THE BOXER REBELLION
By Adam Docker
There are some bands that arrive when you need them most.
For me, The Boxer Rebellion became that band.
Their ethereal, swirling, melodic sound got me through some rough times over the last few years. It’s music that emotionally sucks you in. And more often than not, it hits you right in the gut.
Back in 2018, a friend of mine knew the drummer, Piers Hewitt, and put us in touch. We spoke briefly about some ideas, and I went to meet him after a gig in Islington. One of those “let’s make something happen” moments.
But life, as it does, got in the way.
Cut to a few years later in 2025, after a Starsailor show at the London Forum, I was backstage when I bumped into Piers again. That split second of recognition, both of us thinking, I know you…
We picked up where we left off.
I told him I was still keen to shoot something, and he put me in touch with their manager. A month later, I found myself at Seven Sisters Beach at 7am, a freezing morning on the South Coast with their singer Nathan Nicholson and Sumit the manager.
We headed down to the beach and shot a video for Hidden Meanings.
Four hours, minimal setup on my Sony Venice, just chasing the light and the mood. The kind of shoot I love. Instinctive, stripped back, no overthinking.
Afterwards, we ducked into a local café to warm up, only to be confronted by the local coastguard. Turns out we needed a permit… and not a cheap one either.
The manager, to his credit, handled it beautifully.
He offered the guard tickets to any band he wanted.
The band he chose?
Starsailor!
What are the chances?
A couple of months later, I shot the bands second video, Satellite Above, in a dingy little studio in Southend together with David Kennedy North.
A completely different feel, more enclosed, more gritty and raw, but still rooted in the same honesty that defines their music. Again shot on my Sony Venice, a Sony FX6 and ten, yes ten(!) GoPros.
Alongside the films, I also created the imagery for their single covers.
It’s been a busy year for record covers.
And when I step back and look at it, it’s not something I take lightly. I’ve had the chance to create music videos and artwork, for two bands whose music has genuinely meant something to me.
That doesn’t happen every day.
I’m incredibly grateful.
Next… The Cure.
