The Times Interview - Elemeno P's Scotty Pearson, Explain Yourself to PJ Taylor

Thursday, 18 January 2007

NZ rock legends after only two albums Elemeno P is, Lani Perkis (bass), Dave Gibson (vocals, guitar), Scotty Pearson (drums/percussion) and Justyn Pilbrow (guitar). Photo supplied.

DRUMMERS seldom steal the limelight, unless they’ve got magnetic character and their chops together. Ringo Starr and Keith Moon had it - especially the comedy - so did Ginger Baker and Mitch Mitchell from rock’s early days, through to Dave Grohl of the recent beat masters. All blessed with looks, personality and that old showbiz cliché – charisma – grabbing the focus of camera lenses and turning heads, much like Elemeno P’s rhythm king Scotty Pearson. One of the most readily recognised faces on today’s music scene (and in Auckland streets), the shaggy-blonde power drummer, as decent a bloke as you’ll meet around the venues, is pumped for Friday's main stage appearance at Big Day Out.
Congratulations for what you’ve achieved with Elemeno P. How are you travelling?Trouble in ParadiseLove and RespectThere would have been great expectations to follow-up with another chart-topper. How did you feel when the final master was in the can?TahoeVeronaDo you feel you rose to the challenge?How have you been greeted overseas? That makes sense. On top of the rhythm supplied by you and Lani Perkis, what makes Elemeno P standout are cool, melodic and memorable hooks in choruses. They’re some of the best this country has produced. It’s good to be home and grounded as well.Have you any other musical projects planned for the future? I think you have.They’ll stand the test of time. How do Elemeno P songs come together?How did you become a drummer?Were you into the new wave/punk scene?AK79, Proud ScumToy LoveElemeno P has popular appeal with many age groups, but are the core of fans in their teens and 20s?Last year at Big Day Out, you played the main stage in the heat and it was a great, energetic set. What does it mean to play the festival?How do you feel being part of a thriving NZ music scene - songs, tunes and beats from the fresh new world?Because of Elemeno P’s collective experience, do you think the next album will see a subtle change in style, slightly different musically but more substantial? Retaining the same feel and the magic of the melodies? Scotty Pearson, like many NZ music stars, has a day job. He’s a builder and has had Scotty Construction for nine years. So, if you spot a bloke who looks like him in Auckland’s central suburbs and he’s armed with a hammer, tool belt and pile of wood, it’s most likely to be him. He likes it when people say g’day.