Jóan Petur A few words with Jóan Petur (pronounced John Peter). Jóan is a singer-songwriter from the Faroe Islands - located in the North Atlantic between Iceland, Norway and Scotland. He plays piano and guitar, and has just released a single called “In A Year”.
Leicester Bangs: Tell us a little about yourself, and your band. Jóan: I'm 29 years old and living on the Faroe Islands. I have been playing music since I was 7 years old. I started by taking piano lessons at the local music school, and then later started playing guitar. My band members are all guys here from my hometown.
LB: How did you start out making music? Jóan: I started out making my own music when I was working as a chef in a hotel in Denmark. I worked and lived in this hotel for six months. One evening when I was alone, I sat down by the piano and started playing some melodies. That became a habit and after two or three months I had enough material for a whole album. The album I released in 2008 is called "Bow & Arrow" and was almost all written in this hotel in Denmark.
LB: Who did you grow up listening to and how do they influence what you’re doing now? Jóan: The best thing was to be home alone after school. I always went through my dad's old records of Jim Reeves, Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.
Later I started to listen to Guns n' Roses, Mr. Big, Metallica etc. In my late teens I started to listen to more soft singer-songwriter music. I am still open to everything and listen to all music. I don't think I would be able to do this music if I hadn't been listened to the old music when I was younger.
LB: Tell us about your latest release. Jóan: I have just released a single called "In A Year" - which is co-written with the fantastic Marissa DiBlasio. We wrote it on the 5th annual international songwriter retreat in California, January 2010.
We have made a music video too - it is on YouTube. A friend of mine Eirikur Meitilberg has made the music video. Its here:
LB: Do you get out and play your music live, and if so, what can an audience expect at one of your shows? Jóan: An easy night with me and my guitar - playing gentle, song-based music.
LB: What aspects of playing and recording music do you most enjoy? Jóan: I love playing music - I love making music! I now find it very enjoyable to record, but at the start it was terrible.
LB: Where can people find (and buy) your music? Jóan:
