Interview: Peter Lawson (Written)
Progressive rock and folk (amongst others) musician Peter Lawson recently released his latest solo album, ‘The Witchfinder’ and is now gearing up to work on the next Venus Loon album. In this interview we get to know the prolific artist a little bit better.
1. Hello! Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.
I’m 63, from Manchester, UK. I’m old, so I’ve got a fairly extensive history with various bands, punk, heavy etc., although not on a professional level. I started at school in a band called Havoc and went on to other bands from there, either as the vocalist or guitarist or both.
2. Someone comes to you and asks you to sum up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?
A mixture of progressive rock and folk music, albeit with noisy bits.
3. What’s currently going on in your camp? New releases? Tours? Etc.
I’m currently back working collaboratively with Germany based drummer Wolfgang Ostermann on the next Venus Loon album; it’s very early days, but Wolfgang is just awesome, so it’s major fun.
4. What has been the most positive experience of making music to date for you?
I used to love gigging, so loads of positives there, but since making my solo stuff, I think it was getting together with Wolfgang and the great reviews our album Havoc (named after said band above!!) got.
5. Likewise, what has been some of the more challenging aspects and how have you overcome them?
Ha, learning from scratch how to use recording software and all that stuff.
6. How do you handle the modern expectations of being in a band? Always online, having to put out content constantly, your success measured in likes and follows?
I honestly don’t think this fully applies to me, but OOB Records put my content out, we’ve got a social media presence etc.
7. What’s something that really ‘grinds your gears’ about the industry/business these days and what would you propose is done to combat it?
The internet is amazing, I use it almost constantly, but paradoxically, it’s destroying the opportunities for new and existing bands to ever make any money out of their hard work, as they may otherwise have done from CDs and vinyl. Downloads, particularly the pirated verity, give very limited financial return to the band; also, you can listen to (insert band name) for free on your Alexa etc. Being clear, I personally don’t apply to above, inasmuch that I don’t do it for the money; if I did, I would be penniless!!
8. Speaking directly to listeners – what would you ask they do to help support your music?
Just to give it a listen and, if it’s for you, please download or pick up a copy on CD from OOB Records.
9. Outside of the music, what’s do you do to relax?
I’m a massive computer games fan, in particular FPS and I spend a lot of times playing Doom WADs as well as spending time in VR land.
I listen to a LOT of music and, at this precise moment of writing, I’m listening to Tago Mago by Can which, along with Sing to God by Cardiacs, Electric Warrior by Trex, Grotesque by The Fall, Wolf City by Amon Duul IIand Physical Graffitti by Zep are my all time favourites…This week at least…..
10. Where can people find you?
OOB Records | Bandcamp | Facebook
