The Peep Tempel recently returned with a new LP, entitled Joy, and ‘Rayguns’, a powerful new single that forces Australians to wake up and take a long hard look in the mirror.
Following on from their critically acclaimed sophomore album Tales, The Peep Tempel recorded their new LP in their West Melbourne studio last summer with engineer Anna Laverty.
We recently caught up with vocalist and guitarist Blake Scott, ahead of the band’s national tour, to find out more about the music that’s inspired one of Australia’s most important bands.
Metallica – Metallica
“I think the first CD I ever had, no, the first tape I ever had was Metallica’s Black Album. I think when the CDs came out, which was probably a year later of the year after that, or whenever, I think it was Pearl Jam’s Ten.
“I lived in the country so there wasn’t much, you sort of got what was on the telly, or what was in Smash Hits magazine or something, that’s what you were getting. I could’ve done worse though.
“Metallica was just huge then, y’know. I was 7, 8, or 9, I don’t remember the year, but they were all over the telly and I remember the film clips. Just seeing the film clips for ‘The Unforgiven’ and ‘Enter Sandman’.
“I think it’s just, y’know, under the age of 10 and you like rock music, you hear riffs like ‘Enter Sandman’, you’re going to get a bit of a rush, I think.”
Dan Kelly & The Alpha Males – Sing The Tabloid Blues
“There’s a few of those, but probably Dan Kelly & The Alpha Males’ Sing The Tabloid Blues. All of Dan’s albums are incredible, but at that time of my life, when that came out, I just thought it was an incredible record.
“When I first heard Dan’s album I’d only been in Melbourne about 18 months, and I moved into this real dodgy house in West Melbourne, it was so fucked up this joint, and just remember that album.
“The first few months I was there, I just had a mattress on the floor and I just laid down on the mattress, listened to it and drank lots of wine. It was just an album that I just, musically and lyrically, just found it incredibly enjoyable to listen to all the time.
“It has a sense of humour, and the players on that record; Gareth Liddiard is on it, and Christian Strybosch plays drums, yeah no, it’s a very, very good record.”
Nirvana – In Utero
“That was probably the record that got me to start thinking outside the box musically. I think it’s a great record, I think it’s the best Nirvana record in my opinion. Great pop music, but y’know, it had a certain influence to it.
“Out of all those records, that I still sit down and identify with, that would be it. I liked Nevermind, I mean, it’s a great record, but like, I probably wouldn’t listen to Nevermind now, whereas In Utero I could listen to over and over again.
“At the time I liked Nevermind, and it had amazing songs, it had probably one of the most amazing songs ever written. I just find In Utero more interesting.”
Jay Reatard – Blood Visions
“Jay was obviously a huge inspiration for us. I hadn’t really been excited about music for quite a while and we were really close to not really continuing music. Of course I think I’d always play and have some sort of involvement, but as for being in bands and making records, I was getting a bit tired and just uninspired.
“We used to live in this block of four houses in West Melbourne, where I was talking about before, and it was pretty rough. Where we used to rehearse, next door to me and Steve the drummer, on the end there were these other blokes, I was walking past there and looked up and he was playing this record, and I thought ‘That sounds cool.’
“So I walked in, sat down, and it was about three in the morning. I think we played Blood Visions five times from start to finish. We sat there drinking, talking about the record, and from that we started talking about these 1977 punk records that he had, 45s and that sort of thing.
Eddy Current Suppression Ring – Primary Colours
“All of a sudden I was just so excited, and I was out searching for more records, and around that time I was listening to a lot of Eddy Current Suppression Ring because they were just doing so well at the time. That’s just two bands and records that really inspired us.
“The way in which they all influenced the recording, well it was just to go in and enjoy it. Especially the Eddy Current Suppression Ring record, where it sounded like they were really, really enjoying themselves.
“You know, that’s just something you don’t hear it a lot. I’m not sure if Jay Reatard sounded like he was enjoying himself, but the energy was so incredible. I mean we went and saw him at The Tote and it was some of the best 15 minutes of my life, I think that was all he played for.”
Olympia – Self Talk
“The Olympia record, Self Talk, is fantastic. I thought the new Drones record was really good, an important record, as all those are, I think. I think Olympia’s was pretty important too. It was a major label release that was still very tasteful. Very well produced, but tasteful, not over the top, and a great personality.
“Jess Ribeiro was probably the one of last year that just kept growing on me, it’s such a beautiful record. I went and saw her at the NGV and she has just such an amazingly gentle personality.
“I’m also really enjoying the songs of her partner, he’s got some really cool stuff, a great writer. There’s heaps of stuff really, we’re just so lucky, we’ve got lots of great bands.”
The Peep Tempel’s new album, ‘Joy’, is available now. The band will be hitting the road to celebrate the new album all this month – check below for dates and details!
The Peep Tempel National Tour Dates
Friday, 4th November 2016
Jive Bar, Adelaide
Friday, 11th November 2016
Shark Bar, Gold Coast
Saturday, 12th November 2016
The Zoo, Brisbane
Saturday, 19th November 2016
Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Saturday, 26th November 2016
Amplifier Bar, Perth
Friday, 2nd December 2016
Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney
