Songs to come home.
Between cult albums, memories that continue to grow over time and new songs inspired by football euphoria, Belle and Sebastian continues to find ways to connect nostalgia with the present. Regarding his presentations at the Metropolitan Theaterwhere they performed complete Tigermilk (1996) and If You're Feeling Sinister (1996), in addition to the release of “It Only Takes One Lion”we talked with Stuart Murdoch about the passage of time, the experience of listening to complete albums and the emotional bond that the band maintains with Mexico.
Indie Rocks!: I want to start with something general since they have an impressive discography. Where does inspiration come from? Is it life itself or do you take a specific topic and start working on it?
Belle and Sebastian: I think it always starts with something very personal. Sometimes it is a conversation, a memory or simply a feeling that is difficult to explain. I don't usually sit down thinking “I'm going to write about this”, but rather the songs appear little by little as I live. Many times inspiration comes from watching people, walking through a city or feeling completely lost.
GO!: Once you have the lyrics, how do you decide the instrumental part and the mood?
B&S: For me they almost always go hand in hand. There are melodies that already bring a certain emotion built in. Some songs ask for something bright, others need to feel more fragile or melancholic. I never try to force it too much. mood; I usually let the song tell me what it needs.
GO!: After so many years, what does it mean for Belle and Sebastian to return to albums like Tigermilk and If You're Feeling Sinister and play them in full live?
B&S: It's very emotional because those albums represent the beginning of everything for me. When we did Tigermilk I never thought anyone would still be listening to it thirty years later. Returning to those songs now is like meeting a much younger version of myself. There is something very beautiful and strange about that.
GO!: Both albums were written at a very specific stage in their lives. How does your relationship with those songs change almost thirty years later?
B&S: It changes a lot. When you are young you write from a very immediate, almost impulsive place. Now I can look at those songs with more distance and perhaps with more compassion for the person I was then. Some letters even take on new meanings over time. That continues to surprise me a lot.
GO!: These will be different nights with different albums. How does emotional energy change between Tigermilk and If You're Feeling Sinister When do they perform them live?
B&S: Tigermilk There is something very innocent and spontaneous about it. It feels like a band discovering who they want to be. If You're Feeling Sinister It is more introspective, perhaps more nocturnal. When we play them in full, the emotional energy of the night changes a lot. They are two completely different mental states.
GO!: Beyond nostalgia, what do you feel these albums still have to say to new generations?
B&S: I think those albums continue to talk about feeling out of place, about searching for identity, about wanting to connect with other people. And that never really goes away. Times change and the way we live changes, but those emotions remain exactly the same intense.
GO!: You recently released “It Only Takes One Lion.” How was that song born and what does it represent within this current moment of the band?
B&S: I'm a big football fan, so all the excitement around Scotland qualifying ended up naturally coming into the song. I wanted to capture that feeling of collective euphoria, that hope that appears for a moment and makes everyone feel united. It also has something very classic within the pop spirit of the band: it is bright, happy and very energetic. It was really fun to make a song like that.
GO!: Throughout their career, they have always managed to stay true to their essence while the musical landscape constantly changes. What do you think has been the secret to preserving that identity?
B&S: Honestly, I've never given much thought to following trends. I've always tried to make music that excites me first. I think when you start chasing what's trendy you run the risk of losing your own voice. We have always worked in a very intuitive way and perhaps that is why the band's identity has remained so clear.
GO!: In an era dominated by playlists and fast songs, you are still a band deeply linked to the album concept. How do you understand the experience of listening to a complete album today?
B&S: For me an album is still a complete emotional experience. I like to think about the order of the songs, how one leads to the other and the journey that can take someone. I completely understand that people listen to music in different ways today, but I still believe that listening to an entire album can change your day.
GO!: Belle and Sebastian's relationship with Mexico has always been very special. What memories do you have of the Mexican public and what does it mean to return after several years?
B&S: I always remember the shows in Mexico with great affection. There is a very strong emotional connection with the Mexican public. People sing everything, give themselves completely and that is felt on stage immediately. Coming back after several years is really exciting.
GO!: Many people connect with his lyrics in very personal moments of their lives. How do you experience the fact that your songs become emotional refuges for so many people?
B&S: It is one of the most beautiful things that making music has given me. Many times you write something from a very intimate place and then discover that other people found companionship or comfort there. I never cease to be surprised when someone tells me that a song was present at an important moment in their life.
GO!: If you had to choose a song Tigermilk and one of If You're Feeling Sinister that best represents the band today, what would they be and why?
B&S: Probably “The State I Am In” because I feel that many of the things that defined the band from the beginning were already there. and of If You're Feeling Sinister maybe “Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying”because it still has an energy and emotion that still feels very alive to me.
GO!: What is the difference between Belle and Sebastian in the studio and in a live show?
B&S: In the studio I can become very obsessive with details. I like to build little worlds within songs. Live everything is much more emotional and immediate. The important thing there is the connection with the people and letting the songs breathe in a different way.
GO!: Describe Belle and Sebastian in three words.
B&S: Melancholic, warm and human.
