort to produce more "radio-friendly" music. At this point, the band began to engage more with the press and started appearing in publicity shots. The album was warmly received and is credited with restoring the band's "indie cred". The album also marked the return of Murdoch as the group's primary songwriter, following the poorly received Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant and Storytelling, both of which were more collaborative than the band's early work. A documentary DVD, Fans Only, was released by Jeepster in October 2003, featuring promotional videos, live clips and unreleased footage. A single from the album, "Step into My Office, Baby×Step Into My Office, Baby17 November 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Step Into My Office, Baby4:142Love on the March3:503Desperation Made a Fool of Me4:154Step Into My Office, Baby4:12" followed in November 2003; it would be their first single to be taken from an album, and included a track recorded with Divine Comedy producer Darren Allison entitled Love on the March.
The Thin Lizzy-inspired "I'm a Cuckoo" was the second single from the album. It achieved their highest chart position yet, reaching No. 14 in the UK. The Books EP followed, a double A-side single led by "Wrapped Up in Books" from Dear Catastrophe Waitress and the new "Your Cover's Blown×Your Cover's Blown2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Your Cover's Blown (Miaoux Miaoux mix) (radio edit)". This EP became the band's third top 20 UK release, and the band was nominated for both the Mercury Music Prize and an Ivor Novello Award. In January 2005, B&S was voted Scotland's greatest band in a poll by The List, beating Simple Minds, Idlewild, Travis, Franz Ferdinand, and the Proclaimers, among others.
In April 2005, members of the band visited Israel and the Palestinian territories with the UK charity War on Want; the group subsequently recorded a song inspired by the trip titled "The Eighth Station of the Cross Kebab House", which would first appear on the digital-download version of the charity album Help!: A Day in the Life and would later have a physical release as a B-side on 2006's "Funny Little Frog×Funny Little Frog16 January 2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Funny Little Frog3:102Meat and Potatoes4:273I Took a Long Hard Look3:34" single. Push Barman to Open Old Wounds, a compilation of the Jeepster singles and EPs, was released in May 2005 while the band were recording their seventh album in California. The result of the sessions was The Life Pursuit, produced by Tony Hoffer. The album, originally intended to be a double album, became the band's highest-charting album upon its release in February 2006, peaking at No. 8 in the UK and No. 65 on the US Billboard 200. "Funny Little Frog", which preceded it, also proved to be their highest-charting single, debuting at No. 13.
On 6 July 2006, the band played a historic show with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. The opening act at the 18,000 seat sell-out concert was the Shins. The members of the band see this as a landmark event, with Stevie Jackson saying, "This is the biggest thrill of my entire life". In October 2006, members of the band helped put together a CD collection of new songs for children titled Colours Are Brighter, with the involvement of major bands such as Franz Ferdinand and the Flaming Lips.
On 18 November 2008 the band released The BBC Sessions, which features songs from the period of 1996–2001 (including the last recordings featuring Isobel Campbell before she left the band), along with a second disc featuring a recording of a live performance in Belfast from Christmas 2001.

Write About Love and Girls In Peacetime Want to Dance (2010–2016)

On 17 July 2010, the band performed their first UK gig in almost four years to a crowd of around 30,000 at Latitude Festival in Henham Park, Southwold. They performed two new songs, "I Didn't See It Coming" and "I'm Not Living in the Real World".

Their eighth studio album, released in the UK and internationally on 25 September 2010, was titled Write about Love. The first single from the album, as well as the record's title track "Write about Love×Write About Love6 October 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1I Didn't See It Coming5:032Come On Sister3:543Calculating Bimbo4:224I Want the World to Stop4:345Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John4:346Write About Love2:537I'm Not Living in the Real World3:108The Ghost of Rockschool4:349Read the Blessed Pages2:4410I Can See Your Future3:5011Sunday's Pretty Icons3:5312Last Trip3:0613Suicide Girl2:42", was released in the US on 7 September 2010. Write about Love entered the UK albums chart in its first week of release, peaking at No. 8 as of 19 October 2010. Norah Jones is featured on the track "Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John", and Carey Mulligan sings on the title track.
In December 2010 Belle and Sebastian curated the sequel to the Bowlie Weekender in the form of Bowlie 2 presented by All Tomorrow's Parties.
In 2013, Pitchfork TV released an hour-long documentary in February, directed by RJ Bentler which focused on the band's 1996 album If You're Feeling Sinister, as well as the formation and early releases of the band. The documentary featured interviews with every member that was present on the album, as well as several archival photos and videos from the band's early days. The band compiled a second compilation album The Third Eye Centre×The Third Eye Centre26 August 2013 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1I'm a Cuckoo (by the Avalanches)3:452Suicide Girl2:403Love on the March3:484Last Trip2:565Your Secrets2:596Your Cover's Blown (Miaoux Miaoux mix)5:567I Took a Long Hard Look3:328Heaven in the Afternoon3:269Long Black Scarf2:4710The Eighth Station of the Cross Kebab House3:5611I Didn't See It Coming (Richard X mix)3:4512(I Believe in) Travellin' Light2:3713Stop, Look and Listen4:0614Passion Fruit2:3215Desperation Made a Fool of Me4:1416Blue Eyes of a Millionaire3:4017Mr Richard2:3318Meat and Potatoes4:2319The Life Pursuit4:32 which included the B-sides and rarities released after Push Barman to Open Old Wounds, from the albums Dear Catastrophe Waitress×Dear Catastrophe Waitress29 September 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Step Into My Office, Baby4:122Dear Catastrophe Waitress2:233If She Wants Me5:054Piazza, New York Catcher3:035Asleep on a Sunbeam3:236I’m a Cuckoo5:267You Don’t Send Me3:088Wrapped Up in Books3:349Lord Anthony4:1510If You Find Yourself Caught in Love4:1611Roy Walker2:5712Stay Loose6:44, The Life Pursuit×The Life Pursuit6 February 2006 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Act of the Apostle2:562Another Sunny Day4:043White Collar Boy3:214The Blues Are Still Blue4:095Dress Up in You4:246Sukie in the Graveyard3:007We Are the Sleepyheads3:348Song for Sunshine4:069Funny Little Frog3:0810To Be Myself Completely3:1811Act of the Apostle II4:2112For the Price of a Cup of Tea3:2013Mornington Crescent5:40, and Write about Love. In an interview at the end of 2013, Mick Cooke confirmed he had left the band on good terms.
The band received an 'Outstanding Contribution to Music Award' at the NME Awards 2014.
In 2014, the band returned to the studio, recording in Atlanta, Georgia for their ninth studio album, along with announcing tour dates for various festivals and concerts across the world during 2014. Their ninth album Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance×Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance14 January 2015 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Nobody’s Empire5:082Allie3:163The Party Line4:144The Power of Three3:575The Cat With the Cream5:186Enter Sylvia Plath6:497The Everlasting Muse5:258Perfect Couples5:309Ever Had a Little Faith?4:2210Play for Today7:3311The Book of You4:2412Today (This Army’s for Peace)5:3613Born to Act3:1014Two Birds3:4815Piggy in the Middle4:2116A Politician’s Silence5:46 was released on 19 January 2015. It was their first album with Dave McGowan, who had been their touring bassist since 2011.
The Belle and Sebastian song "There's Too Much Love" forms much of the soundtrack for the Brazilian film The Way He Looks, about a blind, gay teenage boy and his friends, released in 2014.
Belle and Sebastian performed at the Glastonbury Festival on 28 June 2015, on 'The Other Stage' and at O2 Academy, Glasgow in March 2017 which was televised in the UK as part of the 'BBC 6 MUSIC Presents Festival'.

