http://www.idlewild.co.uk/

Shoulder-pads required. Shin-guards suggested. Mouth-guards recommended.

A live performance by Idlewild is far from a day at the park. When singer/lyricist/shuttlecock (whatever that means) Roddy Woomble is let loose on stage, it’s open season for injury. How else could someone explain losing the same tooth twice on one tour?

After gigging around Glasgow and Edinburgh in 1995 and failing to make a real dent in the scene, the band had one of those "Eureka! I’ve got it!" moments – pool together their student loan funds and make a record. Bingo!

Queen of Troubled Teens was released in 1997 as a 7". After an interest by Radio One rep Steve Lamacq, Idlewild gained a coveted slot in the annual "In the City Live, Unsigned" final. In December of the same year, Idlewild signed a long-term deal with Food Records, thus ending a continuous ping-pong match from label to label (Human Condition to Fierce Panda to Deceptive to Food).

Food Records, home to Blur, released Idlewild’s ’98 UK debut record, Hope Is Important, in the U.S. this past October. The band is currently in the studio working on a new album with Shellac’s Bob Weston – bandmate of more-than-mere-mortal-producer, Steve Albini.