Interview With Singer-Songwriter Vinny Peculiar

I talked to singer-songwriter Vinny Peculiar about his new album "While You Still Can", which he will release soon.

I recently introduced you to the two new videos by singer-songwriter Vinny Peculiar here on the blog. Now I have arranged to meet him for an interview. We talked about the record, the political situation in England and his future plans.

Anne: Hello Vinny! Thank you for taking the time for the interview. Congratulations on the new album. Are you happy with it?

Vinny: Hi Anne lovely to meet you here. I’m happy with the record, yes, in the main, there might be the odd drum volume guitar sound moment that doesn’t seem quite as envisaged but those moments will pass I’m sure and it will become what it is. There is always a danger of over analysis when you’ve spent a lot of time listening and fine tuning parts, as time passes I’m sure the record with grow into itself.

"I like my guitar solos in 'Pop Music For Ugly People'"

Anne: Which Song do you like best?

Vinny: I quite like certain parts in certain songs. I like my guitar solos in "Pop Music for Ugly People" -  they’re kind of free form and in a style I wouldn’t typically play. I also like the simplicity and feel of the song "Question Time", but this may well change as time goes on, as favourites often do.

Anne: What makes "While You Still Can" different from your previous 12 albums?

Vinny: It’s a little but noisier than previous albums, drums are louder, and I’ve indulged my love of 70s hard rock sounds a little more, as they say in Spinal Tap I’ve turned up to eleven. It’s still a song driven record, but the musical muscle is harder. Lyrically its very much influenced by the here and now, it’s not set in 1972 like other records have been -  well one song is. Ha!

Anne: What motivated you most when recording the album?

Vinny: I wanted this album to be more of a band affair, a harder dynamic, I’ve used the former Parlour Flames rhythm section, Che Beresford (Black Grape) on drums and Ollie Collins (Badly Drawn Boy, Cherry Ghost) on bass, with Rob Steadman (Keys). The album was recorded in the midlands and I wanted it to reflect some of the areas heavy metal heritage - not thats it’s a metal album, ha!

Anne: From your new songs you can hear that the current world situation makes you sad and maybe also a bit angry. What would you like to say to politicians?

"Nowadays there's more screaming than listening"

Vinny: I’m sure you’ll be aware that its meltdown time in the UK, politics has never been so fractious, people are frustrated and angry. Families are divided over Brexit and like much of Europe there’s a nasty pernicious right wing element that’s offering quick fix solutions, scaremongering around immigration, selling a distorted sense of nationalistic entitlement. There is way more screaming than listening, we need to get some kind of balance back. We also have a law-breaking prime minister hell bent of leaving the EU without a deal. I voted to remain in the EU and I’m backing a second referendum.

Anne: You've already made music with people like Bill Drummond, Luke Haines and Bonehead from Oasis. Which collaboration did you like best?

Vinny: I didn’t make music as such with Bill we met as Artists in Residence Bill (visual) and myself (musical) at a Belfast festival, then I worked alongside him on his Soup Line project, Bill made Soup and I entertained guests in various locations after the feast. Luke Haines played guitar on one of my tracks and I toured with him awhile ago, he’s one of my favourite artists. I formed Parlour Flames with Bonehead in 2012. We put out an album. It was a decent record, and a great creative process, so in terms of amount of work and finished legacy, I’ll go for Parlour Flames as the project I liked best.

"I like to walk by the riverside"

Anne: You are originally from Worcestershire. Is there something that you like most about the city?

Vinny: I returned to live in Worcestershire in 2015 after living for many years in Manchester and Liverpool, many of my musical connections are still in the north. In Worcester I like to walk by the river, it’s a very serene city with a vibrant musical community.

Anne: I heard, that you also doing workshops. What is this about? I'm picturing this as a wonderful big jam session.

Vinny: Indeed that’s more or less exactly what happens yes. The workshops are typically with young people, sometimes they have experienced mental health difficulties, we talk about that, they write songs and perform them in a live gig setting. There’s a real power and sense of achievement that comes from writing and performing, improved confidence, creativity and benefits to mental health.

Anne: I read on the internet, that you are into the Cohen Brothers. Would you like to tell me, what's your favourite Cohen movie and why?

"I will do my best to play in Germany again!"

Vinny: For some time it was "Blood Simple" but "No Country for Old Men" is just so good. The guy who does the decent thing, takes water back to the drug heist. I like the fact, that the entire story rests on his good deed. The psychopathic cruelty of the main character and the decent Sheriff, trying to do good in a world gone bad, I love his character. Fargo is pretty good too - ha, they all are!

Anne: The album is finished and will be released on October 28th. Will there be a tour next? Are you planning on visiting Germany, too?

Vinny: I’ve not played in Germany since 2009 so a trip is long overdue! I will do my very best to make it happen.

Anne: Thank you very much for the interview! Good luck for the album!

Vinny: Thank you, Anne for allowing me to witter on here, and for supporting the new record!

The new Vinny Peculiar album "While You Still Can" will be released on October, 28th. So far two advance releases are out: "Pop Music For Ugly People" and "Vote For Me". You can watch the videos here on this blog.

Pictures: Vinny Peculiar