NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe speaks with musician Peter Lawrie-Winfield, often known as “Till the Ribbon Breaks,” about his newest synth-pop album, “Customer.”
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
Musician Peter Lawrie Winfield goes by the artist identify Till the Ribbon Breaks. It is a reference to old-school tapes.
PETER LAWRIE WINFIELD: Once I was very, very small, I discovered my dad’s assortment of VHS and music cassettes. And I simply grew to become instantly obsessive about each. I performed them and performed them till the ribbon broke.
RASCOE: And so then is that this meant to be form of like, I’ll experience this automobile until the wheels fall off (laughter)? Like, you go to the top?
LAWRIE WINFIELD: Belief me, it is – there’s been just a few occasions the place the identify has undoubtedly taken on that that means as a substitute – extra so – greater than ever. That is what I really like about it, is that it did grow to be about resilience.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “STRANGE TIMES”)
UNTIL THE RIBBON BREAKS: (Singing) Unusual occasions.
RASCOE: Till the ribbon breaks has simply launched his third album known as “Customer.” It comes after some turbulence in his private life.
LAWRIE WINFIELD: I needed to get sober. You realize, dependancy had been an enormous secret subject for me for many years at that time. And in order that’s the place the ribbon (laughter) – if not broke, actually frayed.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “STRANGE TIMES”)
UNTIL THE RIBBON BREAKS: (Singing) I feel I lengthy to be hit by lightning or another that form of mystic power simply to know there’s some love left someplace, simply to know there’s some sugar within the supply.
RASCOE: That is when Laurie Winfield hit the pause button on his music profession to deal with his dependancy. However then one thing occurred to make him press play once more.
LAWRIE WINFIELD: I used to be strolling by way of a park, they usually have a planetarium, and there was a exhibition. So I really like area and something like that since I used to be a child, so I walked in, and it was completely wonderful.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “STRANGE TIMES”)
UNTIL THE RIBBON BREAKS: (Singing) Nicely, I used to be at all times only a customer. I solely come right down to earth simply to go to.
LAWRIE WINFIELD: You realize, whose planet is that this, and what’s our function and our duty right here? And are we guests? In order that query stored developing for me, and it discovered its approach into the album, after which it appeared apparent that it was the title.
RASCOE: It looks like you traveled fairly a bit to satisfy and work with different musicians. I feel we’ve a clip of “Nature Mom.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “NATURE MOTHER”)
EMONI WILKINS: (Singing in non-English language).
UNTIL THE RIBBON BREAKS: (Singing) I do not consider…
RASCOE: Are you able to discuss, like, what locations impressed this album?
LAWRIE WINFIELD: “Nature Mom” was with an incredible, wonderful singer known as Emoni, who’s now an incredible pal of mine, in Nashville. I discovered it actually troublesome to open the door to collaboration beforehand, out of insecurity. And this time, I simply needed the entire album to really feel like an journey. In any other case, why was I going to do it once more?
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “NATURE MOTHER”)
UNTIL THE RIBBON BREAKS: (Singing) Wild is the wind. Rage is the ocean. If it is in you, it is in me, it is our nature mom (ph).
LAWRIE WINFIELD: Since I first began music, it was at all times throughout all genres. I’ve by no means identified what sort of music I made in that sense, and I am unsure I ever wish to. You realize, I’ve at all times traveled, and I like it. So I believed, why not mix the 2 issues. So, you realize, there is a track known as “Purple Skies,” the place I ended up in Bogata. There is a spoken phrase aspect by a man who got here to the studio to catch a rattlesnake whereas we have been recording it, and he is from Guatemala. And simply him talking in his story, I simply was like, would you report one thing?
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “RED SKIES”)
JULIO: (Talking Spanish).
RASCOE: The place was this rattlesnake that – was it – it was within the studio?
LAWRIE WINFIELD: Yeah. We did report it. The ultimate classes have been in Joshua Tree, and there was – a really giant, very noisy rattlesnake simply appeared on the studio door. Terrifying.
RASCOE: Yeah.
LAWRIE WINFIELD: You realize, I completely love animals. However they have to be revered.
RASCOE: Sure. Yeah.
LAWRIE WINFIELD: Somebody on website – as a result of this occurs – has expertise in catching rattlesnakes. So he got here. He managed to get it in a bucket, primarily, and we put a microphone in there, and it is the perfect shaker sound I’ve ever heard, as you may think about, you realize? I feel we have simply been attempting to repeat that sound since we first found the rattlesnake.
RASCOE: All this time (laughter).
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “RED SKIES”)
UNTIL THE RIBBON BREAKS: (Singing) You’ll be able to battle, so will not you battle within the crimson, within the crimson, within the crimson, within the crimson, within the crimson skies (ph)?
RASCOE: We talked earlier about, you realize, taking good care of the planet, you realize, I assume, are we stewards, are we guests? What’s your relationship with nature?
LAWRIE WINFIELD: Steward is now – you’ve got simply now given me the identify of the subsequent album. Thanks.
RASCOE: OK, Oh. OK. Thanks. Thanks.
LAWRIE WINFIELD: I’ve been obsessive about animals since I used to be a really small youngster. I imply, I’ve a number of animal truth books subsequent to my mattress. I am unable to get sufficient. I stay in mainly a tree home in Los Angeles, and there is usually quite a lot of animal drama, which I really like. I presently have a swarm of bees who’ve determined to return and be guests. And I have been that means to name a beekeeper, however I am form of connected to them now. Nature and animals – it simply retains me utterly grounded. They have been right here earlier than us. They’re going to be right here after us.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “CAROUSEL”)
UNTIL THE RIBBON BREAKS: (Vocalizing).
RASCOE: A quite a lot of your lyrics on this album discuss discovering fact. What finally did you uncover whereas making “Customer”?
LAWRIE WINFIELD: There is a track known as “Carousel.” It is the track that sums up every little thing I found, which is that you could go to the literal ends of the earth to try to discover the solutions to those issues, however primarily, the lesson is to cease looking for a that means. Be thankful for the miracle that’s that we’re right here.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “CAROUSEL”)
UNTIL THE RIBBON BREAKS: (Singing) I watch the (inaudible) on the carousel (inaudible). All the pieces’s a circle when you simply lean into the flip.
LAWRIE WINFIELD: All the pieces’s a circle. Lean into the flip. It is that concept. Simply let go, palms off the wheel.
RASCOE: That is Pete Lawrie Winfield, often known as Till the Ribbon Breaks. His newest album, “Customer,” is out now. Thanks a lot for becoming a member of us.
LAWRIE WINFIELD: Thanks a lot for having me.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “CAROUSEL”)
HOMEBOY SANDMAN: (Rapping) They are saying he the Peter Pan, peep the sample on the mandala (ph).
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