White Lies Interview: Charles Cave on Teen Angst
Bassist for UK Band Discusses 'To Lose My Life' and Current Success
Apr 18, 2009
What’s most fascinating about the world inhabited by White Lies isn’t how surprisingly good their collection of puffed-up poetry and hooky choruses (about fear, loss, love, fate, funerals, electric sparks) is. Or how easy it would be to dismiss the band as a precocious, British construction of the Killers.
No, what is fascinating about the White Lies is how three lads from Ealing, London managed to ditch their previous dance-funk (!) band, make a total musical about-face, get signed, record a UK number one album, get to SXSW, play the CMJ, T in the Park, Coachella, Reading and Leeds festivals, perform at the NME Awards, land a slot on David Letterman, and embark on a couple of world tours – all within about 18 months.
Exclusive Interview with Charles Cave
The trajectory has been simply astounding. And the White Lies, who are singer/guitarist Harry McVeigh, bassist Charles Cave and drummer Jack Lawrence-Brown, know it. Suite101 met with lyricist Cave during the band’s first visit to Vancouver to discuss the burning questions: What happened? Who flicked the cool switch?
“Up until the point where we started White Lies, we were completely motivated by every wrong factor possible to make music, really,” says Cave, before their gig at Richards on Richards. “It’s not that we didn’t have a love for music. In fact, we absolutely adore it, and loved making it. But we were very, very worried – as all teenagers are in one way or another – of how we were being perceived, and not really wanting to p*ss anyone off or stray too far from what you’re currently listening to or what your friends are.”
Fear of Flying - and Failing
Their previous band, Fear of Flying, Cave explains, was a weekend thing that kept the childhood friends busy between the ages of 15 and 18. “But around those three years, you begin to change immeasurably and your outlook on life changes.
“When it came to White Lies, it was almost like we were extremely confident in the fact that we weren’t confident in anything. I wouldn’t say it was a vision we had, it was a sort of nihilistic, sort of ‘f*ck it’, we might as well do it and at least it’ll be kind of fun and if people hate it, then whatever.’ A lot of people have tried to put a slant on it, in a however sour or unfriendly way, that it was some sort of career move, but it was actually quite the opposite.”
So does that mean White Lies are now comfortable in their own clothes (black jeans, black or grey tees, black boots)?
White Lies' Issues
Cave looks slightly uneasy, bless him. “I think we’re comfortable in that we know that the music that we’re making now is a very accurate and fair representation of where we are as people. That doesn’t mean we’re confident and comfortable people but at least our music reflects that. That is probably what takes balls – no-one is perfect. Everyone has their issues,” says the wizened old 21-ish bassist. “A lot of the time, it was much easier to disguise that when you’re doing your art, to not address things. You’d be worried that people wouldn’t connect with it or you think it would be too personal.”
He looks up, then away. “I think the realization with White Lies is that we can do that...and we have a great time.”
Read the White Lies Live at Richards on Richards review.
White Lies are now on tour in Europe. “To Lose My Life” (Fiction/Universal) is out now. For more information visit Whitelies.com
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