Peter MacDonald Interview
Q: Can you talk about your musical history?
A: Sure! Music has always played an important and irreplaceable role in my life. I started off playing the violin early on in grade school, until around 8th grade when I heard the music of Jimi Hendrix and knew I was playing the wrong instrument. I stuck with the guitar all throughout high school and by the time I got to college, I was decent enough to play on my own and be in the school jazz ensemble. I pursued a degree in music because of my deep interest in the subject and it was around this time period I first took up piano lessons. Music has been a vehicle of expression for me for as long as I can remember and it has given me gifts of endless possibilities both in its enjoyment and serving as a form of creative release.
What reaffirmed my commitment to music was being in high school and going through the 'rite of passage' growing pains and hormonal changes we all experience. I found myself seeking a place for refuge, solace and reflection away from all the high-pressure scenarios and relationships one gets involved in during those years. More and more I found myself going back to the music center at my school, regularly sitting at the piano in the practice rooms during my free time. I realized that music was the friend that always listened to me, that would never leave me and always provided itself as an outlet in being a blank canvas to express how I was feeling.
Looking back on my grade school years, one memory stands out in particular which occurred during first-grade music class, where our teacher played us a cassette tape of the 'Ghostbusters' theme on a boombox in class. I vividly remember after him pushing play that every single one of my classmates got up out of their seats in unison, and were all laughing, smiling and dancing in place! It was a moment of pure collective happiness as well as a fond memory of childhood innocence and unadulterated fun. I've learned that throughout the years, no matter the circumstances, music has never failed to deliver this feeling of unbridled and seemingly endless joy. I'm always chasing that feeling of fun with music at the end of the day. So I have Ray Parker Jr., and my music teacher Mr. Moore to thank among others, really.
Q: What are some topics and themes you explore on some of your recent release Nothing?
A: The songs from Nothing were written over a period of a few years, roughly 2015-2020. Some of the songs I wrote while I was living in New York City and some were written in my current home of Syracuse and Upstate NY. They reflect the feelings I was experiencing during those respective periods.
“Here I Am” and “Far from Perfect” were both originally songs first written on synthesizer when I was involved with an electronic-based group in New York City at the time. They were both written in the middle of the work week during periods of personal struggle I was dealing with while living in New York City. I felt like I didn't really belong anywhere, living under the radar and feeling isolated from those around me. I attribute this both to circumstantial factors: being a millennial having grown up and graduated during the great recession struggling to find work; but also reflecting a hole in my soul - having come from a divorced family, being overlooked and growing up in a city being raised by single full-time professional parents. I've always had these feelings of being different, not belonging or 'fitting in' with others and I think these songs essentially reflect me saying this through my own voice.
“Trap Star” and “Punching Bag” were both written at times when I was playing in bands with friends I met making music in Upstate NY some years later. I was playing more guitar at the time and both songs came to me in quick moments of inspiration. It's funny because a few years prior in my early 20s, I would try and write songs, only for nothing of substance to come out that I was happy with, whereas all of the aforementioned tracks were 'lightning in a bottle' type-situations. I am grateful to have an honest relationship with music as my form of expression and as an artist, I feel I am in debt to being bestowed with these gifts of inspiration often which arrive at a moment's notice.
“Punching Bag” discusses a theme for me of being abused and taken advantage of, which both through my upbringing and having grown up in the cold northeast environment of New York City, I am certainly no stranger to. “Trap Star” comes from reveling in one's accomplishments even though one feels like a failure. Waiting tables, working meaningless service industry jobs, making extravagant purchases, leasing new vehicles and incurring student loan debt while not having much to show for all contributed to this perspective. These feelings of isolation and celebrations of failure were amplified through being underemployed, underpaid and incurring increasing debt.
Q: Can you talk about your musical history?
A: Sure! Music has always played an important and irreplaceable role in my life. I started off playing the violin early on in grade school, until around 8th grade when I heard the music of Jimi Hendrix and knew I was playing the wrong instrument. I stuck with the guitar all throughout high school and by the time I got to college, I was decent enough to play on my own and be in the school jazz ensemble. I pursued a degree in music because of my deep interest in the subject and it was around this time period I first took up piano lessons. Music has been a vehicle of expression for me for as long as I can remember and it has given me gifts of endless possibilities both in its enjoyment and serving as a form of creative release.
What reaffirmed my commitment to music was being in high school and going through the 'rite of passage' growing pains and hormonal changes we all experience. I found myself seeking a place for refuge, solace and reflection away from all the high-pressure scenarios and relationships one gets involved in during those years. More and more I found myself going back to the music center at my school, regularly sitting at the piano in the practice rooms during my free time. I realized that music was the friend that always listened to me, that would never leave me and always provided itself as an outlet in being a blank canvas to express how I was feeling.
