Perhapsy is the solo project of musician Derek Barber, guitarist and songwriter of Oakland based groups Bells Atlas and Astronauts, etc.
He’s one of the best indie rock guitarists you’ve never heard.
Active since his college years as a Jazz Studies major at the University of Michigan, Perhapsy has been the main creative outlet for Barber besides playing in various other bands (Bells Atlas, Astronauts, etc., In Watermelon Sugar, Chyristian Rawk, Anna Ash, and The Winston Jazz Routine to name a few).
What once began as an instrumental rock outfit (self titled album released by KC based The Record Machine, 2010) has translated into an experimental pop singer/songwriter project characterized by trance like guitar loops, live sonic improvisation, and understated vocals.
Last week, Barber released a new single, “All My Soul Swallowed,” off his sophomore album Me Tie Doughty Walker (due out March 3rd). The new tune sounds similar to an early Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene). Very indie rock with an underlying pop context.
For more on Barber, check out the Q&A below.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/235868216″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”200″ iframe=”true” /]
Casablanca Sunset: How long have you been playing guitar?
Perhapsy: Well, I started playing guitar at 13 and I’m 30 so that makes 17 years, I suppose. It’s weird ’cause somedays it feels like I just started a couple years ago…
CS: What are some of your musical influences?
P: I grew up on lots of 90s music (Nirvana, Weezer, Oasis, etc.) but I got into indie rock in high school (Flaming Lips, early Death Cab) and I also listened to a lot of post-rock (Mogwai, Godspeed, etc.) as well. These were all good places to start on guitar because they took some time to learn but were good foundations. It wasn’t until senior year in high school and college that I got into studying jazz guitar (Wes Montgomery, Charlie Christian, etc.). But I will say that anything can really be an influence, even if it’s something that you don’t ever want to attempt… There’s lots of pop music I respect but have no intention (or ability) of trying to recreate.
CS: How would you describe your guitar style to someone that has never heard you before?
P: I play from a place of not necessarily wanting to know what it is I’m doing. I’ve spent a lot of time studying scales, theory, and improvisation — however, when I’m playing guitar, coming up with a part, or writing a song, I try and find sounds that I don’t fully understand yet resonate on a deeper emotional level. It’s hard to put it into words but I’ve always been attracted to things that are mysterious in music and my guitar playing, hopefully, reflects that.
CS: Most of the music from your last album was more instrumental and math-rockish. What was the reasoning for the change in style with the new music?
P: Well, Perhapsy started out as more of an instrumental band (kind of a jazz-influenced Tristeza or something) as an outlet for wanting to write outside the scholastic jazz traditions my friends and I were in. I’d always wanted to write instrumental songs that followed semi-pop formats (verse, chorus, bridge, etc.). However, I was pretty strongly discouraged early on in my music life about singing. I thought if my friends told me I couldn’t (or shouldn’t) sing then there was no point in trying. That all changed, however, for me when I started listening more to Daniel Johnston and Bob Dylan after college.
CS: Any plans for 2016? Will you continue to tour with Astronauts, etc?
P: Yes, Astronauts, etc has a tour coming up in March which I’m very excited about. We just did a trek in Sept-Oct opening for our friends in Toro y Moi. This time, however, we’ll be doing headlining shows with our friend Aaron Valenzuela in this great project called Harriet Brown.
Bells Atlas has a lot of writing and recording plans and the Perhapsy album comes out on March 3rd.
Thanks Derek! For more on Perhapsy and upcoming projects be sure to check out the Perhapsy facebook page.