Our First Interview with Peter

Drawing by Peter Himmelman

Interview by: Ellen : )

EB: Hi, Peter! Thanks so much for offering to do an interview for Himmelfans!!
PH: My sincere pleasure, Ellen.

EB: You must be very excited about the upcoming release of your new album, Love Thinketh No Evil . What songs have you included in the album?
PH: Some of my favorites are Time Just Flew, Solitude, and Checkmate.

EB: When I originally thought you had completed the album, you had mentioned to me that you were recording one more song for LTNE. Which of the songs was your last addition to the album, and what prompted you to add it?
PH: At that time I was working on a song called, Coming Apart at the Dreams. Currently I'm doing a remix of a song called, Eyeball - The drum programmer and producer from Nine Inch Nails is co-producing it with me. I hope to add it to the CD as well.

EB: Regarding the new album, rumor has it that you have a new band? Who can we expect to hear on the album? Are there any representatives from the old band? How did you meet and choose the members of your current band?
PH: The only one from my old band on this record is Greg Herzenach. He introduced me to the drummer, Trevor Lawrence, JR. and the bassist, Mike Elizando --- They are strong players that have worked with, Dr. Dre, Ricki Lee Jones, and various Be-Bop and Hip Hop artists. I used several keyboard players on the record --- primarily a pianist named Chris Joyner. Chris has a great old-time, bluesy, Dr. John like style --- He has played with an L.A. group called the Freewheelers as well as with Soul Asylum, and The Wallflowers. T. Lavitz of the Dixie Dregs played a lot of cool stuff on the record too. I also used Rich Friedman, an excellent arranger and composer, on a song called: Made For Me.

EB: I was delighted to hear that 7 Circles made it on to the new album. Can you take a moment to explain the 7 Circles reference for those who may not be familiar with what it means in the context of Jewish ceremonial practice?
PH: I wrote the song for my wife as a gift for our first anniversary. The title and last line of the song refer to a ritual of a bride at a traditional Jewish wedding who circles the groom 7 times to symbolize her protective influences over him.

EB: While we are on the subject of Jewish references, someone once told me that he thought that one of your early releases: Love of Midnight refers to a segment of the Passover Haggadah. Does it, and if so, which part?
PH: Yes, this is the section which tells of G-d coming to dispel the evil powers of the Egyptians by slaying their first born. This was done at the precise hour of midnight - a time so precise it cannot be measured. On one side of midnight, you find the daylight giving way to darkness. This represents the aspect of severity or strictness. On the other side of midnight is the darkness eventually giving way to dawn --- representing the attribute of kindness and giving forth. The term midnight in Jewish mysticism is an expression of an ideal mode of behavior: a perfect knowledge of when to say yes and when to say no, of when to give, and when to withold. It's something I wrestle with in my personal life and as a consequence I often make reference to this idea in my songs.

EB: How would you describe the evolution of your music style and your career starting with the Sussman Lawrence days? What were the greatest influences along the way?
PH: I can't really say that overall, there have been many changes in my musical approach. I think that lyrically speaking, my writing in Sussman Lawrence was more tongue in cheek. There weren't too many songs in the confessional mode like: Raina or Laugh My Beloved - probably because I was in my late teens and early 20's in Sussman Lawrence --- Now I'm 38 with four kids. I'd say that's a pretty radical shift in perspective. Someday I'll tell you the story of how This Father's Day came to be - It's a long and fascinating story which truly marks a formal shift from Sussman Lawrence to my solo work.

EB: You've released 2 albums under the name Sussman Lawrence, 6 studio albums as the Peter Himmelman band, 1 live solo album, 1 childrens album, and are about to release your newest album, Love Thinketh No Evil. Of all the albums you have already released, which was your best selling album? and which was your favorite album and why?
PH: I think Flown This Acid World has sold the most, but I'm not positive. As far as my favorite --- well, that's my secret.

EB: Which of your songs was the first one that you ever heard played on the radio? and which station were you listening to?
PH: I was listening to a Minneapolis rock station called, KQRS --- They played the whole Hail to the Modern Hero record one Thursday night --- I think it was 1979.

EB: From time to time, your fans discuss their ideas on which musicians or groups they would love to see you perform with. If you could perform music with anyone of your choice, whom would you perform with and what would you play?
PH: I would've loved to have been the lead guitarist for Bob Marley --- As far as musicians playing with me --- I honestly haven't begun to exhaust my enthusiasm for the people I play with currently.

EB: What's in your CD player right now?
PH: --- Let me look. There's nothing there now. This morning it was Guy Clark's, Dublin Blues.

EB: Do you, Jakob, and Bob ever find time to hang out and jam? If so, what do you guys play?
PH: We hang out, but almost never play music.

EB: You've given so many of your fans an incredible amount of joy either by having them join you on stage, or by creating a song about them or their loved ones. What makes a show special for you?
PH: I hope this answer isn't too obtuse --- But I really love to come to a place where time has no ability to exert itself. You might say it's a place of transcendence. It's a place away from myself.

EB: What do you like best about being on stage?
PH: I like taking myself out of my narrow box --- It helps when other people come too - But I actually do it for myself.

EB: My understanding is that you have your own recording studio at home. Is that correct? and do you produce other musicians' work in addition to your own?
PH: Yes. I plan on having my own record label within Six Degrees Records to sign and produce a few artists every year.

EB: You certainly do a lot of story telling and in quite a variety of accents.... Have you done or ever been interested in doing voice over work?
PH: The idea of talking over a commercial or a cartoon never really interested me but I do have a collection of weird spoken word things which I do over a bed of interesting music.

EB: While we anxiously await the release of Love Thinketh No Evil, inquiring minds want to to know what you are working on now? Have you started putting together your next album?
PH: I just finished my last show in a FOX series called In The Zone. Today I am working on a remix of a song called Eyeball, which I mentioned earlier; and later this evening, I'll be recording a new version of Shilo, for a film called, The Sky is Falling.

EB: Peter, amongst your fan community, there are quite a few avid collectors of all things Himmelman. People scour the web and vintage record stores in the hope of finding a rare promo, or a Sussman release, a radio interview, a movie with your work on the soundtrack, etc. Can you tell us about some of your other projects? Where else might we hear your work?
PH: I have scored several films, some of which have not been released. 1) Pyrates, 2) Crossing the Bridge, 3) Souler Opposites, which will be premiering in NYC this October), 4) Liar's Poker (with Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers) and 5) Dinner & Driving. Six Degrees and I are currently compiling an anthology CD of sorts which will include some live things, studio alternate takes, new songs, and humorous stuff. I really like it a lot.

EB: Thanks Peter for taking time to answer a few of our questions and for all the great music you have brought into our lives!! Good luck with the new album!!! Looking forward to seeing you on tour !!!!!!!
PH: Thank you --- Hope to see you all soon. Please write in if you have more questions --- I'd be happy to answer.