Starsailor Sign Recording Contract

Tuff Gong Residents, Starsailor, have just signed a Major Recording Contract.

After recently recording their demo at Tuff Gong Studio's, the lads have just signed a lucrative deal with EMI.

The band met whilst studying a music course at Leigh College (Railway Rd Campus).

Bassist James Stelfox and Drummer Ben Byrne had been playing together in the North West of England for a number of years, when their regular singer fell ill, they recruited young singer and songwriter James Walsh from a school choir.

The band, then named Waterface, had tried a number of guitarists before they asked long time friend Barry Westhead to join the band in on keyboards. 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 changed their name to Starsailor after the 1970 album by Tim Buckley.

A journalist from NME saw a gig in 2000 and gave the band a glowing review.

Their performance at the Glastonbury Festival added to the band's reputation and led to a bidding war amongst UK record companies.

The band signed with EMI in 2000.

In 2008, in a re-organisation, Starsailor were moved to Virgin Records, a division of EMI.