IN CONVERSATION : WHITE DENIM
Arguably one of the most dynamic rock bands to emerge from the US in the 00s, White Denim exploded out of Austin, Texas in ’08 with nothing but a set of hyper-kinetic post-punk bangers and a dream.
Led by James Petralli, the band duly raced on through shifting line-ups and kaleidoscopic shades of soul, jazz and Southern rock, before the cyclone that was 2020 and the subsequent Covid era brought changes that would last forever.
As for so many musicians, the pandemic forced Petralli into a radical rethink in both life and creative process. Relocating his family to Los Angeles, he plunged deep into the science of assembling tracks digitally, collaborating with musicians from across the globe.
And so, the end of 2024 saw White Denim open an exciting new chapter with their twelfth studio album, the aptly titled 12.
We caught up with James using the power of Zoom, where he chatted to us from his home studio in LA and filled us in on the creative process behind White Denim's latest work.
PASS IT ON: So we’re here to chat about your recently released album 12, a fitting title for your 12th album. It's an interestingly simple title for an album full of complex themes, was that intentional?
James: Yeah so its the 12th White Denim Record and it came out in December. There are some obvious references there, 12th record, 12 songs, but underneath that, my dad - you can see a picture of him right there above me on my ceiling actually- he was a baseball player when I was growing up. He wore the number 12 on his jersey, and whenever I played baseball I was always number 12 too. So there's some familial themes in there for me as well.
PASS IT ON: That's amazing, and interesting as the album came at a time when you had to focus a little more on your family didn't it?
James: Yeah! So my kids are 9 and 12. The pandemic was 4 years ago now, but for the first part of their lives I was very in and out because of the band, touring and stuff like that was my primary focus.
I would tell myself that I was doing an okay job as a parent, and that when I was home I was really HOME. It wasn't until 2020 that I realised how much they needed me and how much I needed them. It was then that I fully stepped into the role of being a parent for the first time. (Lauging) They do say it's never too late! That's definitely one of the positive things that came out of the pandemic for me, having a more solid relationship with my family.
PASS IT ON: Definitely I think a lot of people can resonate with that.
So for anyone who has been following you a while, how does 12 differ from your previous releases musically?
James: Musically, I think the melodies and the lyrical content are more upfront and easier to understand than previous White Denim records, but we did make 12, so we have covered a lot.
To my ears all of the ingredients have been there all along. The first two or three records we were more of a pop group that had some noisier sections. So in a lot of ways any aspects that were proggy or technical moved more into the production zone rather than the actual playing. There's less showboating and more of a focus on the songs and production.
PASS IT ON: Definitely, especially on the jazzier tracks, it feels like you're really having fun with it.
James: Absolutely, the band has always been my way of making friends and continuing to learn what's happening in music. I still listen to a lot of music that is completely mysterious to me from an emotional and technical perspective.
The musicians that have been in the group for the last 5 years, in the live and the broader collaborative, together we know a lot about music. So some of the jazzier things aren't the most natural thing to me so I feel like a kid trying to make my way through this new world. Its not something I would usually write but I love to listen to it so it's a lot of fun.
PASS IT ON: This is the first album that you've produced and recorded yourself isn't it, how did that work?
James: Yeah so I would make a demo in this studio with me playing as much as I could, and the other guys who brought songs did the same thing. So they would make a framework in their home studio and then I'd rent a larger studio for a few days for us to get together and hash out the basics. Then I'd come back here and over dub and manipulate sounds and things like that.
PASS IT ON: You collaborated with a lot of different artists on this record didn't you, how did that come about?
James: I hate to say anything positive about Meta, but in 2020 I started using social media for the first time. I'm 43, so MySpace was really big for me but it was kinda embarrassing to use it. I'd say I'm kind of an older millennial, so self promotion is uncomfortable and doesn't feel cool to me. But in 2020 it was like well what else can I do. My manager left music and opened a bike shop and my partner Steve decided to get a job instead, so I was the last old guy left in the band (laughing). So I thought I best start using it if that's the only way to connect with fans.
So I connected with a load of other musicians who were still trying to work and make things happen in a time when we couldn't physically be together. So those were my first experiments of just cold calling a stranger and seeing if they wanted to make something together and sharing files virtually. So this record feels like a hybrid of having musicians in the room that are collaborating in real time and also having input from people that may live in a different country or timezone.
I wish there was a better way than Instagram or Facebook as I feel like especially over the past few years it's been a difficult space to occupy, and I'm looking for an alternative but for now it's okay.
PASS IT ON: So on that topic of social media, but taking it back to music (don't worry), one of the album's tracks, 'Flash Bare Ass' is about online trolling isn't it, is that something you have personal experience with?
James: yeah! So 'Look Good' is also about trolls. As soon as I started using social media I had like the 'ultra troll' experience, it ended up with legal issues and it was really bad. It was really disruptive to my life and business. I think that made me really sensitive to comment sections and the way that people interact with work. I still have a bad habit of reading and replying to comments, which is the worst thing you can do for your psyche.
So 'Flash Bare Ass' was written at a time when I decided that I was just going to say what I needed to say in the music, I'm not going to be involved in the social media cyclone. Even though every week I find myself back in it (laughing).
PASS IT ON: So you've got a busy year coming up in support of the new record, and you're heading back over to the UK and Ireland in March. Where are you most looking forward to playing?
James: Yeah, we've got 10 or 12 shows, I have a lot of friends in Brighton, Manchester and London, so I'm looking forward to seeing them there. I really like playing in Cardiff as well, its always really gone off there and felt exciting. Glasgow is always great as well, we always indulge in Buckfast, at least a small bottle and we have tried haggis, I'm not sure if I'll be going back for seconds this time though.
I love playing the UK and Ireland though, it really feels like our audience is there.
Catch White Denim on their UK and Ireland tour this March:
Mar 2, 2025
The Academy
Dublin
Mar 4, 2025
Queen Margaret Union
Glasgow, Scotland
Mar 5, 2025
Wylam Brewery
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
Mar 6, 2025
O2 Ritz Manchester
Manchester, UK
Mar 8, 2025
Arts Club Liverpool - Theatre
Liverpool, UK
Mar 9, 2025
Nottingham Rescue Rooms
Nottingham, UK
Mar 10, 2025
Crookes Social Club
Sheffield, England
Mar 12, 2025
XOYO
Birmingham, UK
Mar 13, 2025
Tramshed
Cardiff, Wales
Mar 14, 2025
O2 Forum Kentish Town
London, UK
Mar 16, 2025
SWX
Bristol, UK
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