Belle and Sebastian

Belle & Sebastian是一支獨立流行樂隊，1996年一月成立于蘇格蘭格拉斯高。Belle & Sebastian與諸如The Smiths和Felt這類有影響力的獨立樂隊有很多共同之處，也受到了北方靈歌(northern soul)與放客(funk)音樂的影響。
在Jeepster Records廠牌下發(fā)行了一些專輯和EP之后，他們現(xiàn)在簽約于英國的Rough Trade Records廠牌和美國的Matador Records廠牌。
    這個樂隊取名于一個法國兒童電視系列劇，是說一個小男孩和他的狗是怎么互相珍愛的，可以說Belle & Sebastian也相當(dāng)難能可貴，然而“難能可貴”可以是一個用來罵人的字眼，Belle & Sebastian卻不具有這個字眼言外之意的那層貶義的意思——他們內(nèi)向化卻不孤立化，美麗卻不懦弱，他們創(chuàng)作的旋律燦爛精致，聽上去完整而統(tǒng)一。樂隊在吉他手兼主唱Stuart Murdoch帶領(lǐng)下，前后一共發(fā)行了7張唱片，并打造出一種類似于60年代流行樂以及民謠搖滾的親密無間卻又莊嚴宏偉的音樂，然而Murdoch的才華不僅僅體現(xiàn)在奇思怪想和超現(xiàn)實主義上，不安憂慮卻充滿情感的描繪更讓歌曲無不反映出一種切實的現(xiàn)實感。
樂隊成員
在隊成員:
Stuart Murdoch: 1996–至今 (主唱，吉他和鍵盤)
Stevie Jackson: 1996–至今 (伴唱和吉他)
Chris Geddes: 1996–至今 (鍵盤)
Richard Colburn: 1996–至今 (鼓)
Sarah Martin: 1997–至今 (小提琴，鍵盤，吉他和伴唱)
Mick Cooke: 1998–至今 (小號和貝司)
Bobby Kildea: 2001–至今 (吉他和貝司)
前成員:
Isobel Campbell: 1996–2002 (伴唱和大提琴)
Stuart David: 1996–2000 (貝斯)
Kyle Burkett: 2000-2001 (伴唱和吉他)
Andrew Maxson: 2000-2001 (貝斯)
大事記
(1996-1997) 組隊與成名
　　
在 Stuart Murdoch 遇到男低音 Stuart David之后，Belle & Sebastian于1996年一月在格拉斯高成立了。 他們與Stow 大學(xué)的音樂教授Pilar Duplack一起錄制了一些demo,這些demo被該大學(xué)的音樂商業(yè)廠牌收錄在以Electric Honey為名義每年發(fā)行的一張唱片中。他們創(chuàng)作了一些單曲之后，加之這家廠牌對這些demo印象實在很深，Belle & Sebastian (名字來源于法國作家Cécile Aubry創(chuàng)作的一本兒童讀物Belle et Sébastien)便錄制了一張完整專輯：Tigermilk。傳言說“Belle”是指Isobel (Campbell)，“Sebastian”指代Stuart (Murdoch)，因為在Isobel 2002年離隊之前他們已結(jié)婚多年。然而，Stuart Murdoch 否認了這一點。
Tigermilk在三天之內(nèi)就錄好了，一開始只準備了1000張塑膠拷貝盤。這些最開始的拷貝現(xiàn)在已要價400英鎊了。到那時，樂隊又新增了一些成員，Stevie Jackson (吉他和伴唱), Isobel Campbell (大提琴和伴唱), Chris Geddes (鍵盤)， Richard Colburn (鼓)。
首張專輯成功之后，Belle & Sebastian 于1996年8月簽約Jeepster Records。三月之后，第二張專輯If You’re Feeling Sinister發(fā)行。
在此張專輯錄制之前，Sarah Martin (小提琴，伴唱)加入到樂隊中。接下來，在1997年他們發(fā)行了一系列的EP。這些EP的第一張是Dog on Wheels，其中包含了正式組隊前錄制的四首小樣。實際上，演奏這些歌曲的長期隊員只包括Murdoch, David, and Mick Cooke ，后者在當(dāng)時表演小號，而且?guī)啄曛蟛耪饺腙?。此張EP在英國流行榜上排到了第59名。
接下來，EP Lazy Line Painter Jane 在七月發(fā)行.。這張EP在一個教堂里錄制，并邀Monica Queen獻聲?？上У氖牵@張EP差一點就進入了UK榜前40，排到了第41名。1997年的最后一張EP是發(fā)行于十月的3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light。此EP同時被NME和Melody Maker列為每周一歌，而且一度達到了第32名，因此也成為樂隊的首個40大歌曲。
(1998-2002) 在Jeepster廠牌下繼續(xù)取得成功
1998年專輯 The Boy with the Arab Strap 發(fā)行，排到了UK專輯榜的第12名。專輯錄制過程中，小號手Mick Cooke被邀正式進隊。發(fā)行這張專輯不久，樂隊就在全音音樂獎（BRIT Awards）上獲得最佳新晉樂隊獎，打敗了競爭對手Steps。接下來樂隊又發(fā)行了EPThis Is Just a Modern Rock Song。
1999年，樂隊主辦了他們自己的音樂節(jié)，Bowlie Weekender。在樂隊開始準備下一張唱片時，Tigermilk也由Jeepster發(fā)行了完整版本。新專輯叫做Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant，這也成為樂隊的首張UK榜前10專輯。未收錄的一只單曲Legal Man排到了15名，而且也使得他們首次在Top of the Pops中亮相。
