Waving Not Drowning

One of the best spin-offs of the entire B&S phenomen, and a welcome by-product of blanking the relentless promo conveyor belt, is that B&S musicians are freed up to indulge their own creative muses. Former bassist Stuart David went on to form the fantasticly futuristic electro-indie outfit Looper, while current drummer Richard Colburn guests with V-Twin and Snow Patrol and is even an occasional resident DJ at a Dublin clubnight. Not one to be left out of all the fun, Isobel has just released the second album in as many years from her 'other' band, Gentle Waves, called Swansong For You, preceded by one of this year's finest singles, 'Falling From Grace'. On this fabulous 45, Isobel croons in a spooky drawl: "Love... destroys the best of us/Then leaves the rest of us/Thinking perhaps we'll die/Yet still we stay alive", accompanied by a lush yet minimal arrangement courtesy of B&S bandmates Stuart Murdoch, Mick Cooke and Richard Colburn. Isobel met the esteemed Domino artist Bill Wells when his singer for The Beat Room (BBC Digital) came down with chickenpox. She was an unlikely candidate to sing an obscure Billie Holiday number, but ended up thanking her lucky stars as the encounter led to the marvels included on the 'Falling From Grace' EP.
The Waves are currently on the road with the same Bill Wells, and aren't too bothered about meticulously replicating their sound live. "It s just whatever works at the time really," explains the softly spoken Isobel. "I think if we were to have string players live I'd have to mortgage my house or rent it out or something, because I had to already dip into my own pocket a wee bit for the concerts. I just thought we could get a good live set with an upright bass player and a bit of brass, but not many strings because they tend to cause problems. I'm really happy with it. We're a bizarre cross section of musicians; a right bunch of oddballs I think! We've also got a six string bass which is quite hilarious and causing much amusement. Rather than saying oh we should go on the road and promote this record , it s more like let s go there and have fun . Although I'll probably be a nervous wreck all the time and it won't be fun at all!
So even Isobel suffers from the pre-gig jitters? "Yeah, I do. I think it s because I don't do it every day, then it would just be like riding a bike or something and I think I'd be better at keeping it together. Some people step out onstage and they're just lapping it up, they just adore it. I was watching a documentary about Billie Holiday, and every time she performed they had to physically push her out onto the stage. I'm not as bad as that but I'm not as good as that either! Sometimes you just feel like you're a monkey doing your party trick. It depends what mood you're in I suppose."
Whatever about performing occasional party tricks, Isobel is a highly prolific young lady who has performed and written on no less than six albums. Where the hell does she find the time?
"It might change, but I think it is simply an obsession. I was talking to a fella last night about how he looks at music. It's just the obsession about something being perfect. Just striving for something. You won't even get there but you'll keep trying. It's like when doing an album, to try and do the very best combination of songs. The way
I see it right now. I'm only 24 and when I started with Belle and Sebastian I was just 19. I'm like the baby in the band, and I'm so happy just to be learning stuff all the time. It's just the greatest fun."
Prior to her career as a reluctant indie goddess, Isobel dabbled in all sorts of creative projects and musical training which have helped to fuse her musical vision. "I sort of flirted with music a wee bit and wrote some really, really bad songs. I was always writing poetry and dabbling in creative things. I went to university to study music, and it was just fate that I met Stuart (Murdoch) at a party. I always thought I'd leave university and sign on, so it is quite nice that I didn't have to do that, but sometimes I feel just a bit too lucky. I think it s because when I was studying music my family, well, my Gran actually, was really pushing the idea of working in science or computers, and I had just become resigned to the idea that it s difficult to find work as a musician.
As we chat away about records, films and cartoons, Isobel confesses to being what she calls "old-fashioned". "I don't feel too guilty about it to be honest. Being in awe of lots of old things means you can take them somewhere else. People now mightn't be aware of other possibilities other than S Club 7 and things. I think it s good that by being a huge fan of all types and genres of music, you can bring it to the here and now and give people a bit of a musical education as well. One of my boyfriends used to say stop talking about the past! , but the past shapes the present and the present shapes the future. I think it's quite important in order to go forward. You'd be clueless if you were to forget everything that s happened because it's not happening now."
When I ask Isobel for the customary HP Domestic Jukebox choices, she stops after three albums and demands to know mine!
"Do you like a lot of modern stuff? Where can you get that? How do you spell that label?" chips in Isobel, telling me she that she is writing all this down for when she goes record shopping tommorrow. We both agree that Love Forever Changes is quite simply "the perfect album", while I hope that Isobel doesn't get too freaked out if she happens to pick up the latest Andrew Weatherall freak-fest! "I like asking people what they're really into now and buy it without listening to it. Its an amazing and really good random way to get into new stuff," enthuses the tune-spotting Campbell. After all, this is the person who chose put a "things I like!" section on the Gentle Waves website that includes films such as The Ten Commandments, books from The Bell Jar to The Little Prince to Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit; Philp Larkin's poetry, and of course, plenty of records.
As for the rest of us, make sure to put The Gentle Waves on that list. b
The Gentle Waves album Swansong For You is out now on Jeepster.

