Formed at an all-night café in Glasgow, Scotland in early 1996, and named after a cult 60s television show, Belle And Sebastian appeared to have taken a few hints from cult US band the Residents as far as publicity went. The founding members of the band, songwriter Stuart Murdoch (b. 25 August 1968, Glasgow, Scotland; vocals/guitar/piano) and Stuart David (bass), refused to release photographs or any information about individual members beyond their names. Despite this self-effacement (or gimmick, if you prefer), Belle And Sebastian, also initially comprising Stevie Jackson (guitars/harmonica/vocals), Richard Colburn (drums), Chris Geddes (keyboards/guitar), Isobel Campbell (b. 27 April 1976, Scotland; cello) and Sarah Martin (violin/stylophone), started packing out their Scottish gigs within months of their formation.
The band's string-based sound owes much to the Tindersticks, who headlined their first London gig, at the ICA, but also carries hints of country music and early 80s bed-sitter favourites such as the Smiths and Felt. After the limited edition, mail-order-only Tigermilk sold out within a month of its May 1996 release, with the enthusiastic backing of Radio 1 disc jockey Mark Radcliffe, the band was signed to London independent Jeepster Records. Within 10 days a second album had been completed. The band's dark tones and main songwriter Murdoch's quirky, sometimes Morrissey-esque lyrics, allegedly written on Glasgow buses, found favour in alternative circles as far afield as San Francisco and especially France, where Les Inrockuptibles magazine placed them above Oasis in their end of 1996 poll. In 1997, the band released the Dog On Wheels, Lazy Line Painter Jane and 3 ... 6 ... 9 ... Seconds Of Light EPs, the latter breaking into the UK Top 40 in October. Part-time trumpeter Mick Cooke was also made a full-time member of the band at this point. With their ever increasing success on the US independent charts the band were able to finalise an American contract with Matador Records, releasing The Boy With The Arab Strap the following year. The album entered the UK album chart at number 12 in September, and earned the band a BRIT Award for Best British Newcomer.
Stuart David (as Looper) and Isobel Campbell (as the Gentle Waves) released solo records during this period, and in 1999 the former had his debut novel, Nalda Said, published. Following the release of 2000's Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant, David left to concentrate on Looper full-time. His former bandmates reconvened in 2001 to record new material for single release, with Bobby Kildea installed as the bass player. Following the release of the minor soundtrack album Storytelling, Campbell announced she was leaving Belle And Sebastian. The band bounced back in 2003, signing a new recording contract with Rough Trade Records and teaming up with producer Trevor Horn to record the excellent Dear Catastrophe Waitress. The newly minted pop direction of this album was pursued to equal effect on the Los Angeles recorded follow-up, The Life Pursuit.
