Amelia’s Magazine | Simeon Farrar, The Great British Summertime: New S/S 2012 Season Preview Interview

Simeon Farrar Spring/Summer 2012 by Madi Illustrates
Simeon Farrar S/S 2012 by Madi Illustrates

What began as an ‘art experiment’ by London-based Simeon Farrar has now turned into a successful fashion label; winning not only international acclaim but also the prestigious NEWGEN award three times along the way. Despite being crowned a fashion buyer favourite with stockists such as Liberty in the UK and many more in Paris, Tokyo, and Sydney (to name a few), Simeon hasn’t lost sight of his Fine Art training gained at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham. Every collection begins with a philosophical root from which the designs and drawings develop and each one-off piece is then created with Simeon’s trademark dash of humour delivered through experiments with colour and print, done by hand in his Shoreditch studio.

Simeon Farrar
Simeon Farrar, all photographs courtesy of Iroquois PR

As someone who trained as a fine artist, what was it that made you want to turn your hand from canvas and paper to fabric?
I’ve always been into printmaking and I used to use a lot of screen-printing in my paintings. I would load them up with all sorts of images and paint over them to form multiple layers. I started putting some of these images on to t-shirts purely as another surface rather than as fashion. The first t-shirts were so loaded with paint like the canvases that they could never be worn. I got so into this that it soon evolved into fashion.

Simeon Farrar Spring/Summer 2012 by JL Illustration
Simeon Farrar S/S 2012 by Jason Lear

As a ‘non-fashion’ person, did you expect to make such a big impression when you first exhibited at London Fashion Week?
Absolutely not. I had no idea what people would think of me. I didn’t even have an order book so I guess I didn’t expect to write any orders. Suddenly I had all these people wanting to order this junk I’d made which I found all a bit weird. It was still an art experiment at that point.

Simeon Farrar Spring/Summer 2012 by Abi Hall
Simeon Farrar S/S 2012 by Abi Hall

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned about being a designer and the way the world of Fashion works?
As an artist you develop a certain degree of snobbery towards anything that isn’t ‘Art’. I can safely say that I have been cleansed of that snobbery after being welcomed so openly into the fashion world. I’ve learned that it’s all a load of rubbish and an artist just does what ever he/she feels is the most honest path for their creativity and it doesn’t need a label to make it valid.

Neon Butterfly Chiffon Maxi
Butterfly Chiffon Maxi

Your ‘Kate Mouse‘ illustration has become a widely recognised and coveted t-shirt graphic. Why do you think it’s had so much success?
For me it was one of those magical moments when an image just works perfectly. I’d drawn the image for a nursery rhyme collection we were doing at the time and I wanted to do Three Blind Mice. So, to name the file on Photoshop I used ‘Kate Mouse’ so I would recognise it. Then it just clicked, like a light bulb coming on above my head. I think it’s been a success for the same reason. It’s not forced or contrived, just simple and genius. There’s been such a demand ever since her birth that she’s featured in every collection since, with various additions. She gets pimped up every season. Except this forthcoming A/W 2012.

Simeon Farrar Spring/Summer 2012 by Alia Gargum
Simeon Farrar S/S 2012 by Alia Gargum

What personally inspired you to create a ‘Kate Mouse’ t-shirt with Net-A-Porter especially for the Japan Earthquake relief appeal?
Two of my staff are Japanese and they have been with me for years so due to that I feel a certain closeness with Japan. We sell a lot in Japan, and since I began the label the Japanese have been so supportive and loyal to my brand that when the earthquake hit it felt like an opportunity to repay some of that. The Kate Mouse print was our obvious big hitter, so I thought it would make the most money if we offered it for the appeal. We did it by ourselves at first, offering a free t-shirt with every donation to Save The Children. That went very well but as we were paying postage we had to limit it to the UK only. My PR company Iroquois and I approached Net-A-Porter so we could take it further. They were amazing with how they took it up and offered so much percentage of the profit to the appeal. I was very impressed with their instant generosity.