Looking back on my grade school years, one memory stands out in particular which occurred during first-grade music class, where our teacher played us a cassette tape of the 'Ghostbusters' theme on a boombox in class. I vividly remember after him pushing play that every single one of my classmates got up out of their seats in unison, and were all laughing, smiling and dancing in place! It was a moment of pure collective happiness as well as a fond memory of childhood innocence and unadulterated fun. I've learned that throughout the years, no matter the circumstances, music has never failed to deliver this feeling of unbridled and seemingly endless joy. I'm always chasing that feeling of fun with music at the end of the day. So I have Ray Parker Jr., and my music teacher Mr. Moore to thank among others, really.
Q: What are some topics and themes you explore on some of your recent release Nothing?
A: The songs from Nothing were written over a period of a few years, roughly 2015-2020. Some of the songs I wrote while I was living in New York City and some were written in my current home of Syracuse and Upstate NY. They reflect the feelings I was experiencing during those respective periods.
“Here I Am” and “Far from Perfect” were both originally songs first written on synthesizer when I was involved with an electronic-based group in New York City at the time. They were both written in the middle of the work week during periods of personal struggle I was dealing with while living in New York City. I felt like I didn't really belong anywhere, living under the radar and feeling isolated from those around me. I attribute this both to circumstantial factors: being a millennial having grown up and graduated during the great recession struggling to find work; but also reflecting a hole in my soul - having come from a divorced family, being overlooked and growing up in a city being raised by single full-time professional parents. I've always had these feelings of being different, not belonging or 'fitting in' with others and I think these songs essentially reflect me saying this through my own voice.
“Trap Star” and “Punching Bag” were both written at times when I was playing in bands with friends I met making music in Upstate NY some years later. I was playing more guitar at the time and both songs came to me in quick moments of inspiration. It's funny because a few years prior in my early 20s, I would try and write songs, only for nothing of substance to come out that I was happy with, whereas all of the aforementioned tracks were 'lightning in a bottle' type-situations. I am grateful to have an honest relationship with music as my form of expression and as an artist, I feel I am in debt to being bestowed with these gifts of inspiration often which arrive at a moment's notice.
“Punching Bag” discusses a theme for me of being abused and taken advantage of, which both through my upbringing and having grown up in the cold northeast environment of New York City, I am certainly no stranger to. “Trap Star” comes from reveling in one's accomplishments even though one feels like a failure. Waiting tables, working meaningless service industry jobs, making extravagant purchases, leasing new vehicles and incurring student loan debt while not having much to show for all contributed to this perspective. These feelings of isolation and celebrations of failure were amplified through being underemployed, underpaid and incurring increasing debt.
Q: How do you approach songwriting?
A: It varies honestly. Like most things, it comes with time, practice and patience. Usually I will get chord ideas first, which may or may not be accompanied by a vocal melody. The chords will either be a progression or a musical idea/riff that sounds catchy to my ears at least. From there, I then "zoom out" as the great Richard Thompson once said.
Sometimes I will be fortunate and have both words and music channel through me at once in a moment's notice. In those cases it's imperative to get those ideas down quickly when inspiration unpredictably strikes. More often than not however, I will usually get the music first and then have to go back and work on the lyrics: first by identifying a theme and then typically getting the chorus first, which happens most of the time, before going back and fleshing out the verses.
I heard a quote once stating that if you combine three or more of your own personal influences into one song, you can come up with something original, so I've definitely taken a page from that school of thought. I am a true believer in that the best ideas come to you when you least expect it, so I'm constantly trying to stay patient and listen to myself and the world around me, remaining humble and always ready to surrender to my muse of expression.
Q: Is there anything you do to spark your creativity?
A: Pursuing that moment of joy that I described while first listening to Ghostbusters coupled with those childlike feelings of awe and wonder is really it for me. Music, I feel, keeps me young, and also has provided far more fun and satisfaction than any video game, sport, or any other activity I have tried during my limited time on Earth thus far.
I am a staunch believer in 'It's not what is art, but why?' So certain images, feelings, songs, films, memories, paintings and nature will often conjure up a feeling that speaks to me on a deeper level. When that happens I usually will have my notebook nearby to jot down whatever it is I'm feeling. Optimally, I will have a guitar or keyboard close at hand to translate any musical ideas I will get that I feel I can build on. But inspiration takes on different forms. Inspiration, to me, is everywhere, so I reflect on my earlier life experiences, think of past relationships and often look to nature as an endless source of inspiration.
Q: Have you played this music live and if so how does it translate with an audience?
