Interview with the Band Peel

October 14, 2024

Interview with the Band Peel

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello! Welcome to The Cosmick View and Metal Babe Mayhem Ten Pounder. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.

Peel: Likewise.. thank you for taking an interest in Peel and helping us reach out to your readers!

CV: Every artist experiences highs and lows. Many struggle just to move from one level to the next, and some, unfortunately, never do. What would you consider to be a pivotal point in an artist's career which would take them from one level to the next that a struggling artist should be aware of? Is it an individual mindset or does it equate more to opportunity? Or is it something all together different in your opinion?

Holten: I would say it’s a combination of all the things you mention. Creatively, just keep working hard, not giving up, and becoming better at what you do is vital and will get you results. Musicianship, songwriting and performing are all skills that need to be honed so the more you do it the better you'll become. Then it’s the business side of it… the music world is full of commercially successful garbage, so that side of it is in many instances clearly a matter of meeting the right people at the right time.

CV: What have you found to be the balancing point between relevance and over saturation when it comes to being an artist? Is there a fine line between the two or can it be looked at to some degree as the two essentially being one in the same?

Holten: Ultimately, I think the key to relevance is to stay true to your artistic vision and prioritize the quality of your work above all else. Not following trends but creating them is how you over time build an identity, be it as a songwriter, author, painter or whatever trade you are pursuing. As far as over saturation goes… I don’t really see that as an issue with the way marketing and promoting works these days where everything happens everywhere all at once and all the time. Compared to how promo and marketing used to work in the music business I guess over saturation probably is a must in order to have someone actually take notice.

CV: Is there any level of consideration, or even concern, to deliver on expectations, whether it being your own or that of the fans, when working on new material?

Holten: There are certainly expectations that we put on ourselves in everything we do. In songwriting, recording and production, live shows.. to evolve and make sure that thePeel universe is always expanding.

CV: For you, what’s first when it comes to songwriting…is it a matter of lyrics melody, chords, beat, attitude? Or is it more organic than that where the moment dictates the process and outcome?

Pim: It can be all of the above mentioned; sometimes just a cool line in a book or a movie, chain of chords, sometimes a cool beat and looped sounds…really, it can be anything. But I’ve found that for me it is very often an emotion or a snippet from my life (my inner life) that triggers the best ideas for me to work with.

CV: What do you believe makes songwriting more honest and impactful...that something that both the artist and listener can share?

Holten: That is The million $ question isn’t it? I think a lot of people have comparable experiences in life and somewhat similar emotional responses. Most of us can relate to love, hate, loss, joy, rage, loneliness and so on. It is certainly possible to tap into those things through melodies, words and sounds, and perhaps most importantly how an artist communicates in their delivery but music is also a highly subjective experience so.. it’s one of those things in life that’s very difficult to define.

CV: What do you feel has been the greatest contribution to your success as an artist?

Holten: Undoubtedly it’s having a songwriter like Pim. Songwriters of such depth and talent are so few and far between. Musical ability and understanding, sense of melody, lyrically gifted, and the ever desire to go further and his need to create what was never there before. It’s amazing to go back and listen to the Peel catalog and hear how timeless and diverse it is, but still so recognizable as Peel.

CV: What's next for you? What can fans expect to see coming up?

Holten: We will probably be releasing one or two more singles this year and we have our sights set on releasing the full album “Big Sundown” in the new year. Maybe there’s a little Xmas treat coming.. we’ll see.

CV: Thank you again for spending some time talking and sharing with

our readers. I wish you all the best and continued success.

Peel: Thank you so much for having us on and we hope to talk with you again soon!

Check out Peel at:

Love Phobia - media

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.