Simeon Farrar Spring/Summer 2012 by Dana Bocai
Simeon Farrar S/S 2012 by Dana Bocai

Your current S/S 2012 collection not only has your own charming take on the uniquely temperamental British summer through neon colours, raindrop prints and a nod to the new Royalty, but a uniquely feel-good quote that runs throughout. How did the slogan ‘You Are My Silver Lining’ form in your head?
There is always a sense of romance in my collections, and no matter what the theme I always like to bring that in. I like the idea of someone being your Silver Lining. No matter what happens in life there is someone who’s very presence brings with it a sense of hope or a way out of darkness.

Slogan Print Tote with Leather Handles
Slogan Print Tote with Leather Handles

Simeon Farrar Spring/Summer 2012 by Alejandra Espino
Simeon Farrar S/S 2012 by Alejandra Espino

What are your favourite colours to print in (at the moment) and why?
I loved using the neon colours in the S/S 2012 collection. I like printing images in neon then overlaying that with a black print and washing it all out so the greys defuse the neon a bit.

Simeon Farrar Spring/Summer 2012 by Mitika Chohan
Simeon Farrar Spring/Summer 2012 by Mitika Chohan
Simeon Farrar S/S 2012 by Mitika Chohan

What can we expect for A/W 2012 from Simeon Farrar?
For S/S 2012 we had a ghost print that did very well, so I’ve built the next collection round that. So I guess it’s a Haunted House collection. We’ve got lots of ghost drawings, howling wolves, that kind of thing. But, there’s also a romantic side to it. I’ve always been interested in the tragic side of vampires and the sense of undying love that runs through it. So I’ve brought a lot of that in to the collection. And for the first time, NO KATE MOUSE. I didn’t want to cheapen her and put some fangs on her or something. Kate Mouse is dead, you heard it here first.

Cloud Print Tote Bag
Cloud Print Tote Bag

Simeon Farrar Spring/Summer 2012 by Gareth A Hopkins
Simeon Farrar S/S 2012 by Gareth A Hopkins

Simeon Farrar’s current S/S 2012 collection is available to buy in store and online at a variety of stockists, and his forthcoming A/W 2012 collection will be exhibited at Tranoi this March.

Categories ,Abi Hall, ,Alejandra Espino, ,Alia Gargum, ,Autumn/Winter 2012-13, ,british summer, ,canvas, ,Creativity, ,Dana Bocai, ,drawing, ,Fine Art, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Haunted House, ,illustration, ,Iroquois, ,Jason Lear, ,Kate Mouse, ,liberty, ,london, ,London Fashion Week, ,Madi Illustrates, ,Mitika Chohan, ,Neon, ,Net-A-Porter, ,Newgen, ,painting, ,paris, ,Romance, ,royalty, ,Save The Children, ,screen-printing, ,shoreditch, ,Simeon Farrar, ,Spring/Summer 2012, ,sydney, ,T-shirts, ,tokyo, ,Tranoi, ,University of Creative Arts Farnham, ,Vampires, ,You Are My Silver Lining

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Amelia’s Magazine | London College of Fashion MA 2012 Exhibition Review

Hana Cha by Sam Parr
Hana Cha by Sam Parr

Two weeks ago, there was a multicolour explosion deep in the basement of Victoria House, Bloomsbury – it was the MA Graduate Season 2012 show at the London College of Fashion – and it was inspiring.

Hana Cha by Jason Lear
Hana Cha by Jason Lear

The first collection that catches my eye is Carry on Closet, a collaborative project between Renée Lacroix (MA Fashion and the Environment) and Zahra Ash-Harper (MA Entrepreneurship), collectively Antithesis (who Amelia mentored on the CFE Fashion Bootcamp). They’ve created an enviable capsule collection of trans-seasonal, versatile pieces, and it’s the team’s hope that their high quality clothing will result in long-lasting, treasured pieces. I covet the second cloak in their video below, which doubles as a short jacket and vest – it’s one of many thoughtfully-crafted pieces which would slot in well to any contemporary wardrobe.


Next, I meet Daisy Jie Feng (MA Fashion Artefact), who is sporting a delicate silver neckpiece which resembles a set of wings. As we get talking, I understand that this is completely intentional – she was inspired by Kafka’s Metamorphosis to produce a series of necklaces that combine fine jewellery with a story of evolution. Each of her mannequins on display show the pieces becoming progressively more intricate, until we reach the final neckpiece which is made from 265 silver cones wrapped in silver and white gold.