How to Solve Our Human Problems, A Bit of Previous and Late Developers (2017–present)

In mid-2017, the band put out a new single, "We Were Beautiful×We Were Beautiful28 July 2017 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1We Were Beautiful4:25". During the same year, the band appeared in the news for a comical story that occurred during their US tour, in which they accidentally forgot Colburn in a North Dakota Walmart. In December 2017 and January and February 2018, the band released a trio of EPs under the name How to Solve Our Human Problems.
On 3 November 2018, the band announced that Dave McGowan had become a member.
In August 2019, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Bowlie Weekender festival, Belle & Sebastian held a third festival, dubbed the Boaty Weekender. Unlike the previous two festivals, the Boaty Weekender was held on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean Sea instead of UK holiday parks.
The band's eleventh studio album, A Bit of Previous×A Bit of Previous6 May 2022 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Young and Stupid2:552If They’re Shooting at You4:313Talk to Me Talk to Me4:274Reclaim the Night3:135Do It for Your Country3:516Prophets on Hold4:477Unnecessary Drama4:178Come On Home3:559A World Without You3:0310Deathbed of My Dreams3:4811Sea of Sorrow4:5912Working Boy in New York City4:16, was released in May 2022.
In January 2023, the band announced the surprise release of their twelfth studio album, Late Developers×Late Developers13 January 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Juliet Naked3:222Give a Little Time3:233When We Were Very Young3:534Will I Tell You a Secret2:165So in the Moment3:236The Evening Star4:257When You’re Not With Me4:438I Don’t Know What You See in Me3:399Do You Follow4:1910When the Cynics Stare Back From the Wall4:2111Late Developers4:20. Lead single "I Don't Know What You See in Me" was released on 9 January 2023 with the album released on 13 January 2023.

Collaborations and side projects

The Reindeer Section were a Scottish indie rock supergroup formed in 2001 by Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, which released albums and gigged in 2001 and 2002. It featured Richard Colburn, Mick Cooke and Bobby Kildea from Belle and Sebastian.
The Vaselines are an alternative rock band formed in Glasgow in 1986. Between 2008 and 2014 their lineup featured Stevie Jackson and Bobby Kildea from Belle and Sebastian and they performed at Bowlie Weekender 2 curated by Belle and Sebastian in December 2010.
Tired Pony was a country / Americana supergroup formed by Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol in 2010. It features Richard Colburn from Belle and Sebastian.
God Help the Girl is a musical project by Stuart Murdoch, featuring a group of female vocalists, including Catherine Ireton, with Belle and Sebastian as the accompanying band.
Looper is an electronic music group fronted by Stuart David.
The Gentle Waves was a side project of Isobel Campbell before she left the band in 2002. The project's first album, The Green Fields of Foreverland, featured "players from Belle and Sebastian" as per the gatefold sticker and the personnel notes.

Band members

Current members

Stuart Murdoch – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards (1994–present)
Stevie Jackson – guitar, backing and occasional lead vocals, piano (1996–present)
Chris Geddes – keyboards, piano, percussion (1996–present)
Richard Colburn – drums, percussion (1996–present)
Sarah Martin – backing and occasional lead vocals, violin, guitar, flute, keyboards, recorder, percussion (1996–present)
Bobby Kildea – guitar, bass (2001–present)
Dave McGowan – bass, keyboards, guitar (2018–present; touring musician 2012–2018)
Former members

Stuart David – bass (1994–2000)
Isobel Campbell – backing and occasional lead vocals, cello, guitar (1996–2002)
Mick Cooke – trumpet, guitar, bass, percussion (1998–2013; touring musician 1996–1998)
Timeline