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RIOT GIR : A brief chat with Piney
Piney Gir is the pseudonym of Mute Song's Angela Penhaligon. This gives her the somewhat enviable position of working at the UK's best record label, while also releasing her own music. A former member of Vic Twenty with Adrian Morris until 2003, Piney releases her incredibly special debut album Peakahokahoo via Truck Records on 19 July - click here to read our review of the album. Mat Smith grabbed five minutes with Piney to talk about the album, the origins of her name and a very diverse set of influences indeed.
MAT SMITH : Try as I might, and despite searching the web for a good couple of hours, I cannot find what a 'Piney Gir' is. What does it mean? Does it mean anything?
PINEY GIR : Piney Gir is something I have called myself ever since I was very small (like 2 years old), I literally made it up so it doesn't really have much of a meaning. People would say "What's your name little girl?" and I'd say "Piney! and I'm a Gir!" (that was because I couldn't say girl properly). It seemed a suitable stage name, all be it a little strange, I quite like it.
MS : I was really quite surprised to hear that you'd left Vic Twenty. What prompted the decision? I'm also wowed by the difference in musical style from the tracks with Vic, which couldn't be further from your current work - less eighties-inspired, perhaps?
PG : I did not leave Vic Twenty by choice, I was very upset when I was kicked out of the band. Vic and I have rekindled our friendship, but I doubt we'll do music again together. I do wish him all the best with his musical project.
I love 80's music, but I also love rock 'n' roll, glam, 60's stuff, kooky stuff, odd instruments, classical music, country & all sorts! I guess my solo project is more diverse because it can be, because it's just me. I still believe in strong melodies and I have my pop sensibilities which lends to a consistency with all my music. The mark of a good song is a tune and a sentiment that can transcend genre. (Think how well 'Sweet Child Of Mine' translated to synth with Vic Twenty!) I am hoping not to get chucked into a synthpop pigeonhole because there's more to my music than that... but there are a couple of synth pop numbers on the album, hopefully there's something for everyone!
MS : I've seen your music described variously as '2D electro-pop' and being 'inspired by French female singers'. How would you describe your sound?
PG : I'm not even sure what 2-D electro pop means! I do like Francois Hardy though, ummm... I have used the term folktronic before, but I'm not even sure if that captures it. Maybe it's just quirky pop. Like there's defo some synth pop on on my album, then a bit of more shouty riot grrrl electro, a moody track inspired by Frank Tovey, a bit of country, some proper strings, horns in a Bacharach style, there's easy listening, and a definite lounge tip, there's glam and straight up pop too. I am proud of my musical diversity, if you think of a good catchphrase for it let me know.
MS : How about 'eclectronica'?
PG : Hey eclectronica is quite a sweet word actually! Thanks!
MS : The album's out in less than a month - will there be a tour to promote it?
PG : Anat Ben David (of Peaches, Chicks On Speed acclaim) and I will be doing a little tour called Beatchicks around the UK, the dates have not been set yet, but already I'm looking forward to it! We will have multimedia installations inspired by Beatnik stuff, we want to give people more than just a gig, we want to give them an experience that they'll remember. One of my favourite films is "Funny Face" with Audrey Hepburn, I love the scene when she's all crazy beatnik cool and does that interpretive dance in the French jazz club. We are using that as inspiration for the Beatchicks tour (not promising a dance...though, maybe...). You'll have to check my web site for dates www.pineygir.com, it'll probably be early Autumn.
MS : I managed to pick up a copy of the pretty gorgeous 'Different Darkness' 7", which you were involved in. How did that come about? I'm not a fan of that band at all, so to hear their music recontextualised in this manner was really good.
PG : That's just more proof that good songwriting can rise above the style it's written in. I used to be in an all-girl recorder group and we were asked to be involved on that ‘Different Darkness’ single, we split up but the label manager from Guided Missile still wanted me to be involved in the release, so I formed the Orff Orchestra. It's a bit of a tribute to The Portsmouth Symphonia with Brian Eno, Gavin Bryars, and Simon Fisher Turner... The Orffs have an ethos whereby we don't rehearse we just turn up for gigs or to record, there is a big chance element to it, and it's SO much fun! I think that comes across in our music. We are going to be on the ‘Guided Missile Morrissey’ single next, we're doing "How Soon Is Now" so that's exciting, look out for it later this summer!
MS : How do you write your songs - what inspires you to put pen to paper, and how does the sound evolve? I was particularly impressed with your usage of that 'guitar keyboard' last year on the tour to support Erasure - is this an indication of your preferred type of instrument?
PG : I am very fortunate because songs just pop into my head. It can happen anytime and anywhere so sometimes you can see me on the tube in morning rush hour singing into my phone, or cueing up for a coffee texting myself some lyrics. Then when I get home I work out the chords, how I want the beat to go, maybe I need to fill in some gaps with the lyrics or write a middle eight. I guess songwriting comes quite naturally to me and I never take that for granted, I thank my lucky stars each time a new song comes to me.
And shucks, I'm pleased that you like my little red key-tar! I use it now for every song, it's my main synth when I'm gigging. You've gotta come out and see me play! When I'm recording though I use a vast amount of synths and sounds. My Yamaha CS5 rocks! I fear it's too fragile to gig with, I'd be gutted if anything happened to it... my guitar synth is sturdier and it just looks good on stage!
MS : How did you come to work with Val & Ann-Marie, Erasure's long-term live backing vocalists?
PG : I befriended them backstage when Vic Twenty was touring with Erasure and we still meet up and go out for cocktails sometimes, they are really such sweet girls and we get on a treat! I have found friends for life in them! When I asked them if they would help out on the album they were more than happy to. I'm not sure how they found the Truck studio though, it's on a farm and quite, erm... rustic! They are amazing! They really made that track sparkle! Thanks girls!
MS : When I listened to the album, some of the tracks reminded me of the first two Depeche Mode albums, but then again I also heard reference points from the golden era of The Rat Pack and Phil Spector / Brian Wilson / Van Dyke Parkes. What would you say has been the influence on you in making this album?
PG : Well, you've figured it out, my influences are from all over the place! I was sheltered from secular music growing up because I was raised in such a religious household. When I finally was able to listen to rock and pop it was like a tidal wave of music flooded into my life. I soaked it all up like a sponge. The first albums I bought with my own money were Depeche Mode and Erasure, so it makes sense that I would have a leaning towards analogue pop, but I went through all sorts of phases (and hairstyles - cringe), from rock to hip-hop, country, r 'n' b, oldies, Japanese pop, all sorts and I guess that diversity manifests in my music.