Peter Bibby has a knack for telling great stories lyrically, with a real bluesy guitar twang. Peter has just released his first official solo record on Spinning Top Records out of Australia called Butcher/Hairstylist/Beautician. Here Bibby chats about his musical journey and life in a manner that is as captivating and friendly as his music itself. Tracks like “Friends” and “Hates My Boozin” are sure to serve him well on his way of Western adventure. This Australian will continue cruising through the deserts of California in a red convertible from time to time, or perhaps you’ll find him boozin’ in a dusty western saloon, with a cowboy hat and a big, silver resonator guitar.

What motivated you to record Butcher/Hairstylist/Beautician ?

It was definitely about time, but Nick Allbrook (POND), who played drums on the album, sort of just made it happen. He told me to stop fucking around. He booked the studio time and put up the cash like a darling boy, and we just did it.

Did you record with anyone else besides Nick?

A guy called Lukas Glickman recorded it all. Nick played drums, and Johnny played bass, and Connor played some violin, which was funny because he had never heard any of the songs, and just went for it in the final hour of recording time.

When you guys recorded in the studio did you do digital or analog?

It was a studio in Collingwood in Melbourne. It was a 100% analog studio with a reel to reel set up.

How did you get on Spinning Top Records?

Just from the Perth music scene ya know. I would go to their band’s shows, and Frozen Ocean played with POND a couple times. I guess Nick just demanded that Jodie, the manager, come and she really liked it and we became good friends. She was too busy to take me on at first because she was busy with Tame (Impala). Then eventually she just said it was about time and I was officially welcomed to the family.

What was the biggest hold up for you to get your music out there?

I was always playing music in Perth, and then I moved to Melbourne, and I was playing a lot of music then. I guess I just really didn’t know how to get it out in a label-sense, and then Jodie and everyone really helped a lot with that.

What’s your songwriting process?

I’m pretty much just constantly just writing words, and sometimes I get lyrics I think are good and I’ll throw the music in there. Other times I’ll have music and write the lyrics for it. Sometimes I just do it all at the same time. There’s not really a set process, but I’m always playing the guitar and writing words. Lyrics are a definite focus for me.

What movies influenced you a lot growing up?

A lot of dirty skater punk, old blues, old folk, and then in the house mum and dad would play Lou Reed, Hendrix, Bob Dylan, and stuff like that. When I was young I listened to heavy awful music and sort of opened my mind up to other music.

What bands are you enjoying lately?

The Zombies…There’s so many, a lot of local bands in Australia. There’s my friends Mangelwurzel; they’re awesome. These guys sitting over here have a band called Love Junkies. There’s just so many though; it’s hard for me.

How would you compare Australia to the states?

It’s definitely less populated. It’s completely different, but it’s not that different. Australia has a lot of cultural debt to America. It’s more expensive in some ways. It’s less expensive in other ways. How many cities do you have in America? A lot. And we don’t, and they’re all very far apart from each other, so it’s quite small. America seems to have every landscape known to man. You could ski in the mountains or ride horses in the desert. You can do that stuff in Australia, but it’s not as extreme.

What for you makes music worth it?

I get to travel around, and it’s actually the best job ever. There’s pretty much no money it, but you can maintain yourself. You’re constantly broke, but I don’t really care. You get to express yourself. You get to meet a lot of people. You get to find yourselves in really strange situations. It’s better than some 9-5 boring job.

If you weren’t doing music what would you be doing? Fishing on the high seas?

I was a plasterer for six years, plastering walls. For money I would probably doing something kind of mundane like that, but I’m sure I’d find my kicks somehow, fishing on the high seas or riding horses in the desert.

If you could give some advice to yourself in the past what would you say?

I guess just stop procrastinating and do you things you think you want to do. If you have an idea, just get it done instead of just pissing about.

If you were on a mission what would you say that mission is?

To have as much fun and consume as much intoxicants as possible without becoming a total dickhead. You have to maintain some purity and integrity, but I like to party too. Sometimes the two don’t go hand in hand. I guess I’m on a mission to be a lovely wasted person. Not really (laughs). I don’t really care that much about being wasted, just to be a nice person.