Interview: Peace

Peace are a four-man indie rock sensation, tipped as the next Maccabees/Wombats/Foals/Vampire Weekend by everyone and their grandmother. The Tab caught up with Harry (lead singer and guitarist) to talk Usher, oldies and acid house…

Pic: Guardian

Hi guys. Tell The Tab about your journey from four Brummie boys to NME’s ‘Best New Band’…

There was never a moment when we decided to become Peace. We always wanted to be making music. When we got signed up it became real. It was liberating quitting a shit job to do something you liked.

We were never like ‘let’s make a career out of this’. It was more like ‘this is fun. Fuck it, let’s do this.’ 

Swim Deep, Jaws, Peace. What is it about Birmingham and new, quality bands? 

After college Birmingham was the centre of our social lives – particularly this club Rainbow in Digbeth, a House night.

When we first started we were more interested in translating that sort of sound into a band form rather than writing songs or making stuff that sounds particularly nice.

So London has a different sound?

Yeah, definitely. Although we did end up in London a lot, mainly at Fabric and a night called the Vikings at the Russian bar in Dalton. It was filthy techno. That influenced the sound.

I liked the way DJ’s and promoters were nice to each other. That was inspiring.

Pic: Chuff Media

Do you like that sense of community? Do you like being a nomadic musical community on tour?

We’ve been on tour for two years now. We’ve always done the maximum amount of shows possible. We’re all from small towns in the Midlands where no one ever leaves or does anything.

The Guardian has called you ‘a better, less pretentious Foals’ and you were on the cover of the NME last month. Does that media pressure affect you?

How can you be a less pretentious Foals? That’s all they got! Kidding. They have some tunes. The first piece of national press we got was ‘this is the future of Indie’. Any statement that is exciting is good. 

Exciting to sandwiched between Ke$ha and Bieber on BBC Radio One?

It’s weird. I never thought our sound was Radio 1. Like when Usher came to see us as SXSW.

Usher wants to be seen at a Peace gig. You’ve officially made it. What’s next – America?

We are touring there in the summer, but we have to start from the bottom again. I thought they would love the more poppy stuff but they don’t.They enjoy the experimental stuff so you don’t feel bad about jamming. 

http://youtu.be/x9bznzI8cig

Do you see why people make comparisons between you and the 1990’s Manchester sound?

Nineties acid house tried to mix electronic and 60’s music. I guess we try and make music with similar ideas. We are more focused on the drum and bass creating a really good rhythm and the guitar sounding messy and bendy.

Looking forward to the summer festivals?

Yeah, I snuck into Glastonbury two years ago. We had just started the band and I remember thinking there are loads of hippies here wearing peace t-shirts. I wonder if all those old crusties will come and see us?

Pic: Chuff Media

Peace’s debut album In Love is available now on iTunes

Peace will be embarking on their European and American tour this summer. They can be seen at Glastonbury, T in the Park, Reading and Leeds and Bestival.