PEACHES: Art Feeds Art
An interview by Sarah Fleming.
Inarguably a larger-than-life artist, there is a pulsating electricity in the air around New Zealand as the countdown to Peaches latest shows in Auckland and Wellington later this month begins.
Touring a show that has already received rave reviews, not only will New Zealand fans be treated to what will undoubtedly be another of Peaches superlative performances, but they will also get to celebrate the twenty year anniversary of her debut album The Teaches of Peaches released back in the year 2000.
With The Teaches of Peaches, Peaches stamped her mark on the world, unashamedly, unapologetically and with honesty. It was raw, it was gutsy and it soon became the soundtrack for thousands across the world.
It flew in the face of gender stereotypes, it challenged the norm and with it, it taught many to have the strength to be not only who they were but to stand up for the right for others to be themselves too. And with it, Peaches legendary status was solidified, a cult following developing not long afterwards.
Beginning our conversation with fond memories of their last show at the now [sadly] defunct Kings Arms in Auckland, “I loved it there it was really fun.” Conversation soon moves to the whereabouts of BLCK CRCKR and whether New Zealand will again have the pleasure of seeing them perform with Peaches…
“Yeah, not this time, they are using their talents to – they really set up an incredible production [BLCK CRCKR is the production manager for the tour]. What I wanted in terms of like making it minimal and maximal, like the music in terms of no amps on stage but getting the full guitar sounds live and having no wires in anybody’s way and making levels of stage design, so yeah, they had a big hand in that because they’re pretty awesome!”
I don’t think anyone would deny that if they had heard their work or seen them perform! But that is fantastic to hear that they have had that hand in building an environment that is obviously important to you for touring such a consummate album.
“Yeah totally. You know there is kinda a lot of head work to understand in what to do for this album because it is such a solo experience, writing it and performing it. But I really wanted to, because you know I wrote the whole album with one particular instrument, I mean I have maybe two or three tracks where I have like minimal drums on them, but I would say eighty percent of the album is just out of this one Groovebox 505 and I wanted to have that feeling that the box comes alive.
So, it’s like, what’s inside; there will be live drums and also live guitars and dancers and very, contemporary moments, very rock and roll moments and they all roll into a really incredible arc, so it’s quite a performance you know? It’s not just the album, just showing you the album, I like to express it in a way of past, present and future and I’m doing that through the performance, through the added elements of the people on stage and also through the costumes, like through the archival costumes from other concerts, and new ideas for costumes, and telling the story that way too.”
I mean that just sounds absolutely mind blowing, and I don’t think anyone would expect anything less from an artist such as yourself!
But touring The Teaches of Peaches, do you feel that in some ways you have come full circle?
“Yes, I guess you could say that. I think that scares me because that then feels like … ‘and the end’”.
Like a closure in some ways, but also allowing the path to be opened up into new directions?
“Ok yes Sarah, that’s better, that’s a better way. But no, I feel like not really come full circle but more, spiral into a new dimension of understanding you know? So, it kinda comes back on itself but with new understanding and also from the people that are coming, and all their rich experiences since that album, which really shows in the energy during the shows. I know there are a lot of expectations, and that album means a lot to people, so I wanted to honour that. I also have the need for approval, so I needed to make it five hundred percent better for everybody.”
That album was huge for me and the fact that an artist like yourself was just putting what, to me, seemed like freedom and honesty and brutal rawness out into the world, it was so influential for so many people. Because of The Teaches of Peaches you have long been hailed as a feminist icon, but how have you personally viewed the last twenty years? Have we improved as a society in the way that we treat people of all genders but in particular women?
“I don’t know if we should say all genders but especially women; let’s say female identifying people, you know, which is something that has changed from twenty years ago, because we would have said more women.
And I think there is an importance of the expansion of our vocabulary and understanding the spectrum of gender or understanding the systematic, patriarchal past that lives in us and makes us feel shame, and that we are working through that instead of just sort of saying yes or no.
It feels uncomfortable, but it also feels like it’s moving forward, and it is working its way into the mainstream. It is in the mainstream in terms of visibility but also with this visibility also comes more fear from the patriarchal system, which is just trying to shut it down, which is just ridiculous because what they are trying to shut down is anything that makes somebody feel like themselves and how to become themselves!
