A Journal of Music, Culture, and the Art of the Independent Spirit
VIBES is the heartbeat of the Starlite & Campbell universe. More than a simple blog, it is a living archive—a curated collection of stories, technical deep-dives, and personal reflections from the front lines of independent music production and the touring life.
The Touring Life: Unfiltered
At the core of VIBES is our acclaimed Diary of a Touring Musician. We believe in pulling back the curtain on the “glamour” of the road. From the adrenaline of sold-out shows at The Met, Bury to the “dodgy soundmen,” rainy load-ins, and the quiet aftermath of returning home to Portugal, this series provides a raw, honest account of what it takes to bring music to the stage in the 21st century.
The Art of Sound & The Sonic Lab
For the audiophiles and the gear-obsessed, VIBES offers a seat at the console of our Supertone SonicLab. Here, we explore the “Philosophy of Tone.” Whether we are discussing the “Air” in a Rupert Neve circuit, the warm saturation of magnetic tape, or the intricate layering of analogue synths for projects like Starlite.One and Vibrationists, we write for those who believe that high-fidelity is a necessity, not a luxury.
Culture, Life, and Four-Legged Friends
VIBES is also a reflection of our world beyond the fretboard. It is a space where we explore:
The Creative Process: From the genesis of a lyric to the “whirlwind” energy of our collaboration.
Reflections on Culture: Observations on the evolving landscape of art and independence.
Life at the Silver Coast: Personal vignettes from our home in Portugal, including our special relationship with our dogs (the legendary Labradors) and the rhythms of a life lived creatively.
Join the Conversation
VIBES is a reader-supported publication. It is a community for those who value the “deep cut” over the soundbite. By joining us here, you aren’t just reading a journal; you are supporting the continued independence of our art, our records, and our voice.
The Supertone show
From November 2015 to October 2019 and January 2023 to April 2024 we recorded The Supertone Show - an hour-long, weekly music-inspired podcast about songs and the people who make them, syndicated to radio stations worldwide.
Now, we release the occasional long-form edition of the show emailed to all subscribers. New episodes, plus a full archive, are available for you to enjoy within VIBES and Spotify.
Manifesto
We are full-time multimedia artists and lovers of independent, liberal thought from people who respect themselves, others and the planet.
Our Sonic Laboratory is located in Foz do Arelho, Portugal, where we live with our three Labrador Retrievers: Bobby, Françoise and Edith.
We are passionate about all things analogue, complemented by the best the digital world has to offer.
Music is our creative foundation and primary form of expression, informing our work in visual media and experiential installations.
Primarily songwriters, multi-instrumentalists and lovers of all genres, we cover a lot of ground, with Suzy’s work based in contemporary British folk and Simon’s rooted in rock and Americana. Together we have explored electronica, blends of rock and blues, folk and most recently art-rock, which combines studio recordings, collage, video and live performance. Whatever the style, our lyrics are front and centre.
Flying in the face of disposable music, we write, record, engineer, play and produce all our work but creative and technical collaborative partnerships are becoming increasingly important to us.
Our work is overtly political, based on our belief in democracy and a post-capitalist, sustainable future where social justice, inclusivity and access to a basic income, education and healthcare are universal.
Making art is the best way of spending our time coins, constantly pushing ourselves to explore the unfamiliar and discover unknown treasures.
We hope to inspire new ways of seeing and thinking in those who experience our art - a creative community.
Good science is our religion and yes, we believe in extraterrestrial life.
Suzy Starlite & Simon Campbell | January 2025
The music
Together, we have released three studio and two live albums. Blueberry Pie | The Language of Curiosity | Starlite Campbell Band Live! | Starlite Campbell Band Live! 2 | Starlite.One
The latest, Starlite.One, reflects our musical direction informed by the mixed media project and was released on September 1, 2023, on 180g milky clear vinyl, Compact Disc and digitally through Bandcamp. It is available to order now.
