Astrid was formed in Glasgow by Willie Campbell (vocals), Charles Clark (acoustic guitar), Gareth Russell (bass) and drummer Gareth Thom (born 1997), all childhood friends from the Isle of Lewis who moved to the city in the mid‑1990s. The group’s early background involved writing songs together and rehearsing from 1997, leading to their first EP Hi‑Fi Lo‑Fi released on 16 November 1998 under Fantastic Plastic Records and the single "What To Say" that same year. Their breakthrough came with the collaboration with former Orange Juice singer Edwyn Collins, who produced the second EP Hi‑Fi Lo‑Fi and the debut album Strange Weather Lately in 1999. The single "It's True" was released in 1999 and the EP Modes Of Transport followed in 2001, earning Radio 1 Single of the Week status for its lead track. The band’s second album Play Dead was issued on 26 March 2001 after drummer Gareth Thom departed and was replaced by Neil Payne. A 2004 release, One In Four, introduced darker lyrical themes, after which Willie Campbell left and the group disbanded by year‑end 2004. Subsequent individual projects saw members join Texas, Idlewild, The Zephyrs, and other acts, while Astrid reformed for a 2016 tour and began recording new material, including Fall, Stand, Dance in 2019.
