Pete Lawrie // Interview

Pete Lawrie is now a much-loved new name in my life. Possessing a bellowing, raspy voice that is just plain resonant and bellowing, as well as a dexterity that covers Celtic folk, rock and the at times melodramatic makes for some pretty darn good listening. Hailing from Penarth, Pete has collaborated with the likes of Speech Debelle, strange when you think of his own output, but completely on point with his mélange.

Pete Lawrie is also somewhat prolific beyond his own recordings. A quick YouTube search throws up road-trip high jinx, hip-hop covers with Lauren Pritchard (under the River Kids moniker), whilst his MySpace hosts a series of mix-tape compilations of home recordings that should prove prized and telling as his career unfurls.

All That We Keep’s careworn beauty is a fine example of how special this unassuming character is set to be. Backed by two of his own remixes under different aliases, a Jay-Z cover (‘Song Cry’) with American songstress Lauren Prichard, and a new track written with Guillemots vocalist Fyfe Dangerfield, it’s a fascinating introduction to this intense but welcoming young Welshman.

Grab a copy here…..

Pete Lawrie (Jocks remix) // All That We Keep by Stayloose

The chap’s voice lends itself to the music’s variance in meter very well, at times the Waterboy’s with the attitude of The Pogues, coupled with the ferocity and elegance of Dylan and the occasional, hanging poignancy of David Gray, but in more of Welsh growl, and a very nice Welsh growl for that matter. As I mentioned, I’m a fan and Pete has been kind enough to answer a few questions for us…..

Which artists would you say have held influence on you and your work?

Lyrically, my favourite artists are Paul Simon, Jay Z and Bill Callaghan. More recently Laura Marling. All are as conversational as they are Universal. Anyone who can make you feel that you are in the room, but with enough swag and attitude to remain slightly aloof, untouchable. Musically, I can honestly say there must be records i love in every genre. I try to play to death a new record every week. I still collect music as much as I can. Still as big a fan as I ever was.

What is the most nervous / disastrous performance you’ve had?

I have a recurring dream, that when we play a song called Just Dust, I have to play it on a tiny piano and my hands are too big. I end up giving the crowd their money back and my career begins to freefall. When that dream becomes a reality, then that will be the answer to this question

What are the apparent highlights of Glastonbury for you?

Doing a midnight, Landrover tour of the festival Stewards was a hoot. They never get to hear any music. They just get the grumpy hungover types in the morning and the Pissed rowdy types in the night. Must be a horrible job

At present who are the most interesting artists in world?

I suppose Lady Gaga has reinvigorated the idea of a proper popstar. She is our Michael Jackson or Madonna. I don’t think she is particularly innovative however, so to me, someone more like Andre 3000 or Janelle Monae. They are spontaneous and brave in their musical output and charismatic in performance

Why?

Oh. Umm, I kind of answered above I hope

Do you have any plans to play the UK in the future?

Yes, we have had an incredibly busy summer so far and the dates just keep coming in. You can see where we are playing herewww.myspace.com/petelawrie

In a perfect world whom would you like to work with (alive or dead) and why?

I would like to collaborate with musicians who have no care for genre boundaries. A supergroup with no predetermined sound. Sounds horrible I know, but not with the right members. So, maybe Danger Mouse to produce, Bernard Purdie Drums, Roots Keyboard player on Keys. Flea on bass. I would say Hendrix on guitar, but I think he is too good to jam. It would always be the ‘Hendrix show’, so maybe Dan Auerbach ( Black Keys) on guitar. I would Share Vocal Duties with Mos Def, whose Singing voice I love as much as his raps.

Oh and you can check out his latest video, for ‘All That We Keep’ below…..

1. 

   Mark Thorpe says:

   July 28, 2010 at 7:31 am

   Nice article you might want to edit the fact that the Turnin brakes gig’s were like months ago so you may struggle to go on the 26th march now, it does not sync into the timeline as we are in July now !!!!!! Pete Lawrie is without doubt in my mind the best british singer songwriter out there right now
2. 

   James says:

   July 28, 2010 at 12:07 pm

   Good point Mark, I shall edit – though the chap is Welsh, don’t know how he’d feel about being labeled British! Thanks for reading though, and your eagle eye with the live dates.

   Best.

   Jim,