The Chicago soul legend returns with a masterpiece album ‘King Of Hearts’
Interview : Dan Prince
Welcome Peven to DMCWORLD, an honour to have you on board. An exciting time for you with the release of the first double single from your much anticipated new album ‘King of Hearts’ – which we will come to later. But let’s rewind a little; it’s well documented you left your course at the Berklee College of Music to hit the road with Betty Carter, Branford Marsalis and Wynton Marsalis. All world famous musicians, but would it be fair that the most important things they taught you wasn’t music – it was about life?
“I feel there was an equal amount of both music and life teachings. I valued the life information most of all.”
How easy a decision was it to jump onto that rolling train heading outta town with Betty and the Marsalis brothers that day, were there any worries as you clamboured aboard?
“Sure there was worry but I was really young. I had just started my career but I soon found that the lessons of life are out of sync with the maturity we have at the time of the experience.”
It was your late brother Theodore who first introduced to the disco and house beat, he sounded like quite a character. He was the only male figure you had in your life back then, looking back, how did that tragic shooting change the man that you have become today?
“It changed me probably more than I’ll ever know. When trauma happens to a young person, the work to undo the negatives residing in that memory has to start immediately because growing never stops.”
It wasn’t until you hit New York that you grew into the more uptempo soul scene as you call it! What were those nights like, what were the clubs, characters and records you were digging back then?
“I was new to all of it but it was a trip and then some. Limelight was my spot if I went anywhere in New York. I wasn’t familiar enough with Brooklyn yet. I was pulled in off the Limelight line waiting outside. Michael Alig was one of the biggest Club Kids in the scene and maybe of all time. He liked that I was a straight edged jazz musician with enough confidence to come to the club with a trumpet case to dance. Lol – his words not mine. I would go every week for about a year and by then I’d heard NY DJs from all over with big name followings. Remixes of the many songs my brother played helped me decide how I wanted to contribute my music to the world.”
The new album is written, produced and arranged by yourself. This has surprised a few for some reason, they obviously don’t know the man! Working on your own allows you to work out different levels of musicianship right? It’s also quicker…
“Working on my own is not a foreign concept if you think about guys like Mozart and Beethoven who still live through music today. Pen to paper is like a home cooked meal made from the freshest of ingredients. It’s very necessary for human existence. No one wants to hear an artist who’s sort of ready for a show. People want someone prepared no matter what is otherwise suggested. I’ve had Studio Confession for 13 years so the music could get to the people.”
You make no qualms you have an eye for a pretty lady. Did you ever think about calling the album ‘King of Broken Hearts’?
“Ha ha. You should start a course in telling jokes Dan. Lol. I don’t know how many hearts were broken by me per say but I do know that I was honest about how I felt. Matters of the heart are often detoured by our own interference. Can we really pick our battles? I don’t think we scrutinize ourselves enough to answer yes. However, yes I do love the ladies. lol…”
You were once asked whether you have ever had such harmony with someone as these three, you replied, ‘yes Billie Jewell’. What was your first impressions of this wonderful lady when you first encountered her?
“I was looking for a female singer but I had to hear her sing first. I did and that was that. I also thought she was funny.”
Something I read somewhere that you once said…”to regulate music is to imprison the soul.” Can you elaborate on that…
“We as human beings have different degrees of output per person. This is not something to hamper or hinder. It’s something to champion.”
Has it riled you over the years that club owners in different music areas haven’t taken risks with you, not booked you and seen what you can do? Not taken your word for it…
“Club owners are only as knowledgeable as they allow themselves to become. It’s like that with any business. The key is to know how to survive in the club business in a way that won’t guarantee you closing down in the future. It’s really simple. To know what the people want is priceless info but if your source is a liar you’re screwed. The internet has changed everything accept people lying in person. lol I’ve played many places that are now closed because my show was hard to follow as well. Who knows why things happen? I just try to adapt.”
You have been an independent artist for many years, it’s been said that you haven’t had the mainstream success a man with your talent should have had. How do you feel about that, does it bother you?
“It’s silly to believe that I would stop my own success. lol I’d rather be considered talented first before being considered famous. This means I’m more likely to give the people what they want in the end and deserve the applause. The last thing anybody wants is a let down or copy. As you know, someone passed on the Beatles, Monet, Mozart, Lucile Ball, Darwin & even Michael Jordan. lol Hate has been around long before me . Your question makes me see that its common knowledge I’ve been unfairly treated. The world isn’t short on ignorance and I’m proud to say my face remains egg free but I can’t say the same for the mainstream.”
We live in a crazy world right now, each days brings new hardship somewhere. One of the main things you always come back to is education and how it gives people options and the chance to take a step. Do you think too few people care about education these days?
“No my friend I do not. I believe the appetite is there but the food leaves much to be desired if you get me. lol…”
So we call you up on a Sunday afternoon, what is the album we can hear drifting away in the background…?
“Life is happening so fast that it’s anything I’m into at the time. Honestly nothing specific.”
And finally, what is your opinion on collaborations. I admire how you work, what happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors. In today’s crazy world where everyone is collaborating with everyone because usually they don’t have the talent to pull it off themselves, what’s your view on it all?
“Outsourcing is not a necessary component of art. If the groups involved are fair minded then collaborations are fine. Collabs are not the same as solo producing because quantity does not guarantee hit making quality. Choosing the right person is everything.”
Peven Everett ‘ King Of Hearts’ is out on July 1st on Makin’ Moves Records
