Belle and Sebastian: Just a Modern Rock Story

By Paul Whitelaw

Book Overview

In the eight years since their first release, Belle and Sebastian have grown from a secretive cult concern into one of the most beloved and revered pop'n'roll bands in the world. Intelligent and sensitive, witty and original, beautiful and bold, their music inspires the kind of devotion not seen since the The Smiths. Their continuing desire to push the boundaries of their vision has resulted in some of the most essential and idiosyncratic records of recent times. In this, the first biography of Belle and Sebastian, Paul Whitelaw traces their unpredictable personal and creative curve. With all original interviews and personal photos from the band Belle and Sebastian: Just A Modern Rock Story is the definitive account of the clandestine world and continuing rise of the unique and fascinating musical phenomenon that is Belle and Sebastian.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312341377
• ISBN13: 9780312341374
• Release Date: August 2005
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Great read.

Amazing band biography. Not boring at all, and very much in the same vein as their storytelling lyrics and even Stuart David's 'Nalda Said'; it's strangely whimsical and entertaining. I feel like I'm in a fairy tale with all these characters to get really close to every time I read it. Definitely worth a read.

Not perfect, but worth reading

I'm quite a big Belle and Sebastian fan, so when I saw this book sitting on a shelf at a local bookstore, I did not hesitate to buy it. I liked that Whitelaw was able to interview members of the band (sans drummer Richard). What I found slightly annoying was his evident bias towards certain band members. He tended to place Stuart Murdoch in a sort of demi-god-like, affectionate manner (Stuart M is usually referred to as "The Curious Boy"), while Isobel Campbell tended to be portrayed as a whiner, or some sort of a useless appendage. I thought it quite annoying that he was unable to keep his opinions out of his descriptions of band members or certain scenes. During certain moments of the book, I felt as if I was reading a tabloid magazine. Take that as you will. Overall, this is a great book, which gives the reader a great idea of how Belle and Sebastian formed and grew as a band. Your interpretations of Belle and Sebastian songs may differ from Whitelaw's, but it is quite fun to see how different people view different songs.

Great book

I got this as a gift for my boyfriend and he can't put it down. For any Belle and Sebastian fan, this is a treasure!

If You're Feeling Curious

If, like me, you enjoy B & S's music but don't know much about them, this is an informative biography. It features capsule biographies, track-by-track details for all the albums and EPs, lots of photos, and is written with that witty flair that seems to come natural to British pop journalists. The author knows his music history, and contra PW's review above can be critical of the band when they deserve it. Finally, the book reprints the lovely liner/stories from the CD booklets, in a larger point-size for greater readability. Stuart Murdoch designed the cover, too.