On June 1st, revered Scottish miserabilist Malcolm Middleton will release his fifth solo album, Waxing Gibbous; and if Middleton’s previous efforts are anything to go by, then expect a collection of down-beat, melodic songs for the alcohol-loving cynic within.
With less than two months until the album’s release, I caught up with the former Arab Strap guitarist to discuss the new record, the possibility of it being his last, and his career thus far.
Stereokill: What can you tell our readers about Waxing Gibbous?
MM: It’s my fifth studio album, and the third since Arab Strap split in 2006. It has some fast songs and some slow acoustic ones. Not many swear words – although, too many for my Gran’s liking. Guest appearances from King Creosote and The Pictish Trail, and my own “Bohemian Rhapsody”/”Don’t Fear The Reaper” in the guise of “Red Travellin’ Socks”. Some rapping and some slap bass – and, actually, no guitar solos – unfortunately, I forgot.
Stereokill: How would you say the album differs from your previous releases?
MM: It has different songs, and some of the things I sing about are different too. Although, some are the same – as I haven’t changed much or discovered anything new in recent years.
Stereokill: You mentioned in a recent interview that this may be your last solo album. Do you still feel this way?
MM: Yes, it will be for a while. I want to try something new and then come back to this later on. I’m pretty excited about doing something different with new people, though.
Stereokill: Have your record sales increased since the release of “We’re All Going to Die” in 2007?
MM: No they haven’t, but that was my biggest selling single. It’s getting harder to sell bits of plastic and vinyl to people these days: they just want files. There’s also too many bands and too many songs and too much of everything at our fingertips. I want change; I don’t like this place.
Stereokill: In the artwork to your two previous albums, A Brighter Beat and Sleight of Heart, there is a chair that appears behind the CD tray. Is this a significant chair?
MM: Yes, it’s the chair where I write all my songs. I’ve had it all my life.
Stereokill: What’s your own personal take on the music industry these days?
MM: I don’t really like it. Anyone remotely successful within it has already sold their soul in some way or other. We should have an amnesty and all just start from scratch; delete all the old songs and start fresh. Nah, that’d be stupid, as the oldies are the best.
Stereokill: Are there any acts out there that you recommend?
MM: At the moment, my favourite bands are De Rosa and Bat for Lashes.
Stereokill: You’ve released Ladyhawke and Girls Aloud covers via your MySpace. What other songs can fans expect in the future?
MM: Hmm, the possibilities are endless – or ending. Maybe some Yeah Yeah Yeahs or Bat for Lashes, I guess.
Stereokill: What are your favourite albums of all time?
MM: Tropico by Pat Benatar, Operation Mindcrime by Queensryche and Scenes from the Second Storey by The God Machine.
Stereokill: Have you listened to [former Arab Strap bandmate] Aidan Moffat‘s new album, How to Get to Heaven from Scotland?
MM: Yes, it’s good. Although, the guitars could have been better. *winks*
Stereokill: What do you consider high-points in your career thus far?
MM: We had a great time in Arab Strap when we were in our early 20s – naïve idiocy; great fun. Getting drunk with John Peel at Glastonbury in 1998. Our second US tour in 2000. Releasing Into the Woods, and my acoustic UK tour in 2008 – that was really enjoyable. Erm, I dunno’. The last ten months have been quite dull, but I can feel a change in the air again, so that’s good.
Stereokill: You’ve recorded many albums over the course of your career. Which would you say you’re most proud of?
MM: Probaby the first Arab Strap album, The Week Never Starts Round Here. It’s completely undiluted and free from any self-expectations which we later developed.
Stereokill: Are there any songs, in particular, that you consider your favourites?
MM: “Total Belief”, or “Zero”, or “A Brighter Beat”.
Stereokill: How does it feel to be a healthy part of Chemikal Underground‘s success as a label?
MM: Good. I have fond memories of those times, and we’re all still friends; so we did something right. We were all finding our way, as bands and as a label. Lots of mistakes were made too, but they were huge and successful ones.
Stereokill: Finally, is a Twix a chocolate bar or a biscuit?
MM: You know, if this had been the first question then I probably wouldn’t have answered the rest.
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Andrew Lindsay is a Glasgow-based singer-songwriter and deputy editor of Stereokill. 
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