隨著樂隊的知名度在世界范圍內(nèi)的提高，他們的音樂開始頻頻的出現(xiàn)在電影和電視中。2000 年的一部電影High Fidelity 提到了樂隊的名字并且穿插了專輯The Boy with the Arab Strap 中的一首歌Seymour Stein 的片段。開始與2001年的英國劇集Teachers 在許多場景中都用到了他們的音樂，包括主題曲。
Stuart David 不久離開了樂隊并開始專注于他的個人計劃Looper和他的書籍，后者包括了The Idle Thoughts of a Daydreamer. Stuart David的位置由V-Twin的Bobby Kildea 替代。單曲Jonathan David（Stevie Jackson演唱）于2001年七月發(fā)行，緊接著樂隊又在九月發(fā)行了I’m Waking Up to Us。這首曲子貌似描述了Murdoch和Campbell關(guān)系的破裂，但Murdoch 在2006年的專輯The Life Pursuit中的文案里否認了這一點。EP”I’m Waking Up to Us”中，樂隊首次起用了海外制作人Mike Hurst。2002年的大部分時間里樂隊都在巡演并且錄制了一張原聲帶，Storytelling (由Todd Solondz執(zhí)導(dǎo)的Storytelling原聲). Isobel在2002年北美巡演中途宣布離隊。
(2003-至今) Rough Trade廠牌下的發(fā)展
樂隊在2002年離開Jeepster并簽約了Rough Trade Records.。B&S在2003里完成了專輯Dear Catastrophe Waitress，由 Trevor Horn制作。這張專輯與前四張專輯相比，后期制作的成分加重了。一部記錄性質(zhì)的DVD, Fans Only在2003年十月由Jeepster發(fā)行，包括了增加的視頻，現(xiàn)場片段和未發(fā)行的電影剪輯。取自專輯Catastrophe Waitress中的一首Step into My Office, Baby在2003年11月發(fā)行，而這將成為他們第一首取自專輯的單曲EP。
I’m a Cuckoo成為取自專輯的第二首單曲, 和以前的那些單曲EP相比，在電臺的播放頻率大大增加。而這也成為他們排名最高的一首單曲——排到了UK榜的第14名。EPBooks 隨之發(fā)行, a double A-side single lead by “Wrapped Up in Books” From Dear Catastrophe Waitress and the new “Your Cover’s Blown”.這張EP成為樂隊的第三首TOP20，與此同時，樂隊同時被Mercury Music Prize 和Ivor Novello Award提名。2005年一月, B&S在由The List發(fā)起的一次投票中被選為蘇格蘭最偉大的樂隊，打敗了Simple Minds, Idlewild, Travis, Franz Ferdinand和 The Proclaimers。
2005年四月，樂隊成員跟隨英國慈善組織War on Want到訪了以色列和巴勒斯坦。隨后，樂隊錄制了由此次旅程所激發(fā)的一首歌曲The Eighth Station of the Cross Kebab House，而這后來成為2006年發(fā)行的一張B-side 專輯Funny Little Frog中的一首歌。.Push Barman to Open Old Wounds, 這是一張于2005年五月由Jeepster發(fā)行的單曲EP合輯，當(dāng)時樂隊正在加州錄制他們的第七張專輯。The Life Pursuit成為他們的新專輯，由Tony Hoffer擔(dān)當(dāng)制作人。在2006年2月發(fā)行后，該張專輯成為他們排名最高的一張，UK榜排到第8，美國Billboard 200榜排到第65位。之前發(fā)行的Funny Little Frog也成為他們最高的單曲排名歌曲——第13名。
2006年6月，樂團與洛杉磯交響樂團合作，在好萊塢露天劇場進行了一次歷史性的表演。18000張門票銷售一空，開場暖場樂隊是The Shins，該樂隊的成員將之看作標(biāo)志性的事件，用Stevie Jackson的話來講就是“人生中最震撼的時刻。”
2006年10月，樂團成員參與了一張名為Colours Are Brighter的為孩子們準備的專輯的制作， Franz Ferdinand 和 The Kooks也參與其中。
樂團計劃發(fā)表一張在1996至2001年表演的Radio One sessions的集結(jié)。
音樂作品
專輯
Tigermilk (1996)
If You’re Feeling Sinister (1996)
The Boy with the Arab Strap (1998)
Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant (2000)
Storytelling (2002)
Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003)
The Life Pursuit (2006)
現(xiàn)場專輯
If You’re Feeling Sinister: Live at the Barbican (2005)
合集