Tina Elisabeth Reiter by Gareth A Hopkins
Tina Elisabeth Reiter by Gareth A Hopkins

Octavia Xiaozi Yang (MA Fashion Artefact) has applied traditional Chinese elements to contemporary jewellery for her Joinery in Jewels project, for me characterised by the enormous resin rubies which can be spied from a distance. No glue or nails are used to create the neck pieces, instead all the materials are constructed to work together, with laser cut perspex, 18 carat gold, and wood.

Tina Elisabeth Reiter by Claire Kearns
Tina Elisabeth Reiter by Claire Kearns

Rounding a corner, everyone stops to gaze at Vivien Ying’s (MA Fashion Footwear) vibrant shoes, which would be perfect come spring. She asks, ‘Is it possible to adapt the aesthetics and principles of Kimono wrapping into the scale and techniques of footwear?’ And indeed it is, as she’s draped the shoes without adding weight to them, and maintained the essence of the Kimono concept by using leathers delicately imprinted with floral patterns.

Vivien Ying by Sam Parr
Vivien Ying by Sam Parr

Ruth Holland’s (MA Fashion Artefact) neck pieces are spectacular. She focuses on reusing materials and wants to make precious pieces from non-precious materials – traditional handmade rope, mixed plastics and resins. This kind of approach makes for pieces obviously steeped in careful craftsmanship, and leaves me wondering why we would ever want to wear anything else – it’s the kind of artwork that is easy to connect with ethically and visually – you just want to reach out and put it on.

Necklace by Ruth Holland
Necklace by Ruth Holland

Tina Elisabeth Reiter by Jason Lear
Tina Elisabeth Reiter by Jason Lear

Charlotte Valkeniers (MA Fashion Artefact) tells me that she isn’t a jewellery person, which is a little bit funny given her enormous neck pieces! Everything is laser cut in to spirals with hand-knitted tubes and hand-forged metal, and her curiosity about the human body and muscle structure is apparent in the shape and weave of the pieces. I like the neutral tones and textures, and come to think of it, their simplicity might be perfect for the person who shies away from decoration.

Neckpiece by Charlotte Valkeniers
Neck piece by Charlotte Valkeniers

Photographs by Rebecca Merrick
Photographs by Rebecca Merrick

After perusing the photography portion of the show (including some beautiful, threaded images from Rebecca Merrick), I witness performances from the students doing their MA in Costume Design for Performance. The audience is captivated, first by Lisa Duncan’s costume for a performance of Orlando, and later, by a very personal work from Lesley Asare, iShape Beauty, which ends in cheers.

Costume design by Lisa Duncan
Costume design by Lisa Duncan

Oenghus in Love by Lucy Mitchell
Óenghus in Love by Lucy Mitchell

Two nights after I visit, the annual MA Catwalk Show takes place at the V&A: Tina Elisabeth Reiter (MA Fashion Design Technology, Menswear) is announced winner of the Menswear Collection of the Year, and Hana Cha (MA Fashion Design Technology, Womenswear) winner of the Womenswear Collection of the Year. Congratulations to both on creating such rich, innovative collections.

Watch the MA_12 Catwalk Show here

Object by Ana Rajcevic
Object by Ana Rajcevic

If you’re interested in seeing more from this exciting institution, read our London College of Fashion Fashion Illustration and Photography and Styling reviews from 2011.

Categories ,2012, ,Ana Rajcevic, ,Antithesis, ,Bloomsbury, ,Carry on Closet, ,Charlotte Valkeniers, ,Claire Kearns, ,Daisy Jie Feng, ,Ecofashion, ,fashion, ,Fashion Bootcamp, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Hana Cha, ,iShape Beauty, ,Jason Lear, ,jewellery, ,Joinery in Jewels, ,Kafka, ,Lesley Asare, ,Lisa Duncan, ,London College of Fashion, ,Lucy Mitchell, ,ma, ,Menswear Collection of the Year, ,Metamorphosis, ,Octavia Xiaozi Yang, ,Óenghus in Love, ,Rebecca Merrick, ,Renée Lacroix, ,Ruth Holland, ,Sam Parr, ,Tina Elisabeth Reiter, ,Victoria House, ,Vivien Ying, ,Womenswear Collection of the Year, ,Zahra Ash-Harper

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Amelia’s Magazine | Review: The Devil and Mister Punch by Improbable at the Barbican

The Devil and Mister Punch by Jane Mcguinness
The Devil and Mister Punch by Jane Mcguinness.

