FasterLouder Five with PeteAkhurst

Sun 22nd May, 2011 in Features

FasterLouder spends five with singer songwriter Pete Akhurst.

You write and play original music, tell us how it all began.
It all began when I was about 15, I had learnt guitar from a teacher at my school in Sydney and once I learnt a couple of chords I wrote my first song before I moved to Canberra about six or so years ago.

Describe your style.
My style is a blend of a lot of different things mixed into one. I basically took the concept of that Youtube page Will It Blend? and decided to blend all my influences which include, John Butler, Frank Turner, Chuck Ragan, Neil Young and Matty Ellis, put them all together to create Pete Akhurst-style music, it’s still got a few chunks here and there but I’m slowly smoothing it out.

You’ll soon release debut EP Footprints, tell us about the recording process.
It was a 10 day process in Newcastle at a place we liked to call The House of Pancakes, it was all done on Pro Tools by myself and the two other producers. We slept and ate in the studio until it was all done. I’m happy with the result.

What’s it like being an independent musician in Canberra?
Its good, we have such a great healthy networking environment in Canberra, with the help of the Canberra Musicians Club and Cardboard Charlie. Top that off with great events held at The Phoenix and The Front run by lovely people, it’s a great place to build relationships which I think will carry on throughout my entire career.

Your plans for 2011?
My plan is to try and get out to other metro and regional areas of Australia to share my EP with all the lovely people I’m yet to meet. So if anyone would like me to bring Footprints to your part of Oz please contact me at peteakhurst@gmail.com.

Pete Akhurst Footprints EP Launch @ The Front, Lyneham, Friday 3rd June for more info click here

Pop the Pot 2011 @ The Pot Belly Bar, Belconnen, Saturday 4th June for more info click here

Claude Hay, Pete Akhurst @ The Old Canberra Inn, Lyneham, Sunday 26th June for more info click here