Formed in 2016, Velvet Starlings is a Los Angeles based indie rock band heavily influenced by ‘60s garage rock, beach fuzz and psychedelia.
Fronted by Christian Gisborne, known for his powerful vocals, wild guitar antics, dynamic stage presence, and multi-instrumental abilities, the band first captured the spotlight after winning Milwaukee’s “Emerging Stage” competition in 2019.
Gisborne, who also handled the recording, engineering, mixing, and production of the band’s first three albums, has tirelessly led Velvet Starlings through many notable performances including appearances at SXSW, Summerfest and other major festivals throughout North America.
To date, Velvet Starlings have released several EPs and singles, including three full length studio albums “Love Everything, Love Everyone” (2019), “Technicolour Shakedown” (2021) and “Pacific Standard Time” (2023).
Rock N Roll Fashionistas was fortunate enough to get in touch with Gisborne recently this past Summer to hit him up with Talking To Rock Stars.
This is what he had to say…
Question 1: CDs, Vinyl or Download?
Answer: what I’d like to answer – VINYL – honest/unfortunate answer – Spotify – I have most of my favorite albums on vinyl, however I do most music listening on walks and while I’m out.
Question 2: First album you ever bought (regardless of format)
Answer:
First album I purchased with my own money was “The Piper at The Gates of Dawn” by Pink Floyd at Barnes and Noble
Question 3: Most recent album you bought?
Answer:
the last time I bought a vinyl was a $100+ bootleg of “10,000 Days” by TOOL on Red Vinyl
Question 4: How did it come about that you first started playing music?
Answer:
I wanted to learn the organ solo for house of the rising sun by the animals – so I asked my dad to set up his keyboard in my room – and from there I went to guitar, then singing – and started playing at the farmers market
Question 5: First song you ever played?
Answer:
“House of the Rising Sun” by the animals
Question 6: Do you ever perform cover songs and if you do what is your favourite to play?
Answer:
ya! I like doing covers that don’t necessarily match our style and making them sound like us.
Question 7: Do you play the majority of the instruments on your recordings? If you do not, who have you collaborated with and what do they play?
Answer:
I do! The only exception is drums. I composed them but on the majority of our music either someone else has played them, or I have used samples and written them in. Although there are a few outliers where I did actual play.
Question 8: Seeing as your music is deeply rooted in the sounds of the Swinging 60s, particularly that golden period of 1965 to 1966 immediately before 1967’s psychedelic Summer Of Love, do you consider yourself a revivalist and if you do, how is it that you are?
Answer:
So in my mind, you had the classic fun jangly 60s rock n roll from 1950s-1966 and then 1966-1968 when psychedelics were introduced you had all of these bands competing with each other trying to make the most forward thinking music that constantly pushed the boundaries of songwriting and production. For me velvet starlings is about trying to tap into that same energy they had in 1967 while also having a perspective that is heavily influenced by the 90s, the 2010s and especially stuff coming out now!
Question 9: Tell us a bit about your experience being part of California’s underground music scene.
Answer:
California’s underground music scene is fire! We’ve been on a 2 year hiatus while I’ve been working so I have not been as active in the scene as an artist however I still love going to shows – attending shows is actually a big part of my job so I’ve had the opportunity to see some really cool stuff!
Question 10: What is your favourite era of music and why?
Answer:
2010s. Earlier I said during 1966-1968 all of the bands were competing which meant all of their music was being influenced by each other so the output of progressive forward thinking music grew exponentially. Now apply that same idea to the way music came out in 2010s! all of the 2000s indie rock artists (Jack White, Arcade Fire, Black Keys, Cage the Elephant, Arctic Monkeys) all put out their best albums in the 2010s. Whether it’s pop artists like Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey – to my favorite rappers Kanye West, Travis Scott, Tyler the Creator, Kendrick Lamar – all the way to what I think was the 2nd coming of psychedelic rock in the 2010s with Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, King Gizzard, Foxygen, Temples, and even Tame Impala haha. 2010s music was outmatched whether it’s classic albums or one hit wonder tracks by artists – if I could only listen to one era it’s 2010s.
Question 11: When you’re writing songs, is it the music or lyrics first?
