A Chat with Easypeel (04.05.2021)
As the world has become more industrialized, there is an ever growing disconnection between people and nature. This is a concept that Easypeel has taken up with his debut album Mother. Years in the making, the album draws on some 70s folk rock with a modern indie twist. We sat down with Tom Morley, the man behind Easypeel, to talk about the album, celebrating nature, influences and much more!
OSR: Your music is a fusion of indie-rock and 70s nostalgia, but what first drew you to making your own music?
Easypeel: I’ve been making music since the age of 6. Even before I was given a guitar, I loved listening to songs and had to make my own. I’d wonder what 6-year-old me was writing about.
OSR: Your debut album Mother is a concept album about the disconnection between humans and nature. What led you to this theme?
Easypeel: The theme came around naturally. I always try and be as open as possible when I write as it helps me to stay away from clichés and search for my own voice. I do feel disconnected from nature, I think most of us do, but it was the moments when I’d see myself hidden away from the weather, unaffected by anything going on outside my window that was the real trigger.
OSR: The album has been in the works for a while, what made you realise it was finally ready to be released?
Easypeel: No time like the present! As a self-release and without any prospect of touring or even playing live on the horizon (thanks COVID), I was ready to share it with the world. Fingers crossed as things open up there will be opportunities to test it out on a crowd.
OSR: Through the album, you fill listeners with a celebration of nature and despair at human nature, but what would you like people to walk away feeling after they listen?
Easypeel: I want people to feel emotionally connected to nature through the music. The album personifies Mother Nature throughout, often lamenting as if it were a romantic relationship. I want the listener to feel like although it may be a broken one, it’s a relationship worth salvaging.
OSR: When you started creating the album, did you have a solid plan or has it evolved organically?
Easypeel: The plan was to write as many songs as I possibly could until there were enough worth sharing! One or two songs came along before I realised there was going to be a concept and then it was just a case of enjoying it, being creative and gradually sharing the songs with a few other musicians.
OSR: There are a few genres blended together in the album, but which is your favourite and why?
Easypeel: I totally agree. I listen to all kinds of music and I’m glad you think it shows. It might be subtle, but my favourite moments are the little RnB references that give some of the tracks a swagger!
OSR: Is there a track on the album that holds a special place in your heart?
Easypeel: ‘Honey Glazed’.
OSR: What do you feel is the biggest influence on your music?
Easypeel: Getting obsessed with a new song. There’s so much good music in the world, the inspiration is endless! The best new discovery was in a sunglasses shop in San Francisco. The clerk came up to me and said ‘I think you’ll like this band.’, and played me ‘While You Wait For The Others’ by Grizzly Bear, who are now one of my favourite bands ever.
OSR: If your music could achieve one change in the world, what would you like that to be and why?
Easypeel: If my music made someone else want to try their hand at writing songs that would be pretty cool!
OSR: What else can we expect from you in the next 12 months?
Easypeel: I’m playing a London show on 20 June and maybe we’ll do another later in the year. Watch this space.
Thanks to Easypeel for chatting with us! You can find more about him on his website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
