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Starsailor

An English alt-rock quartet whose debut single, "Fever," earned them the title of "Britain's best new band" in February 2001, Starsailor have since carved out their own distinctive niche on the U.K. scene with their earnestly passionate and melodic sound. They emerged to acclaim with 2001's Love Is Here, hitting number two in the U.K. and charting on the Billboard 200. They have remained chart favorites in Britain, continually reaching the Top 40 with albums like 2003's Silence Is Easy, 2005's On the Outside, and 2009's All the Plans; albums that found them balancing '60s-inspired symphonic pop with an anthemic modern rock sensibility. Following an extended hiatus, they made their emotional return with 2017's All This Life and 2024's Where the Wild Things Grow. Formed in 2000 in Wigan, Manchester, England by music students James Walsh (vocals/guitar), James Stelfox (bass), and Ben Byrne (drums), the band went through several guitar-heavy embryonic lineups before the arrival of keyboardist Barry Westhead (keyboards) cemented its sound. Starsailor took their name from Tim Buckley's acclaimed 1970 album and, with their lineup in place, they played their first London show at the Heavenly Social in April 2000. At the same time, a demo tape containing the tracks "Fever," "Coming Down," and "Love Is Here" began circulating in the music industry. A queue of record companies had formed by that summer, many of them eager to sign the nascent band, and EMI won the race for their signature. After spending January 2001 on an NME-sponsored tour with JJ72 and Amen, Starsailor released the "Fever" single to critical praise. A sold-out headlining U.K. tour at the end of March preceded the release of their second single, "Good Souls," in April. Once again, it was well-received and reached the Top 20, convincing the band to head to Wales and record their debut album. They re-emerged in June to begin a summer of festival appearances, which were sandwiched between an American tour supporting Doves and several headlining dates of their own. After achieving their first U.K. Top Ten hit with the single "Alcoholic," Starsailor's debut effort, Love Is Here, arrived in September 2001 to much critical fanfare, and a European tour closed out a highly successful year. The following year kicked off with the American release of Love Is Here in January, followed by a North American tour and a performance at the SXSW Festival in March. Legendary producer Phil Spector was originally slated to produce the band's sophomore album, Silence Is Easy. The resulting recording sessions at London's Abbey Road proved to be frustrating, however, with Spector and the band butting heads on several issues. Starsailor eventually switched gears by asking Danton Supple (Morrissey, Elbow, Doves) and John Leckie (Radiohead, the Stone Roses, Ride) to helm the production instead. Released in 2004, Silence Is Easy nonetheless did featured several Spector-productions, which proved to be some of his last before his infamous 2009 murder conviction. While the album reached number two in the U.K. and achieved gold status, it failed to match the success of Starsailor's debut. For 2006's On the Outside, the band took more time to record, traveling to Los Angeles to work with producer Rob Schnapf. Recorded directly to tape, singles like "In the Crossfire," "Keep Us Together," and "This Time" featured a more robust, rock-oriented sound than past releases. The album went silver, peaking in the top 20 on the U.K. albums chart. Starsailor moved ahead, partnering with Virgin Records and enlisting producer Steve Osbourne (who had contributed to their debut album) for 2009's All the Plans. The album also featured the collaborative help of Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood, who popped up on the swaggering title track. Buoyed by that single, as well as the piano-driven "Tell Me It's Not Over," All the Plans cracked the Top 30 in the U.K. By the end of 2009, Walsh had put the band on hiatus in order to focus on his solo career; they would remain inactive for five years. Starsailor reunited in 2014, embarking on a series of festival appearances and support slots, including shows with the Pixies and James. The following year saw the release of a greatest-hits album, which featured their first new material since their re-formation in the tracks "Give Up the Ghost" and "Hold On." Two years later, Starsailor returned with their fifth studio album, All This Life, featuring production from Embrace guitarist Richard McNamara. It reached number 23 on the U.K. Album chart. There was a six-year gap before new music would surface in the form of 2024's Where the Wild Things Grow. The album again featured McNamara on production duties -- he was considered the unofficial fifth member of the group throughout the writing and recording process.
© Matt Collar & Simon P. Ward /TiVo
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