The Remote Part

The Remote Part is the third album by Scottish rock band Idlewild, released on 15 July 2002 to widespread critical acclaim. The album is Idlewild's most commercially successful to date, and is the last to feature bassist Bob Fairfoull. Vocalist Roddy Woomble notes that the band felt like "a collective of songwriters" during the writing process.

Woomble credits guitarist Rod Jones with influencing the album's musical direction, stating that Jones: "really started to take steps forward in terms of his guitar playing, and also his harmonies. I think he pulled the record in a more poppy way, as that’s the sort of musician he is – he loves bands like Teenage Fanclub and Yes and ELO and The Police."

Touring guitarists Jeremy Mills and Allan Stewart stayed with the band during recording, and appear on the final track "In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction". They are also credited with writing "I Never Wanted" alongside the band. Following the album's release, Stewart would later join Idlewild as a permanent member.

Upon release, the album entered the UK album chart at #3, behind Red Hot Chili Peppers and Oasis. Within a month, the album had sold 100,000 copies, and is currently certified as Gold within the U.K.

At the end of the final song, "In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction", Scottish poet Edwin Morgan recites a poem entitled Scottish Fiction which was written especially for this album.

The album was performed in full on 19 December 2008 at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow as part of a series of retrospective shows. Roddy Woomble noted that the band had not previously played the track "I Never Wanted" live.