Delicate Barflies, I'm more than a little stunned. The breadth, beauty and sophistication of Peter Black's latest two solo albums. “A Bowl of Spiders” and “The Boss Is Gone Gone Gone” is really damn exciting. These LPs are world-class and really, the man needs exposure overseas outside the context of his bands, Hard-Ons and Nunchukka Superfly.
As far as I can see, Australia has no idea what constitutes a pop song anymore - the mainstream seem happy enough with some oik ranting or squawking over a vague wafty structure.
Anyway. Fucking hell. I've asked my local record shop to get Blackie's latest two records in for me.
And there's more in Blackie's back catalogue too. Blimey. I notice that Captain Sensible gets it - some musicians aren't just destined for one band. The good Captain says:
Beautifully produced pop.. and pop with a capital P too. ... everything Blackie has done is quality... but the addition of acoustic and harmony has taken Blackie into classic rock territory.. and if that means joining the likes of Brian Wilson and The Byrds, then why ever not.
Before we start, I'll just add that doing this interview has been an absolute pleasure. Peter Black is so damned upbeat, it's infectious. I'm tempted to say the man should patent his DNA and sell it in test-tubes.
I-94 Bar: I'll confess something to you first, Peter - it seems only fair to advise you that I dropped out of the majority of current music for almost 20 years and I'm still catching up. Which means I got the fright of my life looking at your “Peter Black Solo” Bandcamp site. Add that with realising how many LPs Nunchukka Superfly and the Hard Ons have made ... mate, it's exhausting to look at all this extraordinary output.
Peter Black: Thank you for ya kind words Robert! That's so cool to hear! ... I know... I guess 'cause I over-do it and most ignore it ... it must be exhausting, haha! ... and I heard one of my older albums and, fuck, 'cause I never have money and I'm rushing to finish solo stuff cause the Hard-Ons are touring...I heard some sloppy singing/ production/ mixing even though I was happy with the songs as songs. So maybe that might've been off-putting to anyone else wanting to check out more of the solo stuff. I must learn to not rush!!
I-94 Bar: Look, why does all this stuff come out? How? And, perhaps more to the point, why has it continued to come out after all this time?
Peter Black: 'Cause I can't help myself! I really truly love doing this ... the kick I get when an idea pops into me head has never diminished! It's the hugest buzz!
I-94 Bar: Second, I'm still a bit overwhelmed by seeing so much creativity - and knowing that tours probably accompanied the LPs - that's just so very much work and determination. I guess what I'm asking is also - what drives you? Do you know?
Peter Black: As I said before, and as corny as it sounds, it's truly and simply a HUGE love for music. Almost every aspect of it fascinates and moves me...man, I sook a lot ... hearing music still floors me and to be part of that. Fuck I feel blessed!
I-94 Bar: I gather you're not a “look at our legacy” kind of guy - you're clearly very much in the RIGHT NOW - but come on, have you ever looked back at this huge cache of songs - and tried re-listening to them? (I'm still a bit startled by the 2016 'song a day' thing, so please excuse my jaw still being on the floor).
Peter Black: Not often, no. I always have new ideas popping up and I want to give 'em my FULL ATTENTION! So looking back is distracting and as a lot of song writers will tell ya when ya hear ya own stuff you're just hearing little bits of "Fuck, I could've/should've done it a bit better!" (insert laugh emojis). Having said that the Song A Day thing I did, I'd love to put out a compilation of it. Then again, I also have a day job so finding time is always an issue!
I-94 Bar: In Melbourne recently I realised that there is such a huge number of exciting events and bands on at any one time that the punters there are very spoiled for choice. However, I don't think that's the case in the other Australian cities - yet many of my friends in bands experience a very frustrating issue with playing live in those other cities (I call it the 'I can see them anytime' mentality). Just how hard has it been to maintain momentum?
Peter Black: It's very difficult. For us old farts, the world is very different with people being bombarded digitally. Things constantly move at a crazy speed and think a lot of cool stuff gets lost. We and myself don't worry about it.
As I said I have a day job and so do the rest of us, so we don't have any mentality of "We gotta make it, we gotta push push push", We've been able to maintain longevity this way.
As for myself - and I know I speak for the rest of my band-mates - we just wanna be our BEST!, and pretty much everything else is trivial ... make the best music you can and let the rest take care of itself.
I-94 Bar: Given the time and space, are you able to put yourself into a zone and let the ideas flow, I wonder? What kind of things start you off, could you explain? No, I'm not asking 'Where do you get your ideas from' - because they clearly come from all around and a stuffing one thing on top of another - but what is likely to get your attention?
