TEMPLETON PEK
Questions asked by Jon Wilde, added to Rock Realms 24th December 2010.
UK punk-rock trio Templeton Pek release their second album "Scratches & Scars" through Smalltown Records on 21st Feb 2011. We caught up with the guys to find out more. Prepare for some slightly bonkers answers...
Hi Guys, thanks for taking a moment to answer these questions. Hope you are well?
TP: We are well thanks, just making final preparations on a new video and the release of the new album ready for February.
How and when did Templeton Pek originally form and what’s the background of the various members?
TP: We formed after meeting and working in a music venue in Birmingham around 2007. The background on all our computers is Jeremy Clarkson in various alluring positions.
You’re presumably named after the A-Team character (we’re assuming it’s not coincidence!). Why the slightly different spelling? Legal issues or slip of the pen?
TP: No we're named after an infamous trapist Monk 'Templeton' from Tibet who discovered a particular natural herb named 'Pek Plant'. Once brewed and eventually carbonated then consumed, users found themselves hammered, talking utter crap and making bold statements of no sound theory. later this beverage would be widely known as 'Beer.' He was also a notorious poncho wearer. We like ponchos.
Who would you list as your main musical influences? Does everyone in the band have similar tastes, or are you an eclectic bunch?
TP: Music wise its nice to mix it up, we aren't a one genre band at all, and lucky in the fact we can mix it up and our style allows us to play with many types of bands. As far as taste goes Simon (drummer) is very much a meat and pasty person, Kev (guitar) isn't particularly fussy and I (Neal) have somewhat of a sweet tooth.
Did you set out to be the band you are now, or have your ideas about style and sound developed a lot since you began?
TP: Initially we were a Morris Dancing troupe. There was never a set plan of sound at all. I guess over the years after lots of tours, and experience you gain in recording and rehearsing shapes your sound ultimately. It's basically songs we like, no big design.
When did you start work on latest album “Scratches & Scars”, and how easily did it all come together?
TP: We started writing and initial pre-productions through last year but didn't start to track the album until February this year. We recorded drums at Sanctuary studios in Dudley, then built a home studio at Si (drummer)'s girlfriend's house to record everything else. We had a couple of tours in between but we finalised mixing around October.
It definitely wasn't an easy process as we self-produced, which in itself is a difficult task let alone writing the songs. It defiantly was a massive learning curve though. We're massively proud of the final outcome, which is pretty much as close to a solid representation of the band as you'll get.
How does it compare in terms of sound and quality to your debut?
TP: It pisses all over the first album. In my opinion. In song, structure, performance and delivery. The thing about the first album was it was essentially two EP's stuck together and the songs were pretty much recorded how we wrote them. On 'Scratches & Scars' we had 3 years touring experience, and our songwriting and performance has improved ten fold. We wrote to record, rather than recorded what we wrote.
How do you typically go about writing a song? Are you a jamming band or more methodical?
TP: Initially we make sketches with crayons and make bark rubbings to form ideas. There's no method really. Some come from jamming others from ideas from us individually. Some come quickly, others take time. Especially on this record we pre-produced a few songs to see how they'd turn out recorded, then changed the structure. Also there are a few songs where parts were re-written or lyrics changed. It was pretty much a continuous process.
Where do you look for your lyrical and musical writing ideas?
TP: The 1989 Blue Peter annual.
Is there a story/theme running through the album or is it more a collection of individual songs?
TP: There are a few themes. The title suggest to me a sense that everyone goes through hard times, that those events make you the person that you are today. And the songs are representative of going through certain and different periods in our lives and overcoming things. I don't like to give too much away and let people make up their own minds and associations with the songs.
Do you do anything special or unusual in the studio to get your sound?
TP: There wasn't a lot of clothing used in this recording. There was also a hell of a lot of cheese toasties consumed. We also employed a native american indian to stand and stare at us in the studio 17 hours a day just to intimidate us into working harder. There was a mixed response to this.
What’s your favourite moment on the album?
TP: The moment we handed it to the label to go get pressed. There was a massive sense of relief knowing its all done. Artwork, music, everything.
Do you enjoy the whole studio/creative experience, or do you prefer getting up on the live stage?
TP: As we were totally reliant on ourselves for every part of the process it was more stressful than just doing what a producer tells us. You have no-one to fall back on or blame if things go wrong. Obviously as I said it was a great experience and big learning curve and I think it pushed us all in all aspects of being a recording artist, and resulted in a better record.
What is a Templeton Pek show like? What should fans expect from one of your performances?
TP: They're usually pretty loud, involve a bit of climbing, crowd participation and public humiliation of our roadie. Everyone should come see us play live for the chance to buy merch and CDs too.
Are you big on after-show parties, or are you refined gentle folk who like nothing more than a mug of Horlicks and an early night?
TP: We all share a bunk together and take turns to read to the others. No we aren't very responsible when it comes to after shows. I think everyone has the best intentions on tour, but no-one can just have a couple of beers in that atmosphere. The key is to mix the drinks around. One time in Germany we overdid the Jager the night before and at the next show. Literally our voices were just like frogs croaking. I think everyone finds their balance after a few tours.
I understand you’ve had at least one song featured in a computer game. How did that come about, and what does it feel like hearing one of your tracks crank up when you are playing?
TP: Really bizarre. Especially now we've heard its sold over a million copies or something equally crazy. A friend of ours was helping put the soundtrack together and asked if we wanted to submit a song. We didn't have anything recorded in between albums so build a studio in our living room and banged out the track 'Rewd Lights Flash.' Luckily it made it through all the screenings and submissions to get approval. weirdly i was invited to Sonisphere to help plug the game and played the demo for the first time, and our track came on, just as the film crew were filming too. There was much rejoicing.
Do you feel that exposure has helped further the band’s career, or is it just that it’s a cool thing to be able to say you’ve done?
TP: Its defiantly helped bring in new fans. Console games are so big now that they are just another great outlet for bands to expose their music too. lots of bands like Millencolin got big off the back of game soundtracks. Hopefully we'll get to be on more games in future, or its back to the street corner.
Also, what’s the deal behind ‘Thirty Seconds Too Far’? You are trying to break some sort of record, correct?
TP: Basically we had a 30 second song that has always gone down really well live, there are loads of crowd filmed versions on youtube. So we thought why not release it complete with a full blown music video? Because no-one does that. It's crazy enough it just might work. The industry seems to dictate to the consumers that a 3 minute 3o second song with the same structures are ideal singles, and people as a whole seem to have accepted that. So we thought we'd throw a spanner in the works and see what happens. It's nice to think that if we chart, stations will have to play this 30 second song. If we do chart we will be the shortest UK single to chart. It's more a experiment of independence. No-one dictates what we do, we are self sufficient we self produce and are in total control.
Where do you see the band in 5 years? Onwards and upwards, or do you take each day as it comes?
TP: There's not so much of a grand plan and very much take everything as it comes. From our experience the majority of the time in this industry nothing goes to plan, but that could just be us. It would be nice to be able to tour and put out records with no outside issues.
Any question you love being asked that I’ve missed? If so, what’s the answer?
TP: What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow? .... African or European....aaaaarghhh! (if you've never seen Holy Grail you will not get this)
What are you up to once you’ve finished answering these questions?
TP: There's a German Xmas market here in Birmingham at the moment so we're heading there for big Bratwursts and beer.
Anything else you would like to mention?
TP: Free Nelson Mandela....and go buy our album and support independent music.
Thanks again to the guys for their time, and we really hope the pills kick in soon :)
http://www.myspace.com/templetonpek
http://www.facebook.com/templetonpek
