Biography
The Video
Shortly after Clint and Allen had a rough version of "Go". Clint contacted his friend William Landers and discussed shooting a video for that song, mostly as a lark. Jeremy Sherrer played drums on the recording of the song and was asked to appear in the video. The video was shot in one night, in a warehouse in the industrial area of Portland, Oregon in March of 2009. The original plan was to have the whole band playing their parts against a green screen as a cohesive unit. When the band arrived at the studio it became very apparent that this would in no way be possible due to the fact that the space was small and the green screen was even smaller. Members had to shoot their part individually. Then the band was composited together against backgrounds chosen by William and Clint then followed by a flurry of postproduction by William. Then after final approval from the band, the video was uploaded to You Tube…
The Contest:
The video was entered into a contest sponsored by SmashCut Studio and 94.7 KNRK for a local band to perform an opening slot for The Killers at an upcoming show. At this time, the band was rehearsing, but still had not found a permanent drummer. About two weeks and two drummer auditions later, the band had the first practice with drummer Jad Simpson. A month prior, Bassist Ron Thomas began rehearsing with the band. The night of Jad’s first practice, the band found out that they were semi-finalists as voted on by the listeners at the radio station web site. The band was confronted by the realization that they might actually be chosen to play at the Portland Memorial Coliseum in two days, with a brand new drummer. The next morning, Clint awoke to the sound of an incessantly ringing telephone informing him of the band’s good fortune. Allen realized upon getting a phone call before noon that they had won the contest. All the other members found out that morning, except for Jason, who found out later that night at practice because he had forgotten his phone in the practice room. Upon the band’s arrival at the practice space, the world’s longest and most intense practice began. The song “Wild Horses” was only written 48 hours before, and learned that night.
The day of the show:
After excusing themselves of their day jobs, three of the members got haircuts from the talented professionals at SmashCut Studio. Feeling emboldened by their new haircuts, they headed to the Coliseum. After arriving, another informal practice took place in the confines of the green room. After sound check, the band started to believe that they just might actually be able to pull this whole thing off…
How Starry Saints
Come to Open for
The Killers
Called “exuberant, energetic and free-flowing”, Starry Saints bring to mind Kings of Leon, Love and Rockets, The Stone Roses and the Raveonettes, among others.
Determined to start a new venture after the success of earlier projects, Allen Davis and Clint Sargent formed Starry Saints in 2009. Their idea was to create a confluence of noise, pop and song craft; a sound big, yet not indulgent, always dynamic, touching on elements of both hi-fi and lo-fi.
Davis and Sargent originally played together with The High Violets. In 2002 they collaborated on The High Violets first album 44 Down. Sargent played lead guitar and composed most of the songs, Davis played bass guitar and produced the album. In 2003 Davis moved to San Francisco, joined the band Every Move a Picture, and became songwriter for their album Heat-Weapon released on V2 Records in 2005. Sargent continued with The High Violets releasing the albums To Where You Are in 2006 and Cinéma in 2010.
In the spring of 2009 the duo regrouped in Portland to embark on their new music project. Shortly after completing a three song demo EP they teamed up with friend and videographer, William Landers, to produce a music video of the song Go. It won Portland’s 94.7FM sponsored contest for a local band to open for The Killers. Personally selected by The Killers, Starry Saints performed their first live show at Portland Memorial Coliseum in September 2009, amid comments that “they sounded better than the two regular opening acts.”
Starry Saints released their debut album, Serenade, in November 2010 just in time to make QRO Magazine contributor, Rob Boss’, Top 2010 Albums list. The LP, a combination of early 90s post-shoegaze influence and earlier lo-fi garage allusions while hinting at more radio-friendly horizons., reveals music that is uplifting and spirited, intense and deep, engaging and accessible.
Future Sounds says: “With former members of Every Move a Picture and The High Violets in the band, they come off somewhere between The Big Pink and Kasabian. The song Go brings to mind Love and Rockets So Alive somehow blending with The Stone Roses. All great reference points in my book..
