EMQs With Peter Lawson
EMQs With Peter Lawson
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with UK-based Multi-instrumnetalist, Peter Lawson. Huge thanks to him for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
I’m Peter Lawson and I release solo albums under my own name, but I also release music under the name “Venus Loon” which features a collaboration between drummer Wolfgang Ostermann and myself.
How did you come up with your band name?
My collaboration with Wolfgang Ostermann is called “Venus Loon”, named after a track from the album Zinc Alloy by T.Rex. The music has little in common with T.Rex, but I’m a fan of them.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
Manchester, UK. Not much of a Metal scene here any more to be honest, although there is an arena here which has hosted a number of metal bands. Growing up, I saw Bands like Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Rush etc., playing in Manchester’s Free Trade Hall, although gigs there are now long gone.
What is your latest release?
A solo album, “The Witchfinder”.
Who have been your greatest influences?
A lot of influences really; ‘70’s bands like Gentle Giant, Gong and Yes, but also a lot of Krautrock from that era, in particular Can, Amon Duul II.
What first got you into music?
I had older sisters, so I was brought up in the ‘60’s with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and many others. I went to the Kings School in Macclesfield UK, where there were a lot of bands formed, including Joy Division; the first band I joined there was called “Havoc” and I was the vocalist (aged around 13).
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Wow… Probably Tenk Van Dool from Temple of Switches, but I’m not really worthy of that!
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
The Prog Cruise! I’d get to meet some of my heroes!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I had several bananas thrown at me once whilst on stage….I’m not sure it was meant as a gift though 🙂
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Give it a listen!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Tim Smith, Cardiacs. The man was an utter genius.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I love the opportunity to be heard in different countries, thanks to the internet. Paradoxically, I hate the internet for making downloads a primary source of music, rather than physical copies….
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
That people still bought physical copies of albums and that the industry wasn’t swamped with crap via corporate greed (Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran etc., etc).
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
“Tago Mago” by Can and “Sing to God” by Cardiacs – apologies for there being two named, but I can’t choose between them!
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Vinyl, Cassettes and CDs…..Not downloads!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
I don’t gig my solo stuff, but I think my favourite gig was some years back in a band called Married in Vegas, playing at The Roadhouse in Manchester UK.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I’m a retired Registered Nurse with post-graduate qualifications in neurology and teaching, so something along those lies I guess.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Some are dead but; Tim Smith from Cardiacs, Jaki Liebezeit from Can, Ozzy, Rick Wakeman and Jimmy Page.
What’s next for the band?
I’ve just started work on another Venus Loon album (again in collaboration with Wolfgang Ostermann), although I imagine it won’t see the light of day for the next year or so!
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
https://www.facebook.com/VENUSLOONpeterdlawsonmusic
Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun, a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll, or a Tea Cake?
Barm cake without a doubt. I live in Manchester, but come from Macclesfield, Cheshire, where the barm cake is king (often with chips inside it!)!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Just to say thank you for the interview 🙂
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