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Glasswerk meets: White Star Liners

• 16th Oct 2012

We caught up with Harv from rising indie rockers White Star Liners to get to know the band that managed to cajole Jason Lytle of Grandaddy fame to lay down guest vocals on their album.

Q: An alien lands on earth. He doesn’t really know much about bands/artists and that as he’s an alien, obviously. Aliens aren’t in bands. How would you describe you and your music to said alien?
Well firstly I would assume that the said alien could a: talk English and b: was familiar with the Carpenters song Calling Occupants of interplanetary Craft…with that in mind I would then re-assure him that as the music was not of the metal or drum n bass variety we therefore meant him/her/it no harm…I would also then tell him/her/it that Earth music had evolved since the Carpenters, although we do still like guitars, sci-fi synths and choruses.

Q: It’s 2012, the year of the dragon. What’s been your highlight of the year so far? It doesn’t have to be anything to do with dragons, but dragons are rad.

This one is easy…we were lucky enough to open for Grandadddy at their Manchester and Glasgow re-union shows this August…they are one of our favourtite bands and it was quite honestly the best thing ever…and they are very nice chaps too…and they all own a dragon, which they don’t like to boast about but it is a fact.

Q: God calls you up, and he’s wanting to put on a show. Being God and all, he doesn’t really have time to choose bands, DJs or a venue. He’s put you in full control. Also – again, him being God and all – you can choose anyone alive or dead – he’s that good. Who’s playing and where?
Well I would want to build up to a Heaven quaking finale subtly…so maybe some Elliott Smith, Eels, Grandaddy, Flaming Lips, Blur, Oasis and The Kinks, to warm up the crowd before Queen and the Beatles get God crowd surfing and holding up a lighter the size of a sun…then for an encore E.L.O would land in their UFO play for a bit and then take God home as he would have had a bit too much to drink.

Q: What’s your favourite childhood memory?
Both Jim and I spent our childhood in a rural village in Sussex…there was not a huge amount to do but we spent a lot of time making badly constructed bases in local woods, playing 40 40 in the park behind my house with half of the primary school and hammering our Nintendo controllers…all fond memories.

Q: What were the first and last pieces of music that you bought?
Jim bought Appetite for Destruction by Guns and roses from the nearest Our Price. I bought the Abbaesque EP by Erasure on a school residential trip to Swanage. Jim came off considerably better than me there…

Don’t know what Jim has bought this month but I finally got that Kurt Vile album that everyone has been raving about for awhile…I also pre-ordered the new Jason Lytle solo album, which I am very excited about, but that hasn’t arrived yet so not sure if that counts.

Q: What bands/artists are there around at the moment that people aren’t listening to enough? Any tips for future stardom?
Not sure about future stardom but I really really like Quasi who have been around for quite awhile but should really be in more cd racks/playlists…also it is well worth checking out a Brighton band called Speak Galactic…quite brilliant.

Q: What’s the rest of 2012 got in store for you?
Lots and lots …New album, ‘The Years That Slid’, to be released on 5th November 2012, mini-tour up and down England to promote it:
– Fri 26th October 2012, The Albert, Brighton
– Tue 30th October 2012, The Good Ship, Kilburn, London
– Thu 1st November 2012, The Adelphi, Hull
– Fri 2nd November 2012, The Lomax, Liverpool
– Sat 3rd November 2012, Mad Hatters, Ripon, North Yorkshire,
..then there’s a video to make and some B-sides to record…actually that is really quite a lot now that I see it written down…better cancel that weekend trip to Butlins.

Q: That alien from Q1 is back – he’s just got his mitts on a computer, and he wants to find out more about you. Where’s the best place he can go to find out more and what should he check out first?
In a calm and clear voice I would ask the alien to go to link

All of his/her/its WSL liners needs could be met there and he/she/it could quickly find his way to our Facebook, twitter and you tube pages…although we would not want to bombard the alien with to much all at once in case he get spooked and reached for his death ray.