PETE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
“Man, I Had A Dreadful Flight”
We have no specific knowledge of Mr. Peter Holmstrom’s abilities as a pilot, given his background is in aural-hysterics, rather than aeronautics. True, as a guitarist, he has been a co-pilot on the long, strange flight of The Dandy Warhols for years, though lately we’ve seen him entering an entirely new cruising altitude, with Pete International Airport.
With a recently released album by Custom Made Music, it’s a good time to land at Pete International Airport – a name which represents the dream, the band, the album and (one can assume) the headspace of Mr. Holmstrom. Eleven different flight patterns – with air traffic control assistance from members of The Warlocks, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Jsun Adams of The Upsidedown – fill the sky with supersonic rock and roll, the kind that makes your stomach drop every now and again, but knowing without question that you’ll enjoy a smooth landing.
Peter took a moment away from being the most happening man in the Admiral’s Club to welcome us aboard.
Have you ever been formally diagnosed with what Doctor Ross once called, “The Boogie Disease”? Will you, in fact, boogie right up until they throw you in the hearse?
I will play music as long as I’m able. Probably longer than I should.
The opening one-two punch of “Sweetheart Tattoo” and “21 Days” certainly a killer attention grabber, moving from mellow yellow to an almost funeral-circus like beat on “21 Days.” It’s radical rock candy – how important was track order for you in putting this album together?
I think track order is extremely important. The order effects the way you hear the next song and how you feel about the previous one.
What’s one of your favorite album opening’s one-two punch? Can you think of a surprising one-two punch that ever thrilled you when seeing a band live? Does anyone actually refer to the combination of a pairof rock songs as a “one-two punch”?
“Love Burns” into “Red Eyes and Tears” off of B.R.M.C. Live, The Strokes opening with “Clampdown” into one of their tracks was mind blowing.
What are your thoughts on performing versus recording, with more than 15 years experience doing a good bit of both?
You need both. Recording allows for the finesse and live gives you the instant feedback of knowing weather it works or not.
The guitar army … air force? … which fairly blankets the album is massive. Do you feel you still get the same thrill from playing loud guitars as always? How is your hear … I SAID, HOW IS YOUR HEARING HOLDING UP? Pound for pound, what’s the loudest band you’ve ever seen live?
We (The Dandys) play at pretty decent levels. It’s hard for me to get myguitar to sound the way I like it at the volume that works for us. I would probably be quite deaf if I had been able to play at the volume I wanted. The loudest show I’ve seen is My Bloody Valentine, followed by either Serena-Maneesh or A Place To Bury Strangers.
The design on the album is worth noting – from the concentric aircraft circles to the wonderful tack-board memorabilia photo on the inside? What input did you have, or even care to have, on the album visuals?
The artwork was/is very important to me. I spent hours trying to come up with the coolest cover I could. The only things that made it were the concentric rings of airplanes and the airplane/skull logo. Sean Gothman did all the other artwork. I’ve always liked his taste, and gave him free rein. The “tack board memorabilia” is something I’ve always wanted to do, and have been collecting crap for years.
The inside photo mentioned above features a variety of buttons, some even representing some wacky rock and roll outfits. May we ask you to give us just five words or less on the following bands, please?
- Dead Meadow? The Verve meets Black Sabbath
- The Clash? Punk attitude with sonic exploration
- Serena Maneesh? The most beautiful noise available.
- The Brian Jonestown Massacre? Wouldn’t be here without them
What music have you been listening to lately? What is your favorite album cover of all time … (or for today) … and why?
Lately I been listening to a lot of Link Wray, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran. And I just got all of Bob Dylan’s “,”Theme Time Radio Hour,” so I’ve started delving into that. So, lots of old timey music. As far as favorite album cover … today it is “Heligoland” by Massive Attack. The vinyl is amazing. I could hang it on my wall, I just wish it was bigger!
Alice Cooper said, “The hippies wanted peace and love. We wanted Ferraris, blondes and switchblades.” Are the hippies getting a bad rap here? Is it misguided, in your view, to seek more than one’s quantifiable desires from music – the “Ferraris, blondes and switchblades,” awesome as they may be …? And Alice hung out with Salvadore Dali and Groucho Marx, which has to count for something, right?
What people want is beside the point. Some “hippies” made great music and Alice Cooper made some great music.
What’s next for Pete International Airport?
I really like the idea of a remix record like what “Echo Dek” was for “Vanishing Point”. So I have asked a good friend to do some really fucked up, cool mixes that don’t really have to have any recognizable connection to the original. After that … a new record. Tours. More videos.
Revolt of the Apes 
This record was well worth waiting for….it’s a sonic delight. It burns to be played live. Hoping P.I.A. comes to New York in 2011! Congratulations on an outstanding debut Pete. The Dandys were killer at Webster Hall last month.
Infective album, getting into me bones!!