Category: Interviews
Popular Vancouver band Whitfield is getting ready to release their new CD, Well Behaved & Working For You. Recorded over two intense weeks in Oregon, this album is a powerful collection of songs. Planning the big bash for June 9th at The Media Club, the guys have already been treating Project Opus fans to their edgy, Brit-pop inspired sound.
Jobie Mallet, Josh McCulloch and Sam Bastedo are Whitfield, a young trio who offer up a ton of melody coupled with rich vocals, haunting guitar riffs and deep layers of sound. From almost accidental beginnings, the buzz that follows them is undeniable, winning awards at festivals in Vancouver and Toronto. Clearly, this is a band destined for bigger things.
We were lucky enough to pull Sam away from a hectic schedule to get the inside scoop on Whitfield and find out what all the fuss is about.
Project Opus: How long has Whitfield been together?
Sam Bastedo: In the current incarnation, we have been a band for 3 years approximately. Jobie and I have been playing for over 6 years now though. God it’s been awhile.
What brought the three of you together? How did you know that this line up really clicked?
It was leading up to one of those god-awful ‘battle of the bands’ in Kamloops, and Jobie had just finished recording an album basically on his own. Using this to get us in the contest, we set about finding a bass player, and it so happened the Josh has been looking to tryout with us. We won the contest, and perhaps it was just from the high of that accomplishment, we decided this could really work. Shortly after we moved to Vancouver, to see what we might do!
The new album is great. Tell us a bit about it. Did you explore a new musical direction or inspiration?
I think it is too hard to pinpoint a specific muse for the album. We certainly went through a lot, trying to find out who we were, and what our sound was. And we went through a lot of hard line-up changes, which inspired a specific couple of songs. I think overall, the album is just about honesty. It deals with life and all the things that people face day to day in a very down to earth way. How we cope, but there is also a hope to it, that things are looking up, and that there is light on the horizon so to speak. I think it sums up our position as a band up quite well too!
Is this the first time you’ve recorded a full album?
We have another full length album, but it feels like a different band entirely, short of the name. It was recorded with studio musicians in the States, and it was mainly Jobie’s project. Financially it couldn’t work for us all to go down, and just about every other way, the band Whitfield was a non-entity at that point in time. So, yes, this would have to be considered our first album!
Was the experience anything like you expected? What would you do differently next time?
I think it was the most intense month of our career. Perhaps even our lives. We all lost a lot of sleep leading up to the recording. Jobie in particular, as he is a very determined and obsessive songwriter, was under a lot of pressure, and most of that was self-inflicted. I think all of that pressure was good though; we really forced ourselves to examine the songs and really refine things. But more so than anything, we just didn’t know what to expect. It pushed us all too whole new levels of musicianship and made us a much tighter band. It was a great experience. We were blessed to be working with the most amazing production team in the North West States, The Glitter Twins, and in one of the best studios, Supernatural Studios. That certainly helped!
Lots of bands get away from regular life to record: different locations, different environments, and different people. What made you decide to travel to down the coast to Oregon to record the album?
For us, we had so many offers from different people that wanted to record our album. But as a band we have always been drawn to those that share the most excitement about Whitfield, and what we can accomplish. The producers we chose believed in us at least as much as we did, and really that makes all the difference. The fact that Oregon was where we recorded was mainly just because that’s where they were. And the studio was just… awesome! There was also the aspect of just needing to get away from Vancouver for awhile. Being in one place to long can just leave you feeling stagnant. And it freed us from a lot of the day to day responsibilities of life in Van, so we could really focus on the music.
Is the songwriting a collaborative effort for all of you, or do you come together with fairly complete ideas and let the others fill in their parts?
Songwriting has always been Jobie’s forte. He will bring the skeleton of the song to the band, and then we compose it, and write our parts. It is an organic thing though. We have no formula to writing. Some songs will come out of a drum groove, others a guitar hook. You just never know. We have always had the understanding that what is best for the SONG will stay and egos can’t play a part in our writing. No wanky guitar solos!
Where do you find inspiration for the songs you write?
Life. Love. Betrayal. There is a real grit to the album, we don’t sugar coat anything. Some of the songs have been around long enough that whatever inspired them, be it positive or negative, is just water under the bridge. But I think people like to think that there is just honesty behind the songs. Things everyone goes through, like working the ol’ nine-till-five job. Not your cliché love songs.
Your songs have a lot of musical depth to them, something that isn’t always easy to translate into a live show. When you write and arrange the songs, do you think about both situations, or does it just work out in the end?
Again, I think the studio experience formed the songs in a lot of ways. Live shows and studio sessions are two completely different art forms. That said, when fans latch onto specific little parts of the record, there is an obligation to replicate the album as well as you can live. Thus the keyboardist and guitarist we have playing with us live! The endless possibilities in studio and the ability to layer so much into a recording… that is something priceless that you can’t throw away for fear of not being able to play it live. We took cues from one of our main musical inspirations, the Doves, and how they have so much going on in their recording, you will keep hearing new things five or ten listens in. It keeps the album fresh.
Studio recording or live shows: As songwriters and musicians, which do you prefer?
Both have their values, and uses, for sure. But as a band that wants to make it in this industry, you really can’t have one and not the other. You need to have the full package to get any serious credibility. However… there is nothing like the high you feel after playing a kick-ass live show! And we always do our best to make our shows something that people will remember, and talk about.
You moved from Kamloops BC to Vancouver a couple years ago. What prompted you to do that? Do you see yourself keeping a home base in Vancouver, or do you think you’ll need to move again, say LA, New York or London? Or possibly back to Kamloops? :)
Never Kamloops! There is always talk of Whitfield moving on to another city, though most of it is just that; talk. There are also a lot of ties for us to B.C. I think we decided we would wait to see what sort of label attention we get and then move on from there… if necessary. We never want to get stale though!
Lately you’ve been claiming a few “best of…” awards at festivals. What do you think it is about Whitfield that gets this type of attention?
We have always been known to put on an intense and energetic live show, and I am sure that certainly helps. But I think at the end of the day, it is the tunes that get us noticed. That, and the fact that we can recreate them so well live.
You’ve been great supporters of Project Opus, as well as being fairly active on myspace. What do you think of the new economy of music? Do you think the web makes it easier for bands to build a fan base, or is it just different?
We have yet to see much of a significant correlation between myspace plays, and a better turnout at a specific show! I suppose we could let you know after our first tour of this album, which will be happening sometime in the fall. At the end of the day, exposure is the key, and whatever ways or means you can use to get that exposure, we are all for it!
Releasing a CD is a huge accomplishment. What’s next for Whitfield?
Believe it or not, we are already writing new material that we feel matches anything on the record. We are very prolific songwriters I suppose, always loving anything fresh. At the same time, we feel we made an awesome album, and we really want to see what it can do for the band. In terms of plans, we really want to build up a significant grassroots following around Vancouver, and the whole of western Canada and even the States. We have always done things in a snowball type fashion, and I can’t see that changing now. But there will be live summer dates around B.C. for sure, and come fall we are planning a heavier tour, in support of the album.
Can we expect any of the new songs to make their way into the live shows - sort of test them out on us?
Like I say, we are suckers for new material, and keeping things fresh. So yes, we will be tossing in the odd new song live. We have two actually ready for the CD release party. We hope everyone gets as excited about them as we are!
Thanks guys. Again, congratulations on a great album.
Thank you! And congratulations on a stellar website. We are proud to be a part!
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