Peyote
Peyote are a group of guys really on the rise, with the retro influenced rockers just about to release their debut album next month after the quartet
We spoke to lead guitarist George about the release of their new single ‘Quite Like It’, recording with the legendary Ronnie Lane Mobile studio and the future of the band.
Kicking off, what can you tell us about ‘Quite Like It’?
It’s a very short little blast of a tune with a rock and roll vibe with a guitar riff that brings into new age pop. To be honest, some people expected a radio friendly, two to three minute song but we just decided to do something really catchy and it’s turned out that song’s just under two minutes long. It really sums up the vibe of the whole album.
You guys do make really short songs, why did you decide to go that route?
It’s quite unintentional. We didn’t aim for the album to be full of short tracks, but I guess that’s just how we work. When we’re playing live, we feed off the crowd a lot and that gives us the power to keep blaring out these tunes. We play pretty fast though. I think our longest song is just over there minutes, which is just standard these days, so we’re just doing things a little bit different.
You’re also really clearly going in a retro direction. What was the deciding factor behind that?
Mainly it’s just the type of music we like. We’re not just aiming to recreate the wheel in that sense. We draw a lot of influence from that period, but also the punk era, they were really sharp, short tracks.
The album’s out soon, so what you tell us about that?
It’s coming out May 20th and it’s a real opportunity to see what the band really is all about and the direction we’re going into. It’s a chance for the fans to get a real grasp of who we are and they can take it from there.
You recorded it using the Ronnie Lane Mobile studio. What was that like?
Basically, we had it around our manager’s house in Bath and they did all the desk work inside the Airstream while we were playing in our manager’s living room. We just had a verbal communicator between the two places and that was hilariously good fun. It was just the fact that you’re taking a studio that’s been dormant for thirty years and mixing it with a sitting room.
It was daunting, but it was a s**t-load of fun. We got work with a really nice group of people. And the equipment! The stuff that came with the Airstream was incredible. I never thought I’d be getting to play such beautiful instruments.
As you said, that equipment’s got real history to it. Did that add something to the sound of the record?
It did, it definitely helped towards creating our sound. That’s something that we’ve experimented with, but we’re going to try something new from here on in. Keeping the same vibe, but going down a route that’s a little more like todays rock and roll. We recorded this album of tape, which was just a complete asset to the sound. It was such a gorgeous sound though, we’re so happy with it.
You’ve just been on tour, what was the reception like?
The reception’s been really cool. It was a lovely little tour. We did a UK tour a year ago now and that was a great warm up and the crowd now has doubled. It’s going really, really well. It sort of blew us away that in the towns that we didn’t think we were going to get the best response in, they were great. It’s such a pleasant surprise.
You’re going to be playing The Shoreditch Fashion Show later this month, you looking forward to that?
100% yes. That show really ties into the whole punky, homoerotic vibe that we have. That’s a show I’m so looking forward to doing.
So just to finish off, what can you tell us about the new sound that you’re going to be trying out?
I’m going to leave a couple of things in the dark, but our influences going forward are P.J Harvey, Nick Cave and people like The Cramps. I’m not saying we’re going to start wearing massive heels and things like that, but we’re looking a whole different vibe of rock and roll. We’re also looking at a Dandy Warhol’s pop edge too, that sort of fun loving side. Some songs express that, others go a different direction and overall we’re just trying to expand on our own personality as a group.
Peyote’s new single ‘Quite Like It’ is out now and their debut album of the same title is out May 20th.