Sinister: Belle and Sebastian speak!

[Martin Horsfield]

How do,

Saint Etienne, the Fanclub, Sonic Youth, Goldie, Bjork??? Lordy Jordi
that does indeed sound like fine festival fare. Sure beats seeing
Lawagon at midday in a field in Berkshire. Anyway listees, here's that
Belle and Sebastian interview I promised you from the long-forgotten but
occasionally rather splendid Bigwig magazine. If anyone knows what
became of the editors (Lyn, Thea, the two Lesleys - yes they went
through a few editors alright), then please let me know. They don't owe
me money or anything, I'm just curious. Here goes then, this is from
November 1996, an issue which featured James Lavelle on the cover and
also had interviews with Beth Orton and Tiger.

PS/To the Moose virgins, I'd give my vote to their 'hit' album, 'XYZ'


'Love And Fate' by Roy Moller
"Maybe it was the fact that we'd just got together that meant I could
just let go for the first time.  I ws quite confident the band would do
it. We only had a very short period of time to do the LP and if we
didn't leave everything up to fate and the combinations of our actions
we'd never have got anywhere"
Belle and Sebastian singer/songwriter Stuart Murdoch is recalling the
recording of 'Tigermilk', their first LP (released on Glasgow's Stow
College's Electric Honey label).  Since then, the Glasgow septet have
recorded a new album and played a Mark Radcliffe radio session. And
they'd like to record a third album before the year's out. Good going
for a band formed early this year.
These days such an alliance of productivity and talent is rare indeed.
With so many Britpop bands adopting string sections like costume
jewellery, Belle and Sebastian's second album 'If You're Feeling
Sinister' (out this month on Jeepster) is subtly augmented by cello,
vioin and trumpet. From the wistful 'Mayfly' to the upbeat atheism of
the title track, rich yet understated arrangements permeate the record
like the warm flush of a good malt.
Allied to vocals that suggest a folk Momus or Nick Drake with a
Morrissey fixation, bittersweet evocations of childhood and adolescence
such as the recorder-enhanced 'Judy and the Dream of Horses' combine
vulnerability and directness in equal measure.
"I think CS Lewis said that if you have to write for children and reduce
everything to quite simple, clear ideas then you're usually gonna' come
up with something pretty good." comments Stuart.
It's an approach that's paid dividends. According to basist Stuart
David, keeping things simple and clear is the Belle and Sebastian ethic.
"It's just about not doing unnecessary things 'cos all it really is is
writing a song and letting people that want to hear it, hear it."
This dedication to clarity is matched by the trust in instinct that saw
the band through 'Tigermilk'. Hence Belle and Sebastian's signing a one-
album deal to the newly formed Jeepster. As Stuart M. explains, "We knew
we had to do a record for them because they were just nutcases really.
You should always let yourself feel it by fate and they were the first
company that hassled us."
True to their penchant for favouring local locations such as Glasgow's
intimate Cafe Soma over traditional rock venues, an upcoming visit to
London sees the band playing the Rough Trade shop and supporting
Tindersticks for two nights at the Institute of Contemporary Arts. Due
to these commitments, the recording of that new album might have to wait
'till the new year.
Since recording 'Tigermilk' in March, things have happened pretty fast.
"It's like a battle with the real world but that's to be expected," says
Stuart M., adding, "It's a nightmare but sort of fun as well because in
the past you might have started off with a little idea, then you indulge
yourslef to the point of playing in a pub and you're trying to carry on
your indulgence and see your perfect idea right through to the high
street."
Seek out 'If You're Feeling Sinister' in a high street near you now. If
you're looking for music to warm your winter, Belle and Sebastian are
the perfect indulgence.

>From Bigwig, November 1996

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