Peace is an amazing quartet from the UK and today they released their debut LP for Sony Music entitled, In Love. The group’s tonality as a whole on this record personifies perfect harmony and it carries an optimistic overtone that calms the heart and welcomes the soul. In Love is the kind of record that you will be able to listen to hundreds of times, discovering a new thing about yourself in each journey. Peace has already been selected as BBC‘s Artists of 2013 and they are even listed as NME‘s Best New Live Band. Peace is currently on tour with Two Door Cinema Club and St. Lucia in support of their newest release and they are making the best of it. In the past 18 months the band has played over 300 shows including appearances at SXSW and even their own headlining tour back in May. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Harry from the band to ask a few questions about all things Peace. Check out the exclusive interview below and order your copy of Peace In Love here.
Nick: Thank you so much for your time today. In Love is brilliant, cheers on a wonderful release. How has the reception been so far?
Harry: Thanks. The reception’s been really good. We knew our fans would like it but it’s been pretty mind bending how many more people have got involved since it’s release.
Nick: How long have you been making music together and can you talk about the group’s inception?
Harry: I met Dom at college and we started playing together pretty much instantly. Naturally we got Sam in on bass because he was my brother and mean on the ’4 string’- and then we asked Doug if he wanted in a little bit later. This was all a few years before we actually started Peace though. We kind of saw out college just playing in the local pub but then started Peace as an actual band after a year of the real world.
Nick: What are some of the earliest memories with the group? Do you have any fun stories from early shows that you played together?
Harry: I guess just being youthful and doing what teenagers do. Breaking stuff and trying to be a lot less dweeby than we actually were. On our first tour we had our equipment stolen out the van after the first show. Then whilst driving the 300 miles to the next show in the morning with a missing window & no equipment, the van died. LIFE was testing us. We still made the show though and played it with all the equipment clutter they had in the basement. I’m pretty boasty about that story. It feels like we got ’1 – 0′ on fate.
Nick: Thinking back on all of the shows you have played, what comes to mind as the most memorable and are there any that you are really looking forward to?
Harry: I’ll always remember our first sold out show in Birmingham. It was in a venue we’d played to like 30 people earlier that year.
Nick: What was it like working with producer Jim Abiss and how did you originally connect with him?
Harry: He came to a show and just came up to us after and we talked. It was a real buzz. He’s a real legend.
Nick: How were the initial recording sessions? Can you take me in to the studio and describe ‘a day in the life’ of the production process?
Harry: It’s different every day/song but most of the time on the record we recorded in a room as a band. So it was kind of like playing a show but to yourselves in a room.
Nick: Can you tell me how you connected with Sony Music and what it has been like to work with a label of that magnitude?
Harry: They’re a great label who love music. They came turned up at a party we were playing in Birmingham at Dom’s house. They also saw us in two pubs and a basement. It’s a shame they never got to see us at a big show or anything but they liked it I guess.
Nick: You are touring the US with Two Door Cinema Club in October. Whenever you get ready for a big tour like this, what do you do to get ready?
Harry: I don’t really do anything. Go with the flow.
Nick: Thank’s again for your time Harry, I really appreciate it!
Harry: No problem!