It is no coincidence the word "discipline" stems frequently during a conversation with Alex Peters. Whether it concerns the grueling hours of practice he invests in his music, or in the many hours he spends listening and imbibing diverse musical forms, "discipline" remains the signature word and the hallmark of his sensibility.
In the past five-year odd hiatus that he has taken from the pub scene, Peters has invested that "discipline" in much soul-searching and the near completion of his Christian album, The Day the King Died. The album is an epical recording of grand proportions that serves the experience of Christendom in musical form.
The album was the result of hours spent in arrangement and recording - all done by Peters himself. The music was pieced gradually and diligently and evolved into the "concept" that it is today.
Having fostered the album to some recognisable shape and form, Peters is ready to assault the pub scene again.
In many ways, pub milieu is an intrinsic part of Alex Peters' experience. Since he first ventured to perform within its setting, he has garnered a healthy and ardent following. From his earliest years at the Moonraker, through stints at the Underground, Treffpunkt and Centrepoint, Peters has crafted musicianship and showmanship to the degrees - according to one self-confessed "fan" - of the "one-man wonder".
Indeed, it must be said that Peters is one of that rare breed of pub performers who commands respect. The fact that his music has inspired the "Gravediggers", a fan club dedicated to following the Alex Peters pub labyrinth, remains testament of this.
"I had always planned to make a 'comeback' in 1997 but didn’t expect it to be this soon," Peters explained of his "return" tomorrow at Big Willie's, Bangsar. "But the venue was agreeable to me and the management's belief in my music was added incentive."
Yet, during his five-year absence, "rumours" that he had quit the pub scene were rife. Peters, however, denies that such plans were afoot.
"Quitting the pubs was never on my mind," Peters clarified. "There was never a retirement plan. But a temporary measure that involved priorities meant that I had to give up the pub scene for a while. The album demo was awaiting completion. I was also getting heavily involved in church work and had committed myself to strict Bible-study as research for the album.
"I believe that was the most important thing. Even before the music, even before the church work, it was the need to secure a solid foundation in the Bible and in my faith."
The Day The King Died is as much an exploration of Christian themes as it is a celebration of the musical influences that have come his way. Being a "concept" album, it possesses all the qualities of a grand landscape of sound. But within its design are subtle tributes to peers ranging from King Crimson to Fred Astaire.
"The songs in the album were written separately but there gradually emerged a coherent musical theme. All that was needed was to find the proper transition from one piece to the other," Peters explained.
After laborious arrangements and grueling hours spent crafting the album, a demo tape was made. It even gained the attention of guitarist Steve Vai whom Peters encountered during the latter's performance in Kuala Lumpur recently. "The fact that Steve Vai expressed some acknowledgement for the music was an achievement altogether".
Yet, it is to the pub that Peters returns with his healthy repertoire of material that ranges from Bob Dylan and Dire Straits to Stevie Wonder and Earth, Wind and Fire. Indeed, its Peters' ability to "feel" an audience and more importantly win them over with his particular brand of music that makes stand out.
The question, however, remains; what is the appeal of the pub for Peters?
"Basically, it's the warmth and the empathy that you receive from the audience. It is also very much a challenge since it’s all about gauging the audience's mood and temperament; how they grow as the night progresses," he explained.
"Personally, it also is a challenge - how far can I reproduce the sound and the quality of a record to a live audience."
Yet, much of the material that Peters covers possesses a distinct quality of sound that is immediately recognisable. Perhaps it's the particular timbre and quality of sound, perhaps it's the versatility and range of his musicianship.
"I basically give it all when I do a song. Right from the moment of recording back-tracks and mapping the arrangements. I give all to a song. When I do the likes of Dylan, Pink Floyd, Santana, it is like the music is all of myself," he explained.
"And this is when you can grasp an audience. This is when the chord is struck".
The Star, Monday, April 21, 1997
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