Following hot on the heels of some great puppetry at the London International Mime Festival, the Barbican is hosting the new show, The Devil and Mister Punch, from the renowned Improbable theatre company.

The Devil and Mister Punch
Founded in 1996 by four artistic directors, this production was put together by Julian Crouch and is based on an ongoing obsession with the tradition of Punch and Judy. Here he picks apart the darker aspects of this strangest of British traditions… I mean, think about it: a man who beats his daughter and his wife? A rampaging crocodile, here in the UK?!

Devil and Mister Punch croc
The Devil And Mr Punch_Bat and Mask by Gareth A Hopkins
The Devil And Mr Punch by Gareth A Hopkins.

An assortment of strange characters joins the more familiar cast, including dancing piglets, a typing dog, a singing bull and a scarily oversized Punch. The cliches of puppetry are picked apart with delightful knowing, the live folk music which accompanies the action is exquisite, the staging is incredibly clever and best of all it’s very funny!

The-Devil-and-Mr-Punch-by-Mat-Pringle
The Devil and Mister Punch by Mat Pringle.

The Devil and Mister Punch by Jason Lear
The Devil and Mister Punch by Jason Lear.

I can’t remember when I last saw a Punch and Judy show: just when it looks as though this strange tale may be in danger of dying out the Improbable performance is a timely reminder of the stories that have shaped our national psyche. Look out especially for the underwater scene and a body popping skeleton – some of the more surreal tangents ensure that not all of it makes sense, but The Devil and Mister Punch is a great way to spend an evening.

Devil and Mister Punch set

The Devil and Mister Punch plays in The Pit until the 25th February and is a must see for anyone interested in history, morality or social mores as well as contemporary set design and staging. More details can be found on the Barbican website.

The Devil And Mr Punch_Gallows by Gareth A Hopkins
The Devil And Mr Punch by Gareth A Hopkins.

Categories ,barbican, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Harvey and Hovey, ,Invisible Thread, ,Jane McGuinness, ,Jason Lear, ,JL Illustration, ,Julian Crouch, ,London International Mime Festival, ,Mat Pringle, ,Pigs, ,Plucked, ,Punch and Judy, ,Puppetry, ,Puppets, ,review, ,The Devil and Mister Punch, ,The Pit, ,theatre, ,Vaudeville

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Peter Broderick and review of new album http://www.itstartshear.com

Peter Broderick by Gemma Cotterell
Peter Broderick by Gemma Cotterell.

http://www.itstartshear.com makes no grand entrance: I Am Piano is the softest of openers, with quiet keys gradually joined by the curling sighs of a looped violin. The vocals only makes an appearance at the end, sliding easily into the next tune. Melody, whether picked out on violin, piano or guitar is the most essential component of this album, which I think is best listened to as a whole. (As an aside, ever fancied learning the violin? Try this website for a range of affordable electric violins). Blue, written by Peter’s father, is deliciously light but it isn’t all airy fairy – the title track It Starts Hear references the website domain name of the album in the lyrics, complete with scratchy off beats and sampled trumpets. With Asleep things once again take a more secretive turn, female chorals creating a rolling lull in Colin. Peter then does a fair effort of singing in German for sparse Bad Words, despite confessing to a poor knowledge of the language (see below). With The Notes On Fire the album gathers speed again, with vocals entirely composed of la-las; who knew they could be so evocative? The album finishes on the beautifully sophorific Everything I Know, ending http://www.itstartshear.com with low key panache.

YouTube Preview ImageIt Starts Hear

Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born in Searsmont, Maine (USA) and raised mostly in Carlton, Oregon.

How did you find your way into music; was it an easy and natural process or has it been a struggle to make it happen?
Both of my parents are musicians, and both my older brother and sister as well, so I grew up in a house full of music and it felt natural, almost essential, for me to take up an instrument. I started taking lessons on the violin at age 7, and also tried to play whatever other instruments I could get my hands on.

Peter Broderick camera
When was this album put together and what frame of mind were you in when you wrote it?
I started recording the first notes for the new album in January, 2009 . . . and from there it was a long and surprisingly complicated journey before I was able to call it finished. I think my frame of mind went through many phases and changes in those few years… everything from ecstatic happiness to complete depression and all that’s in between.

Peter-Broderick Image courtesy of Incubate
Peter-Broderick. Image courtesy of Incubate.

You decided to release it via your website – what was the thinking behind this?
Well, when I first started recording the songs for this album, I realized that most of them had a real story they were based around, and I was imagining the finished album coming with some kind of book in which people could read all these ideas I wanted to share about the music. but then I thought . . . wait a minute . . . most people don’t get physical copies of music these days! Most of them just download it, so they’ll never see this book which, to me, would be a big part of the album. So I developed the website idea to be a place online where all listeners, no matter which format that they obtain the album in, can have access to the same notes and visuals that are meant to accompany the music. That’s the basic idea.

Peter Broderick by JL Illustration
Peter Broderick by JL Illustration.

One of the songs on the album was written by your father when he was 19, which sounds incredibly romantic! What kind of musician is he?
My father is a closet musician . . . he is very passionate about music, and perhaps at one point he had his own dreams of building a career in music, but he’s terrified of performing in front of other people. I’ve actually never heard him sing, except for on this one cassette tape my mother kept with a recording session from 1979, where he plays the guitar and sings this one song that he wrote, called blue. I fell in love with this song when my mother played it for me in 2008, and dreamed about sharing it with the world somehow. So I recorded a cover version for this new album, plus a lovely label from Berlin, called Sonic Pieces, released his original version on a 7″ vinyl in December, 2011.

Peter Broderick face
Another song is dedicated to a bird whose life you stole whilst driving – what did this make you feel and do you feel that amends can be made by means of expressing gratitude in incidences such as this?
The day I ran over that bird I felt absolutely awful… I remember feeling ashamed to be human, thinking it was so stupid that we roll around in these big machines on our smooth roads that destroy parts of nature. I wrote a long piece of text that day about how terrible I felt, and also wrote the song trespassing, and I think doing those things definitely helped me to make amends with the situation. It was an accident after all, and since I wasn’t able to go back in time and undo it, I did the best I could to express my sorrow and to somehow turn something tragic into something beautiful and positive.

Peter Broderick by Gareth A Hopkins
Peter Broderick by Gareth A Hopkins.

You’ve had a somewhat difficult year, what with a recurring knee injury that left you unable to walk. What happened, if you don’t mind me asking? And how did you learn to cope?
There has been a great paradox in my life the last few years . . . because, the week before I moved to europe toward the end of 2007 (which is when I feel like my career in music really started), I had a very stupid accident in which I tripped over my suitcase and destroyed my right knee… and it took me a long time to figure out what was really wrong with it, and in that time I was traveling the world and doing all these amazing new things, but always feeling restrained by this physical problem. And since I waited so long before having the right operation for my knee, I developed a lot of strange habits in my body to compensate for the bad knee, and which sort of threw off the balance in my body. But I also have so many things to be thankful for, and in many ways these last years have been a dream come true, so I try to focus on the good things and to be grateful for all that I have.

httpwww.itstartshear.com-artwork
How would you describe http://www.itstartshear.com and do you think that the website as a name of an album will work? (it confused me a little bit)
I’m sorry if it’s confusing! But I really like the idea of the website as a title . . . and not because I’m obsessed with the internet or anything. Actually, sometimes I really hate the internet, but no matter what I think, I can’t deny that it’s become a huge part of our lives and has made so much possible for me. So in a way I see the title as some kind of tribute to the internet, or maybe even a statement of how our virtual lives are seemingly becoming more and more prominent and possibly even pushing reality aside… but I like the web address as a title because it brings people to the site, which I have built it as a place where people can listen to the music and read about it and see images and videos associated with the music. Any time the album is written about, it will automatically become a link to this virtual place… in my mind it makes perfect sense! Of course there is another side of me that thinks the whole idea is ridiculous . . . but it was just one of those ideas that I felt I had to try out. You’ll never know how it works until you try it… (brilliant answer!)

