Track by Track: The Peep Tempel

Singer/guitarist BLAKE SCOTT takes us through The Peep Tempel’s breakthrough second album, from butchers to Berocca.

[Historical image is withheld pending rights review.]

‘Gettin’ on By’

We had two different versions of this song. The original was called ‘Frankie’. It had a similar lyrical theme to our song ‘Modern Professional’: corporate office type, self-perceived mover and shaker, though not as dark. The intro and verses had a different melody, though the chorus was the same. We recorded both versions and then put it to a vote. ‘Gettin’ on By’ got the nod. We felt it sat better on the album and was a good opening track. A couple of our mates weren’t too happy with the change at first, but have since come around, or so they tell us. It’s a good song for summer, fist-pumpin’, road-trip type stuff.

‘Vicki the Butcher’

I thought this was a bit of a throwaway track at first; I didn’t really feel it was going anywhere. We let it sit idle for a while and then gave it another run. Came up with the staccato chorus and the guitar line between the chorus and verse, which gave it some life. I’d worked with a guy who fell in love with his butcher; her name was Vicki. He used to complain in his Northern English accent about how she was breaking him down. I just thought Vicki the Butcher was a great song title. We tried to give it a bit of a suburban bingo feel, hence the meat raffle in the breakdown. Lots of fun to play.

‘Big Fish’

The first demos of this track went for 30 minutes, had a big stoner fuzz solo, guitar and bass duels. It was so over-the-top and indulgent. We went the hard edit and got it to a seven-minute instrumental. It felt desolate, and had a real sense of foreboding; it reminded me of Josef Schwab, “The Kimberley Killer”. He was a German guy who murdered five people in the north of Australia in 1987. ‘Josef Schwab’ was the original title. The story is terrifying: he was shooting people who were camping during the school holidays. I had a go at adding some lyrics and then the feel changed completely; it felt more inner city, low-level crim. We gave it another hard edit, and went for a repetitive doof vibe. Rock-on-pills.

By the time we added the chorus, we had left the Kimberley altogether and were in a shitty card game that some halfie gangsters had seen on The Sopranos and were trying to reproduce. Probably my favourite track on the record.

‘Edgar’s Lament’

The opening riff reminds me of an Edgar Allan Poe poem, hence the title. Not much going on lyrically, just going for a bit of street creep. It lurks along nice then opens up into a cool chaos. I love the tension in the transition after the second chorus and love the drum roll. Stewy [Rayner] pulls out some off-kilter bass badness, then we’re off. It was probably one of the harder ones to get down – got inside our heads a bit – but we get there in the end. I think you can feel the trepidation in the performance, which adds to the overall feel.

‘Untitled’

Democracy. I didn’t really dig this song. Must admit I tried to foil its development, which in the end probably helped get it on the record. People have asked if it’s a rip on the current government and it does actually feel like that, but it has no meaning. An obvious sentiment, but no particular meaning. The lyrics are what Steve [Carter, drums] could decipher from the first vocal I did when we demoed it. I was just mumbling into the mic and venting my displeasure at the song by swearing. Steve wrote down what he thought I was saying. The opening line “In The Waystowe Kingston, right?” ended up featuring in the following track title. I was eating a sandwich when I did the vocal take, as I thought we were still pulling up sounds, and it ended up being the one.

I was pissed that it was still kicking around when we went to mix. Steve actually ended mixing it, which took him about five minutes. I still wanted it off, but was outvoted. I dig it now though: it’s a creeper.

‘Waystowe Kingston Men’s Home’

This song really makes me feel like shit. It’s home gone, kids gone, self-respect obliterated, bottom of the pile, retrenched, detached, annus-horribilis. Just awful. I tried to change the subject matter, but nothing worked. There is a darkness, far beyond understanding and/or reconciliation, that waits patiently for all men as their life unravels. Music should be fun. I think I’ll move on to side B.

‘Keef’

The journey, the triumph, the journey reconvened. This track makes me happy. It’s one of my favourite Peep Tempel Songs to play. I had a lump in my throat when we hit the second chorus at The Tote on Friday. Keef seemed like a fitting name. Knockabout, satisfied, occasionally honest.

‘Carol’

This song wrote itself: Stew played the bass line, Steve came in after a bar and then I just strummed a chord over the top. The first demo ended up being the arrangement. There is plenty going on underneath: it’s a ripping bass line, then this noisy, bell type chord. High anxiety. Unattainable and unfulfilled desire. The characters jumped out real quick. It’s a suburban pub setting, with a real sense of community: ‘Carol’ starts bringing in the new squeeze; he’s a contractor with a brand new HiLux and a house. You’re pissed and losing on the dogs. Bummer.

‘Don’t You Love Me Joan?’

Rather similar subject matter to the above, but not as dark. Musically, I think this is one of the highlights. Steve and Stew are really locking in, it’s a sweet groove and is rather patient, which is rare for us. Charley Cheese, the dancing Frenchman (our hype man), really steps up a notch when we play it. He’s a good barometer. I love playing it. It’s a song you can really sink into.

‘Civic Defiance’

Ok, now we’re ragging on the government. Wrote this after March in March. It is quite unlike us to be literal or political. Though we are in the midst of dark times, and sitting in silence doesn’t help. I’m absolutely terrified. For those of you who aren’t, um, there is a Berocca getting dropped into a glass at the start of this song. Cool, huh?

‘The Opera of Lester Moore’

Speaking of terrified. This song has caused me more anxiety and anguish than anything thing else we’ve done previously, put together. We have no business doing rock opera. Thankfully, Steve and Stew were there along the way to rub my back. We thought we’d give Lester as grand a farewell as we possibly could. Doing guitar overdubs on this were so much fun. I was doing windmills. Stew really nailed this one, the bass lines are epic.

We were planning to get some female backup singers in to sing the “anarchy” parts, but were worried we might be taken seriously, so we got a bunch of mates to sing in falsetto. If you solo it, it is truly awful, but hilarious. Watching the guys trying to do it was one of the highlights of making the record.

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‘Tales’ is out now on vinyl, CD and digital through Wing Sing Records. Tour dates below.

Fri, Oct 10 – The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine, VIC [w/Blue Stratos]
Sat, Oct 11 – The Eastern, Ballarat, VIC [w/Spacejunk + Swhat]
Fri, Oct 17 – The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba, QLD [free]
Sat, Oct 18 – The Bearded Lady, Brisbane, QLD [w/The Dangermen + Eyes Ninety]
Fri, Oct 24 – The Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney, NSW [free]
Fri, Oct 31 – The Reverence Hotel, Melbourne, VIC [w/Kids of Zoo + Blue Stratos]