Interview mit Diane Pellotieri von Pencey Sloe

What inspired you personally to become a musician in the first place and to create PENCEY SLOE?
I had two vintage guitars at my place that nobody was using. I took the opportunity to start writing songs merely to pass time. I discovered incredible emotions and from there I couldn’t stop writing. Eventually I shared my compositions with friends, Valentin and Clément. They proposed that we should do something with it, but without any expectations, just for fun. That’s how PENCEY SLOE started. Boredom, no job and no money, avoiding to become mad and crazy.

Before PENCEY SLOE did you already get any experience in professional music?
PENCEY SLOE is my first experience, I didn’t play or write music before that. Although I knew a few chords, I learned more while preparing for the initial EP with my mates.

Neige of Alcest recommended your music especially to fans of Slowdive, Low and Chelsea Wolfe. Would you agree with that?
Being that it’s subjective and personal for each person, it is how he felt the music. When people compare your music to other artists – when there was no thought about getting close to that sound at all, it’s bizarre. However, being compared to such amazing artists is flattering at the same time, so I can’t complain.

What exactly do you think is the quintessence of your music?
Something inexplicable and mysterious, young and spontaneous, completely uncontrolled, free, blind. I don’t control anything and I am not sure I wanna know more. I prefer to feel and explore music in a naive way.

You basically play shoegaze, but you are signed to Prophecy Productions, a label that is also known for its metal bands. Do you also have some connection to metal music?
While I do not connect with metal music and it’s unknown to me, the imagery and message behind metal music I find interesting. I know the basics and some culture. Otherwise, it doesn’t provoke me.

I have the impression that you make music that sounds a lot more raw and rock-orientated than most shoegaze and dreampop bands. Do you pursuit this approach with a certain intention?
It’s the music that influences me the most, yes, but it was without intention when PENCEY SLOE began. We simply wanted to play music together. I wanted to learn from the beginning, and quite naturally I took the lead in the compositions. It felt odd since I didn’t know what I was actually doing, and then a style came out and around the compositions. A specific style would have been unnatural for we carried things out blindly.

Shoegaze is generally a genre where the production itself plays an important role and where many effects are used. Therefore, some bands of the genre are accused of hiding bland compositions behind layers of delay and reverb. What is your opinion on that?
I’d agree that it can serve as a cached misery, and sometimes it is too much. However, no matter the effects, an excess of reverb can also refine a song. If the song is good, it will be noticed as such. When a song is bad, you can add all the effects on earth, it will remain bad.

What exactly amazes you about this style of music in particular?
Not the style of music, rather, it’s creating music in general. It’s still fresh and I have not finished exploring and learning new instruments. I evolve through this style of music because that’s what I loved when I was younger and so it’s an influence, yet it’s unconscious. My reality is that it’s about composing music. Finding new emotions and blossoming within myself. That feels amazing.

Your debut album is called „Don’t Believe, Watch Out“. Are you referring to the current problem of misinformation through social media and filter bubbles or is the title even to be understood as criticism on religion?
It could apply to religion and media, sure. But it’s personal, in the sense that you have to be on guard and be a little suspicious sometimes. We are often confronted with situations where people make promises and flatter us while there is nothing behind it. It can get windy and very empty fast, so pay attention to your own dreams and hopes. They can lead us very far and also make us sink. People should be careful. So while it can be applied to religion and politics, I use these words in general.

Do the other songs besides the title track have a connection to this subject as well or is there another reason why you went with the title „Don’t Believe, Watch Out“ for the album as a whole?
„Don’t Believe, Watch Out“ is a perfect summary of the whole album. Some of the songs are more positive than negative. Hopes that are good can sometimes be too painful.

The artwork looks quite strange, it shows two hands that reveal some partly hidden pages with the album title written over them. What was your thought behind that?
It’s a person who is a liar, lying, and the message „Don’t Believe, Watch Out“ appears on its chest. The hands are dreams trying to enter into a different state, far removed from reality. And this is precisely what should be paid attention to. This magnetism that tends to move us away from reality, from real life, which pushes us into a trap from which it is difficult to get out of. For this idea, we worked with photographer Lou Beauchard who is mostly influenced by horror movies from the 80/90’s, maybe that’s why the photo is so strange!

While most of the tracks on the record have the typical shoegaze characteristics, „It Follows“ is a rather minimalistic acoustic ballad. What’s this song all about?
I find it essential to explore things other than the „shoegaze“ or „rock“ dimension. The purpose of music for me is to express myself, to write music freely, without thinking too much, to not put limits on what I’m doing. This song may sound different when compared to the others, yet it deals with the same matter. It’s perhaps a little more intimate because of the silence that’s present, meanwhile its filling an important part of the album.

You also released a music video for „All OK“. Among other things it features a person whose head is covered by a flowing red cloth. Can you tell us what the basic idea is?
It’s like a strange dream, neither unhealthy nor wonderful. It deals with identity, the feeling that today we need to be a better version of ourselves. When we want to be someone else and constantly try to improve even when it’s unnecessary. When people think that they should be better from what they are, they try, and that makes them happier. But from personal observation, I think it’s frustrating and sad when people do not like themselves as they are.

What are your next plans for PENCEY SLOE?
A new album is already in the works as I’ve been writing a lot. A new line-up change has happened, and as things move forward, performing live would be made available.

Now I’d like to continue with our traditional Metal1.info brainstorming. What do you think about the following terms?
French music scene: We continue to have all sorts of good music in France. Not only in rock and metal, but there’s also a lot happening here in pop and electronic music too. There are many different and interesting things to discover, though the problem is that France is not an Anglo-Saxon country, music is more difficult to broadcast, meanwhile rock culture does not belong to us. France has a long history in the field of electronic music through the French House movement (known as French Touch in the 90’s). No matter what genre you’re into though, you will find artists, shows and fests in Paris or throughout France that are perfect for you. There are so many great things to explore that currently belong to us.
Nostalgia: When I hear any Oasis song, I immediately go backwards in time to when I discovered that I loved music – exactly when I completely fell in love with music. Especially the album „Definitely Maybe“ (’94). They were artists that opened me up to all rock and shoegaze music that I adore today, so this feeling will be inside me forever as part of who I am. I’m not stating that I think it’s the best music ever – rather that, when I hear their songs, they provoke the powerful and intimate connection that is my nostalgia.
Black metal: Interesting imagery and a very strong culture, black metal has a powerful and recognizable graphic identity. They really knew how to create something unique. I am quite attracted by the whole ambient dimension and the melancholic and sometimes luminous aspect of black metal. Otherwise, I’m not necessarily familiar with the speech of this type of music, and it does not affect me / I do not feel concerned. All the black metal’s past, its origins and the people who helped create that universe, I am not close to it. I’m curious / intrigued, but it’s not important to me.
PENCEY SLOE in five years: Continued writing of more songs. Evolving through composing music, through sound research, sharing and performing my music live. Going further while exploring.

Publiziert am 8. Januar 2020 von Stephan Rajchl