astrid reimagine one of their most popular singles, ‘Distance’

On February 14th astrid are releasing an acoustic version of the song from the forthcoming EP ‘astrid are unwell’.

Here are Talk About Pop Music we have followed this band since the early 2000s so this in itself is fantastic news for us but even better news is – we have the EXCLUSIVE new video right here, right now!

So, how does this compare the original? Well, let’s go back to the year 2000…

So, who are astrid?

Find yourself on a remote island in the Scottish Hebrides and you’ll find the deep roots of a band called ​astrid. Songwriters​ and childhood friends, Willie Campbell & Charlie Clark, would move from their beloved island in the mid 90s to Glasgow where a whole new scene in music was emerging. It was here they formed ​astrid.

At the tender age of 17 the band were asked to open for ​Belle & Sebastian​ on their first ever UK tour.

It was on this tour after a show at The Union Chapel in London that the boys of ​astrid​ met managers and founders of ​Fantastic Plastic Records, Darrin and Julie Robson. ​astrid signed to ​Fantastic Plastic i​n 1998 and all was right with the world. Produced by Scottish Indie legend ​Edwyn Collins​, ​astrid’s​ debut album, ‘Strange Weather Lately’ would go on to sell 10,000 copies and solidify ​astrid​ as 1999’s darlings of radio as they garnered support from the likes of ​John Peel​, ​Steve Lamacq​ and ​Mark and Lard ​setting in motion tours and shows in 2000 with acts from ​The Go-Betweens, Ben Lee​ and​ Sean Lennon ​to​ Lou Barlow and fellow indie circuit players, ​Snow Patrol​.

In 2001 ​Snow Patrol​ frontman ​Gary Lightbody ​asked ​astrid​ to join and ultimately become the core band for his Scottish indie supergroup, ​The Reindeer Section​. Among others, the ambitious project included members of​ Arab Strap, Mogwai, Teenage Fanclub, The Vaselines ​and ​Idlewild​. astrid​ released nine singles, three albums and three EPs before disbanding in 2004.

2016 till now…

July 2016, Willie and Charlie met on the Isle of Lewis and took a stroll along a beach, the two men fell into a chat about the idea of writing a few songs together. Four months later the pair found themselves in a studio in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles recording the fourth ​astrid​ album ‘Fall, Stand, Dance’.

‘Fall, Stand, Dance’  would see astrid reunite with ​Edwyn Collins​ for the first time in over 20 years with Collins’ label ​AED ​records releasing the album. Fueled with the same buoyant energy that made ​astrid such an​ endearing live band, ‘Fall, Stand, Dance’ radiates the familiar pop sensibilities, irresistible melodies and soulful harmonies of astrid’s early days infused with a more mature and robust songwriting style; their audience, stronger than ever.

Since reforming ​astrid ​have played and toured with ​The Proclaimers, Edwyn Collins and recently played a sold out show at the Glasgow Barrowlands.

Keep checking here for an interview we recently did with the guys where we find out, amongst other things, whether I will get a new astrid T-shirt to replace the one that I got at their Lemon Tree gig in 2001 which is now held together only by hope…meanwhile listen to more of their songs…

For more about astrid, check out their FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and WEBSITE page

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