Peace: And Harmony

By Alif Omar Mahfix  •  in Interview
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Everything is still new to you guys. Any revelatory moments about the industry since you got signed? Something unexpected?
H People are really nice, that was a shock. They said people in the industry were mean.
S When you don’t know anything about it, you’d think people who work records are going to be quite scary.
H There weren’t as many suits involved, which was a shame…
D1 Yeah! I wish it were more like that. I’m mostly disappointed by the lack of bullsh!t. I wanted to be like Stone Roses’ manager, the first time I met him he kept accidentally dropping wads of 50 on the floor and be like “Oh, sorry!” I wish there were more of that. That’s more showmanship in there (laughs).
H It’s nice to have a team, I didn’t realise there was a team involved. Still learning though, everyday.

Are you guys more organised now that you have a team, so to speak, like your London equivalents?
H It’s more organised but through no doing of our own. Other people have done a lot more, like Tony (Peace’s manager) carries us around here.
D1 Quite literally. It’s pretty nonstop, we don’t really get to sit, so Tony carries us from place to place.
H It’s easier, but feels the same though.
D2 Always tired.
H Adjusting to exhaustion, that’s what it is.
D2 We’re gonna name our next record that (laughs).

Based on your debut’s name, can we surmise you guys are the romantic sort?
H I guess so, in many ways. I was recently asked to write a piece for a magazine on what romance was and I couldn’t. I find it impossible to explain, there’s a sort of naivety…
S I could do so using specific references to films.
H Love, Actually.
S The moment in The OC when Ryan pays the guy at the Ferris wheel to stop when they get to the top… that’s love (laughs).
H Romance is just acting on a whim, doing stuff that doesn’t make.
S Crazy, Stupid, Love.
H In 5 years I will know exactly what love is. Come back from a…
D2 …a divorce (laughs).

Every review of your debut mentioned how you guys sound like early Britpop like Oasis, newer ones like Foals, and others. What do you feel about being categorised and compared?
H It’s not a bad thing. We’re not hung up on it. But those bands, like Oasis, were compared to the Beatles when they were first around. Everyone’s compared to The Beatles, aren’t they? (Laughs) I don’t know. It’s just a part of it, isn’t it? It makes sense but we don’t really try to write like anyone.

Aside from music, romcoms, and American TV shows like The OC, what are you guys passionate about?
D1 Fitness!
H Dominic’s interested in health.
D1 Only recently, I turned a new chapter in my life after coming to Asia.
H Why?
D1 I don’t know. Boredom, attention, making a point (laughs).
H I’m passionate about doing things that feel good.

In Love received really, really good buzz from the British media. You got critics hailing it as the best thing to come out this year. We wager the pressure must be really high now, ever thought the press should just do away with all the hyperboles?
H Never really thought “Less praise, please,” you know what I mean? (Laughs) It’s flattering, but it’s never put us any under pressure. Has it?
D1 No, it’s good for the ego (Laughs).
S And by the time the record’s out, there’s nothing we can do about anything.
H Yeah, by the time it came out, we already made our own judgment of it, so it was just more of a reassurance.

What was your personal opinion of the album?
H I thought it was a lot better than I thought it would be, I was surprised by it. I didn’t think we were capable of making a record like that. I never thought we could make songs that were real songs. I was happy, then when you get good reviews, it’s like a pat on the back.

Being a band that just got into the industry, have you ever encountered any stereotypes about it? Anything that you expected to happen but didn’t happen?
S Everything has been less clichéd than I expected it to be, which I find a bit disappointing. I want more of that (laughs) – suits, people throwing money around. I just want entertainment, I want it to be more dramatic…
D1 (mumbles something about walking into the toilet and seeing people snorting coke)

(Laughs) You guys are so blasé about this whole fame thing… nothing ever happens.
H It happens!

Peace played at Upfront @ The Bee last Monday 5 August ’13.

More on the band at peaceforeverever.co.uk.