Peter and Kerry seems like a very straight forward name for a band composed of two members, Peter Lyons and Kerry Leatham, but it makes sense given that they were two successful solo artists that came together to write music equally. A musical power couple, if you will.
Just like their Tape Club Records label-mates, Peter and Kerry closed 2012 with a bang, touring the UK with Laurel Collective and Dogtanion with a concluding show in London's 100 Club. Their set list from the night was mostly composed of songs their latest album, La Trimouille, which was released earlier into 2012. We interviewed the pair to find out how they write and compose together and what they will be up to next.
M: When did you first start writing songs and why did you start writing?
Peter: I remember very clearly that the first song I wrote was at my 10th birthday party slash sleepover during the Euro ’96 football tournament. All of us sat down in my room and wrote a song about the England football team. And then seriously, I started writing at about 11 or 12. I’m sure if you love visual art or something, you’re going to think ‘Oh, maybe I can do this as well’ and then pick up a pencil and try and imitate what you like looking at. I just thought ‘I like listening to this’ and then I tried to see if I could do it as well.
M: Where does your inspiration come from?
Peter: I find this a really weird question, but for me, it’s just something that is always going to be happening at some point. If you tune into it, then you tune into and you’re gonna figure stuff out. But if there’s other stuff happening in the background then you don’t really focus on it as much. It’s not like most of the time I’ll see a beautiful sunset or something and think ‘Oooohh, let me just get the manuscript out!’ Sometimes it can just be listening to beautiful piece of music and I’ll think ‘I’d like to do something like that.
M: Can you describe your sound in just three words? And you can’t say ‘Peter and Kerry’.
Peter: I think we both love vocal harmonies, so harmony would be in there somewhere. We both love reverb, and whammy bars.
Kerry: Whammy, reverby harmonies. Well, I guess for live, yeah.
Peter: I think that hopefully we do a different variety of music.
Kerry: Well ultimately it is pop really, isn’t it? It’s accessible.
Peter: Accessible pop music.
Kerry: Ooh, I dunno if I like that one. Weird accessible pop? Wonky pop?
Peter: Semi-interesting pop? Semi-interesting pop…?
M: I think you've had enough words… So what is next for Peter and Kerry?
Peter: Well we've just started working with a booking agent so hopefully some more nice gigs and tours, and little bits of recording. Then getting ready to do the second album, whenever that will be, and whatever happens in the meant time I’m not sure. But just keeping on working and being productive. Just loving life!
M: If your new booking agent could book you at your dream venue, where would it be? It doesn’t even have to be on this world, it could be Atlantis or Mars. (Don’t say Mars, you'd die.)
Peter: Playing the Union Chapel would be pretty cool.
Kerry: Yeah, that would be pretty cool. Hmm, I don’t know. Whenever I go to an amazing gig, I don’t think it’s the venue that makes it special. It’s the atmosphere created by the people there. Obviously nice sound helps, but that’s not everything.
M: What’s your favourite sound in the entire world?
Kerry: Mine’s got to be shoes, not on gravel, but on a dry pavement where there’s still a little bit of friction. So it’s crispy but firm, with a bit of grit on there.
Peter: That reminds me of one of my favourite sounds which is car tyres driving over really stony ground, like gravel. I love that sound because when we were kids it meant we had visitors coming up our little cul-de-sac. In terms of musical sound, I really like my Yamaha keyboard.
Just like their Tape Club Records label-mates, Peter and Kerry closed 2012 with a bang, touring the UK with Laurel Collective and Dogtanion with a concluding show in London's 100 Club. Their set list from the night was mostly composed of songs their latest album, La Trimouille, which was released earlier into 2012. We interviewed the pair to find out how they write and compose together and what they will be up to next.
M: When did you first start writing songs and why did you start writing?
Peter: I remember very clearly that the first song I wrote was at my 10th birthday party slash sleepover during the Euro ’96 football tournament. All of us sat down in my room and wrote a song about the England football team. And then seriously, I started writing at about 11 or 12. I’m sure if you love visual art or something, you’re going to think ‘Oh, maybe I can do this as well’ and then pick up a pencil and try and imitate what you like looking at. I just thought ‘I like listening to this’ and then I tried to see if I could do it as well.
M: Where does your inspiration come from?
Peter: I find this a really weird question, but for me, it’s just something that is always going to be happening at some point. If you tune into it, then you tune into and you’re gonna figure stuff out. But if there’s other stuff happening in the background then you don’t really focus on it as much. It’s not like most of the time I’ll see a beautiful sunset or something and think ‘Oooohh, let me just get the manuscript out!’ Sometimes it can just be listening to beautiful piece of music and I’ll think ‘I’d like to do something like that.
M: Can you describe your sound in just three words? And you can’t say ‘Peter and Kerry’.
Peter: I think we both love vocal harmonies, so harmony would be in there somewhere. We both love reverb, and whammy bars.
Kerry: Whammy, reverby harmonies. Well, I guess for live, yeah.
Peter: I think that hopefully we do a different variety of music.
Kerry: Well ultimately it is pop really, isn’t it? It’s accessible.
Peter: Accessible pop music.
Kerry: Ooh, I dunno if I like that one. Weird accessible pop? Wonky pop?
Peter: Semi-interesting pop? Semi-interesting pop…?
M: I think you've had enough words… So what is next for Peter and Kerry?
Peter: Well we've just started working with a booking agent so hopefully some more nice gigs and tours, and little bits of recording. Then getting ready to do the second album, whenever that will be, and whatever happens in the meant time I’m not sure. But just keeping on working and being productive. Just loving life!
M: If your new booking agent could book you at your dream venue, where would it be? It doesn’t even have to be on this world, it could be Atlantis or Mars. (Don’t say Mars, you'd die.)
Peter: Playing the Union Chapel would be pretty cool.
Kerry: Yeah, that would be pretty cool. Hmm, I don’t know. Whenever I go to an amazing gig, I don’t think it’s the venue that makes it special. It’s the atmosphere created by the people there. Obviously nice sound helps, but that’s not everything.
M: What’s your favourite sound in the entire world?
Kerry: Mine’s got to be shoes, not on gravel, but on a dry pavement where there’s still a little bit of friction. So it’s crispy but firm, with a bit of grit on there.
Peter: That reminds me of one of my favourite sounds which is car tyres driving over really stony ground, like gravel. I love that sound because when we were kids it meant we had visitors coming up our little cul-de-sac. In terms of musical sound, I really like my Yamaha keyboard.
