Despite an arduous day of rehearsals and signing almost two thousand records, Peace frontman, Harrison Koisser, remains in good spirits. This is because his band are on the verge of hitting the road again in support of their second studio record, Happy People.
Having spent “what feels like years” cooped up in the recording studio, the four-piece will be flexing their muscles at some of the UK’s most intimate haunts – including three consecutive dates at Nottingham’s Bodega. Easily conquering mightier venues in the past, the band decided to base their new tour on a pang of nostalgia.
“We’ve done Rock City twice now, and as is the case with most cities, we’ve played in most venues. So we wanted to do a tour going back to the ones we used to do when we were just starting. It’s a different vibe comparing a big show to a small show, so it’s all about balance.”
Peace’s sophomore album is set for release on February 9 – taking just under a year to record. Now, they’re eager for it to hit the masses. “We’re raring to go and get other people listening to it because we’ve heard it so many times,” says Harrison.
He believes Happy People is a natural progression for the band and an altogether more conscious effort than their debut, In Love. “I guess we’re a little more grown up now, but it just makes sense – it’s the next logical step.”
As a result, they flipped their usual recording process on its head and were more than willing to tread new ground on a sonic level. “There’s a little part where we used a string section, we’ve used brass and all kinds of stuff.” Their most recent single, Lost on Me, is testament to this. The track sees the outfit dip their toes into a cocktail of funk riffs and saccharine falsettos, to emphatic effect.
Whilst many artists are stumped by the daunting prospect of album number two, Harrison’s compulsion to always write material meant that it was pretty much plain sailing. He says: “The songs are always there and I always write album-worthy songs, so we had an album ready in a short space of time.”
Though fans will be assured of a tight live show, they’ll also be keen to see how the band’s new material translates on stage. Harrison vows to include a fair amount in their Bodega setlists, but doesn’t want to overwhelm the Nottingham faithful with too much unfamiliar music.
Peace will be joined on their UK dates by a plethora of exciting, new artists; all cherry-picked by the band themselves. Emerging from a vibrant scene Birmingham scene around three years ago, they know too well the bearing a support slot can have on any aspiring band. “It’s really important and it’s how we got noticed by people. We had our own little scene, but to help us grow we had to play in front of other people.”
And they certainly have grown as a live force. A schedule of relentless touring, which includes a huge slot on the Reading & Leeds festival main stage last summer, has benefited the band immensely. “We’ve been playing Peace songs for three years, so we’re getting pretty good at it. We’re probably better live than most bands I see,” exclaims a cocksure Harrison.
So, was the Reading & Leeds slot not even a little daunting?
“You’ve just got to take it in your stride. We were pretty excited about it, but because we’ve played around the world, we feel like there’s nothing too big for us.”
For those not au fait with a Peace live show, Harrison describes them as “really electric, with everyone getting involved – singing to every song, rather than just the singles.” It’s at these gigs where their fans have built quite the reputation. “We’ve got quite a rowdy fan-base, so the live shows are a bit of a celebration.”
As the Bodega gears itself up for its very own Peace residency, Nottingham could be in store for one of the biggest celebrations of the year.
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