Their debut album, ‘Peace Machine’ (released in late 2009), has already proved to be both a critical and commercial success, prompting XFM to reel the band in for a session as well as gaining the attention of UK festivals organisers for 2010.
With a sound that takes in the epic, melodic rock tendencies of the resurgent grunge scene (Pearl Jam to Alice In Chains) all the way through to the intelligent aggression and energy of hard rock stalwarts like Cancer Bats, Soil and Alexisonfire, Starseed offer up a sound as dynamically post-millennial as you could wish for.

This UK based, but South African born, quintet are fired up and ready for an intense 2010.
‘We can’t wait,’ exhorts frontman Russell Spence. ‘Last year was just amazing for us, and we are primed and ready for an incredible start to this new decade’.
TOUR DATES BELOW:

The band will undertake a UK tour to coincide with the release of the ‘Shine’ single. Catch the band at the following shows:

25 Feb – Scream Lounge, Croydon (**Venue Changed from Black Sheep Bar**)

27 Feb – Champions, Bournemouth

03 March – Bannermans, Edinburgh

04 March – Rockers, Glasgow

06 March – Carpe Diem, Leeds

09 March – Barfly, Cardiff

10 March – Asylum 2, Birmingham

11 March – Steamboat Tavern, Ipswitch

12 March – Crauford Arms, Milton Keynes

13 March – The Old Bell, Derby

19 March – 229, London
More dates to be announced soon. Check www.myspace.com/starseedrock or www.planetstarseed.com for details.

Words and photograph by Marcus Maschwitz

Starseed has been around and playing since 2000 so it may seem inappropriate for me to do an introducing piece on them after such a long time but I feel that this is the year that they will basically be forgotten (in a sense) for everything that they might have done in the past and almost reborn into a completely new level as a band. Don’t get me wrong, they have done amazingly up until now but I have been listening to their new album, Peace Machine (their 2nd full length album launching on the 7th August 2009 at IndigO2) for just over a month now and I still cannot get my head around it. Having worked as a photographer on MANY band promo shoots, I often wonder how many of them will make it further than the photoshoot and to be honest, a lot of them break up / split while they are still recording and the photographs never ever get to be seen. Anyway, this isn’t about me but I wanted to just make the point because I worked with these guys and as always I take the time out to give them a listen and give my honest opinions on what I think, obviously hoping that they all do well if they are cool. This bunch is super cool and I remember taking their album home to give it a listen, not really expecting much, and then being gobsmacked as soon as I hit play on my stereo. The first thing that shot through my mind was the HUGENESS of it. The first song made it clear that everyone involved had done their homework and put in many hours to get it exactly how they had dreamed it to be, quite possibly even bigger. I cannot wait for this album to be available to the rest of the world so everyone else can experience this feeling.

The band has had a few member changes over the years but is now settled on Russell Spence, Gerald Gill, Dale Anderson, Peter Wicker and Andrew Spence who couldn’t be matched any better. I spent a day with them and the bond that they have is a strong one of friendship as well as drive that they all share for this musical project. I always enjoy when people do something with passion but remember the reason why they are doing it so that the enjoyment stays a big part of it all. Their influences and inspirations are similar although broad ranging with bands like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Chevelle, Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bad Religion and Billy Talent to name a few but I think they have a product that is unique in several ways. Although their new album is the one that is going to push them forward, a lot needs to be said about their live show as it is something to be excited about on it’s own. They are tight, they are focused, they are powerful, they are intense, they are personal and they make sure to give the best show that they can regardless of the venue size or the amount of people in the crowd. Russell’s vocals are incredibly strong and the melodies that the band has come up with just seem too good to be true.

In my personal opinion, Starseed are heading to become one of the biggest heavy rock bands that the UK has given birth to and the world needs to look out for them. I do not understand how they are not yet signed but I feel that this will change shortly after their album drops. I look forward to watching their growth as I feel it is only just starting.

Check them out if you haven’t and keep the 7th August 2009 in mind and join them as they launch one of the most exciting albums this year. Without doubt, the Clink Music Magazine team will be there but we don’t want to make up your minds for you.

Starseed Website – www.planetstarseed.com
Starseed Myspace – www.myspace.com/starseedrock