Velocity Hopkins and DJ Party Girl have been steadily producing
large, loud rock for Rhode Island-based Bulb Records since 1996.
Their music would be as appropriate coming out of a rusty pickup
truck as it would filtered through white iPod earphones. It is
unapologetically loud, with the low, fast guitar rumble more
important than the actual notes. As cheesy as it sounds, 25
Suaves’ idea of success rests with an enthralled audience and
not a bottom line or a merchandising deal. Hopkins (a.k.a Peter
Larson), then, is fully qualified to preach a traditional, selfless
rock gospel.
- Music Reviews
- Peter Larson of 25 Suaves enjoys the metaphor of the lawn. (Trevor Campbell/Daily)
The Michigan Daily: What can you tell me about life on
the road?
Peter Larson: Life on the road is more often than not,
really uneventful, full of long drives and many hours sitting in a
bar waiting for the show to start. I personally like going on the
road because I don’t have to mow my lawn and have some extra
time to read, which I don’t have at home. The shows
themselves are always good, we are always in top form in any
situation. Some bars/clubs/places are better than others, but we
just don’t care. Once the show starts, it starts and the
energy of the sound and the people kicks in and I forget about the
world and my lawn.
TMD: You described the popular Yamamba girls at your show
in Tokyo — are they anything like the scenesters in the
USA?
PL: Scenesters in the U. S. are really just sad kids who
don’t have much to do in their life other than reading Vice
magazine and buying crappy clothes. I got back into rock because
there’s something much more real about people who go to work
so that they can save up money to buy tickets to Ozzfest than
people who use their parents’ money to buy expensive used
clothes and try to impress their friends. I want to play for people
who like music, I don’t care what the fuck they wear. More
and more I see people in the indie scene who don’t care about
music. It’s all like Pokémon cards to them, or some
popularity game. It makes me sick and I hope that we can change
them and help to do something constructive, like learning to cook
or caring for their lawns.
TMD: In the past, so many of the movements in rock have
started in New York — what does it feel like to be lumped in
with the “garage” rock movement out of the Detroit
area?
PL: We don’t live in Detroit, nor do we ever want
to. Nor do we consider ourselves a garage band or part of any facet
of the Detroit “scene” which I find uninteresting and
boring. But that’s my personal opinion. People can like what
they like. I was never able to join the soccer team at my school,
why should I think that I should be a part of a scene here in
Michigan?
We live in Adrian, Mich., a town of 20,000 about 50 miles
southwest of Ann Arbor. There are no bands, no places to play,
hardly any people under 80. It’s great. We can do what we do
and not be bothered by anybody, just making music for the sake of
making music, not trying to please anyone but ourselves. I
wouldn’t have it any other way.
TMD: You’ve recently performed with Japanther. Does
the consistent pressure to produce unique music require something
truly different like Japanther’s performance art act or Wolf
Eyes’ wall of noise?
PL: I don’t find that real people are pressured to
do anything unique. People just do what they do and what they like.
If they feel pressure to do something unique all the time then they
most likely aren’t real people at all and are no better than
all the popular people you hated in high school. (My friends and I)
do this stuff ’cause we like it. What motivates is the love
of music and performing and good times … There is nothing better
or more real.