In the shape of a gloriously decadent
teenage rampage of glam, grunge, pop-punk
and sleaze-metal elements – realised in full
on second album, Devour You – Starcrawler
have brought a welcome blast of vintage
sloppy-boho cool back to the LA rock
scene in recent years. Formed in 2015 and
fronted by the superbly named, explosively
charismatic singer Arrow de Wilde, this
Ozzy-loving quartet have already earned
a cult following plus endorsements from
Shirley Manson and Elton John.
Arrow de Wilde formed Starcrawler
when she was still at school.
Completed by drummer Austin Smith,
guitarist Henri Cash and bassist Tim Franco,
Starcrawler have roots in Grand Arts High
School in LA (Cash was carrying a tuba
case when de Wilde first approached him in
a school stairwell).
“When we recorded the last album, half
of us were still in high school,” the singer
explains. “So even though it’s only been
a couple of years since that album came
out, it feels like a long time, because the
difference between sixteen and eighteen or
nineteen is pretty exponentially different.
At sixteen you’re still jailbait; at nineteen
you can fuck a thirty-year-old.”
She grew up surrounded by artists and
musicians.
De Wilde’s mother, Autumn de Wilde, is
a renowned photographer and documentary
maker who has worked with Elliott Smith,
the White Stripes, Beck and Sonic Youth,
among others. She is currently in London
shooting her first feature film, an all-star
adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma. Arrow’s
father, Aaron Sperske, is a drummer and
has played with Ariel Pink, Father John
Misty and more.
“My mom has gotten more attention over
the years,” Arrow says. “We grew up in this
tiny shack in Echo Park, and now it’s so cool
because she’s in London making a feature
film and eating at fancy restaurants.”
Singer-songwriter Ryan Adams has
collaborated with Starcrawler.
Family friend Adams produced Starcrawler’s
self-titled 2018 debut album, shortly before
his own career imploded due to sexual
misconduct allegations.
“It’s a real bummer,” says Arrow. “I never
had that experience with him. but I definitely
stand with the girls who have come forward.
I haven’t spoken to him in a bit, just because
it’s been a hectic scene and he has kind of
disappeared off the map, but we had a great
experience with him. I’ve also known him
since I was little, so it’s kind of sad.”Arrow’s rock hero is Ozzy Osbourne.
“Black Sabbath is a huge influence to me,”
she explains, “but not as much as solo Ozzy
Osbourne. I found Blizzard Of Oz first, before
I even knew much about Sabbath, and
that album is really what made me want
to start making music. There is something
inspirational about how Ozzy came out
of the coolest band ever and still made the
coolest music ever.”Starcrawler are steeped in classic rock,
but wary of retro labels.
“‘Retro’ is kind a dumb term,” Arrow offers.
“When people say ‘retro’, I think of the fifties
still, like mid-century modern furniture.
People call us a throwback band, but I don’t
know. We’re inspired by Sabbath and shit
like that, but we’re not trying to be Sabbath,
we’re not trying to be Iggy Pop. I think
we are trying to be a mixture of old and
new sounds.”Their live shows are notorious for
Arrow’s stage antics.
The singer’s high-wire performances often
include spitting water and food in the face
of audience members. Sometimes she goes
too far, however, like the time a woman at
a restaurant show pulled a knife on her and
tried to fight back.
“Hey, maybe if I get stabbed that would
make us the most famous band in the
world, right?” she says, laughing. “I just like
getting a rise out of people. I always have.
When I was in middle school, me and my
mom were at a nice fancy restaurant, and
just to embarrass her I would fake a seizure
in the middle of the restaurant. It’s kind of
dangerous, but also pure joy.”Devour You is out now via Rough Trade.Starcrawler
They’re retro but don’t call them retro, the singer’s rock hero
is Ozzy, and if you see them up-close live take wet-wipes.
Words: Stephen DaltonCLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM 25