White Rose Movement - London, UK - Spring 2005
By: Yousif Nur
An introduction for the uninformed (or those that can't be arsed to do their own dirty work).
Euphoria-strewn, nouveau art-rockers White Rose Movement comprise Finn Vine (vocals, guitar), Taxxi - aka Erica MacArthur (keys), Owen Dyke (Bass), Jasper Milton (guitar) and Ed Harper (drums). Cite Depeche Mode and The Sound as inspirations (more of which shortly). Formed in 2002 and have recently scored support slots on tour with Pink Grease, The Kills and Soulwax. A number of 12" white labels of debut, acclaimed single 'Love Is A Number' (their only output thus far) circulated throughout da industree to much buzz and speculation, insinuating that maybe, just maybe, this band really was it...?
It'll be invigorating to chart. So here we are, at a chippy in Camden, right opposite Koko, bantering over spring rolls and Pepsi, discussing how, what with so many bands at the moment in a similar vein to theirs, just what segregates them from the rest of the pack?
It's simple for Taxxi. 'Different influences.'
Finn says in between munches, 'They listen to Duran Duran; we listen to Depeche Mode, The Sound, DAF. We don't really wanna be chucked in the same arena as those bands. I know it's inevitably gonna happen, but I can only suggest that we listen to different music.'
So, forming via a collective love of the Mode and other purveyors of eighties synth-based bands - how much do they regard them as being a direct or indirect influence on the group?
Vine explains quite the contrary, before conceding certain interests. 'I don't think any of us sit down and listen to Depeche Mode albums, y'know? We used to DJ a lot and play an early DM single like 'Photographic', and really love it. (But) I don't think it's that conscious...'
A slight cut off on his part before carrying on with something or other. 'The DJ-ing thing was really good, because we were literally playing every Saturday, reinforcing our values and our tastes every time we played. We kinda got to a point where, with these records we played every week, that 'This is what we like, this is what makes us tick...' I guess that's where the influence comes from.'
Their best attribute individually/personally?
Finn, jokingly, 'Can we say stuff about each other?'
Go ahead.
'We're pretty tight, and we've known each other for a long time, so we know how to get one another f**ked off ...' Owen adds.
Jasper: 'We strive to get perfection...'
Taxxi: 'Our best, and worst, attribute is that we fight...'
So, naturally, it's not like they got to where they were faster than you can say Gahan. And here's a brief lowdown of the hardship WRM had in recording sessions for various producers.
'It happened a couple of times,' Finn reflects before a quick swig of his drink. 'We'd worked with some old-skool producers and it was just falling, sounding really flat and unexciting. But we met Paul (Epworth), who's a very excitable person, who generally loves music and is really passionate about it.'
Jasper: 'The other guys felt like they were old-timers who were just doing a job and felt very stuck in their rogue styles of saying, 'This is gonna sound shit ...'
Paul Epworth - when was it that he discovered upon you and felt that it really clicked? He seems to be the producer du jour, but why do they think that is?
'He did our sound at a gig in 93 Feet East a few years ago,' says Owen, reflectively.
Jasper: 'Well, that's where we met him, when he was the soundman and still in his band, Lomax. We bumped into him at Eastcote Studios when we were upstairs with a producer...'
Taxxi: 'So we did a bit of a dirty...'
Jasper: '... We did a bit of a dirty. But we didn't know he was a producer at that point. I just got a message from downstairs saying Paul says hello and I didn't know who Paul 'the producer' was...'
Finn: 'He's produced grime records, he's done his own bootlegs, he's done remixes on his Phones (moniker)... he's obsessed with post-punk; he was hanging at post-punk clubs in London before anyone else was...'
Owen: 'He's just a general enthusiast y'know, he doesn't stop. Everything he does centres around music first. It's definitely paid off for us in terms of the enthusiasm.'
And how long did it take to perfect and harness their cathartic sound and feel it was time to show it to the world?
Owen: 'It's been a process...'
Jasper: 'It's been a bit of a journey.'
Finn: 'I think your whole life is a process of accumulating all the things that you love and then spit out when the time's right.'
Owen: 'We realised, though, that we got it wrong a lot before we got it right and you can only really see that in hindsight. The last two years were really destructive.'
Finn: 'The thing with Paul is that he's irreverent about everything. He doesn't hold things precious like (clicks fingers), 'Do it, it's not working, f**k it off...' that's a good quality of his.'
Owen: 'Yeah, he's out there plugging you a lot. Almost like a PR, as he really f**kin' works for you...'
Finn: 'A mouth almighty.'
Funny. How comfortable would they feel with their (almost inevitable musical demeanours) thrust in the limelight at some point?
Finn: 'F**k knows.'
Jasper, Taxxi: 'You don't know until it happens, do you?'
'I don't think any of us are going to be in 'Heat Magazine'. I don't think any of us are that kind of people that fish for attention.' Taxxi adds.
Biggest misconception surrounding the White Rose Movement?
Taxxi: 'That we love Duran Duran.'
Jasper: 'I dunno. Are there any yet? No-one's really heard about us. We don't read our own press, y'see...'
Owen: 'Our mates slag us off.'
Taxxi: 'I think, sometimes, people get pissed off because we can be thought of as slightly posy.'
Jasper: 'I just think that bands like The Bravery have been a bit of a drag... I hope we don't get compared to them.'
Will we be surprised by what you've come up with for the upcoming album?
Finn: 'Yeah, I think so because it's really diverse. You can't pinpoint anything on it really, and it's really raw in places...'
... And we're ousted of our time. Any final thoughts?
Finn: 'Onwards and upwards, hopefully.'
Owen, conclusively: 'We might have an idea in a couple of hours, when we're punching the sky in triumph.'
Laughter prompted, despite the tinge of truth behind the sentiment. And, with that, we part ways, somehow invoking the feeling that, although brief, and to the straight and narrow, we get the idea that such abrupt mastery is replicated in their trade. It's a movement you can really have faith in.
Artists in this article: White Rose Movement