Peter Black: It's always energy. If something pops into my head and has some voltage - some "Hello, what's this!?" - then I zone out and focus on it. It can literally happen anytime anywhere.
I think I've learnt over the years to leave myself "open to it" (does that make sense??:-)) it can make me absent-minded in other parts of my day to day: "What's his bloody name again? when is it their birthday? did I just get caught on a fucken speed camera!??
I-94 Bar: I wonder if you can tell me a little about what makes a perfect song ... well, perfect?
Peter Black: Again, it's always different isn't it! As I said before I'm moved a lot at times by what I'm hearing and I always think it's an energy thing happening ... “Mr Postman” by the Marvelettes - superb! “A Hell On Earth” by Discharge ... flawless! “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC. GET OUT HOW DID THEY DO THAT! See what I mean? It's also so subjective... perfect to you... Whatever makes the world move under ya feet, but I also think some artists NEVER take short cuts ... never have that "that's good enough" way of thinking ... that's essential!
I-94 Bar: You've spoken in the past about wanting to be a punk rocker - but did you ever want to be a pop star on “Countdown”? What really got you interested in pop itself - the music as well as the lyrics?
Peter Black: Ha, nah ... I don't even care about being a punk rocker. I just wanna make good music. Pop, the way us oldies think of pop, goes back to when you first discover music on the radio and the WTF effect it gives you. Hearing “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles or “Starman” by Bowie. The Carpenters...that feeling is MAGIC in the proper sense of the word! Your tummy feels funny and the world disappears for a while. That's how I see pop!
I-94 Bar: Listening to “A Bowl of Spiders” at the moment, and what leaps out is the hooks, harmonies and a general sense of well-being and grooviness. An expanse of things going on here. Do the songs on this LP have a central theme, or is that me layering meanings?
Peter Black: Not a central theme as such, but I definitely wanted to make an ALBUM! Albums used to be ALBUMS! At least they did mean that to me. You know, you hear “Rubber Soul” and you can't imagine that with any more or less songs. It's not a theme but it's an ALBUM all right! I always think that way when putting songs together ... getting ready to record.
I-94 Bar: There's also a raft of influences which I cannot begin to wrap my head around (“Is that bit AC/DC-ish? Is that bit Leo Sayer-ish?”). Would Lee Hazelwood be one of your inspirations?
Peter Black: Lee Hazelwood not so much. I'm still exploring him. Fuck, I think I'm one of those guys who likes more than I dislike. Paul McCartney is definitely a huge one for me - mainly c'ause he doesn't seem to give a fuck and will explore whatever he fancies. That's pretty powerful to me; doing something as nuts as “Live and Let Die” and then “Ballroom Dancing”. Ha! Never limit yourself!
I-94 Bar: I like the way some of the songs have a grand sense of magnificence about them - what were you aiming for?
Peter Black: Always - to give the song anything and everything it needs!
I-94 Bar: Could you tell me a little about “Not To Hurt Anyone”. How you came up with that one?
Peter Black: Yeah ... that one was post-Covid and how (looking back) people started to get nasty to each other. I couldn't stand it!! I guess social media also hastened that as well. Covid made a lot of people disconnected. Like they forgot that being kind is much better than being a fuckwit.
I-94 Bar: On to “Boss is Gone Gone Gone”. I'm a bit gobsmacked over this. So much beauty and expression. Wondering which folkies got you interested in their genre?
Peter Black: To be honest not too much folkies. I still feel melody is the king! I'm more blown away by Brian Wilson on the piano singing “Surfs Up” than Dylan singing about river boat gambling. I love Simon and Garfunkel!! Haha, me the Punk Rocker??
Have you heard “Tonight” by Sibylle Baier?? OMG stuff like that guitar and voice that feels nuclear powered! I love the "mundane" lyrics as well; patting a cat and eating toast? That, to me. is powerful. Yhe little day to day things that move us. “500 Miles” by Peter Paul and Mary. “Lonesome Town” by Ricky Nelson… (there’s) heaps!
I-94 Bar: This seems an obvious question - but did you do all instruments and everything yourself? Do you sleep? Ever?
Peter Black: I had help of course! Joel Ellis on drums, Lauren Friedman singing up a storm here and there. Jason Whalley can play keys so I hassled him as he's recording me! Lachlan as well ... but yeah I play and sing 90 percent of it.
I-94 Bar: What is your dream job - or do we already know?
Peter Black: Full Time Musician?? Brill Building attendant :-)
I-94 Bar: What were the first bands or songs which really got your attention? Why?
Peter Black: I guess there's a few layers to this. I mean as a youngster (least when I was a youngster) the radio was so crazy awesome! I liked almost everything I heard: “'Sky High” by Jigsaw. The Beatles were played a lot and I remember “John, I'm Only Dancing” by Bowie freaking me out. It was heavy and the lyrics were "What's going on?!?" Sweet: “Fox on the Run” and “Love is Like Oxygen”.
