WHITE LIES
espite its grand themes of life and death. To 1.05? M_\' [1/0 ()I‘ [.(M’t’ iWy Lure was the first album of 2009 to go straight in at number one. Not bad for a debut album and a cracking start to the year for London trio Whites Lies. Having begun
life as punky Technicolor pop outfit liear of
Flying before announcing: ‘liear of Flying is DEAD . . . White Lies is alive!‘ the trio paved the way for a new direction of dark literate indie. As they tour the US. The List catches up with bassist and lyricist (‘harles (‘ave at the Hollywood Heights Hotel: a set at the iconic (‘oachella festival making an epic close to their American dates.
How important was changing from Fear of Flying to White Lies?
We started Fear of Flying when we were at school and when you're that age you‘re constantly changing your style. your favourite band: you change from week to week. For us the name was one of the last things to change
— it was more a mentality. a new way of
thinking which was far more important.
Does having known each‘ other for so long have a bearing on the band’s dynamics?
You become very comfortable in each other‘s abilities. especially musically. You can also open up more. we’re very much in touch with each other.
You write the lyrics and hand them over to Harry McVeigh to sing. Were you ever tempted to sing yourself?
No. no. no [laughs] for one I’m not a very good singer. I‘d much rather have Harry sing. I think I’d feel a bit awkward getting up there and performing my own words. it feels less personal when someone else is doing it.
What do you draw on for the often dark subjects you cover?
Everyone remembers when something really sad or tragic happens. Sadness is a more powerful emotion than happiness. I‘m not saying we‘ve had a particularly bad life or anything of the sort. far from it. but I find it's something that stays with you.
How did it feel to go straight in at number one in the album charts?
Really. really very strange. We didn't anticipate it. We knew the album was good and lots of people were coming to our shows. but it just came out of the blue. We were in northern Russia filming the video for
18 THE LIST 30 Apr—1.1 May 2009
HEART OF