Who’s the Band – The Peach Tree
Posted by Karen in Who's The Band, tags: artist interviews, band interviews, The Peach TreeEver popular than ever I’m proud to bring you another interview in my series of “Who’s the Band” and this week I bring you an interview with The Peach Tree, so I’m going to stop rambling on and get on with the interview..
Q: So how did you come upon the name of your band? Is it the first name you chose?
A: I was sitting with my friend Cooney under a peach tree in his yard and we decided to form a band together. Cooney had some imagery about a peach tree that he had gotten from some book, and I agreed “The Peach Tree” was a great name for what we wanted to achieve as a band, signifying the lusciousness of ripe fruit but also it’s potential for rottenness (a yin and yang sort of thing). Since I began releasing music under the name as a solo project (me and Cooney never recorded anything together as a band), I have revised my reasoning for the name. A peach is a beautiful thing both to look at and to eat, yet at its core the pit contains deadly doses of cyanide. This reflects the sort of music I make, beautiful and tasty at first listen yet at its heart very Dark. This, however, is also balanced in a yin/yang way.
Q: Introduce each member and instrument played or role in the band?
A: Me, Angus Maiden, every instrument and role.
Q: So what genre of music would you say you are in and who are your major influences?
A: Genres are cages. When I formed this project I had a bit of a mission statement: to blow away contemporary notions of “genre” and style; to transcend the barriers between different types of music and force people to listen to things they wouldn’t normally. I put acoustic pop tracks next to death metal tracks and then yank the listener into some psy-trance. If you listen to one of my albums in its entirety it is truly a journey through many different “genres”. What I’m trying to achieve is to make people realise that genres are flimsy cardboard boxes into which people lock things in. You only have to visit a metal forum to see all the bullshit people say about whether something is “melodic death metal” or “symphonic black metal”; same with electronic music. Honestly: who gives a shit? Well, clearly lots of people do, but I certainly don’t. I hate the concept of genres and I hope through my music to make people realise that these boxes are just locking down creative possibilities.
My major influences are life, people, partying and drugs, experiences, and foremost dreams. When I write music I tap a lot into my subconscious – a lot of songs are written in my sleep – and I can spin off lyrics that rhyme straight from the top of my head. I find this is the best way to create: spontaneously and subconsciously, drawing on things from the consciousness as a mere polishing and refining process. Musical influences are wide and varied, I honestly couldn’t name any few particular artists that have influenced me as I have explored a huge range of different types of music that have always evolved as I grow, and still are. My three favourite bands at the moment are Radiohead, Cradle of Filth and Infected Mushroom, but they don’t as much inform or influence the music I’m making as the more immediate influences I mention above do (the subconscious, experiences etc.)
In a funny way though I’d have to say the biggest influence on each new album I make is the music I have made before it. In a very narcissistic way I listen to my own music a lot, more than any other music. When I listen I reflect on what the lyrics and music that were delved up from my subconscious mean, and it follows that when I start writing new music it is informed by what I have learned from my own previous works.
Q: How long has your band been performing/producing music? What inspired you to produce your style of music?
A: I’ve pretty much covered this question in my rants above. But I’ll just add that a major inspiration for creating my music was merely to express myself.
Q: Are you signed to a record label (Indie or major)?
A: No, but as of very recently I’ve decided to start my own label, called “Tribal Dancing Kid”, under which I will release all my future material, as well as some other acts I have signed.
Q: Where can people find your music? Do you have an official website?
A: My music can be found all over the net for free. I don’t have an official website but typing in
“The Peach Tree” music in Google, or simply my name, “Angus Maiden” will pull up the numerous sites I’m on. If you’re interested in downloading my albums in their best quality, here they are, all free:
Latest Single:
Free album downloads:
The Ghost Of Muses Past (2008)
We Are God And Computers Are Our Children (2009)
Leave Emos Alone Right NOW! (My Online Diary) (2009)
Free EP downloads:
Q: Have your ever performed live? If so where and to how many?