But when ya started school and started making friends and hanging out, we were all into the 70's hard rock. Man, all of it: Ted Nugent, Van Halen, Black Sabbath and of course AC/DC. The two big albums for me were “Powerage” by AC/DC and “Fireball” by Deep Purple. I know every nano-second of those albums. They still give me goosebumps!!
I-94 Bar: What made you be so determined to play music and get on a stage?
Peter Black: I used to think, "man I would love to do this" but it felt like you had to go to university and pass with honours to form a band!! And then I saw the Sex Pistols' clip for “Pretty Vacant” on tellie and THAT WAS IT!! ... I don't even know why but it made me not only think "I can do this" but "I'M GONNA FUCKEN DO THIS!!" it was a crazy earth shattering moment for me.
I-94 Bar: Was it always guitar for you, or did you start with a different instrument? And, do you still have your first instrument?
Peter Black: No, for years I played the cornet and was quite good at it. I could read music, knew theory, the lot. A big regret was thinking, "I don't need this anymore - punk is the lot" 'cause I'd love to go back to theory, reading, etc. Maybe one day ... the cornet belonged to Bankstown Police Citizen’s Club, so I had to give it up when I stopped.
I-94 Bar: Now, then, I suspect you of being a music and record nerd. What were your five best record scores ever?
Peter Black: My God, you think I can answer that?? Hahahahaha! My first job when I left school was being a foot courier in the city. At the same time, I was a long distance runner, so I could practically run the rounds and then have loads of time to sneak into the record stores and score! Let me try a few.
The Damned: “Sick of Being Sick” free give away seven-inch. Phwoooar!
Psychosurgeons: “Wild Weekend”. The blood splatter seven-inch,
X: “X-Aspirations”. The album. Ray (Ahn – Hard-ons and Nunchukka Superfly bandmate) found two copies in a record store at Bankstown Square. I RANNNN there. They must've been there since it came out!
The Music Machine: “The Eagle Never Hunts the Fly" single. I can't believe I have this!
And just the other day, my son Jaye found out I was looking for Ron Davies’ “Silent Song Through the Land” and he found one for me!! I'd been looking for zonks! He told me he had to join a Rare Vinyl Facebook group and was now getting constantly spammed (again with the laugh emojis!)
I-94 Bar: I don't dare ask you for a Top Ten songs of any sort, but I guess I can ask: five favourite music films?
Peter Black:
“The Great Rock'n'roll Swindle” (still love it!!)
“Grease”!! C'mon you know you love it! Barry Gibb wrote the title track!!)
“Buffalo 66”. Not a music film as such but full of Yes and King Crimson tracks.
“Urgh a Musical War” and “The Decline of the Western Civilization”. Both of 'em. but the first one is essential.
I-94 Bar: Five riffs or chord progressions you absolutely love?
Peter Black: Ha, another one that could really do ya head in but ...
“Riff Raff” - AC/DC
“TV Eye” - Stooges
“I Think We're Alone Now” - Tommy James and the Shondells
“Dancing on your Grave” - Motorhead
“You Really Got Me” – The Kinks
I-94 Bar: Now, can we be negative and ask: five bands/musicians whose music you simply cannot stand?
Peter Black: Nah, I can't answer that. Music is too beautiful to get into the negative side of things, I wonder if there's a raspberry site for bands? Hahah.
I-94 Bar: If you weren't allowed to be you, who would you choose to be?
Peter Black: Can I be Sean Bonniwell for a bit?? or Vanda and Young!!?? At the same time?? God, wouldn't ya head explode?!
I-94 Bar: Watching you play with TV Smith was a bit of an education. Howard Boak's guitar style was damned unique - and you seemed not only to be playing the songs well, but with a positive delight and gusto. How easy was it for you to adapt to Boak's style?
Peter Black: Wasn't too hard ... some licks he does I didn't even try as they are very much part of who he is! so I just got close and did it my way (groan - see what I did there?) We didn't wanna just learn ‘em but CAPTURE them. I actually think Murray had the hardest task as the drumming was so off the wall!
I-94 Bar: Seeing TV Smith at The Tote, I almost didn't recognise you with your shirt on. Have you encountered that in real life after a gig or in the street?
Peter Black: Ya would've smelt me after!! Haha! I remember one time a driver of a car was hassling a kid on a skateboard, so I stopped to help. The kid was wearing a Hard Ons shirt! I said” "You OK, mate?" and if I remember right he said: "Fuck that guy and fuck you too!" and took off!
