An Interview with Peter Holmström (Pete International Airport/The Dandy Warhols)

For some reason I recently had Beatles on the brain, specifically the early years of their madness-inducing mop tops. I started to think about those early interviews of theirs, and then started to look up some of those early pressers. I was taken aback by just how many times the foursome was asked about money and marriage, but there were some gems amongst the clunkers. And so, inspired by the early press conferences of the Beatles, I decided to ask some of those very same questions.

The first victims of this experiment are the three fantastic bands playing the Fuzzy Logic 7th Anniversary Show, happening THIS SUNDAY at DC9. If you're in town, you should be there.

Peter Holmström really needs no introduction, but I'm going to give you one anyway. I would hope you've heard of his longtime outfit The Dandy Warhols. Holmström has been making glorious guitar noise with his compatriot Dandys for over two decades now, but that's not his only musical endeavor. Pete International Airport is his other sonic heartbeat, his vessel for creating transcendently shapeshifting psych rock works of art. On newest record Safer With The Wolves, the mercurial works of Pete International Airport incorporate not just heady, heavy waves of noise but cunning electronic undulations that take the songs even further into some fantastically far out places. Be sure you come to DC9 on Sunday evening to see how the magic translates right in front of you.  

Fuzzy Logic: What has been your most exciting moment in the last year?

Peter Holmström: Realizing that the group of people that I put together for Pete International Airport couldn’t have been better.

FL: Who are your favorite recording artists?

PH: B.R.M.C., A Place To Bury Strangers, Massive Attack, Black Angels, Liars.

FL: Do you feel safe riding in airplanes?

PH: Yes.

FL: Does every city look the same?

PH: Not yet.

FL: What message are you trying to get across, if any?

PH: I’m not really trying to get a message across. But there was a vibe that I wanted for the record. I didn’t specifically tell anyone that I collaborated with what I wanted, but they all seemed to understand perfectly.

FL: How would you describe yourself in one word?

PH: Intentional.

FL: Where would you like to go that you haven't gone yet?

PH: Japan, Brazil.

FL: Do you feel that you're setting a new trend in music?

PH: No.

FL: What kinds of guitars do you use?

PH: Fender Telecasters, Gibson Firebirds and 335s, Gretsch White Falcon, Harvester, Tao, Koll, Dan Armstrong, Pure Salem, etc.

FL: Does anybody ever ask you for advice?

PH: Yes, usually about guitar gear.

FL: How do you prefer for your fans to act at your concerts?

PH: Like they are having a good time.

FL: How do you go about writing your songs?

PH: Every way that works.

FL: What is one question you would like to be asked that probably nobody has ever asked?

PH: There isn’t one at the moment. I have been asked everything more than once by now.

FL: What do you call your sound?

PH: “A psyche rock journey into the dark heart of electronica.”

FL: Have you ever had a mental block-out on stage?

PH: Yes, I’ve started playing the wrong song a few times. I’ve completely forgotten how to play one once.

FL: What are your unfulfilled ambitions?

PH: Touring in Japan.

FL: What advice do you have for teenagers?

PH: I’m not qualified to be giving advice to teenagers.

FL: What is the closest you have come to losing life and limb?

PH: Probably almost being swept away by a strong currant while snorkeling in Mexico.

FL: Do you think of yourself more as an entertainer or a musician, or do you think it's more of a combination of the two?

PH: I am not an entertainer.

[posted 1.25.18]