Star Print Clad: ‘The River was captured against the clock’
Brighton’s Star Print Clad have shared their new single, ‘The River,’ released on 12th May. It’s the second track in a run of singles planned throughout 2026 and arrives ahead of the band’s appearance at this year’s Isle of Wight Festival.
Following ‘Melanie,’ ‘The River’ finds the band leaning into more classic rock. Recorded and produced at Salvation Studios in Brighton with Jake Stainer, whose credits include Wet Leg, shame, David Gilmour and NewDad, the track moves from atmospheric verses into large, hook-led choruses before breaking into a full-force guitar solo. Much of the song was captured under pressure, during the final hour of the ‘Melanie’ session. Guitarist and lead vocalist Joseph recalls running between the live room and control room to make sure everything was caught, with the acoustic overdub finished with only around fifteen minutes left on the clock.
In the interview below, Joseph talks about the making of ‘The River,’ the band’s formation, Brighton’s music scene, and why this next chapter feels like “a manic road trip run by a group of driven misfits.”
“It’s more of a manic road trip run by a group of driven misfits.”
You mentioned that the majority of ‘The River’ was recorded off the back of the ‘Melanie’ session, in the final hour you had at Salvation Studios. What do you remember about that rush of running to and from the control room, trying to make sure everything was captured?
The bare bones of ‘The River’ were captured in the haste of a late evening, but rushed might be the wrong word. Capturing a track while you know the clock is against you definitely injects a little bit of adrenaline into the room, but we went to the mics with days of pre-production to back us up. The countdown certainly pushed the track into that wavering breaking point it teeters on as it plays through, but knowing the bones of the track inside and out is what allowed us to keep it together and relish in the chaos. The room was filled with that spontaneous recklessness you indulge in as a kid, all the while having the situation in the palm of our hands.
I like the detail about having around fifteen minutes left on the clock for the acoustic overdub, then not even stopping to listen once Jake had given the thumbs up. That sounds like an ordinary band day pushed right to the edge.
In the control room were Jake (Stainer), Management (Jean-Paul) and the rest of the guys. I wouldn’t distrust a nod of approval from any one of them; tied with the confidence the pre-production laid down, we were really able to powerhouse through that track.
Could you go into detail about how the band was originally formed and what brought you together?
The band came together from all different ports. I (Joseph) had just come out of another act that’d held together for a couple of years before dissipating into the pits of despair and sorrow, as many young groups do, and rather than wallow I decided to get on with it and start the hunt for something new. Otto (Drums) I had known since we were twelve, we’d been in and out of bands together, and when he originally joined he said, to quote, “the whole live thing might not be for me, can do the recording though”… didn’t take long to change that (I told him so). Jared (Guitar) was sent in on recommendation from an old close friend of mine who we both knew, Anthony; he really pushed him into the place he is now. As long as he keeps the hair, he’s always got a place in the band. Last but not least, Tom (Bass / Keys), he was pushed in my direction through a mutual contact at the time. I believe neither of us thought much of each other to begin with, but it only took an hour or so to get on as if we’d known one another since day dot.
As a group we quickly fell into a band of brothers over records, matching attitudes, good suits and the appreciation of a fine negroni.
Brighton bands can sometimes get flattened into one idea from the outside, like everyone is part of the same postcard scene. What has Brighton actually given your band, apart from the obvious stuff like venues and friends?
“Postcard scene” is a good summary of it, ten points to Psychedelic Baby.
I find it can be a pretty difficult scene to crack, having played it pretty vigorously over the past few years. Don’t get me wrong, there are some lovely people involved, and more so now than ever, but it can definitely stand as a little bit cliquey at times. It’s a great place to cut your teeth, I mean it offers a myriad of different experiences through open mics and pub shows through to larger support slots and opportunities for packed grassroots headlines. The one thing I do see with Brighton, however, is that it seems to be more of a hub for people outside of the city to play; the local gigs can get a little overlooked sometimes outside of that small circle.
It’s difficult because, as a band, we love to back our stomping grounds, it just doesn’t always necessarily back you. In a sense, though, that’s another good lesson the city brings: have your own back covered.
Also it’s given us A L P H A B E T, love that place.
There is a lot of guitar drama in ‘The River,’ especially when that solo arrives and the whole thing seems to shake itself loose. You mentioned the Selmer Zodiac Twin being double tracked and pushed until the notes shook through the floor. Was that the sound you had in your head from the start, or did it only appear once the amp was properly misbehaving?
Double tracking is always something we’ve utilised during those big moments in the studio, it helps bring the record closer to the rough edge and attitude that our live show brings. I mean, during the demo sessions for “Too Heavy to Bear” I think we quadruple-tracked the solo, you could have mistaken that pick slide for a jet shooting off a runway.
But in regards to the Selmer, when an amp misbehaves in just the right way it does give that extra bit of charm, and it definitely knows how to do just that… honestly Salvation, keep an eye out, we’re considering heisting the thing out of there.
‘The River’ is the second in a run of singles, which is a strange way to tell a story because people only get one piece at a time. What does this second piece say about where Star Print Clad are going, and what does it leave unsaid?
Keeping a little bit of mystery around what’s to come is always a good thing, but do it too much at the beginning and it can be damaging. Mentioning it in that manner in the press gives those who take the time to read into us a bit of insight regarding our ambition, and the fact that now is an exciting time to become a part of Star Print Clad. We don’t want to give everything away, and it’s not like it’s a finite roadmap, it’s more of a manic road trip run by a group of driven misfits.
Thank you for featuring us again on Psychedelic Baby, here’s cheers to you who’ve read this through, a lot of love for the support & hello if you’re new.
Play The River loud!
Klemen Breznikar
Headline photo: Dominic McKenzie (@dmckenzie_media)
Star Print Clad Instagram / YouTube
