James Walsh (Starsailor)
December 2001

In the past year, James Walsh has watched his band Starsailor top of musical charts around the world with their debut album, Love Is Here, produced by Steve Osbourne (who’s also handled U2, The Doves and New Order). In addition, Walsh performed at huge festivals (Glastonbury), aired on TV (“David Letterman” and “Top of the Pops”), had his words appear in major publications (like Rolling Stone, NME), and celebrated his 21st birthday.

He’s living the rock ‘n roll dream, but he’s not a very rock ‘n’ roll kind of guy. In fact, you’re more likely to find him standing in a corner, hands in pockets and a beatific smile on his face, rather than guzzling lager, hitting on chicks, smoking cigarettes or doing any of those other stereotypical rock star things. It is this sort of gravitas that characterizes Starsailor perfectly, giving them credibility despite their newness and youth, and making it impossible to dismiss their talent and potential.

From his hotel room in San Francisco - “It’s lots of hills!” he comments, laughing - - Walsh talked about what a whirlwind life has been for him so far.

I’ve been reading a lot of articles about you since late last year when the buzz started, and what consistently floors me the wisdom and gravity that come across in your words and music. Sometimes it takes people a lifetime to realize what’s most important, but you seem so grounded already and it’s demonstrated in the priorities you have as band. Has it been hard to maintain this grounding now that Starsailor are a part of the big industry machine? What kinds of things have you refused to do to maintain your own integrity?

I think we try and find a balance between not doing the stuff that compromises us musically and artistically. But at the same time we try not to be really political and anti-establishment, because what you’ve got to realize is that 90% of journalists and TV people are pretty genuine people who love music as much as you do, so you’ve got to kind of appreciate that. It’s just sometimes when you’ll do a photo shoot or something and they’ll suggest that you wear sailor costumes… (Laughing) Stupid things like that that we’d refuse to do. The other thing is re-doing things for different markets - - I’m not really into that at all. I think if you’ve done something then that’s your vision and that’s what you want to put across. We’ve never re-recorded a song or anything because people thought it might sound better in this state or that country.

Now that you guys are working within circles of people who’ve been in the business for a while, have you taken a lot of advice from them and if so, what’s the best guidance you’ve been given?

We’ve been good mates with The Doves and they’ve always been supportive, just told us to keep writing and keep on our toes because the next album will come around quicker than you think and you need to be prepared for it with songs and ideas, writing in sound check and on the road. It’s really easy to just settle down and just keep playing this album for the next year - - which would be good fun, but it’s nice and exciting as well to have something even better in the back of your mind that you want to unleash when all this stuff is finished.

But how much has going through the motions of everything - - having to tour, having to make videos, having to go to parties, having to do interviews like this one - - affected your creativity? Was it easier to write songs two years ago when you didn’t have to do any of this?

I don’t think it’s affected it too much, really. I think playing night after night is when you get a lot better as a musician because you need to add different levels of intensity and experiment a little bit with the existing songs just to keep everything interesting. And I think I feel better as well that I know what I’m doing in essence is all right, whereas before I wasn’t too sure if what I was doing was worthy or whatever. If I know the sound that I make with my voice and the way that I play the guitar is all right…if I sat down and wrote something really quickly people would think, “Yeah, that’s pretty good,” because the elements are good. So I know if I sat down and really worked at something then I could come up with something really good. I don’t know if that makes any sense. (Laughs) It’s that justification that what you’re doing is relevant - - not so much being told that you’re the best or anything. Just to know that what you’re doing is relevant and that people are going to listen to it is the thing that gives you the confidence to keep improving and getting better.

What I get from your songwriting and singing is a sensibility I know a lot of people can share, which is the feeling of awkward kid not fitting in, just a real lack of self-esteem. But then you discover your talent and you engage in it as a way to build your confidence; ironically, the way it came about is because you had that angst in the first place so maybe if you get too confident it might go away, you know? Do you ever feel that if your head gets too big you’re going to lose it all?

Um, a little.... (Quiet pause) I’ll always have that sort of dissatisfaction. I’ve got to maintain it, that approach to your writing and everything, just try to keep your personal life precious and separate as well, writing about that as if you.... I don’t know.

Do you write more about things that have actually happened to you or things that you hear about that have happened to other people?

Mostly things that have happened to me, feelings that I’ve had, but on a couple of occasions I’ve written about things that have happened to other people.

What do you say to people who comment, "Oh, he’s just a 20-year-old kid - - what could he possibly know about heartbreak and desolation or even joy and happiness? You’re too young to sing about stuff like that!"