The Pierces, two sisters from Alabama, have been singing together since they were children. Since then, they’ve released five full-length albums, had their music featured on ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘Pretty Little Liars’ (to name a couple), and supported none other than Coldplay at the itunes festival. With the sisters currently on tour supporting their latest album ‘Creation’, I spoke to Allison before their Leadmill show about the album and touring life in general.
‘Creation’, a slightly more groove-centric album in comparison to their previous previous indie/folk releases, drew from Peter Gabriel and the Paul Simon album ‘Graceland’ as its main influences. Before recording the final version however, the band required a little soul searching.
‘We started doing this stuff in LA called ayahuasca, it’s a like a shamanic, hallucinogenic, plant medicine.
‘It’s really good if you’re kind of like stuck in your life, or want to overcome something, it can show you what’s blocking it.’
Catherine followed this up by spending a week in Peru, the home of ayahuasca, but the effect it actually had the album, admits Allison, is unknown.
Being on tour obviously carries glamorous connotations, especially with two sisters known for being fashion conscious, but there are actually surprising parallels between that and student life. Although enforced through living out of a suitcase as opposed to just being poor with a washing machine, Allison says she is stuck wearing the same outfit everyday.
‘I just make sure it’s comfortable, black leather jacket, stretchy jeans…’
Is that not what everyone wears everyday?
The parallels continue in how the pair kill time. Louis Theroux, everyone’s favourite awkward investigative journalist, is Allison’s current weapon of choice on Netflix.
‘He’s so open and gentile that people feel safe around him.’
Around nine each evening however, the similarities end; rather than thinking about predrinks, The Pierces take to the stage.
In front of a Leadmill crowd that was pushed back to the wall, Allison and Catherine, complete with a four-piece band, effortlessly played through a set of songs that spanned their entire career. Recent single ‘Kings’ was a particular highlight, whilst between songs the pair showed off their chemistry via jokes about presents and other things. The overall effect was so polished it was as if they had been playing together since… Never mind.
Words by Jamie Doherty
Original piece
No comments:
Post a Comment