Guitarist Neill MacColl’s work with The Bible will return to focus this November with the release of Anticlockwise. Recorded in 1989, the previously unreleased album captures his creative partnership with singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine during an important period in the band’s history.
MacColl grew up within a notable folk music family. His father, Ewan MacColl, wrote “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, while his mother, Peggy Seeger, is an influential folk musician. His sister, the late Kirsty MacColl, is widely remembered for her collaboration with The Pogues on “Fairytale of New York”.
Within The Bible, Neill helped develop a sound that drew on folk traditions without being confined to them. The group combined intimate storytelling with pop melodies and soulful influences, earning recognition through albums including Walking The Ghost Back Home and Eureka.
Anticlockwise was self-produced and intended to become the band’s third album, but their record label rejected it. Its November 2026 release will finally make those recordings available, restoring a collection built around the songwriting, acoustic arrangements and musicianship that distinguished the group.
Beyond The Bible, MacColl has continued working across a range of musical projects. Having recently recovered from cancer, he has returned to touring as musical director for David Gray. The arrival of Anticlockwise brings an earlier part of his career into view alongside that continuing work on the road.