Idlewild - Interview & Signed Test Pressing Giveaway
- Alex Needham
- Oct 3
- 3 min read
It’s been six years since Idlewild last released an album, but the Edinburgh band returns this autumn with a new self-titled record that's out today! Their tenth studio album was written throughout 2024 at Post Electric Studios and the Isle of Iona Library in the Hebrides, with production and mixing handled by Rod Jones alongside the band. Before they set off on their upcoming UK tour, we caught up with frontman Roddy Woomble to delve into the making of the new record. Plus, we’re giving away a Signed Test Pressing to one lucky winner.
"Idlewild feels like a point of (re)introduction – it’s a bold, trimmed back juggernaut, packed with ideas, verse, and invention. One of the most impactful records of their career."- Robin Muarry, Clash Magazine
Since forming in Edinburgh in 1995, Idlewild have worn many guises. They began as a teenage punk band, firing out buzzsaw riffs and sharp-edged refrains on their seminal early records Hope Is Important and 100 Broken Windows. By 2002, they had evolved into one of the most compelling mainstream rock groups of their generation, with The Remote Part debuting at number three on the UK charts, behind only Oasis and Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
TM: Idlewild is the band's tenth studio album — what does that milestone mean to you personally?
Roddy Woomble: It means that we've been able to navigate the complexity of collaborative creative work for three decades, which is still a remarkable thing for me. We've remained interested in each other and what we can do together.
TM: How has your songwriting or recording process evolved from your early albums to this new self-titled release? Did you approach this one differently?
Roddy Woomble: For the past few records Rod has done the majority of the recording and mixing in his own studio in Edinburgh. In the past we would always travel to a studio and work with a producer, so that's the main difference to how we do it now - its all done in-house so to speak. Songwriting wise i guess i'm still the instigator, but all songs are worked on collaboratively.
TM: Did you intentionally revisit or reframe any themes or sounds from your earlier work in this album? Or were you focused on exploring new musical territory?
Roddy Woomble: We referenced ourselves more than we normally would - listening to The Remote Part and 100 Broken Windows, and enjoying the way they sound and feel. But we're defintley not trying to recreate the past here.
“Idlewild is a fresh statement by us, not an exercise in nostalgia.” - Roddy Woomble
TM: After years of making music together, how have the dynamics within the band changed, and how have those relationships shaped the energy and tone of this album?
Roddy Woomble: The dynamics are still very similar! maybe that's a bad thing, but when we're in the room together, it's like we're all 19 again - bickering while coming up with really good songs.I think any band has a dis-functionality somewhere, but that's also what makes bands interesting - the combination of characters helping to create interesting music.
TM: With ten albums now behind you, where does the self-titled album fit into your broader musical journey? And looking forward, does this feel like a beginning of a new chapter—or perhaps something else entirely?
Roddy Woomble: I like to concentrate on the present moment, so I'm just happy that we've made a new record that we all really like, and that other people are interested in hearing. That's something I don't take for granted, especially after thirty years. I'm looking forward to the tour and more shows in 2026, and then we'll see where that leads...
Idlewild is available from the Official Idlewild Store on Milkshake Vinyl with Signed Print, Signed CD and Exclusive Cassette. All bundle orders include a Bonus CD containing unreleased tracks (while stocks last).
Enter our exclusive giveaway to win a Signed Test Pressing of Idlewild's new record.
The winner will be chosen on Monday, October 13 2025.
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