Answer:
Always music first. Then I get phrasing/vocal melodies – and write lyrics from there.
Question 12: How did you learn to write songs?
Answer:
My dad, he used to be in a band in the 90s and then he became a songwriter as his main job! He actually helped me a lot on velvet starlings when I was first starting out.
Question 13: Velvet Underground, Beatles, Kinks or Clash?
Answer:
The Beatles. I’d be insanely interested in having a debate with anybody who’d pick clash over the Beatles… I find it difficult to compare any band to the Beatles. while the kinks do have tracks that rival Beatles tracks, when you do the math and count just how many 10/10Beatles songs there are – every band/artist on earth just ends up falling short by a few dozen songs hahaha.
Question 14: What are your thoughts regarding music streaming?
Answer:
My take is, obviously I’d love if artists were payed more for their music. However, I think if there was no spotify or Apple – there’d just be easier ways to pirate music and the people complaining about not getting paid fairly would be simply getting paid 0$. I’d fully support if the government stepped in and cancelled Spotify/Apple Music – and while they’re at it – make Netflix, HBO max and every other streaming service illegal – but since they let it through in the early 2000s I don’t see them going back on it any time soon… do I think Spotify is stealing from artists? Yes. But I also think it should’ve never been allowed in the first place and now that it is – there’s no going back.
Question 15: iTunes, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Amazon or Spotify — and why?
Answer:
I got Spotify. I also have Disney plus, I could save up and buy a physical copy of every Marvel movie released till now – but it wouldn’t be very cost effective haha…
Question 16: Do you feel a presence on Social Media is vital for your music to be heard?
Answer:
100% social media is everything these days. Unless you’re trying to make it in the underground or your local live scene. I use Reddit a lot.
Question 17: Social Media platform of choice and why?
Answer:
For music, I use Instagram mostly. Instagram is great for interacting with people I know and see in real life. I also use Twitter/X but mostly to see what famous people say or current events.
Question 18: Does YouTube play a key role in getting your music heard?
Answer:
For some people yes, for us not so much… music videos in the 90s were a big deal but these days I think they’re just promo for your songs/band. Most people who have success on YouTube have long form content so advertisers get their ads played more throughout the videos – so if your channel posts a few times a month and the videos are 3-4 minutes long – it’s not lookin good…
Question 19: What is the most beneficial platform for you to sell and distribute your music: Bandcamp, Official Website, iTunes or other?
Answer:
These days the platforms are more seen as gateways to your music. People aren’t buying your music because it’s the only way they can get it (they all have Spotify and Apple Music) it seems like people buy it as either patrons (Bandcamp/itunes) or as collectors (vinyl) or they like you enough to go to your show and maybe buy t shirts and what not.
Question 20: What is your biggest aspiration in music? What is it that you hope to achieve?
Answer:
To beat the Beatles in a contest of – most fire tracks released. Hahahahahahaha.
Question 21: What are your thoughts on the relevancy of Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart?
Answer:
I think it’s scary how many of the albums/songs in the charts are catalogue/old songs from decades ago – and it’s also scary how short the lifespan of a new “popular” album is getting. It’s not that people don’t still care what is popular or featured on billboard top 200 – the scary part is that people are caring less and less about the music that is currently sitting on the top 200. It seems like albums are huge for a second but they don’t stay in the zeitgeist the way they used to even 10 years ago. Monoculture is going away and small niche communities are all growing.
Question 22: Favourite latest music discovery?
Answer:
I really like this band from the late 2000s called “The Asteroid Galaxy Tour” I always knew of them but I never heard their albums in full till recently – goddamn they are fiiiiire.
Question 23: Tell us about your future plans and any upcoming releases.
Answer:
Nope! Haha just kidding – but yes it’s all top secret – we’re coming back! But not till next year.
Question 24: What is your dream concert to attend? Regardless if the band is still together or if the artist is still living, who would you like to see most and in what period of their career?
Answer:
only because of the way you phrased the question I’d say I would want to be at whatever the final Beatles show was before they took their break from shows in 1966.
Question 25: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Answer:
mmmmm if anyone made it this far in the questions – thanks for reading –