James Walsh Starsailor

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James Walsh is perhaps best known for his decade-long stint as lead singer of Wigan band, Starsailor. It was a whirlwind ride for the band with only their second gig landing them rave reviews that hailed them as ‘the next Coldplay’ and flung them in to the public eye. Soon Starsailor were front-page news, were top of the charts and were famously feuding with Noel and Liam Gallagher.

BBM’s Amy Baker chatted to Walsh to discuss his busy life since he went solo and what fans should expect from his upcoming tour of Australia.

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Hi James, I’m chatting to you in Belfast, what are you up to over there?

This is where I live with my wife and kids so I’m just getting in some relaxing family time before I fly off out to Oz on March the 13th.

You’re about to embark on a solo tour – is this the first time that you’ve toured solo is Australia?

It is and it’s the first time that I have been there for close to 10 years so I’m really looking forward to it. I’m excited for the shows in Brisbane and Byron Bay, we didn’t go there on the last jaunt so it’ll be good to get to see them and play there. Everyone speaks very highly of Byron Bay and raves about how chilled out it is, I hear they have some cool music festivals there too.

You’re used to fronting up Starsailor – how have you taken to being alone on stage?

It’s enjoyable. It’s a completely different kind of experience to being on stage with the lads. Obviously, it was amazing playing on stage with mates that I had known for years and I will always miss that. When you are solo, you can be your own boss and you can guide the show different ways depending on the mood of the crowd.

How has being solo allowed you to change your style?

Starsailor shows were more full on. My solo shows are a much more chilled affair. It gives me the opportunity to give a nod to the musicians who have inspired me along the way – Van Morrison, Jeff Buckley, The Beatles.

How did the decision in 2009 to put Starsailor on hold go down? Any backlash?

Not really, nothing too bad. I think that we timed it right. We did a long old stint as a band and it was just the right time for us. We got out at a reasonable level too; our last tour was a sell-out. Timing wise – the label had changed hands, each member of the band was being offered new opportunities and it just made sense to explore the new rather than slog our guts out with a reunion tour. Things aren’t over for Starsailor though – we’ll work together again, it just needs the right catalyst.

You’ve been working as a songwriter – how’s it going and how does it feel giving away your songs?

I’ve been doing it for the last couple of years and it’s been really enjoyable. Writing melodies has always been something that has come quite easily to me; lyrics are a little harder. When you are writing songs for others, you can take inspiration from other people’s stories and the scenarios that they get themselves into. I’ve been working with Eliza Doolittle on her new album and Mel C as well – so you know, we all have pretty different backgrounds. It’s good when two totally different musical words come together.

As Starsailor you were dominating the charts at a time when notoriously rock and roll antics were going on with the likes of Oasis and Blur being at the top of their game – any particularly rock and roll antics you care to divulge?

There were obviously quite a lot but they were more the rest of the band rather than me…

Any big names that you were star struck by?

At one gig in Dublin we were supporting REM and Michael Stipe knocked on our dressing room door and thanked us for supporting them. I was incredibly flattered that someone who has done so much would be polite enough to come to the support bands dressing room just to thank them.

You worked with infamous producer, Phil Spector on ‘Silence is Easy’ and famously sacked him – would you have done that if you knew that he was capable of murder?

Haha possibly not! Working with him was amazing for a couple of weeks but then he went away and came back a changed man. Things happened in his personal life and I think he was taking quite a lot of medication. He was in another world and most certainly not the taskmaster that we had heard so much about. There was a degree of pressure from the label to get working on the album and we just didn’t have time to sit around and wait for him to get his mind back.

Is there a James Walsh solo album on its way?

Well, I’m writing all the time and working towards eventually doing a record but every time I try and knuckle down another song writing project comes up and takes all my attention. It’s frustrating but essentially all the various experience will help me produce the material I want to when the time comes.

What other kind of song writing projects are we talking about?

I just finished working on the soundtrack for a film called ‘Lullaby” with Chuck Palahniuk who wrote ‘Fight Club’.

Starsailor were famously heralded as being ‘the best thing to come out of Wigan’ – do you agree?

Haha – well musically I think that’s maybe The Verve or Wigan Casino where Northern Soul started out. But then of course there are pies and rugby league.Take your pick…

James Walsh Starsailor Tour Dates:

Brisbane: Friday 16 March – The Tempo Hotel, Tickets $25 + BF
Byron Bay: Sunday 18 March – The Northern Hotel, Tickets $20 + BF
Adelaide: Wednesday 21 March – The Governor Hindmarsh, Tickets $25 + BF
Melbourne: Friday 23 March – The Esplanade Hotel, Tickets $30 + BF
Sydney: Saturday 24 March – The Standard, Tickets $30 + BF

Read more about James Walsh’s tour with Sarah MacLeod HERE

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