A: Yea I dabbled a pit playing sets at parties to like 30 people, but my most memorable live performance was an open mic night at the Bendigo Hotel where I played to about 6 people. Really intimate and it is one of my best vocal performances. It was recorded by a friend and is up on youtube. Check it out at my youtube channel
Q: Who writes/produces the music and/or lyrics to your tracks?
A: Me.
Q: How would you describe your music-making process?
A: Hrm. I just wait. You can’t force creativity, so I just go about my life and make sure, that when a really nice melody comes into my head, or some lyrics, or I come across a nice chord progression whilst noodling around on the guitar, that I instantly get it recorded. You have to be spontaneous like that otherwise you just lose it. However, if you do lose it, it stays in the back of your mind and will eventually resurface as something else. So yea, I just wait until inspiration hits me and then work on it til the wee hours of the morning.
Q: What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
A: My voice. I can’t sing. It is quite debilitating creatively because I can hear in my head the melody I want to sing but it doesn’t come out that way through my vocal chords. Some people can sing, others can’t. And I just can’t. I think I would be a lot more popular if I could sing, and I envy people that can. I think I’m improving though, just through listening back to my recordings and recognising where it goes awry.
Q: What’s your ultimate direction for your band? Are you seeking fame and fortune?
A: It’s just a means of self-expression, without which I would probably be a mass-murderer o_0 There’s a lot of fucked up stuff that goes on in my brain and music is just my way of getting it out. I would absolutely abhor being rich and famous, I would rather die. Happiness and peace of mind is all I want.
Q: What advice do you have for people who want to form their own bands?
A: Be true to yourself. Don’t make stuff that you think is “cool” or whatever, just write from the heart. Practice your instrument with passion, and for the love of Satan, forget about your fucking hair.
Q: Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?
A: My parents, for their undying love and support (both financially and emotionally). I hope to be in a position one day where I can give back to them everything they’ve given me.
Q: Any last words?
A: Word!
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Anand Srinivasan
Entries (RSS)
Twitter: arafat21
says:
I am not a big lover of music but I love his two sentence:
1. Hrm. I just wait. You can’t force creativity
2. Be true to yourself. Don’t make stuff that you think is “cool” or whatever, just write from the heart.
Another thing I love about this person, he don’t like to bound in category. He want to make his own world. Very impressive, influenced interview.
Arafat Hossain Piyada´s last blog ..How to preset safe mode boot before rebooting in Windows OS?
[Reply]
Angus Maiden Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
It fills my heart with joy to hear someone say they “love something about me”. Making music I only hope to touch people in this way. Thank you for your kind words
-Angus (The Peach Tree)
[Reply]
Twitter: celebfickle
says:
I never heard of anyone who write songs in their sleep.. but everyone has their own gift. Your tatic of tapping into your subconscious must be really good. I agree with Arafat Hossain Piyada impressive interview.
@ Karen- I think the Latest Single “For Marie (2009)” link is broken.
Nehh´s last blog ..Video: Kristen Stewart bites her lips a lot!
[Reply]
Karen
Twitter: RemBeatZ
Reply:
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Thanks for noticing, I’ve fixed the link
[Reply]
Angus Maiden Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
John Lennon wrote “Yesterday” in his sleep. Woke up after a dream and it was all there in its entirety in his head. Not saying I’m anywhere near as gifted as him, but my songwriting does tend to happen very naturally like that. I’ll dream melodies and such and when I wake I quickly record them, although the realisation is never as awesome as it sounds in my dream.
Thanks for the comment,
Angus (The Peach Tree)
Angus Maiden´s last blog ..Nezumi – The principle of relative constancy in metamorphoses
[Reply]
Enjoyed “For Marie” – it definitely conveyed a sense of darkness and managed to never let up. Thank you for sharing!
ashok´s last blog ..Briefly Noted: Plato’s “Menexenus”
[Reply]
Angus Maiden Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
And thank you for listening
-Angus (The Peach Tree)
[Reply]
Thanks for doing this Karen! xoxo
Angus Maiden´s last blog ..Nezumi – The principle of relative constancy in metamorphoses
[Reply]
Karen
Twitter: RemBeatZ
Reply:
November 9th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
You’re welcome, hope it’s bringing you some new fans
[Reply]