Realising that Whitey’s ace and massively underrated debut album The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is A Train came out nearly ten years ago might make us feel rather old, but cheer is to be found in ‘No More Right Or Wrong’, which we’re featuring on the YouTube above. Whitey – real name Nathan Joseph White – has always excelled at noirish, drugged eyeballs electronic pop, and this new track is no exception. In fact, it’s probably one of his best. The track is mooted to be included on the next Whitey album Bare Bones, which is being funded via Kickstarter. With four days to go, there’s a fair amount of flesh on those bones, with just under £1400 to go to the £16,000 total needed. Whitey’s plan is to finally be able to release all his albums to date physically on CD and vinyl, and more information – plus your get involved opportunity – can be found here. We asked Whitey a few questions about Kickstarter and Bare Bones
Whats the thinking behind the Kickstarter approach?
One: Maintain Independence. You’ve never had it so hard as a musician- but you’ve also never had it so good. You can reach the whole world, whilst maintaining complete ownership. You don’t need a big brother to lift you up then drain you dry.
Two: Little is now big. I’m referring to money- you can sell 1000 units through Kickstarter or Bandcamp and retain 95% of the take. Meaning you make more money than someone selling 10,000 units through EMI. Its simple economics. Again, you don’t need them anymore.
Three: Direct Interaction. Everyone who has pre-ordered the album has actively contributed to this moment, and to touring later this year. They are a factor in the creative process. And they are name checked in the sleeve for stepping up. I now speak to a lot of them regularly. This is exactly the kind of interaction that was impossible when I was a nerdy kid in Coventry, studying vinyl sleeves. Musicians seemed to live in impossibly remote fantastic places, doing mysterious wonderful things I’d never be involved with.
You’ve followed this very independent, self-sufficient path for ten years now. What have been the pleasures and the pitfalls?
Thats a big question, and covers too much for a neat answer. Lets just say that on one hand my independence has caused me a lot of trouble and perhaps unnecessary pain – but on the other hand I love my freedom and I own all my back catalogue. I am free to do what I want with my music. Good entwined with bad, like everything in Life.
What’s inspired the new album?
Love, loss of love, the truth about myself and others. Honesty. This is going to be my most honest album ever, I’m dragging everything into the light. No mercy, I want to strip all the artifice and posturing away, right down to the bone. Hence the title.
You move a lot between London and LA. Has this duality affected the music? I can hear London fog and LA sun in the track
I don’t know if in my case being anywhere specific affects the eventual tone of a song. I don’t think so, I just write about how I feel. And the L.A positivism hasn’t rubbed off on me this trip… not yet. I’ve spent so much time writing I’ve been here for two months and I haven’t even been for a walk in the sun yet. I was a more healthy colour when I lived in Berlin.
