The first song I remember hearing
The Dubliners – ‘The Black Velvet Band’
“It might not be the first song I ever heard but it’s definitely the first song I sang along to, just because my parents had it on in the car all the time. We spent a lot of time in Ireland when I was growing up and I used to play a lot of Irish music on the fiddle. It’s one of those songs that’s so implanted in my memory, I still remember every word. It’s such a beautiful track as well. I love the evocative lyrics you get with Irish music that tell such a vivid story, you can really imagine what the person looks like – in this case, a pretty woman with a black velvet band who captivates everyone. ”
The first album I bought
Michael Jackson – ‘HIStory: Past, Present And Future, Book 1’
“I can still remember buying this so vividly from HMV on High Street Kensington. It must have been the first thing I ever bought with my own pocket money. MTV was massive at the time and that iconic video for ‘Earth Song’ was constantly on repeat. It was such an interesting concept for an album as well – half greatest hits, half new music. It was one of those zeitgeist pop culture moments that launched a lot of people’s musical awakening, including me and Charles [Cave, White Lies’ bassist].”
The first gig I went to
Red Hot Chili Peppers, London Arena, March 2003
“I still have such a soft spot for the band, even if I do find some of the lyrics a bit cringe now but I really loved Red Hot Chili Peppers as a teenager. I’d never been in a crowd that big before and I just remember getting smushed. It was hot, sweaty but so exciting. It was around the time the band released ‘By The Way’ and I saw them a bunch more times [on that cycle].”
Was that gig the moment you knew you wanted to be in a band?
“It was that, and going to Reading Festival for the first time. I’d recently got an electric guitar and had started playing rock music. I just remember idolising the people on stage. I was amazed how they did it and knew it was something I wanted to try.”
The song that reminds me of home
Manu Chao – ‘Clandestino’
“My mum was a great cook and had great taste in music, so there’d always be an album playing when we ate. Because it was in the era of CDs, you often wouldn’t change the album for days on end. I know ‘Clandestino’ is a bit of a cheesy song but it just transports me back to sitting down for dinner at home when I was maybe 10 years old.”
The song I wish I’d written
The Beach Boys – ‘God Only Knows’
“It’s just such a well-crafted, heartbreaking song. I would have loved to have written it because it is so good. It’s a really complex song that is still so poppy, and you need to be an amazing talent to be able to do that.”
The song I can’t get out of my head
Grandaddy – ‘A.M. 180’
“That riff is just so catchy. I got into Grandaddy via Trigger Happy TV, which my wife and I still watch regularly. It’s such a hilarious, amazing, creative show with such a great soundtrack. There are so many brilliant leftfield choices on that show that definitely shaped my taste in music.”
The song I can no longer listen to
Gotye – ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’
“When I first heard it, I thought it was an incredible piece of music. It’s so touching and poignant, but it just got completely played to death. That’s a real shame. I listened to it again today and I was just bored by it.”
The song that makes me want to dance
Average White Band – ‘Work To Do’
“When we were making the new White Lies album (‘Night Light’), we all really got into The Midnight Special, which is a 1970s American music show that’s started putting old episodes on YouTube. It features so many incredible artists from the pinnacle of ‘70s pop, rock and soul. It made me fall in love with Average White Band, who are these white guys from Scotland playing funk music so well. They’re so groovy and vibrant. I’m not much of a dancer but they definitely make me want to move my head.”
The song that makes me want to cry
Johnny Cash – ‘The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face’
“I couldn’t really choose between this and Johnny Cash’s version of ‘Danny Boy’. They’re both from ‘American 4: The Man Comes Around’ which he recorded with Rick Rubin just before Cash died. ‘The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face’ [originally by Roberta Flack] is such a beautiful song, I’d probably cry anyway but Cash’s performance is so heartbreaking. You can hear his voice breaking and he doesn’t sound super well. There’s something so powerful about hearing a performer who was all about this machismo singing in such a vulnerable way. Then you’ve got ‘Danny Boy’ which almost sounds like he’s singing about his own demise. They’re both just so moving.”
The song I do at karaoke
REO Speedwagon – ‘Keep On Loving You’
“With karaoke, you want something with a big melody that you can really belt out in an undignified way after a few too many pints. This one is a bit of classic ‘70s rock. Those guys really knew how to craft a belting anthem.”
The song I want played at my funeral
Bach – ‘Second Movement Of The Bach Violin Concerto, No. One In A Minor’
“This might be quite a pretentious choice for a rock musician but I just love Bach. I grew up playing a lot of classic music. I started with the violin when I was four and more recently, I’ve been having piano lessons. It’s a very mournful piece that really captures the experience of life and death – it’s the sort of track that would have everyone crying. If my funeral was long enough, I’d have his entire catalogue played because his music has brought me so much happiness in my life.”
White Lies’ new album ‘Night Light’ is out November 7 via Play It Again Sam. The band will tour the UK in January 2026.
The post Soundtrack Of My Life: White Lies’ Harry McVeigh appeared first on NME.