
Stuart Murdoch just released his first novel. Called Nobody’s Empire, it’s inspired by the Belle & Sebastian singer’s own experiences. In the novel, a young, Scottish man develops chronic fatigue syndrome, also called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), which changes his life and brings him together with a new group of friends and leads him on a path towards songwriting.
Nobody’s Empire is a beautifully written story about finding your people under difficult circumstances. It’s also filled with vivid details about the music and fashion of late 1980s and early 1990s indie/alternative subcultures. Recently, I was able to meet up with Murdoch on Zoom for an interview that is now out in the Books section of Southern California News Group papers. (Here’s a gift link to read the story.) You can catch Murdoch at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre for his L.A. stop on the book tour.
I’ve been a Belle & Sebastian fan for a long time, so I wanted to list my favorite songs from the band here as well. Keep reading to see the picks.
Continue reading My Top 10 Belle & Sebastian Songs