Jack Peachey, aka Gallery 47 is back and recently wowed a packed out Nottingham Contemporary with a stunning live performance, check out our review here. Darren Patterson spoke to the singer-songwriter to find out what he’s been up to and what’s coming next.
Gallery 47 performing at Nottingham Contemporary – photograph by Michael C Wheeler
Hi Jack, how are things?
Hello, things are alright thanks.
Your new album, All Will Be Well, is due out later this month, can you tell us a bit about it?
It’s a nice record I think. It happened very quickly. Most of the songs were written in 2012 and it’s mostly about losing someone important for a while. Still, it’s quite acceptant, almost positive. I can never tell what other people will think of my music, but I’m really happy with it for now.
The album has been a while in the pipeline, due to your health issues, how great does it feel to finally be getting it out there?
It feels really good, quite therapeutic. I hope people will like it. It’s quite a personal so I feel like I’m letting my guard down a little bit, but I know myself and I prefer the purity that I was feeling when writing these lyrics to how I’m feeling now a year or so later. There wasn’t enough time to analyse and criticise too much, although I did drink a lot.
With the health issues you had how much did having the music to concentrate on help you through that time?
I remember it well. Lots of denial, smoke, drinks, pizza. It was just a bit sad. I was living alone in this coach house, waiting to find out what was going on with me. I really missed my ex girlfriend. I had this surgery on my leg. I woke up every morning with a swollen scar thigh. I listened to John Lennon all the time for some reason, the album, “Imagine”, and I had this little Dulcimer which I’d always been interested in playing after hearing “Blue” by Joni Mitchell. So, I was left on my own for a while with a few of my favourite records, I didn’t really see anyone, I had a lot to say and no way to say it other than through songs and so I made this album very quickly as a result.
The title of the album is “All Will Be Well” is that inspired by what you were going through during the writing process of the album?
Yes I think so. It was a nice message. I refused to take a picture for the album cover until everything was okay again. Then we both went out to Amsterdam and had this perfect time and ate fries in the Vondelpark and cycled around and took the cover photo there, so generally when I think about the album it makes me feel happy. Sad Time, Happy Time.
The launch night for your new single ‘Invasion’ took place at Nottingham Contemporary last weekend, it was a really great night, how did you think it went?
I got to sit down on a stool and people were friendly and it was good to play a longer set with more of the new songs in. It’s always more enjoyable when you’re playing to a home crowd as there is less of a pressure to prove yourself, which can often make the performance better I think.
The Contemporary is a great venue with a really chilled out vibe and lovely atmosphere, we think it’s a venue really suited to your music and style, do you agree?
Yes I really like the Contemporary. I’d like to play there more. I guess it comes down to the audience, though.
You’ve recently signed a deal with Nottingham label and super promoters I’m Not From London, how much help has that been in getting the new album released and what made them the right choice for you?
Well whenever things have seemed a bit solitary, those guys have always been there. I remember it was the same with the Dividends EP launch back in February 2013. As a solo artist without any sort of entourage, live shows and marketing campaigns can be really daunting. I don’t know too much about the music industry and generally, I get quite upset when people act like sharks, so I guess I went with I’m Not From London because they seem to be good people who care about music and are considerate of people like me who can be a bit unpredictable.
We really enjoyed your set at Splendour Festival, how much fun was it to play at Wollaton Park and such a big event?
I liked it, but my Dad was kicking off in the car beforehand because he’d quit smoking, so it kind of soured the day. I really liked playing a new song called, “All I Know”, for the first time at that festival. I’ve been writing all this new music but some of it is quite different to the older songs. It was a pity about the rain though. The ducks seemed to enjoy it.
We also noticed a lot of fellow Nottingham musicians in the crowd and you’re often cited by your contemporaries in the city, how much does it mean knowing your fellow singers are such big fans?
That’s nice to hear. I’m always amazed by how many people are out there playing gigs for free and working really hard on new songs, videos, headline shows etc. – it’s inspiring without being competitive. In some cities, there can be quite a lot of local rivalry between different musical forces and their respective managers, but I haven’t really seen that here.
You went to Europe this year and had the honour of supporting the legendary Paul Weller, which must have been an amazing experience?
It was great fun, but I couldn’t speak any German and so I could never bring myself order food and was really hungry the whole time. Even before the show in Berlin I was playing this Metal Gear Solid style game of trying to get bread from the buffet room without bumping into anyone. Paul Weller may well have seen me doing this. Good first impression, right.
What was it like to meet Paul, was he a fan of your music?
It was scary to meet someone you respected because you never want those people to think badly of you. He was nice to me after the first show in Hamburg and I tried to keep myself to myself. Then in Berlin he let me use his lights and his sound which is just a decent thing for him to do when he really didn’t have to. I’m sure he met another support act the next night and was just as nice, so as with everything I enjoy the moment and then let it go, but it was a really cool experience to meet him and play on the same stage to his crowd.
It’s a while since you released your first album and in that time the Nottingham music scene has continued to grow, have you noticed a change in the way Nottingham music is perceived in the time between the releases?
These days I tend to hide away from anything relating to hype, but I’ve followed some of the artists who I met back in 2010 when I first started playing – people like Natalie Duncan and Cecille Grey – and I think they’re doing brilliantly.
Which other Nottingham musicians do you enjoy listening to?
There are just so many. I’ve never known any musician in Nottingham who I really didn’t want to listen to. I think Natalie Duncan is a real talent, I think Cecille Grey are immense. I really like Band of Jackals too, some really awesome, heavy, guitar-driven songs (that’s what you get if you ask a clumsy acoustic musician to define a specific genre in rock). I go to watch them when I feel like a beer and a rock show, which is actually getting to be quite common. Recently I’ve played with Alexa Hawksworth and Hearts, and also the new songwriter Jamie Moon. Adam Peter Smith made a really nice, well-produced album and I’m always checking up on Marc Reeves and his new stuff. But again, this is just a list on the spur of the moment, there are too many good musicians and I’ve no idea who to mention. Everyone’s really good and they support each other and make things better for everyone. I think maybe that’s always helped by the fact that people now know that they’re performing in a city which is being increasingly recognised for its music.
With the album launch fast approaching are there any plans to head out on a tour to support it?
Maybe, but I just don’t know what’s going to happen. There are some things up in the air at the moment that are looking quite good, but you never know. I think I would prefer to play with a bigger act on a support tour at this stage.
When you’re not performing, recording or writing, how do you like to relax, away from the music?
Well I like to go to Amsterdam. I go with Louise and we sit in Dampkring a lot and talk about books and stuff. I’m supposed to be doing an MA degree in English Lit as well. I’m not sure why. We go to watch the football sometimes on Saturdays.
Finally is there anything else you’d like to say to the readers of NottinghamLIVE?
Thanks for reading all the way to the end, you deserve a medal.
Interview by Darren Patterson