A: Yes, I have. Being that I am mostly solo these days, I have only had the chance to perform these songs live on acoustic guitar, which strips down the meaning and delivery of these musical ideas. Nevertheless, I'm happy to say they really seem to resonate with people, especially the lyrics of “Punching Bag.” I suppose I experienced and wrote them down because they felt true to me - so I decided to share them with the world and the response I've been receiving has been more than I ever expected. I am grateful that I get the opportunity to have music as a vehicle to express myself and my experiences with my voice.
Q: What else should we know about your music?
A: I just released a new single version of my song “Trap Star” on Spotify and all major streaming services, with help from a friend, Chris Laudman, who helped make it sound closer to how I first envisioned it. I have two more singles scheduled to be released by the end of this year, which I am very excited about! I also plan on releasing a newer collection of songs in the not too distant future. Be sure to like, follow and subscribe to keep up to date with my current releases on Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and Instagram: @pmacwindow.
Musically, I find myself at a crossroads currently, faced with the prospect of embarking on reinventing myself while performing as a solo act. This is something I am starting to embrace wholeheartedly because I am looking for a new vehicle to express my music and I also need to remind myself that change is not only healthy, but necessary for growth. I am confident I will rise to the occasion as I've often done before. My music I've been told speaks to people and I want to be the one to make sure I do that in the way I know best. At the end of the day, I make music because I love it and I am grateful that it both connects with people and that I get the chance to share this gift with the world!
A: It varies honestly. Like most things, it comes with time, practice and patience. Usually I will get chord ideas first, which may or may not be accompanied by a vocal melody. The chords will either be a progression or a musical idea/riff that sounds catchy to my ears at least. From there, I then "zoom out" as the great Richard Thompson once said.
Sometimes I will be fortunate and have both words and music channel through me at once in a moment's notice. In those cases it's imperative to get those ideas down quickly when inspiration unpredictably strikes. More often than not however, I will usually get the music first and then have to go back and work on the lyrics: first by identifying a theme and then typically getting the chorus first, which happens most of the time, before going back and fleshing out the verses.
I heard a quote once stating that if you combine three or more of your own personal influences into one song, you can come up with something original, so I've definitely taken a page from that school of thought. I am a true believer in that the best ideas come to you when you least expect it, so I'm constantly trying to stay patient and listen to myself and the world around me, remaining humble and always ready to surrender to my muse of expression.
Q: Is there anything you do to spark your creativity?
A: Pursuing that moment of joy that I described while first listening to Ghostbusters coupled with those childlike feelings of awe and wonder is really it for me. Music, I feel, keeps me young, and also has provided far more fun and satisfaction than any video game, sport, or any other activity I have tried during my limited time on Earth thus far.
I am a staunch believer in 'It's not what is art, but why?' So certain images, feelings, songs, films, memories, paintings and nature will often conjure up a feeling that speaks to me on a deeper level. When that happens I usually will have my notebook nearby to jot down whatever it is I'm feeling. Optimally, I will have a guitar or keyboard close at hand to translate any musical ideas I will get that I feel I can build on. But inspiration takes on different forms. Inspiration, to me, is everywhere, so I reflect on my earlier life experiences, think of past relationships and often look to nature as an endless source of inspiration.
Q: Have you played this music live and if so how does it translate with an audience?
A: Yes, I have. Being that I am mostly solo these days, I have only had the chance to perform these songs live on acoustic guitar, which strips down the meaning and delivery of these musical ideas. Nevertheless, I'm happy to say they really seem to resonate with people, especially the lyrics of “Punching Bag.” I suppose I experienced and wrote them down because they felt true to me - so I decided to share them with the world and the response I've been receiving has been more than I ever expected. I am grateful that I get the opportunity to have music as a vehicle to express myself and my experiences with my voice.
Q: What else should we know about your music?
A: I just released a new single version of my song “Trap Star” on Spotify and all major streaming services, with help from a friend, Chris Laudman, who helped make it sound closer to how I first envisioned it. I have two more singles scheduled to be released by the end of this year, which I am very excited about! I also plan on releasing a newer collection of songs in the not too distant future. Be sure to like, follow and subscribe to keep up to date with my current releases on Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and Instagram: @pmacwindow.
Musically, I find myself at a crossroads currently, faced with the prospect of embarking on reinventing myself while performing as a solo act. This is something I am starting to embrace wholeheartedly because I am looking for a new vehicle to express my music and I also need to remind myself that change is not only healthy, but necessary for growth. I am confident I will rise to the occasion as I've often done before. My music I've been told speaks to people and I want to be the one to make sure I do that in the way I know best. At the end of the day, I make music because I love it and I am grateful that it both connects with people and that I get the chance to share this gift with the world!