Damien DeRose, aka Peasant, tip-toed into our playlist last year just before playing Gothamist House at CMJ. Hailing from Doylestown, PA, his small town sound has been calmly floating around this city with more and more frequency -- enchanting everyone within earshot. This Thursday he's back to play the Brooklyn Vegan show at Pianos (tix).
Exposure.mp3 - Peasant
How did you come up with "Peasant" as your performing name?
I just knew I didn't want to use my actual name, I always liked the idea of an Alter Ego sort of deal. I chose Peasant for a million reasons, I guess it hard to explain because it was so right at the time. It sort of combines a lot of my youthful philosophies with a bit of irony and humor, and some healthy respect for J Lennon and "Working Class Hero".
You've been compared to Simon and Garfunkel, Elliott Smith -- do you think those comparisons are accurate; were they inspirations for you?
Well, some of the comparisons have been accurate, but I have never tried to emulate anyone and only tried to do what's natural for me, but I do think Elliott in particular created wonderful and touching music that's really almost impossible to categorize, I have no desire to emulate or do what ANYONE has already done. I think if you hear my music and label it "sounds like this person to a T" you haven't listened to very much of it, and you probably never will, so, too bad.
When and how did you start playing music?
I always used to sing to myself as a toddler, kinda crazily rocking back and forth in my suspenders providing backup instrumentation as well.
