Here We Go Magic Interview

by Alison on July 30, 2010

Here We Go Magic is one of the few blogosphere darlings that actually deserves the popular acclaim they receive.Their latest release, Pigeons, is a catchy and ecclectic album on constant replay in my household. Needless to say, I was very excited when drummer Peter Hale took a break from their busy schedule to answer a few questions about the band and other musings.

Alison: HWGM hails from Greenpoint, BK--one of the most creative and innovative musical epicenters to emerge in recent years—what is it like to live and to create music in such a community?

Peter: I live in South Williamsburg, and I love my neighborhood so much. My friends are wonderful, generous, talented people, every last one, and so are my friends who live in Greenpoint!

A: In “Collector,” the lyrics go “I’ve got a mild fascination with collectors.” What are things you have a mild fascination with and/or collect?

P: I live a transient life of a traveling musician, so I don't collect much more than the patina of a journeyman these days. I do, however, have a modest and quirky wine collection in storage. My fascinations tend to become consuming if not obsessive, so they're zealous rather than mild fascinations.

A: For those who haven’t heard of HWGM, how would you describe yourself in terms of both influences and sound?

P: We're influenced by so much! It's all in there somewhere. We have varied tastes, but share some key touchstones. We listen to music together all the time in the van. Not really an iPod scene on the road, so we're probably all being subconsciously influenced by the same stuff. I like to think of us as an exploratory rock band (we play drums, bass, keys, guitars... nothing fancy) who aim to be expressive with each other and not say "no" to anything. All the music that we hear -- that lives in us -- has to be integrated with how the five of us interact with each other. It's essential that we listen to each other and feed off of that energy, rather than trying to construct something conceptual or developing an agenda in getting a "sound" or style.

A: What are your plans for the upcoming months and future?

P: We're on the road in the States and abroad through the summer and fall. Then more records, more touring, more records, more touring... Babies!

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