The Aussie music scene has been blessed with a new thumping shoegazing group in the form of PEEL, so we decided to have a chat with the band to see who they are.
Our Get To Know series usually feature artists who have been around for a little bit of time and are starting to make a bit of a splash on the local music scene.
But this one is particularly special as we’re shining the spotlight on a new band who literally revealed themselves to the world today: PEEL.
Comprised of Nick Stillman, Harry Tuckwell, Tom Kell, Steven Schouten, and Sam Vallellanes, this Sydney-based quintet released their debut single ‘Memory Loop‘ (which is a hell of a trip in the best possible way) today and will be putting out their debut EP at some point in 2021.
So to get a feel of who PEEL are as a band and as a few blokes from Sydney, we had a chat with Nick and Tom for what is a very appropriate and special installment of Get To Know.
For those keen to stay in the loop with all things PEEL, chuck them a follow on Instagram and Facebook.
How did your artist name come about?
We had a long list of potential names, most of them terrible, and we landed on PEEL. It’s got a nice mouth feel. Plus there’s allusions to a whole bunch of music we like, such as The Velvet Underground and legendary BBC radio presenter John Peel (Joy Division’s Peel Session is a favourite of ours). It seemed to fit.
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Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about
‘Memory Loop’ is our first single. Instrumentally it came together really quickly – probably the easiest out of anything we’ve written so far. It revolves around this two-chord loop that makes up most of the track, with a slight variation in the chorus. Lyrically it’s half an attempt to extract and remove a particular memory, half a reflection on the fact that this isn’t really possible.
Check out ‘Memory Loop’ by PEEL:
Career highlight so far?
It’s still early days for us, but we’ve spent most of 2020 in and out of the studio and it’s been incredible. The studio we’re recording in is completely open plan and everything is always set up and ready to go, so we can literally lay down an idea on synth, piano, guitar, drums, vocals, percussion or whatever as soon as it hits.
And the producer we’re working with James Christowski has been integral in capturing whatever vibe is floating around or guiding it in the right direction. It’s been one of the best creative experiences for us as musicians.
What’s on your dream rider?
I saw someone on Instagram yesterday who made a fondue fountain with liquid cheese, so probably that. Washed down with a few green demons.
Fave non-music hobby?
Nick’s a massive bookworm and Harry is a really talented designer. I just enjoy growing and tending to my indoor plant collection, drinking coffee and sinking my teeth into a few KenKens.
Dream music collaboration?
Depends who you’re asking. Harry = Noel Gallagher. Nick = Nick Cave. Mine would be Sade or maybe Celine Dion.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Forming a supergroup of Noel Gallagher, Nick Cave, Sade and Celine Dion.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Invest your time in your friends, your family and yourself. Nothing is more valuable on the human stock exchange than human connection. All the best things on life are free, so BUY, BUY, BUY.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
‘Killing in The Name’ by Rage Against The Machine and ‘SOS’ by ABBA. Both must be duets. Both sound awful every time.
