‘The Eighth Note’ is 8 quick Questions with Wellington Musicians.
A chance for us to catch up with people & see what they’re up to, or introduce you to a new musician/band and their music.
Today’s guest is Peter from Neverwoz.
Who are you? Tell us a bit about your music:
We are a band comprised of songwriter Peter Baillie, and as many talented musicians as he can gather together at any one time. Twelve people contributed to the album, and we’ll play with whatever combination of instruments that we can fit on a stage. This means that in addition to the usual guitars and keyboards, the album features double bass, clarinet, trumpet, bass trombone, accordion and a whistle. Oh, and cowbell of course.
Peter’s determination to avoid playing only one style of music means we are a ‘Pop-Folk-Country-Reggae-Soul-Blues-Rock-Hip-Hop’ act. It’s a credit to the skills of all the musicians involved that we can play so many genres. For Peter, the best feeling in the world is to write a song which gets stuck in the listener’s head, and it’s a special feeling to watch people sing along when we get to the choruses!
What have you been working on lately? Any new tracks or albums on the way?
We have recently completed our debut album, Minor Words and Major Thirds. There’s an album launch party in the works (watch this space) comprising 12 of Peter’s songs. He has another 80 or so he’ll get around to releasing eventually!
Where is the best place people can follow you & find your music?
Check out our Website for upcoming gigs, or you can find us on Facebook. We put out an animated music video last year called Hollow Man, animated by Jeremy Jones of Propeller Motion – who worked with blues legend Darren Watson on his controversial ‘Planet Key’ video.
What were the 3 most influential albums to you growing up?
Very tricky question, but I’m going to pick these three:
The Navigator by Che Fu, for its beautiful blend of soul vocals with hip-hop and pop sensibility. Every New Zealander should own a copy of this album.
Together Alone by Crowded House, as the pinnacle of Neil Finn’s amazing songwriting craft and a record which reminds me of home anytime I’m out of the country. If you get the chance to visit Kare Kare, play this album while you’re driving there.
Revolver by The Beatles is everything pop music should be – succinct, surprising, and as multi-faceted and brilliant as a diamond. The best pop music makes you forget what came before, or what’s coming next – who else could place ‘Yellow Submarine’ between ‘Here There and Everywhere’ and ‘She Said She Said’? Our album is an attempt to create twelve different moods and styles which will take you to twelve different places.
Which other Wellington musician (s) would you most like to work with?
There are plenty. Chris Winter (Mr Winter), the producer of our album is a strong contender – aside from being a wizard in the studio he’s also a phenomenal multi-instrumentalist. Vorn Colgan of the Vorn band has been a hero for years, creating world-class songs on a shoestring budget.
My favourite Wellington band was called OdESSA – sadly broken up, but they were undoubtedly the most viscerally exciting band to see live, with shows that could run for three hours. If you can find a copy of Oak Park Avenue, their debut album, you can get a sense of how great Wellington music can be. In addition to these, there are so many acts you should be seeing and supporting: April Fish, Eb and Sparrow, The Gracious Deviants, Julie Lamb, Merrin and Band of Crooks are all friends and heroes to the band. Support local music!
What’s your favourite Wellington venue to play in?
San Fran, definitely. Ziggy and the gang are great people, they always make an effort to provide good sound, and the vibe of the bar on a good night is spectacular. They also do a lot of heavy lifting in supporting local music.
In your songwriting or composing (or the band’s songwriting) how do the compositions and songs take shape?
Peter’s songs come from all sorts of spaces and stories – somewhere between fiction and truth and usually self-deprecating, often built around near-impossible rhymes or terrible puns. The one hard and fast rule is that every song has to sound distinctive from the ones around it, and be memorable for days afterwards. He packs in as many hooks and catchy choruses as possible, and then tries to find people more talented than him to play them. What comes out is greater than the sum of its parts.
Where/when is your next gig?
Neverwoz returns to the San Fran stage to promote the new album on Jun 29th! Joined by our friends The Interns and Ingrid and the Ministers for a massive celebration of folk, funk, rock, country, hip hop, pop and Mac users. Entry is a mere $10 so don’t miss a great night of music.
Hollow Man from Peter Baillie on Vimeo.