Lazy Line Painter Jane (boxset) (2000)
Push Barman to Open Old Wounds (2005)
Late Night Tales: Belle & Sebastian (2006)
單曲和EP
Dog on Wheels (1997)
Lazy Line Painter Jane (1997)
3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light (1997)
This Is Just a Modern Rock Song (1998)
“Legal Man” (2000)
“Jonathan David” (2001)
“I’m Waking Up to Us” (2001)
“Step into My Office, Baby” (2003)
“I’m a Cuckoo” (2004) Books (2004)
“Cassaco Marron” (2006)
“Funny Little Frog” (2006)
“The Blues Are Still Blue” (2006)
“White Collar Boy” (2006)
“Are you coming over for Christmas?" (2007)
其他歌曲收集
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” (trad. cover) on the Xfm charity compilation It’s A Cool, Cool Christmas, released November 20, 2000 on Jeepster Records
“Final Day” (Young Marble Giants cover) on the Rough Trade 25th-anniversary compilation Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before, released September 23, 2003 on Rough Trade Records
“Poupée de cire, poupée de son” (live Serge Gainsbourg cover) on the Fans Only DVD, released October 20, 2003 on Jeepster Records
“The Eighth Station of the Cross Kebab House” on the War Child charity album Help: A Day in the Life, released September 9, 2005 on Independiente Records
“Cassaco Marron” (Trio Esperança cover) on the Belle & Sebastian-compiled album Late Night Tales: Belle & Sebastian, released on February 27, 2006 on Azuli Records, and as a limited-edition 7-inch vinyl single (b/w David Shrigley’s spoken-word piece
“When I Was a Little Girl”) released February 13, 2006, also on Azuli
“The Monkeys Are Breaking Out the Zoo,” a children’s song on the Save the Children charity album Colours Are Brighter, released October 16, 2006 on Rough Trade Records
DVDs
Fans Only（2003）
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
A band that takes its name from a French childrens television series about a boy and his dog would almost have to be precious, and to be certain, Belle & Sebastian are precious. But precious can be a damning word, and Belle & Sebastian dont have the negative qualities that the word connotes — they are private but not insular, pretty but not wimpy; they make gorgeous, delicate melodies sound full-bodied. Led by guitarist/vocalist Stuart Murdoch, the seven-piece band has an intimate, majestic sound that is equal parts folk-rock and 60s pop, but Murdochs gift for not only whimsy and surrealism, but also for odd, unsettling lyrical detail keeps the songs grounded in a tangible reality.
