Ben Byrne

Starsailor
Starsailor live at Summercase Festival, Madrid
Background information
Origin	Wigan, England
Genres	Alternative rock, post-Britpop
Years active	2000–2009, 2014-present
Labels	EMI (2000–2006) Virgin Records (2008–) Cooking Vinyl
Website	www.starsailorband.co.uk
Members	Ben Byrne James Stelfox James Walsh Barry Westhead

'Starsailor is an English post-Britpop band, formed in 2000. Since its formation the band has included guitarist and vocalist James Walsh, drummer Ben Byrne, bassist James Stelfox and keyboardist Barry Westhead.

The band have released four studio albums: Love Is Here (2001), Silence Is Easy (2003), On the Outside (2005) and All the Plans (2009), and have scored ten Top 40 hit singles in the UK. After the release of their most recent album, All the Plans, the band had entered into extended hiatus until 2014, during which they have been involved in individual projects.

Starsailor announced their reunion on 23 May 2014 and began performing worldwide. "Good Souls: The Greatest Hits" was released in September 2015, and featured two new songs.

Despite being known as a Wigan band, only one member of Starsailor is actually from the town. The band met whilst studying Music at the Parsons Walk Campus of Wigan and Leigh College. Bassist James Stelfox and drummer Ben Byrne had been playing together in Warrington, Cheshire for a number of years. When their regular singer fell ill, they recruited young Chorley singer and songwriter James Walsh from a school choir. He was influenced by Jeff Buckley and his 1994 album Grace in his singing style. Comparing it to Oasis' (What's the Story) Morning Glory? album, which Walsh says sums up a unique moment, Grace captures every moment.

The band, then named Waterface, had tried a number of guitarists before they asked long-time friend Barry Westhead to join the band in 2000 on keyboards. He had been teaching judo and playing organ for a church near his home town. His arrival has been heralded as the most significant event in the band's formation. Walsh also took up the guitar, following frustration over not finding a musician right for the group. The band started to build up a reputation, and their name changed to Starsailor after the 1970 album Starsailor by Tim Buckley.