Peter Jefferies - Nocturnal Projections Interview
Tell me about growing up in NZ with your brother Graeme. What was your guy’s childhood like? When did you first begin to fall in love with music, more specifically the keys? What would you and your brother do for fun growing up?
I grew up with my brother Graeme in Stratford, a small town (population 5,000), in New Zealand’s North Island. We were both always interested in music. I started playing drums and singing at age 13. Graeme began guitar at the same time. He was 12. The piano playing came later (I didn't start playing it regularly until I was about 22). Fun growing up was music, art and partying with friends.
Who were some of your earliest influences in your more formative years? When and where did you see your very first concert and when did you realize you wanted to spend your life pursuing and making music?
The first real gig I ever saw was the Sweet at the Bowl of Brooklyns, in New Plymouth. I think that was in 1975? First proper gig I ever played was in a band called Dull Emma (Auckland, 1979). We had one original song - "My Neighbours" - which I wrote. The rest of the songs were hi speed covers of things like the Stooges, or Mott the Hoople. But that was the point where I became serious about music as a life choice.
You and brother are responsible for putting together two of the most legendary outfits in early 1980’s NZ. How did you guys initially meet your band mates and what eventually led to forming the mighty Nocturnal Projections? What was the chemistry like between everyone both musically and personally?
Nocturnal Projections were formed at the beginning of 1981. First gig was February 14th. Split early in 1983 and This Kind of Punishment was formed after that. 1983 - 1987. For the most part we all got on well in both bands. As far as records… Nocturnal recorded at Stebbings in Auckland. 24 track studio. We got the deal with Hit Singles Records after they saw us play live. This Kind of Punishment used a 4 track and recorded in whichever building we were living in at the time. TKP seldom played live, although we did manage one national tour of NZ in 1985.
I’d like to jump ahead to your solo career with records such as “Elevator Madness”, “Electricity”, “Substatic” and so many other wonderful works. What has your career been like as a solo artist outside of writing and creating music with your brother and other various members of the years? Is there anything else you would like to further share with the readers?
My solo performances and recordings began at the end of the '80's and start of the '90's. They just developed as a consequence of 10, or more years in bands. I reached a point where I wanted to get free of that, both artistically and for ease of travel. I could tour overseas much easier and more cheaply as a solo act. The recordings at that point were released by Xpressway in New Zealand. They were subsequently signed to Ajax Records in the US, which increased my profile considerably. Things grew from there and over the years all this has expanded. I've worked with a number of labels from then to now. Mostly American labels, but some of them are European. In 2013 De Stijl Records (US) reissued my first solo album, "The Last Great Challenge in a Dull World" and there's been a steady stream of releases and reissues since then. The latest being "Closed Circuit" (Grapefruit Records) in July of this year. In conclusion I will just add that my biography, written by Andrew Schmidt and titled "Peter Jefferies: The Other Side of Reason" should be out next year. Hozac Books in Chicago are publishing it. So for anyone who might be interested in any more of the facts, stories and details of what I've been up to.... well, there it will all be.
