Eleven albums and more than a quarter-century in, Glasgow indie ambassadors Belle & Sebastian command a large and loyal fanbase. If you go down to the Cardiff date of their COVID-delayed tour this month, you’ll see a thousand or so of them. B&S keyboardist Chris Geddes spoke to Amy Wild.
Your new album, A Bit Of Previous, was released in May: how important is it for you and the band to continue to have hit records after so long?
Chris Geddes, of Belle & Sebastian: It’s important to continue making records; a ‘hit’ is something you can’t control. With the most recent album, the label put a lot of work into the week of release, and were pleased it charted well. We’ll keep going as long as we feel there are people listening.
How do you think your music has changed and developed over the years?
Chris Geddes: I think anyone listening to the records would hear a fair change –more recent records sound a lot more polished than earlier ones. The overall approach to making the music hasn’t changed that much – it’s always song-lead music, and the lyrics are always front and centre. I think we are still identifiably the same band, and I think it still sounds like the same voice.
You recorded the new album back in Glasgow – how was it in comparison to previous album sessions in LA?
Chris Geddes: Doing it over COVID times and lockdown meant there were things that were stressful. Being able to work on a record without having to spend a chunk of time somewhere else was, for me personally, really good! I enjoyed the process of making the record a lot. The place we did it we’ve had for years, as a practice space – I’d been advocating for a long time that it could be a place where we can make records, and sonically A Bit Of Previous stacks up with other things we have done.
How do you compile tour setlists at this point in your career?
Chris Geddes: Stuart [Murdoch, vocalist] writes a new set list for every show, and his primary concern is what songs he feels like singing that night! There are certain songs that get played every night, but it has an overall structure and shape – we know where the upbeat songs are going to be and where the more intimate things are going to be.
Playing new material, it must be great working on something for so long and finally seeing your fans enjoy that music.
Chris Geddes: When new songs get a good reaction, it’s really gratifying! But it always takes a while before I’m relaxed enough playing them; before I can see the audience’s reaction. On the shows we have already done this year, it’s been fun playing the new songs, and they seem to have gone down well!
There are still a lot of new indie musicians who look to Belle & Sebastian as an influence, too.
Chris Geddes: I think it’s not something you think about when you make music. But obviously, as a musician, the stuff that you were into when you were younger, and which defines your musical influence, means a lot. If our band and the music we make fulfills that role for other people, then that’s a privilege. I suppose we can see ourselves as a part of a link in a chain, between an older generation band and a new generation band – and that’s good!
What of Belle & Sebastian’s plans for the near future are you excited about?
Chris Geddes: In the immediate future, just setting things up in the studio and rehearsing. It’s always nice to get back in the studio with everyone for the social thing of seeing everyone in the band – it’s only been a few weeks since we last did a gig, but it’s nice to catch up with everyone. Between now and the end of the year, we will be pretty busy with the UK tour and a trip to South America in December. I’m looking forward to that too!
Belle & Sebastian, Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union, Sun 13 Nov.
Tickets: £32.50. Info: here
words AMY WILD
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