From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the sexual device, see arab strap (sexual device).

Arab Strap
Background information
Origin	Falkirk, Scotland
Genre(s)	Post-folk Indie rock Alternative Rock
Years active	1995 - 2006
Label(s)	Chemikal Underground
Associated acts	Mogwai L. Pierre Malcolm Middleton
Website	http://www.arabstrap.co.uk
Members
Aidan Moffat Malcolm Middleton Jenny Reeve Stacey Sievewright
Former members
David Gow Gary Miller Adele Bethel

Arab Strap were a post-folk indie band from Scotland who were signed to independent record label Chemikal Underground.

Contents 1 History 2 Discography 2.1 Studio albums 2.2 Live albums 2.3 Compilations and EPs 2.4 Singles 3 Notes 4 External links

Vocalist Aidan Moffat and multi-instrumentalist Malcolm Middleton grew up in Falkirk, Scotland and bonded over their mutual love for Drag City recording artists such as Smog and Will Oldham as well as their love of cheap alcohol. They began collaborating in 1995, and their debut album The Week Never Starts Round Here was released the following year.

Over the course of their 10 year existence Arab Strap worked with a number of musicians including Jenny Reeve, Stacey Sievewright as well as Adele Bethel and David Gow who went on to form Sons and Daughters. Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian was featured on the album Philophobia but the album/song "The Boy with the Arab Strap" would later create something of a feud between the two singers.

Arab Strap's marked characteristics include sordid, personal, yet honest, lyrics -- described by the NME as "fly on the duvet vignettes"^[1] At first essentially an electro-acoustic band with a brooding, spare sound later albums and gigs saw them develop a fuller sound which drew deeply on both indie and dance music.

In keeping with the theme of sexual allusion (see arab strap (sexual device)), Moffat records as a solo artist under the name Lucky Pierre - slang for the man in the middle of a gay threesome. This work is also characterised by brooding, spare sound but is instrumental in nature. Malcolm Middleton also has a solo career under his own name. His first two solo albums, including the critically acclaimed 5:14 Fluoxytine Seagull Alcohol John Nicotine were released by Chemikal Underground. He is now signed to Full Time Hobby Records, and released his third album, A Brighter Beat on 27th February 2007.

On September 9, 2006 the band announced on their website that they were to split up. They celebrated the 10 years since their first studio album with the release of a compilation record, entitled Ten Years Of Tears. They went on tour in Europe for the last time at the end of the year, and played their final show at the end of a secret tour of Japan at Shibuya O-Nest on 17 December 2006.

• The Week Never Starts Round Here Chemikal Underground 25 November 1996
• Philophobia Chemikal Underground 19 May 1998 UK #37
• Elephant Shoe Go! Beat 13 September 1999 UK #79
• The Red Thread Chemikal Underground 26 February 2001 UK #125
• Monday at the Hug and Pint Chemikal Underground 21 April 2003 UK #120
• The Last Romance Chemikal Underground 17 October 2005 UK #199

• Mad For Sadness Go! Beat 3 May 1999 UK #138
• The Cunted Circus Private pressing 2003
• Acoustic Request Show Private pressing 2005

• The Girls of Summer EP Chemikal Underground 1997 UK Singles Chart #74
• Live Too Many Cooks 1998
• Cherubs EP Go! Beat 1999 UK Budget Albums Chart #5
• Singles Bandai 1999
• Fukd ID #2 Chemikal Underground 2000 UK Albums Chart #163
• Quiet Violence Private pressing 2002
• The Shy Retirer EP Chemikal Underground 2003 UK Budget Albums Chart #25
• Ten Years Of Tears Chemikal Underground 2006

Year	Release	Album	Label	UK Chart Position
1996	"The First Big Weekend"	The Week Never Starts Round Here	Chemikal Underground	-
1997	"The Smell of Outdoor Cooking"	The Week Never Starts Round Here	Lissys	-
1997	"The Clearing"	The Week Never Starts Round Here	Chemikal Underground	184
1998	"Here We Go"/"Trippy"	Philophobia	Chemikal Underground	48
1998	"(Afternoon) Soaps"	Philophobia	Chemikal Underground	74
2000	"To All A Good Night"	(none)	Chemikal Underground	-
2001	"Love Detective"	The Red Thread	Chemikal Underground	66
2001	"Turbulence"	The Red Thread	Chemikal Underground	81
2005	"Dream Sequence"	The Last Romance	Chemikal Underground	-
2006	"Speed-Date"	The Last Romance	Chemikal Underground	-
2006	"The Shy Retirer"	(none)	Self-release	-
2006	"There Is No Ending"	The Last Romance	Chemikal Underground	-

1. ^ [1]

• Arab Strap Official Site
• Chemikal Underground Records - Home of Arab Strap
• Malcolm Middleton's official site
• Adrian Moffat's official site
• Melodic Records
• Lazy-i Interview: May 2003
• Youtube footage of Arab Strap's last ever gig in Tokyo

v • d • e Arab Strap
Aidan Moffat · Malcolm Middleton
Studio albums	The Week Never Starts Round Here · Philophobia · Elephant Shoe · The Red Thread · Monday at the Hug and Pint · The Last Romance
EPs	The Girls of Summer EP · Live · Cherubs EP · Fukd ID #2 · Quiet Violence · The Shy Retirer EP
Singles	"The First Big Weekend" · "The Smell of Outdoor Cooking" · "The Clearing" · "Here We Go"/"Trippy" · "(Afternoon) Soaps" · "To All a Good Night" · "Love Detective" · "Turbulence" · "Dream Sequence" · "Speed-Date" · "The Shy Retirer" · "There Is No Ending"
Compilation albums	Singles · Ten Years of Tears
Live albums	Mad for Sadness · The Cunted Circus · Acoustic Request Show
Related Articles	L. Pierre · Chemikal Underground
arabstrap.co.uk