Roddy Woomble

All Music Guide:

Singer Roddy Woomble achieved recognition in the late '90s/early 2000s as the frontman for Scottish rock band Idlewild, which released a handful of albums before Woomble chose to explore his options as a solo artist. Born in 1976 in Scotland, Woomble traveled extensively as a child, living in France and the United States before settling in Edinburgh to study photography, where he met the other future members of Idlewild, which formed in 1995. The band released five albums, while eventually shifting from a grungy, punk-rooted sound to folk-influenced rock. Building on that change, Woomble decided to take time out from the band to explore his love of traditional Scottish folk and concentrate on solo material, which led to the release of his debut, My Secret Is My Silence, in July 2006 on the Pure label. Among the collaborators on the album are Idlewild guitarist Rod Jones and Woomble's wife, bassist Ailidh Lennon of Sons and Daughters.

Wikipedia:

Roderick "Roddy" Woomble (born 13 August 1976) is the lead singer of the Scottish rock band Idlewild and a solo contemporary folk musician. To date, Woomble has released six full-length studio albums with Idlewild, and two solo albums, My Secret is My Silence and The Impossible Song & Other Songs. Woomble also curated the Ballads of the Book project, released in 2007.

Woomble also collaborated with folk musicians Kris Drever and John McCusker on the joint solo album, Before the Ruin, released in 2008.

Musical career

Idlewild

Named after the quiet meeting place in Anne of Green Gables, Idlewild was formed in 1995 by Woomble, Rod Jones, Colin Newton and Phil Scanlon. The band were initially known for their energetic live shows and punk-tinged albums, however, their sound has changed to a sweeping, melodic rock sound over time.

Solo

In 2006, Woomble worked with several musicians including Kate Rusby, his wife Ailidh Lennon, songwriter Karine Polwart (to whom he presented the Horizon Award at the BBC Folk Awards 2005, and with whom he performed at Celtic Connections) and Idlewild guitarist Rod Jones on his debut solo album My Secret is My Silence, produced by John McCusker. The album was released in July 2006, and Woomble toured the United Kingdom in in support of the album's release. My Secret is My Silence reached number one in the UK Folk Charts, and a year later, on 10 July 2007, My Secret is My Silence was released in the U.S. on 7-10 Music.

Woomble's follow-up album, Before the Ruin, written and recorded with Kris Drever and John McCusker, was released on 15 September 2008 through Navigator Records.

In January 2010, Woomble began writing a new solo album:

In March 2010, Woomble released his second solo album, The Impossible Song & Other Songs.

He has recently announced on Twitter that he is writing his third solo album.

Collaborations with other artists

In 2002, Woomble worked with the Reindeer Section on Son of Evil Reindeer, providing lead vocals on the ballad "Who Told You". He also collaborated with Kate Rusby for her 2005 album The Girl Who Couldn't Fly which was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2006 BBC Folk Awards, singing backing vocals on the songs "Wandering Soul", "Fare Thee Well", and "No Names"; the latter of which was nominated for 'Song of the Year'.

Woomble also appears on Kris Drever's acclaimed album, Black Water, and is set to appear on John McCusker's project Under One Sky.

Writings

Woomble wrote a weekly column for The Sunday Herald, and in November 2008, began writing a monthly column 'Woomble's Way' for UK hillwalking magazine, TGO. Regarding his writing, Woomble states: "I'd do more if I could, [but] it's as hard for freelance writers as it is for musicians. I enjoy writing almost as much as I enjoy reading."

Personal life

Woomble moved around significantly during his childhood, living in the United Kingdom and France when young, before moving to the United States. He then moved back to Scotland and at nineteen began a degree in photography. Living in Edinburgh, he met Colin Newton and Rod Jones, both future members of Idlewild. He moved back to the United States after the success of Idlewild's Top Ten album, The Remote Part, and lived in New York City for some time, developing a love for America while nurturing his pride in Scotland.

In late 2005, Woomble married Ailidh Lennon, who plays bass for the Glaswegian punk-folk band, Sons and Daughters, a group that have supported Idlewild on several occasions. The couple currently live in the West End of Glasgow and now have a child, named Uist Lennon-Woomble. Lennon and Dave Gow from the band also played alongside Woomble when he toured his solo album.