I've had tough days...but yesterday was particularly tough. Which is why it was such a joy to come home and discover that Peter Breeze had replied to my Xtra Xposed request.
I can no longer keep my love a secret. I have never met anyone like Peter Breeze and am watching his career with heated anticipation.
His two newest singles are...quite frankly...the cat's meow. Don't believe me? Peter is willing to put his money where his mouth is:
http://www.maxwellmaxwell.com/Muzak/taxi.mp3
http://www.maxwellmaxwell.com/Muzak/optimistic.mp3
His last single--Fucktalk--haunts me still, these many weeks after it's release. I have an exclusive people. Check out the preview for Fucktalk video here:
Read on, loyal Up Your Alley reader, and rejoice. Peter Breeze is a delight and should be aurally celebrated on a regular basis.
(Photos by David Sandford)
1) Who the hell are you and what do you do?
I’m Peter Breeze and I’m a pop
obsessed fame whore. I sing songs and I do glamorous things.
2) How long have you been writing songs and singing?
I’ve been writing since I can remember,
I started putting words to music a few years ago. I’ve always
been a part of some sort of performing group or show that involved singing…but
it always terrified me to sing in front of people so I never thought
I would actually make my own music…even though I wanted to…I just
thought it would never get past my coat hanger headset and living room
concerts...and I still get really nervous before I go on stage..
3) How would you explain your sound to someone who has never heard
your music?
Downtown Pop. The lyrics are
campy and cocky and the sound is very electronic, dancey and club inspired.
If Britney Spears and Courtney Love had child, I would be it.
4) What changed over the past year since Xtra West spoke to you in October 2008?
A lot. Professionally it was such a turning a point. It gave all of
my club banter some credibility because my name and reputation was suddenly
in print which made people pay more attention to me. That whole
point in my life I feel like I was on fast forward…I never really
stopped to think about anything…”BOY” was the first song I recorded
and I was booking shows before I had even heard the finished song…then
I shot a fucking music video . In retrospect I think I would have waited
until I had more material to perform and more options for a video, but
I was so excited and eager that I didn’t really give myself that option.
I was all about moving forward, which I still am…but I don’t feel
as chaotic about it. Once “Fucktalk” was released and started getting
club play I got a lot more confident about what I was doing because
I knew people were digging it. I think in general I have just grown
and people will be able to hear it in my music and see it in my shows…
5) Explain how you got a chance to dance for Queen Elizabeth II and
what the experience was like.
Oh fuck that was a gong show…first
of all I was late for rehersals the day of the show because I spent
all night in the club…I got in trouble for playing on the red carpet
and the queen looked like she was about to fall asleep… people always
ask me about this.I was in the Young Canadians which was a performing
arts school in Calgary, we trained 5 days a week and did a few big shows
a year and did the grandstand show every night of the stampede…which
we performed in front of like 20 000 people…anyway…the Queen
was coming to visit Calgary and they asked us to perform for her at
the Sadeldome. I think people thought I had given the queen a
private show…but it wasn’t like that…although giving her
a private show would be quite glamorous. But I would only do it if she
was wearing every jewel she owned all at once and was wearing a t-shirt
that said “ Buy me a drink, Buy me a drink”.
6) You recently filmed a video for your single Fucktalk (Buy Me A Drink)...talk
to us about the video and when it's going to be released.
Basically I teamed up with this guy named Rami Mikhail who I met because
he was filming a lot of the events I was doing during the summer. He
had a really unique way of covering the events and I loved how he put
them all together. It was all very dark and trashy but still very elegant,
which I loved. I wanted the whole process to be as simple and stress
free as possible without compromising the song and the people involved.
I wanted to capture the vibe, energy and experience of being around
and partying with me and everything that came along with it…so I threw
a party at this really cool underground venue invited fabulous people
and just got Rami to follow me around with a camera. It was very fun.
He is also combining a bunch of footage from shows and stuff he captured
over the summer. I’ve already seen some of it, and it looks hot. Pure
glamour. It will be my Christmas present to everyone
7) You just released two new singles: "Taxi" and "Optimist".
Both show evidence of you maturing as an artist. Lyrically they are
stronger than your previous work and the production by Maxwell Maxwell
is fantastic (the piano riff in "Optimist" is very
contemporary and reminds me of Mika and many others). What do these songs
mean to you?
Well first of all when you work with someone like Maxwell
it’s pretty hard to fuck it up. He has very clear ideas musically
and he is very talented so it makes my job a lot easier. “Taxi”
is the most “peterbreeze” song I have ever recorded. I like it because
its simple and to the point. The message is clear, its about me, my
lifestyle, how people look at me and how I look at myself…its fun
and its perfect for the club. Just like me. “Optimistic” is
actually quite sad, but it’s disguised with wicked pop sounds. It
kinda reminds me of La Roux. It’s about fucking someone and being
with them physically but not being able to get anything more. People
always say sex is just sex, but is it? “Optimistic” explores the
emotional desires that come from sex.
8) In "Taxi" you say: "Haters need to hate like fish
need to swim," You're no stranger to controversy and have experienced
some negative backlash from the community. Talk to us about your detractors
and what it's like to be a public figure in the Vancouver scene.
Well I defiantly didn’t expect to
cause so much drama so early in my career so the fact that people have
such strong opinions about me and what I do is actually quite flattering.
I understand now that people are attacking my image, not the person
I am. They dont know me personally so I try not to take what they say
personally. I know that now, but the first couple of times I read a
mean comment online it hurt my feelings…but now I just use it as motivation.
The support I get reassures me and allows me to move forward confidently,
the negative stuff pressures me to be bigger and better. I can use both
to my advantage, and I plan on doing that.
9) Where can people find/buy your music?
You can find it on myspace, facebook and youtube…and Itunes soon…also
request me at the clubs…
10) What's next for Peter Breeze?
More music, More shows, More fame, More glamour. Once I finish my next
album, I’m going on tour. The world needs me.
_____
Looking for more info on Peter? Try the following:
www.myspace.com/peterbreezemusic
facebook.com/peterbreeze
twitter.com/peterbreeze
google search: peterbreeze
Youtube search: peterbreeze