Peter Broderick by Adrian Bischoff
Peter Broderick by Adrian Bischoff.

What are your plans for 2012?
2012 is a slowing-down year for me. I’ll be taking a break from touring, spending more time at home in Berlin, releasing this project which I’ve been working on for quite a while and following the progress (or anti-progress) of this album and website… and I’m trying to pay more attention to my body, which needs some love after these years of sitting in cars and planes and trains, carrying heavy equipment in and out of buildings, and eating different foods all the time. One goal I have for this year is to finally learn how to speak German! fingers crossed.

http://www.itstartshear.com is due for release on Bella Union on 20th February 2012.

Categories ,Adrian Bischoff, ,Asleep, ,Bella Union, ,berlin, ,Blue, ,Carlton, ,Colin, ,digital, ,Everything I Know, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Gemma Cotterell, ,http://www.itstartshear.com, ,I Am Piano, ,interview, ,It Starts Hear, ,Jason Lear, ,JL Illustration, ,maine, ,Oregon, ,peter broderick, ,review, ,Searsmont, ,Sonic Pieces, ,usa, ,With The Notes On Fire

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Peter Broderick and review of new album http://www.itstartshear.com

Peter Broderick by Gemma Cotterell
Peter Broderick by Gemma Cotterell.

http://www.itstartshear.com makes no grand entrance: I Am Piano is the softest of openers, with quiet keys gradually joined by the curling sighs of a looped violin. The vocals only makes an appearance at the end, sliding easily into the next tune. Melody, whether picked out on violin, piano or guitar is the most essential component of this album, which I think is best listened to as a whole. (As an aside, ever fancied learning the violin? Try this website for a range of affordable electric violins). Blue, written by Peter’s father, is deliciously light but it isn’t all airy fairy – the title track It Starts Hear references the website domain name of the album in the lyrics, complete with scratchy off beats and sampled trumpets. With Asleep things once again take a more secretive turn, female chorals creating a rolling lull in Colin. Peter then does a fair effort of singing in German for sparse Bad Words, despite confessing to a poor knowledge of the language (see below). With The Notes On Fire the album gathers speed again, with vocals entirely composed of la-las; who knew they could be so evocative? The album finishes on the beautifully sophorific Everything I Know, ending http://www.itstartshear.com with low key panache.

YouTube Preview ImageIt Starts Hear

Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born in Searsmont, Maine (USA) and raised mostly in Carlton, Oregon.

How did you find your way into music; was it an easy and natural process or has it been a struggle to make it happen?
Both of my parents are musicians, and both my older brother and sister as well, so I grew up in a house full of music and it felt natural, almost essential, for me to take up an instrument. I started taking lessons on the violin at age 7, and also tried to play whatever other instruments I could get my hands on.

Peter Broderick camera
When was this album put together and what frame of mind were you in when you wrote it?
I started recording the first notes for the new album in January, 2009 . . . and from there it was a long and surprisingly complicated journey before I was able to call it finished. I think my frame of mind went through many phases and changes in those few years… everything from ecstatic happiness to complete depression and all that’s in between.

Peter-Broderick Image courtesy of Incubate
Peter-Broderick. Image courtesy of Incubate.

You decided to release it via your website – what was the thinking behind this?
Well, when I first started recording the songs for this album, I realized that most of them had a real story they were based around, and I was imagining the finished album coming with some kind of book in which people could read all these ideas I wanted to share about the music. but then I thought . . . wait a minute . . . most people don’t get physical copies of music these days! Most of them just download it, so they’ll never see this book which, to me, would be a big part of the album. So I developed the website idea to be a place online where all listeners, no matter which format that they obtain the album in, can have access to the same notes and visuals that are meant to accompany the music. That’s the basic idea.

Peter Broderick by JL Illustration
Peter Broderick by JL Illustration.

