Image : Tom Flynn [Used with permission]
Peter from acoustic/prog/riff rock act Fertile Reptile on the soundtrack to his life
What was the first album/single that you ever bought?
The first CD I remember getting was the first Tenacious D album. My dad bought it me after I passed my first Piano Grade exam. We listened to it in the car the whole way home and he was roaring laughing the whole time.
What is your earliest musical memory?
My Mum and Dad sent me and my sisters to get violin lessons at a very early age. I distinctly remember being dreadful at it.
Is there a particular song/band/singer that made you want to be a musician?
Queen! I was taking piano lessons at 10 or 11 years old and my parents had the Queen greatest hits album. I had heard a load of the songs before but didn’t know who the band was. I begged my piano teacher to show me how to play Bohmeian Rhapsody and Seven Seas of Rhye!
What song instantly reminds you of a particular person?
After the Goldrush by Neil young reminds me of my mum. She used to have that album on CD and would play it frequently when she was picking us up from school.
Is there a song whose lyrics resonate with you and why so?
The Circle Game by Joni Mitchell. I think everyone can relate to it, it’s about how time marches on and you might not achieve everything you wanted at an early age but you can always find more to strive for. There’s literally billions of people in the world all flying through life by the seat of their pants. You grow up and get new responsibilities, meet new people and have to deal with new problems. You can’t change that but you can embrace it. There’s a sense of sadness but also acceptance of reality in that song which I really like.
The band/musician that you grew up listening to?
I listened to a bunch of stuff in my teens, mainly metal honestly. Mainly because I started playing guitar and I just wanted to be able to play like Dave Murray (Iron Maiden), or Kirk Hammet (Metallica). My taste in music changed significantly when I started going down that route. Metal is like a drug, it pulls you in and before you know it you go from listening to pop to becoming obsessed with Opeth or bands like Braindrill or Nile. Once I moved to Ireland I was 18 and metal was all I listened to or was interested in. My tastes changed again though and now I’ll give anything a listen!
What song do you wish that you had written and why?
Bohemian Rhapsody. I think every musician wishes they wrote that! If I had to pick something more recent then I’d probably say Electric Sunrise by Plini. It’s an instrumental prog song and it’s unbelievably well written and produced.
What song transports you back in time and why?
Anji by Davy Graham. My dad used to play it on his guitar when I was a kid. it’s one of the first pieces of music I learned to play when I eventually started playing the guitar.
Which song makes you happy when you hear it?
At the moment Superpower by Adam Lambert! My wife has been on an Adam Lambert binge recently so we stick this on to cheer ourselves up a bit when we’ve had a hard day! You can’t help but feel happy and want to dance when it comes on!
Which song makes you sad when you hear it?
Jeff Buckley’s version of I Know It’s Over by The Smiths. It was already a beautifully sad song but Jeff Buckley really made that into something ethereal and otherworldly. He did that a lot to be fair.
What was the first gig you went to?
I went to see Wheatus in the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool in 2001! I went with 3 of my mates from school because one of them was obsessed with their first album. It was a great show!
What was the first song that you ever performed?
The first song I played in front of people was at a talent show in secondary school. I think we played Hammer to Fall by Queen. It was awful but we thought we were the best thing since sliced bread!
Fertile Reptile’s EP is out now
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