INTERVIEW - Starlings

This week sees Sheffield's finest, Starlings, releasing their new single 'Sirens' - the follow-up to debut track 'Weight In Gold', it sees them bringing New Wave back to Britain with a bang. I caught up with the band as they share their thoughts on the eighties, songwriting and living the rock and roll lifestyle on tour.


Your sound is very 80s influenced – do you have a favorite track from the 80s?

The 80s was a remarkable decade for music, one which I don’t think will ever be beaten for innovation.  If I had to pick one favorite track at the moment, it would be The Rainbow from Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden album.  It is constantly on repeat on my iPod.  It gives me shivers.  To be fair I could have picked any track from Talk Talk's back catalogue.  Talk Talk were the ultimate balearic rock band and they are an indelible influence on our own balearic sound.  Mark Hollis is a genius!


How did it feel the first time your track was played on BBC radio?

Getting BBC radio play still carries great kudos, even in the internet age, and it is an important milestone which all up and coming bands look to pass.  We were naturally over the moon when we got our first BBC radio play.  Like any quality exposure, it leaves you wanting more.  It also has the effect of reinforcing your internally held beliefs and on some level makes you realise that you probably are as good as you think you are.


Do you think the music scene is a friendly place for new bands to launch into at the moment or is it too competitive/crowded?

I think the music scene at grass roots/local level can be a fairly friendly place to be.  There have never been more opportunities for bands to get their music instantly heard and there have never been more places to play on the live circuit.   Perhaps the effect of this is that the scene has become saturated with average acts big on bluster but lacking in substance and songs.  This makes it harder for the really good new bands to get their heads above the parapet.  But I'm a firm believer that the good will out.


You talk about your hometown of Sheffield being important to your sound – are there any specific approaches you take when it comes to writing songs?

Sheffield's electronic music heritage has had an important influence on our sound.  The handful of bands I’ve been in have always used synthesised elements and I think a lot of that can be out down to the osmotic effects that electronically minded acts like Heaven 17, ABC, Cabaret Voltaire and the Warp record label have on those that grow up in the Steel City.  Sheffield still has a bit of an Artic Monkey's guitar group hangover, which has pushed us further away from six strings towards more synths and samples.  All elements together, Sheffield has moulded our identity and sound.

Nearly all of our songs start as chords on a guitar or a piano, to which we stitch a vocal melody.  We then get the right synth sounds, before exporting the embryonic idea to the practice room where we add the bass guitar and drums to the mix, before layering up any drum loops and electronic samples.  The lyrics come last.


How is the whole touring around the country experience treating you? Does it live up to the classic ‘rock and roll’ stereotypes?

Living the dream.  Free booze and free love.  Nothing more to say.  What goes on on tour, stays on tour.


You filmed your video for Sirens in the peak district – how naturally does filming a video come compared to the usual business of recording songs/playing live?

Recording a video has similarities with both recording songs and playing live.  There are scenes that you have to do again and again in order to get the correct take, which is similar to time spent on pause and repeat in the studio.  Then you have to mix that with the performance elements you would use in a live environment.  If you're a born performer, shooting a video forms a fun part of your artiste repertoire.


What can we expect from your debut album? And do you feel the album ‘format’ is still important in an age when most people download their music?

To us, the album format is still massively important.  It gives artists the opportunity to show that they have a body of work rather than being just one hit wonders.  Sometimes music has to be heard in context and as part of a bigger picture, which only the album format (and perhaps playing a longer live set) can provide.  Colour of Spring and Spirit of Eden by Talk Talk are perfect examples of single elements forming part of a perfect composite piece.

For our debut album, expect extended singles, super songs and a shimmering disco sheen.