Based in Glasgow, Scotland, Belle & Sebastian released their first two albums in 1996 at the peak of the chamber pop movement. At first, some critics in Britains music weeklies tied the band into the subgenre, yet the group was too pretty, too delicate, to bear that label. Through their first two years of public existence, the band shielded their personalities, submitting publicity photos featuring a girl that wasnt in the band and reluctantly posing for photo shoots. Furthermore, they performed in odd venues, playing not only the standard coffeehouses and cafes, but also homes, church halls, and libraries.
The idiosyncratic approach to building their career isnt surprising given Murdochs approach toward beginning a band. A longtime fan of Felt, Murdoch left Glasgow for London in the early 90s in hopes of finding the groups leader, Lawrence Hayward, but he never found his idol. Upon his return to Glasgow he enrolled in university and he began writing songs and short stories. While at school, he took a music business course where he decided to form a band and release a record for his final project (he had tried to form a band before to no success). For the project, he assembled the seven-piece Belle & Sebastian, featuring himself on guitar and vocals, choosing and recruiting members by instinct in a local all-night cafe in late 1995. He eventually found Sarah Martin (violin), Stevie Jackson (guitar), Chris Geddes (keyboards), Stuart David (bass), Richard Colburn (drums), and Isobel Campbell (cello). All seven members were college students, and all agreed that the idea behind the band was to stay on a small scale, to keep it as a project and not let the band run their lives; they even assumed they would release two albums and break up.
In May of 1996, Belle & Sebastian self-released their debut album, Tigermilk, on Electric Honey Records. Only 1,000 copies of the album, which was only pressed on vinyl, were released, but it unexpectedly became a sensation, earning terrific word of mouth throughout England. As a result, the band became slightly more than a school project — it became an actual band. If Youre Feeling Sinister, released on the independent Jeepster label, followed in November of 1996. By the time the album was released in America on the EMI subsidiary The Enclave, it had earned considerable critical acclaim in the U.K. — not only from music weeklies, but from newspapers like The Sunday Times and magazines like The Face — and a large cult following; by some accounts, Tigermilk was being sold for as much as 75 pounds. Over the course of 1997, word of mouth continued to grow in America, even as the band pulled out of an American tour because The Enclave went bankrupt and closed.
As the band cult continued to build in 1997, Belle & Sebastian released three EPs — Dog on Wheels (May), Lazy Line Painter Jane (July), and 3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light (October). Each subsequent EP placed higher on the indie charts and received great critical acclaim. By the end of the year, the group finalized an American deal with Matador Records, issuing The Boy With the Arab Strap in September 1998. The following year saw the eagerly anticipated wide re-release of Tigermilk, the album that started it all. Following completion of 2000s Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant, Stuart David left Belle & Sebastian to focus full-time on his solo project, Looper. In 2001, the group released two EPs — Jonathan David and Im Waking Up to Us — and recorded the soundtrack for Todd Solondzs film Storytelling. Just before the soundtracks release in spring 2002, Belle & Sebastian embarked on a comprehensive tour of the United States and Canada before returning to Europe for the summer festival season. Midway through the tour, Isobel Campbell left the band, citing the usual differences.
Another major change that soon took place was the band leaving Jeepster and Matador to sign with Rough Trade, with their next record, late 2003s Dear Catastrophe Waitress, produced by the inimitable Trevor Horn (who also produced Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Yes, and scores of others). The record spawned the brilliant Step into My Office and Im a Cuckoo singles, the latter of which was the groups biggest U.K. hit, reaching number 14 in early 2004. After a long worldwide tour that found Belle & Sebastian reaching new levels of success, they retired to Scotland and began preparing for the recording of their fifth album, The Life Pursuit, released in 2006.