#interview #music #hartlepool #teesside: The Peter Hall Interview.
Well, it seems like I’ve known Peter Hall for most of my life- jinkies!. Indeed, I once sold him a copy of Aztec Camera’s Mattress Of Wire for a fiver. He still has the record but I don’t have the fiver. So it goes. Anyroads, he has a brilliant new release out today so I thought I’d ask him a few questions. And I did.
A PACKET OF SIX: THE PETER HALL INTERVIEW
QUESTION ONE
You’ve been writing, performing, and recording your own music for over a quarter of a century now- jinkies! – how, and why, did it all kick off?
Surely it’s not that long? It’s more than that, in fact. My dad had a lovely classical guitar (which I still have) and I learnt a few chords from an old folk songbook when I was about 11, I think, and started learn to play and got hooked. And that was when I started to properly develop an interest in music – taping the Top 40, watching ToTP like we all did. Making up my own songs went hand in hand with learning the guitar and getting into music. The Jam were my band and I bought the All Mod Cons songbook; that’s the perfect album for me – melody, dynamics, lyrics, arrangements, performance, attitude. I just found my thing. It’s still my thing.
QUESTION TWO
Johnny Marr is, of course, a great guitarist but he has recently published a book about his guitars which is, for us non-musicians, about as interesting as watching paint stay wet. Are you similarly fetishistic and which guitarist do you rate?
You’re not fascinated by those sexy guitar pics? I’m not a total nerd about it but I’m pretty close! The thing for me is, the guitar has to be in the right hands for it to totally pass off as cool. Johnny Marr could make a pink ukulele look cool. It’s the combination of guitar and star that does it for me. I love the stories that go with guitars and Johnny Marr has so many of them! There are some guitars that I would love to see in the flesh – not even play – just see. I went to The Jam exhibition a while ago at Somerset House and the Whaam Rickenbacker was on display – that was pretty cool for me. So, yeah – pretty fetishistic, I guess… Guitarists I rate – Johnny Marr, Roddy Frame, Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, Steve Cropper, Lou Reed. James Grant is a beautifully tasteful guitarist. He’s on my next album, by the way…
QUESTION THREE
Although you are a Pooley Boy, you no longer live in Hartlepool? What made you do a runner, and do you ever regret it?
Yeah, I moved away. I live in Nottingham now. I left for the first time when I was 18 and then moved back in my early 20s. I honestly didn’t think I’d be living there again after leaving for the first time, but I moved back and stayed there for another 8 years or so and I loved it – started a band and had a great time. When all that ended, I moved south for work. Familiar story, right? I don’t really believe in regretting anything – you just do what you thought was right at the time under the circumstances that existed – but I do miss it. I miss the sea and the pubs and the people. And there are some great new pubs there now! I did a great gig in one called The Owl. Recommended, kids! I did a few gigs up there last year and they were lovely to do – hopefully there’ll be a few more this year. I’m available! But I love where I live now as well. No plans to move back although it will always have a pull.
QUESTION FOUR
Donkeys years ago, the Musicians’ Union proclaimed, ‘Disco Sucks Keep Music Live’ - I know this because Ronnie Burke had it on his drumkit- while once upon a time, someone or other said that ‘Home taping is killing music’. Such doom- mongering seems to be quite common again today. Are you similarly pessimistic about the role of ‘real music’ here in the 21st - jinkies!- century?
21st Century! Woah! I’m not pessimistic at all. I go to a load of gigs and Nottingham venues like JT Soar, The Bodega and Rescue Rooms are amazing for seeing new bands. I’m playing at The Georgian Theatre in Stockton on 24th Feb and that’s another great venue. I’m not sure what “real music” means. Maybe that’s shorthand for the music people grew up with and are familiar with. A lot of new bands sound like the old ones now anyway, so you don’t have to move too far out of your comfort zone and still hear something new. 1981 is back! I guess I’m more pessimistic about these small venues being around in a few years’ time so bands will have somewhere to play and actually be able to keep music, real or otherwise, live.
QUESTION FIVE
The great Muhammed Ali very sensibly once said that ‘A man that sees the world in the same way at 40 as he did at 20 has wasted 20 years of his life.’ Or summit. What would you tell the fresh-faced version on yourself that I sold the Aztec Camera record to?
Firstly I’d say hang on to that record, it’ll go up in price (I have and it has.) Apart from that… I don’t know… Maybe I’d say don’t listen to people who are 20 years older than you – they might give the impression that they know what they’re on about, but chances are they don’t. Maybe that’s the thing – we’re all just busking it so don’t worry about things so much. Also, enjoy your fringe – it won’t last.
QUESTION SIX
What was the first gig that you attended and what was your last?
My first gig was The Smiths – Middlesbrough Town Hall, March 1985.
My last gig as Beat The Streets last Sunday - a multivenue full day of music in Nottingham.
Next gig (I know you didn’t ask, but anyway) Loupe/Penny Moon/JosieBeth at The Bodega on Saturday.
BIO:
Peter Hall is a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter based in Nottingham, UK. Originally from Hartlepool in the North -East, he’s recently released on Subjangle, The Beautiful Music and Daisyland Recordings. The last few years have been a busy time with the release of 2020’s There’s Something Wrong With Everyone EP, the LP Light The Stars and the mini LP, About Last Night.
2024 starts with an EP of acoustic versions of previously released tracks on Feb 2nd. Early March sees the release of What Are You Waiting For EP and the full length LP, Afterlove will be out sometime soon!
And here’s a picture of him when he was in Buggles …