The B&S Extended Family
Web - www.jeepster.co.uk

Looper
In 1999, Stuart David and his wife Karen formed Looper and released their debut album Up A Tree. Just prior to releasing their second album The Geometrid last May, Stuart announced his departure from B&S to concentrate on Looper related matters. Played a stormer of a show with our own David Kitt at 3345 in Vicar St earlier this year.
Check out: 'Mondo '77 from The Geometrid for those wonderful 'Cmon! C'mon! loops.

Snow Patrol
The Northern supergroup that now features a Happy Monday on guitar (Paul Wagstaff), has also hosted some guesting B&S types. Richard and Mick played various percussion parts and trumpets at Screamadelica in the Temple Bar Music Centre last August, while Richard kicked out the jams with a scorching DJ set of uptempo soul and funk afterwards. Richard Colburn also remixed the Snow Patrol single 'Starfighter Pilot' for inclusion on the remixes EP alongside Skint Records beats-meister Cut La Roc.
Check Out: The Bad Belle mix of 'Starfighter Pilot'

V-Twin
In the words of Stephen Pastel, "Glasgow's answer to the Wu-Tang Clan." Named after a motorcycle engine, B&S guitarist Stevie Jackson is just one of all-star cast that includes Neil and Jennifer from Royal Trux and Jagz Kooner. Singer Jason McPhail and drummer Michael McGaughlin are said to resemble "two miniature Bobby Gillespies"...as if the real one wasn't enough! The omnipresent Richard Colburn has also been known to play with this motley crew live. Their debut album Free The Twin has just been released on Domino. Arguably the most insane B&S offshoot in the world ever.
Check Out: The aptly titled 'Delinquency'

The Bill Wells Trio
It used to be an octet, but now slimmed down to a trio that includes Stevie Jackson from the B&S camp. Accompanying The Gentle Waves on their current tour with a new album on Domino on the way for December 1st.
Check out: 'October Sky' on 'The Falling From Grace' EP.

The Amphetameanies
A wonderfully monikered Glaswegian ten-piece ska band that boasts B&S trumpeter Mick Cooke in their ranks. They claim to have nothing whatsoever to do with amphetamines and have released five singles to date 'Around the World in 5 and a Half Minutes', 'Last Night', 'Treaty at Harthill' a split 7" with the Newtown Grunts and 'Speed Fever' a split with Vera Cruise.
Check out: Any of the above. Hard to find their records outside Glasgow. One for the really determined trainspotters.

Teenage Fanclub
Prior to Francis McDonald (ex BMX Bandit) joining this year, Richard Colburn handled drumming duties for The Fannies for a BBC Session.
Check out: Everything, stupid!