INTERVIEW:
Peter and Kerry
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MY last interview of the week...
is with Peter and Kerry who have been talking with me about their great new single, They Know God (But I Know You), and how it came to be. I ask if there is going to be more material coming later this year and how the duo has evolved together – they recommend rising artists to look out.
I ask them which albums mean the most to them and whether there will be tour dates; how they found one another and whether they get time to unwind away from music – they select some great songs to end the interview with.
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Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?
Kerry: Very good, thank you. I’m just moving into a new studio so lots of packing and unpacking but very exciting.
Peter: Yes, also very good. I’ve been working with a good friend of mine on some of her new music in my studio which is super-fun.
For those new to your music; can you introduce yourselves, please?
Peter and Kerry: Sure. We are Peter and Kerry, a duo based in London and on the South East coast.
Are you managing to stay warm in the winter weather? Does it inspire musical ideas?
Kerry: Yes. I suppose so. Cold weather does make me sad.
Peter: Both my home and working space are very cold environments.
They Know God (But I Know You) is your new single. Can you explain the story behind it?
Peter and Kerry: They Know God (But I Know You) is about the strength both given and received in close relationships. We were on a little writing retreat recently, sat around the piano and it just flowed. We wrote the song very quickly.
How did you find one another and start playing together?
Peter and Kerry: We were both signed to the record label Tape Club Records and it was suggested we try collaborating on a song or two, so we hot-footed it to Pete’s dad’s house, instruments in hand. It was just supposed to be a one-off thing, but we ended up recording what was to be our first E.P. Clothes, Friends, Photos that weekend and never stopped writing together.
Do you feel there will be an E.P. coming later in the year?
Peter and Kerry: Who knows. At the moment, we just want to take the pressure out of goals, plans and strategies and release singles as and when we finish a song. But anything could change.
How do you think you have progressed as a duo over the last year or so?
Peter and Kerry: We had a really long chat after our hiatus about what we wanted and we both agreed that it was to enjoy making music again and not feel pressured by industry ‘rules’. So, we did just that: we started making music for ourselves again which is a huge progression for us.
In terms of music, do you share tastes? Would one find similar albums in your collections?
Kerry: Most definitely. It was through our love of similar music that we first bonded in friendship. I mean, there are a couple of artists we heavily disagree on, *ahem*, The Pretenders.
Have you got a favourite memory from your time in music so far – the one that sticks in the mind?
Kerry: For me, playing Le Botanique in Brussels is still up there as one of my favourite gigs of all time. Everything just fell into place.
Peter: There are way too many. Lots of innocuous, everyday things that I take for granted like being able to play/sing songs for friends in a fun situation like a dinner party; then, much bigger things like recording in Abbey Road or playing in Shepherds Bush in front of 1,800 people...or having audience members sing words back at you. They are all great feelings.
IMAGE CREDIT: Carina Crenshaw/www.sugah.de
Which one album means the most to each of you would you say (and why)?
Kerry: Ani DiFranco - So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter
It got me through some angsty times during adolescence and it’s the album that made me really want to hone my craft.
Peter: This is unbelievably difficult. It might be The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds because it got me to think so much deeper about music arranging. Or Michael Jackson’s Thriller because it was the first album I owned as a kid. Or Radiohead’s Kid A because it led to a huge interest in Electronic music (from Pop/Rock music).
If you could support any musician alive today, and choose your own rider, what would that entail?
Kerry: Very tough question…probably Erykah Badu. Rider would just be an endless supply of Old Fashioneds and margaritas.
Peter: Stevie Wonder! Could the rider please include Ottolenghi to cook us some food?
What advice would you give to new artists coming through?
Kerry: Try to keep one foot in the present, because having both feet in the future doesn’t allow you to acknowledge your achievements.
Peter: I would absolute most certainly agree with Kerry’s advice.
Do you have tour dates coming up? Where can we catch you play?
Peter and Kerry: Not yet but watch this space!
IN THIS PHOTO: Kadhja Bonet
Are there any new artists you recommend we check out?
Kerry: Kadhja Bonet
Peter: Anna Leone’s My Soul I was my song of 2018.
IN THIS PHOTO: Anna Leone/PHOTO CREDIT: @__gracerivera
Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?
Peter: I work within music in some form every day but love to go running and organise my thoughts then. And dancing.
Finally, and for being good sports; you can each choose a song and I’ll play it here (not any of your music - I will do that).
Peter and Kerry: Oh my god, there are way too many. Let’s go with Noname – Don’t Forget About Me and ROSALÍA - PIENSO EN TU MIRÁ (Cap.3: Celos)
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