Peace Interview
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Since their debut album in 2013, Peace have come a long way in every sense of the word. Playing at major UK festivals, embarking on tours around the world and recently releasing a second album in ‘Happy People’, they’ve confirmed that they’re certainly not one trick ponies. The catchy choruses and gritty instrumentals continue to appeal to fans and reach new ones, and with their second Australian tour lined up for April and May, this looks set to continue. To find how the guys are doing, we had a chat with frontman, Harry Koisser, in which he spilled the beans on rapping, going Down Under for the first time, and how he feels about being compared to the likes of Blur, Oasis and The Verve.
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Hi Harry, how are you?
I’m really well, thanks.
Where in the world are you at the moment?
I’m at my brother’s house in London.
So, you released ‘Happy People’ last month, almost two years after your debut; how would you say it compares to ‘In Love’?
I think its only real similarity is the four of us and what we do, but it’s still very us. It’s a little bit more structured in its conception, less of a throwing-four-guys-into-a-room-and-see-what-happens. The first record was definitely an experiment, and this one was the outcome.
‘World Pleasure’ is one of my favourites on the record, especially the closing instrumental, but what was quite unexpected was your rapping at the beginning.
Yeah, the spoken word! It was unexpected for me to be honest, because, I’m really lazy when I record demos, so I just spoke it similar to how it ended up, but I’d always intended to sing it. It was Jim (Abbiss) who pushed me into speaking it a bit more, and he played me ‘Rapture’ by Blondie and that was the first rap video ever played on MTV. It was a vocal style that I was unfamiliar with, but it worked with the track and it was something I never thought I’d do – I didn’t wanna do it because I was scared of people saying I’m a knobhead… but I like the fact that people have reacted in many different ways to it.
Do you have a favourite track?
I think ‘Perfect Skin’ might be my favourite at the moment, or ‘Saturday Girl’ on the extended version is probably my favourite thing that we’ve ever recorded.
You’ve been compared to so many bands, from Oasis to Vampire Weekend and Foals; what are your feelings on people drawing comparisons?
If it was always the same band that would piss me off, but because it’s SO many different bands, like Whale, Blur, Suede, The Verve, Oasis, Foals, it kind of works because no one can pigeonhole us and that was always the idea, to be something that doesn’t fit into anything. Kind of like ourselves as people – not ones to fit in!
Well, with another album comes another tour, so you’re returning to Australia this April! How was your experience of your first visit Down Under?
I actually didn’t do anything… I was writing ‘Happy People’ at the time so I just stayed in the hotel and did demos everyday, which is really sad, but what I thought was, “If I stay inside and write another album, I’ll be able to come back and actually see it next time.” So I don’t know anything about Australia, I only went to the gigs and the hotel, but a lot of the songs were written or worked on while we were in Australia, so it’s going to be odd coming back and maybe feel the same feelings – will I get off the plane and break down in tears? So, I don’t have much experience – but my friend Noel Fielding said that he saw a spider use a pedestrian crossing because it was so big! So I’m looking forward to seeing things like that…
So your plan is to see more of Australia this time around?
Yeah, I worked hard the first time so this is my reward; I’m going to go with leisure in mind.
What about back home? What festivals have you confirmed for the UK?
We’ve got Reading & Leeds and T In The Park; not sure what else we can announce yet, but it’s coming along and there’s a few in pipeline.
Finally, describe each of your band mates in one word.
Dom’s a builder, Sam’s a carpenter, Doug’s a plumber and I’m a jester. Think that pretty much sums us up!
Thanks, Harry!
Peace 2015 Australian Tour Dates
Tuesday 28th April – Rosemount Hotel, Perth (book now)
Thursday 30th April – Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne (book now)
Wednesday 6th May – The Zoo, Brisbane (book now)
Friday 8th May – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney (book now)
By Charlotte Mellor
@cmellor_03
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