Hiatus no more for Roddy

Roddy is one of Scotland’s musical legends. As a member of Idlewild, he was part of a band which helped redefine the country’s music scene through albums and unique live performances.

Idlewild released seven acclaimed albums and three compilations. A pair of these albums debuted in the UK top ten.

They released 12 UK top forty singles and have toured throughout the world, as a headline act, and also as support to some of the world’s biggest bands including REM, U2 and The Rolling Stones, amongst others.

However, Idlewild’s last LP Post Electric Blues was released in October 2009.and since that time, the band have been on hiatus.

Since, and indeed, during his time in the band, Roddy Woomble has become celebrated as a solo songwriter and performer in his own right, however, now they may be returning.

Roddy said: “Last year marked five years since Idlewild had last worked on any new material.

“It was great to re-connect with Rod and later Colin and get work started on a new album .

“We will be recording a new LP throughout this year with perhaps a few low-key events also. I’m excited about the songs we have so far — it’s very interesting to me to do this after a few years away from it. I don’t think it’ll sound much like any of our other albums.”

In addition to Idlewild’s s albums, his first solo venture came in 2006 with the album, My Secret is My Silence, which won rave reviews.

He was also the instigator behind the 2007 album Ballads of the Book, which brough together leading Scottish poets and musicians.

Roddy went on to record and release the album Before the Ruin with Kris Drever and John McCusker in 2008, which they toured extensively around the UK.

Woomble’s second solo album The Impossible Song and Other Songs was written and recorded at the An Tobar Arts Centre on the Isle of Mull.

For Sunday’s show, Roddy will be supported by Aoife O’Donovan, whose career has been a long time in the making.

It took her 12 years to arrive at her first solo album, 2013’s hugely-acclaimed Fossils, but her diverse musical adventures meanwhile, including a decade with Crooked Still, distilled into a defining artistic mission

She said: “I want every note I sing to be full of purpose.”

The gig takes place at 02 ABC tomorrow (Sunday), as part of the Celtic Connections festival.

Tickets are £15 from www.ticketweb.co.uk or www.celticconnections.co.uk.

The show begins at 7pm.