One of the songs on the album was written by your father when he was 19, which sounds incredibly romantic! What kind of musician is he?
My father is a closet musician . . . he is very passionate about music, and perhaps at one point he had his own dreams of building a career in music, but he’s terrified of performing in front of other people. I’ve actually never heard him sing, except for on this one cassette tape my mother kept with a recording session from 1979, where he plays the guitar and sings this one song that he wrote, called blue. I fell in love with this song when my mother played it for me in 2008, and dreamed about sharing it with the world somehow. So I recorded a cover version for this new album, plus a lovely label from Berlin, called Sonic Pieces, released his original version on a 7″ vinyl in December, 2011.

Peter Broderick face
Another song is dedicated to a bird whose life you stole whilst driving – what did this make you feel and do you feel that amends can be made by means of expressing gratitude in incidences such as this?
The day I ran over that bird I felt absolutely awful… I remember feeling ashamed to be human, thinking it was so stupid that we roll around in these big machines on our smooth roads that destroy parts of nature. I wrote a long piece of text that day about how terrible I felt, and also wrote the song trespassing, and I think doing those things definitely helped me to make amends with the situation. It was an accident after all, and since I wasn’t able to go back in time and undo it, I did the best I could to express my sorrow and to somehow turn something tragic into something beautiful and positive.

Peter Broderick by Gareth A Hopkins
Peter Broderick by Gareth A Hopkins.

You’ve had a somewhat difficult year, what with a recurring knee injury that left you unable to walk. What happened, if you don’t mind me asking? And how did you learn to cope?
There has been a great paradox in my life the last few years . . . because, the week before I moved to europe toward the end of 2007 (which is when I feel like my career in music really started), I had a very stupid accident in which I tripped over my suitcase and destroyed my right knee… and it took me a long time to figure out what was really wrong with it, and in that time I was traveling the world and doing all these amazing new things, but always feeling restrained by this physical problem. And since I waited so long before having the right operation for my knee, I developed a lot of strange habits in my body to compensate for the bad knee, and which sort of threw off the balance in my body. But I also have so many things to be thankful for, and in many ways these last years have been a dream come true, so I try to focus on the good things and to be grateful for all that I have.

httpwww.itstartshear.com-artwork
How would you describe http://www.itstartshear.com and do you think that the website as a name of an album will work? (it confused me a little bit)
I’m sorry if it’s confusing! But I really like the idea of the website as a title . . . and not because I’m obsessed with the internet or anything. Actually, sometimes I really hate the internet, but no matter what I think, I can’t deny that it’s become a huge part of our lives and has made so much possible for me. So in a way I see the title as some kind of tribute to the internet, or maybe even a statement of how our virtual lives are seemingly becoming more and more prominent and possibly even pushing reality aside… but I like the web address as a title because it brings people to the site, which I have built it as a place where people can listen to the music and read about it and see images and videos associated with the music. Any time the album is written about, it will automatically become a link to this virtual place… in my mind it makes perfect sense! Of course there is another side of me that thinks the whole idea is ridiculous . . . but it was just one of those ideas that I felt I had to try out. You’ll never know how it works until you try it… (brilliant answer!)

Peter Broderick by Adrian Bischoff
Peter Broderick by Adrian Bischoff.

What are your plans for 2012?
2012 is a slowing-down year for me. I’ll be taking a break from touring, spending more time at home in Berlin, releasing this project which I’ve been working on for quite a while and following the progress (or anti-progress) of this album and website… and I’m trying to pay more attention to my body, which needs some love after these years of sitting in cars and planes and trains, carrying heavy equipment in and out of buildings, and eating different foods all the time. One goal I have for this year is to finally learn how to speak German! fingers crossed.

http://www.itstartshear.com is due for release on Bella Union on 20th February 2012.

Categories ,Adrian Bischoff, ,Asleep, ,Bella Union, ,berlin, ,Blue, ,Carlton, ,Colin, ,digital, ,Everything I Know, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Gemma Cotterell, ,http://www.itstartshear.com, ,I Am Piano, ,interview, ,It Starts Hear, ,Jason Lear, ,JL Illustration, ,maine, ,Oregon, ,peter broderick, ,review, ,Searsmont, ,Sonic Pieces, ,usa, ,With The Notes On Fire

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