White Lies - the interview

Latest release: To Lose My Life
Label: Universal Music

A Life of lies

Ask Harry McVeigh, lead singer of hit UK act White Lies, what he’d be doing if he weren’t playing in a widely successful indie-rock band, and his answer is likely to surprise.

“I’d be studying history of art and probably failing miserably.

“I’m quite a lazy person actually if I’m not doing something I really love, I’m not motivated at all.” He says earnestly.

Motivated is what he and his band mates, Charles Cave and Jack Brown will have to be if they’re to make it through the next few months. Spain’s Benacassim, B’est Fest in Bucharest, T in the Park, in Scotland, Roskilde in Denmark you name it they’ve managed to secure spots in all of the major European festivals. As well, the very recent announcement of their inclusion to this year’s Glastonbury line-up means life is looking pretty sweet for this newly turned 21 year-old London lad. But for all his youthfulness he’s not going to be rattled by the lure of stardom, claiming musicians are just people too.

“Through being in a band and meeting a lot of bands I’ve realised they’re people who you really like, whose job happens to be being a musician and playing music.

“I’ve got a lot of love for them (other bands) and have a lot of love for their music but they’re just normal guys really.”

Still there's no denying this band have earned their own smidge of fame and glory. 2009 alone has already seen them do a small headline tour of the UK, they’ve toured in the United States with band counterparts Friendly Fires and soon enough they’ll be making their way down under.

Whilst in Oz, their travails will see them make a stop off in sunny Byron Bay for a spot of Splendour in the Grass, as well as a couple more dates in Sydney and Melbourne. But for Harry who assures there is beauty in every country Australia and indeed Splendour in the Grass holds the most appeal.

“I’ve heard that it’s an amazing festival and that it’s the thing to do when you go to Australia – I’m looking forward to the weather and I’m looking forward to meeting the Australian fans definitely.”

The band has made their mark with somber, maudlin undercurrents lyrics overlayed on edgy, electro-rock. It’s easy to group them alongside bands like The Bravery, or even some might say Joy Division. Don’t let Harry hear you say this though, he’s more inclined to mention that the band reference Scott Walker and their all time favourite Secret Machines, not an ounce of Joy Division similarity aside from his vocal stylings in him.

Whatever it is that’s helped them arrive at the dark and brooding lyrics and melancholic musing that their latest album: To lose my life, weaves throughout, the crowds worldwide dig something about them.

Harry is adamant that the band themselves don’t personify one single ounce of depression instead they’ve tapped an emotional outlet to avoid this in their daily lives and that’s what the fans relate to too.

“We just wanted to write music that we really felt the emotion and the power of and we found it very easy to write songs about that side of life.” Harry says.

“These are very powerful emotions the more darker emotions in life and they connect with a lot of people just in the same way I think they connect with us,” he adds.

Come July when they hit our shores I’ve no doubt it will be the their song 'Death' that will mesmerise crowds and that funnily enough is Harry’s favourite song to
play in the set.

“The reaction that it gets all over the world, in the UK it wasn’t like a huge hit single or anything it’s just a song that everyone seems to know.

“It’s like the hit single that never was, it’s really cool – it’s really great to play that song live and the reaction that we get is just sort of amazing,” he marvels.

Until then though time for the band will be spent either on a festival tour bus or perhaps as guests at various UK awards gigs.

Nominated against some tough competition in the form of School of Seven Bells and Glasvegas for Best Breakthrough Act, the Mojo Awards, this year according
to Harry the lads have a fair but not huge chance to take line honours. However it’s an award gig that they’re really looking forward to, but not so they can live up to a post-punk persona.

“Well you know we’ll have a few drinks, we enjoy having a few drinks but I’m sure we’re not going to get horrendously drunk and go out and make fools of ourselves, cos that’s not the
type of people we are.”

White Lies play the following dates:

Splendour in the Grass, Byron Bay – 25/26 July (SOLD OUT)

The Metro, Sydney - 28 July

Hi Fi Bar, Melbourne - 30 July

Visit www.myspace.com/whitelies or www.whitelies.com. Their album To Lose my Life is out through Universal Music www.getmusic.com

Ruth Bailey

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