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Interview with Martie Peters - MPG
RevelationZ Magazine had the privilege to interview former Push mastermind and current solo artist Martie Peters. Martie Peters has just released his new album "MPG" (Read review), which is short for Martie Peters Group. "MPG" is definitely one of the best albums of 2005 and therefore this was a perfect occasion to give our readers a good in-depth interview with Martie Peters.
First of all your new album is amazing. How would you describe your new album for anyone who hasn't heard it yet?
Classic hard rock with heavy riffs and good melodies. A good mixture of up tempo rock and roll and ballads/midtempo songs.
On the new "MPG" album you worked with musicians that you earlier worked with. If Martie Peters Group is a fresh start why did you choose familiar Push musicians?
Great question. I'll try to make a very, very long story short. A lot of people don't know this but we split up PUSH in the middle of the recordings of the 4th album (4 The Love Of The Game). I wanted to finish the album and release it as a PUSH album and credit everyone involved but my former band mates stopped me from doing it by bringing in lawyers and the Danish Musicians Union. To this day I still believe I had a strong case but it would have cost me money and a lot of time trying the case so I just thought fuck it!
At the same time I had already started to record a solo album so I was quite happy with that. Then Z Records said they wanted to release the album if I re-recorded the songs which I did with Anthony Lledo (guitars, keyboards and bass) and Jesper Werner (drums) in two weeks! I was quite happy with the outcome at the time but then we sent the tapes to Z in the UK and they just murdered it in the mastering and it sounded awful - but there was nothing I could do to stop it from being released. A full year of hard work down the drain.
This time I wanted to prove to that I can still write great songs with strong melodies. The musicians I had picked were far better suited for my "solo" project because we could cover more ground than ever before. I also brought in Martin Slott who was in PUSH when we did On The Run which I believe was the best album we did. I wanted to recapture some of the magic we had on that album and I think it worked really well. Then I brought in several different people to cover as much ground as I possibly could, it really started out as a solo project.
Looking back - is there anything that you would have changed on the album?
Not really. Well, now I look more at the whole thing as a band and next time we will record it as a band effort with the new guys involved, Jakob Schlein on drums, BJ on bass, Martin Slott on guitar and Anthony Lledo on guitar and keyboard.
Lyrically I think that the new album has some strong songs. "A World without you" "Number 1" and "Takes some Time" deal with breaking up and the loss of a girlfriend. What inspires you lyrically and do you write lyrics from personal experience?
I write mostly from personal experiences but also what I pick up from friend, from those titles it sounds like I've been through a lot of pain, ha, ha!
Which songs are you most proud of on "MPG" and why?
The Beast Inside and Takes Some Time because they sound damn good. I am really proud of the way they turned out. I really feel that I have stepped up my song writing this time. I can still listen to those two and go "fuck yeah!"
You re-recorded two push tracks for the MPG album - for which reasons?
They are great songs and they deserved a second chance and I think they turned out really well. I also think they fitted in well with the rest of the material. Anthony Lledo is plying his heart out on those two tracks, just listen to the guitar solo on both tracks, brilliant!!
How would you describe MPG's music compared to Push?
I guess the main difference is that PUSH was all about having a good time and that was reflected in the music. MPG is not necessarily about partying and drinking all the time, though we certainly enjoy a good time, ha, ha! It is also a platform where I feel comfortable exploring new territories musically so you never know what I may come up with. some of the songs on the new album would never have had a chance in PUSH.
You decided to break up Push to pursue a solo career. What's the difference for Martie Peters being in Push contra being in Martie Peters Group - both musically and in practice?
In PUSH we were 4 people who had to agree on things, now, when it comes to recording it's me calling the shots, I do listen to both Slott and Lledo when it comes to writing and recording and we have great working relationship. But I am the one signed to MTM so I handle all final decisions which makes things so much easier than in the past.
I saw you warm up for Mike Tramp last year and at that show you pre-viewed the new songs. Ever since I have been eager to see you perform the new material. Are there any touring plans?
We have opened for Mike Tramp and Asia and we have played some shows in Copenhagen, Denmark We just played a few shows in The Netherlands and we will return to The Netherlands and Belgium in November for a tour there playing 7 shows but apart from that we don't really have any plans. We will see what surfaces during the summer, I have tried to get into the clubs in Denmark and Sweden but the response so far has been negative. a support slot for a bigger act would be cool.
After the Z-Records circus you are now with MTM Music. Please try to describe the life of a Hard Rock musician in the new millennium.
I have a daytime job to keep things together financially so music is more like a hobby theses days than what it was to me in the early days. So I guess it's not that glamorous, ha, ha. I am just happy that a label of MTM's standard will release my music and make sure it gets out to the fans of hard rock.
You earlier played with Sateria and during that time the Danish Hard rock scene peaked with bands like Pretty Maids, Fate and Skagarack. Sateria released their debut album a few years later with a new vocalist. Where was Martie Peters at the time when the scene was happening?
I don't really agree with that, sorry! The Danish scene peaked in the late 80's when I was in Sateria. Unfortunately for us we were too young to make anything happen until it was too late. We had recorded an album called "Cold Beer. And A Hat Full Of Fun" and we opened for Little Angels at Pumpehuset in Copenhagen in late 1990 or early 1991 and an A&R guy from PolyGram, Denmark came backstage and talked to us and said he wanted sign us, it was just a question whether it would be the Mercury or the PolyGram label - we were thrilled and thought we had made it. Two weeks later the A&R guy was sacked from PolyGram and we were left with no deal. We then opened for Europe in Saga, Copenhagen but we were still without a deal so I quit, I had just had enough of being nearly there for 2 or 3 years. In 1992 grunge had taken over! It took me two years putting the new outfit together which was PUSH, so I was never really away from the scene. in fact I think I have played my small part in putting a smile on people's faces again, ha, ha!!
How would you describe the music scene in Denmark right now?
Boring!! There are not many authentic rock bands left in Denmark
Name the 3 highest points of Martie Peters' musical career
1. The new album and working with Tommy Hansen
2. Playing in the UK in 2000 in front of the crazy UK fans
3. Writing the song "Waitin' In Line" - still my best composition.
....and the 3 lowest points
1. Getting screwed by Z Records
2. Hearing the final version of 4 The Love Of The Game
3. Having to cancel a sold out show in Copenhagen when we were supporting Pretty Maids because our drummer got injured from a magnesium bomb that went off during sound check!
Last words and future plans?
We have already recorded basic tracks for the new album so the plan is to have a fresh new album out by the end of the year and follow up on the great criticism the first one has received.
Thank you so much Martie and hope to see you soon on stage.
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Written by Michael - 4/29/2005 |
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RevelationZ Comments
| Comment by Nico Lledo (Anthony Lledo's brother) (Anonymous) - Saturday, June 18, 2005 | Great interview.Looking forward to a new album. Keep rocki'n guys :) :)
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| Comment by Hard Rocker (Anonymous) - Tuesday, September 20, 2005 | Martie Peters fuckin' rocks !!!
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