The way the patriarchal system works and the only way it can work is that you always have to push somebody down, you have to have white male on top and everybody else has to be underneath in a way that if they’re anywhere in equality then it just seems strange or there is shame, or they are too ambitious, or they’re too this or too that because their reference is not really one for everybody [laughs]”
I do see we are getting better but we also seem to be as a society, a little two steps forward one step back. To me [the United States Supreme Court overturning of] Roe vs Wade was a massive step back, there were huge protests here in New Zealand about that, with the people of Aotearoa showing their support for those in America.
“Yeah, it’s ridiculous, it’s the patriarchy last… you know, holding on with its thin veins and brittle bones, they feel like they have to be more and more extreme. They have been working on this, it’s like they work on it for years, and years, and years like it’s something, like it is going to make anything better.
But it’s all just to keep it, they are always just trying to keep themselves in the pocket, protect it and that’s just such a huge systematic problem, always, it’s always just been there, it’s always there and we will always fight and we just need to be more creative about it and being just… not louder in the way like [lets forth a roar] but we just have to find more ways of bringing it in. And I think that’s why it is in the mainstream, I think the new people who are in power for these TV stations and music, that’s why it becomes more mainstream and that brings on the fear like I said.
It seems so obvious [laughs] and it seems so ridiculous, so sometimes people find me ridiculous in what I am saying but, in a way, I just feel like I am echoing how ridiculous the where we have come to now [laughs] you know? But also, progressions. But also, detrimental traumas you know!? But you just have to keep moving forward.”
I agree with that, as you said it is not about getting louder, it’s more about just being there, being visible, educating, and open communication.
“Yeaaaah, absolutely!”
And that is where an artist such as yourself inspires people to do that.
Now everyone speaks about their own influences as an artist when they began their career; but you yourself have now become the influence for many new artists who have come up over the last ten or twenty years.
Is that a strange feeling in some ways that you are the inspiration for other artists?
“Yeah, definitely! But I’m not mad at it, I mean I’m thrilled that you know, that people are inspired by that; that my need to express myself has helped people to feel that it helps their creative expression grow, that’s what it’s all about.”
Art feeding art.
“Art feeds art, feeds people, feeds politics, feeds life, feeds new ideas, feeds you back and makes you learn all over again.”
You’re currently working on your sixth studio album, is there anything that you can tell us about the material that you are working on or the ideas behind it?
“I don’t really know what to say, there’s a lot. I feel like music to me right now is a lot of exploration so that’s what I’m doing. Just exploring [laughs]”
Just exploring …? Interesting.
“Yeah just trying out things, enjoying what I want to enjoy, I feel like when I made Rub [2015] it was really like back to The Teaches of Peaches style for me, and yeah I really don’t know, I’m sure I should probably say something that says yeah and the album is ready and it’s coming out and it’s going to be great and I’m sure it will be great, but I really don’t know what it is yet.”
Well can I put it this way then? You’re still playing with the material for it, you haven’t set yourself a deadline, you are just letting yourself immerse in it and are enjoying what you are creating?
“Right now, I’m doing other projects, I’m working with a – right now – I’m working with an eight-piece, sort of developed, kind of dance sculpture, movement group that I did some work with before. We’re just exploring together and just trying to see what happens.
I have The Teaches to Peaches anniversary tour and that is giving me a lot of life and a lot of exactly you know what the people want, so let’s see what happens next.”
It’s interesting that you are working with a movement group, because dance is a whole different form of creativity in itself.
So, what does moving into working with a dance group bring to you personally as an artist may I ask, as obviously I have seen you perform quite a few times and you are certainly someone who expresses themselves with your body during your concerts.
“It’s a whole different set of how dancers move as a community, you know? How they move together, why are they moving together or how it makes different … how people moving together with a similar idea or opposite ideas, how that makes powerful shapes and how it makes powerful statements without words, because I’m so words you know?”
I have had the pleasure of seeing some amazing dance performances over the years and it is incredible what can be expressed through the body and not just the voice.
“Yeah no, I have seen a lot of bad and a lot of good and it’s an artform as music is obviously, I’m trying to find you know, how that relates that to my practice.”
Peaches is performing three shows in New Zealand this February. The two Wellington shows have sold out, but if you’re quick (and we mean super quick – these tickets are flying) you may be able to secure a ticket to the Auckland show (with support from the amazing Theia) at the Powerstation on the 20th February. Head on over to SusieSays.co.nz to get yours now!
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