During the hot, crazy, and wild weekend of Shaky Knees Music Festival in Atlanta, Georgia, SCAD Radio Content Director El Smith got a chance to sit down in the grass with all four members of Canadian band Peach Pit: Peter, Neil, Chris, and Mikey.
Between discussions of how to pronounce Bon Iver and a lengthy process of trying to figure out some Canadian geography (that was only ended by googling the answers), we here at SCAD Radio got a wonderful glimpse into the life and friendship of Peach Pit, as well as my very own flower crown hand-made by Mikey.
Icebreaker! What’s your favorite kind of bear?
Peter: Kind of bear… Chris.
Neil: Chris is a bear. He’s pretty hairy. He’s like a little bear.
What inspired your latest album, Being So Normal?
Neil: Being really covered in pimples in high school and no girls liked me, probably.
Chris: Yeah, that’s kind of the general idea, for sure.
Neil: He’s so sad, what’s wrong with him?
Chris: Acne.
Neil: His life was great, he just had some pimples.
Which one of you would you say is the most normal?
Neil: Probably me?
Chris: Probably Neil, yeah. I think so.
Neil: I golf… I like to watch Netflix.
Well, the follow-up question was who’s the least normal.
Chris: Mikey…?
Peter: Mikey? Mikey’s just funny.
Neil: Yeah, that’s true. Probably Pete.
Peter: I’m not the most not normal?
Neil: I would say.
Peter: Yeah, you’re right, I’m pretty progressive.
Neil: Actually, maybe Chris.
Peter: One time he put dish soap in the dishwasher thinking it did the same thing as detergent.
Do you have a favorite song from your album?
Neil: My favorite is “Tommy’s Party”. It’s the last one on the album. I wanted it to be the first song because I thought it was the best.
Peter: I like “Private Presley”. It’s fun to play, and also it took us so long to write and finish it.
Chris: I really like the song “Techno Show”. It’s about Neil going to a techno show and not wanting to be there. It’s kinda like an anti-techno music song.
Neil: Anti-house music song.
Peter: Anti-dance music song.
How do you like being on tour?
Pete: It’s the best time ever.
Chris: It kinda feels like we’re either at home and we’re chilling and writing and it’s very laid back, or we’re on tour and we’re at a hundred. So when you’re at 0, you’re like “Ah, man, I miss a hundred and being busy” and when you’re at a hundred you’re like “I miss chillin’ out”, so the answer to “how do we like being on tour” is whether we’re on tour or not because when we’re on tour we want a break and when we’re off tour we just can’t wait to get back on.
Neil: It’s fun. It’s like you literally are throwing a party every single night, and everyone there is stoked, and you make them stoked. It’s pretty fun.
Mikey: I love the party.
Neil: And Mikey loves the party.
You guys are from Canada, so how do you like being in America?
Neil: Oh, I love America. The States are the best. There’s just so much good food and it’s so cheap to buy stuff here—it’s way more expensive at home.
Peter: I mean, kinda.
Neil: People are so nice.
Peter: Not really these days.
Neil: People from Canada are polite.
Peter: Different nice.
Chris: Yeah, there is a big difference.
Neil: People in the states are really friendly—not in every state, but definitely in The South.
Chris: People in Utah are so nice.
Peter: A guy from Massachusetts gave Chris a guitar.
If I were to go to Canada, what should I do?
Neil: Well, if you came to Vancouver—
Chris: The first thing you should do is buy a joint, it’s legal there.
Neil: When we’re back home, Vancouver is really known for the outdoors so we really like playing Disc Golf. It’s like golf except instead of hitting a ball into a hole, you’re throwing a frisbee into a basket. Play some disc golf, have a couple beers, go down to the beach and have a bonfire at the beach.
What’s coming up next for you guys?
Chris: We’re going to go in and record next month—
Neil: This month.
Chris: Yeah, and we got a pretty chill summer ahead of us. We’re playing some festivals, but mostly just working on this record and trying to write more in the midst of all of it. Just really excited to put some new music out and get some new recordings done.
What inspires your music?
Neil: Who’re we listening to right now?
Chris: I really like this guy, Sam Evian.
Neil: I’m just on a major classic music train right now. Listening to a lot of Neil Young.
Pete: I am a big fan of Bon Iver. I feel like his music is inspiring to me. I love how creative and weird and original his music is. I think he’s one of the most creative artists of our generation.
Let’s talk about some favorite artists—of all time.
Neil: ACDC. Beatles.
Chris: We just watched a George Harrison Documentary. The Beatles are just too classic to really appreciate until you really dive into them.
Neil: Frank Ocean.
Chris: A lot of very local stuff. A band called Schwey. They’re like indie-funk.
