Getting to Know… Peel | Interview

In the 418^th Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, we get the inside scoop from Norwegian alternative rock band, Peel.

“PEEL and the PEELUNIVERSE was created with a big bang at the start of this millennium.” That sounds epic, Peel – also, scientific! The Norwegian band continues, “We kicked off our career early this millennium with a self-titled album… the lineup has gone through a lot of changes” Holten, one of the founding members of the alternative rock collective, adds, “Peel was from the start very aware that we did not fit into the Norwegian music industry.” Word. Peel provides us, The Musical Hype, with the inside scoop on their genesis, goals, musical influences, and current, and future musical endeavors. So, without further ado, let’s jump into Getting to Know… Peel: Interview No. 418!

For those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes Peel distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

PEEL and the PEELUNIVERSE was created with a big bang at the start of this millennium; we kicked off our career early this millennium with a self-titled album released on Edel Records/Playground Music with songs such as “Natalie Somewhere”, “Breathe”, “Comes Down…OK” and “Neverending”. These songs got airplay all over the world, and the video for “Natalie Somewhere” made it to second place on MTV’s Top Nordic Charts, as well as the sales charts in Norway. The lineup has gone through a lot of changes, but Pim (vocal, guitars, keys, and programming) has been in the band since the very beginning. His son Seb (guitars, programming, and keys) has been in the band for quite a few years, and 2023 saw the return of another founding member, Holten (bass, programming, keys, and backing vocals)

Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Peel form, and what were some of your goals or visions early?

Holten: Peel was from the start very aware that we did not fit into the Norwegian music industry. We skipped over Norway a bit and focused on an international audience. We signed with a German label, went to Sweden with a Swedish producer on the first album, and in Norway, it was not well received when artists ‘thought they were something special’ and aimed abroad without taking the traditional route through the ‘right’ people at home in Norway first. The mindset in Peel was always that Norway is too small, we want to reach out into the world. That’s still the case. We are a strange hybrid. A kind of eternal underdog with a grandiose musical self-image.

Pim: We have truly felt the reality in the saying ‘no one becomes a prophet in his own country’…hehe.

Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or your perspectives changed since first starting? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

Pim: Yeah, my perspectives have changed as I’ve become older, but the core is still the same. I think the aspect of confirmation, the need for admiration and validation as a driving force in the creative process has faded. Chasing down the perfect song, the need to express myself, [and] the satisfaction when theory and practice collide is unbeatable for me. The goal is to get as many people as possible to hear Peel, to get to know us, what we are about; join in our musical universe, feel the lyrics, and be a part of our vibe. The dreams we had as young musicians and writers haven’t died or faded, though they can be hard to keep alive at times. And as Holten said earlier we want to reach out into the world.”

Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Whom would you consider some of your biggest musical influences and how are they influential?

Pim: There are so many artists and so many songs that have meant so much to me, (and I suppose to the rest of the band) and inspired me in so many ways from all kinds of genres, so to name a few would be crazy, unfair and near impossible. Besides that, I’m inspired by so much more than music: movies, books, politics, philosophy…yeah, you know, life and all that life contains. Lyrically themes are more on the ‘shadowy’ and dark side of human nature.

Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.

Hehehe…what happens on the road – stays on the road. That’s a golden rule. I can’t really remember if something wacky has happened to us during…probably has, but I can’t remember right now. I bet I will remember when the interview is done…haha.

To this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?

Pim: The routine answer would be something like it’s impossible to choose a favorite because they are all pretty special. Well, to me, anyway.

Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left-of-center we should know about Peel? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

Lots and lots, but we’ll save that for the next time…haha!

What is Peel currently working on or promoting that you can share? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

We have just released a new single “LOVE PHOBIA” –  CHECK IT OUT ON SPOTIFY, YOUTUBE, APPLE MUSIC…etc. It’s a real red hot riff-driven rocker that screams ‘play me loud!!’ We are also working on a new album called BIG SUNDOWN. It will probably be released in early 2025 depending on how the singles are doing. Again, check us out and follow us on Spotify – become a peelgrim!

Thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward. 

Follow… Peel: Instagram • Facebook • Spotify • YouTube • TikTok

Getting to Know… Peel: Interview No. 148 [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Peel; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Królestwo Nauki, OpenClipart-Vectors, Pete Linforth, Tumisu from Pixabay]