Starsailor play the Isle of Wight Festival for the second year running. Bass player James Stelfox talks to GAYNOR EDWARDS...

There are limited opportunities to see Starsailor play live this summer. They are the only support to the Rolling Stones Twickenham dates in late summer, so if you're lucky enough to have landed tickets to see Jagger and co you'll get to see them. Otherwise your only opportunity tomorrow at the Isle of Wight Festival, where they are second on the bill after Paul Weller.

"We played last year and had a great day," says James. "We were asked to do it again higher up the bill. We're not going to do many festivals in the UK this year, so it's a good opportunity."

The band formed in music college in Wigan. "I've known the drummer Ben since we were five years old, we grew up round the corner from each other," explains James. "We played while we were at college - small pubs mainly - although it's quite hard to get gigs where you're playing your own songs. Pubs want covers but we weren't willing to do that."

Starsailor, happy to be seen as 'hippyish', had proved themselves with their own songs by the end of 2001. They had three top 20 singles and a debut album Love Is Here that went platinum.

Music legend Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys praised the album and Phil Spector offered to produce them. (Readers may recall that Starsailor was interviewed on national TV when Spector was arrested for shooting his girlfriend. The quartet from the North West of England, were working with the producer at the time.)

The band's creative inspiration is frontman and songwriter James Walsh. Still in his early 20s, he's received criticism for his mature, some say miserable, approach. "It's frustrating when you hear all these people saying how can you write all these things at such a young age. If that's the case, what sort of songs do these people want to hear? Songs about the usual things that upset and frustrate 21-year-olds like a keg running out of beer or something? That's something I'm just not interested in at all."

It's not a 'one man' band though. "We all have input although the lyrics are James's (Walsh), the rest of us are pretty garbage at words. We come in with chords and shape it together."

And in answer to the miserable label, James says: "This record will be a lot more upbeat simply because the place we're in now is a happier place. James (Walsh) has just become a father so that reflects in his mood as well."

The band has spent the last ten months recording their new album, entitled Silence Is Easy, due out on September 1. Much of that time was spent in Abbey Road's studio two - the room used by The Beatles.

"There was a lot more pressure from the start on the second album, because the first one sold so well," says James. "We knew we had to keep the record company happy, but we had to be happy first - with the songs. And keep the fans happy who bought the first one, hopeful that they'll buy this one."

Before that the band spent a lot of time Stateside and created quite a stir. "Gigs were selling out," says James. "Coldplay have just opened the market for British bands over there. We will be going back again."

He believes that there's currently a move in British music towards better melody and lyrics.

"Britpop was good music," he says, "but it wasn't lyrically that strong. Some of the early stuff was tongue in cheek, but now the likes of Turin Brakes, Elbow and Coldplay have gone back and delved deeper."

Tickets for festival are priced at £50 for the weekend or £30 for the day. For tickets call: 08705 321321.