add to queue

HOMESHAKE’s Peter Sagar Always Shares the Aux Cord

Photos by Salina Ladha

This is “Add to Queue,” our attempt to sort through the cacophony of music floating in the algorithmic atmosphere by consulting the experts themselves. Our favorite musicians tell us about their favorite music—the sad, the happy, the dinner party-y, the songs they want played at their funeral. In this edition, we speak with Toronto-based singer-songwriter and musician Peter Sagar— better known as HOMESHAKE. After departing his role as a member of Mac Demarco’s live band, Sagar released his debut HOMESHAKE album in 2014. In the years since, he’s released three more LPs and, last week, dropped his brand new sophomore record Under The Weather. Below, Sagar hopped on the phone with us to discuss what’s on his playlists—from My Bloody Valentine and Prince to Roy Orbison and Tirzah.

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FRED SAHAI: Tell me about your new album, Under The Weather.

PETER SAGAR: It took a long time for it to all come together, and I think it’s pretty good. I’m pretty happy with it. It’s very sad. But that’s okay.

SAHAI: What were you listening to while you were making it? Are there any inspirations you can point to?

SAGAR: I’ve been listening to a lot of ambient music, a lot of stuff on Leaving Records, I really like that label. 

SAHAI: How would you say this new album differs from your earlier records?

SAGAR: I don’t know. I always kind of just make records as they come to me. I don’t generally have any sort of conceptual premeditated idea. 

SAHAI: Did creating in the pandemic affect the music you were making?

SAGAR: I started writing the album in mid-2019. It took a while for it to all come together, and by the time of the pandemic, I was mostly just tidying things up and bringing it all together. Most of the time when I was writing it, other than when I was on tour, I was already staying home. I was already on lockdown, but for no reason. 

SAHAI: What was the last song you listened to?

SAGAR: “No More Sorry” by My Bloody Valentine, but I only got a minute into it. That was at late last night. I was listening to My Bloody Valentine while I was walking yesterday.

SAHAI: Who was the earliest musician to influence you?

SAGAR: Probably Thelonious Monk. I listened to a lot of jazz when I was little.

SAHAI: Do you remember the first CD you ever purchased?

SAGAR: I think it was Tragic Kingdom by No Doubt.

SAHAI: Do you remember your first concert?

SAGAR: There was a folk festival that my family would go to when I was a kid. I don’t know if that counts. The first concert I really wanted to go to that I went to was Tool.

SAHAI: How old were you?

SAGAR: 14 or 15, on the Lateralis Tour.

SAHAI: Do you have a favorite movie soundtrack?

SAGAR: I really liked the soundtrack to Akira. That’s a good one. We can go with that.

SAHAI: Do you have a song that always puts you in a good mood without fail?

SAGAR: Yes. The album Sunshower, by Taeko Ohnuki.

SAHAI: If you were having a house party, what would you put on?

SAGAR: If it’s a party, I’d pass the aux to Salina [Ladha], she has a playlist. Anytime there are people over, and whatever I’m playing isn’t right, Selena’s just like, “Give me the phone,” and then she fixes it and it makes everyone have a good time. Faith Evans, Mary J. Blige, Delegation. 

SAHAI: Do you have a favorite TV show theme song?

SAGAR: Probably Twin Peaks. That’s a nice song, I like that soundtrack.

SAHAI: If you were to have dinner with four artists, who would they be?

SAGAR: Prince, Mariah Carey, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and David Berman.

SAHAI: What song would you use to describe yourself?

SAGAR: I wouldn’t.

SAHAI: Favorite karaoke song?

SAGAR: The last song I did at karaoke was “Crying” by Roy Orbison, and I don’t think I did a very good job, but I would give it another shot because I know the words already.

SAHAI: What’s a song that everybody should know about?

SAGAR: “Devotion” by Tirzah. That’s like one of my favorite songs. 

SAHAI: What can we expect from you next?

SAGAR: I have my record out on September 10th, and then next year we’ll try touring. I’m trying to start my own record label, but I’ll probably just release a bunch of bullshit that I made sitting over in the corner over there. We’ll see how that goes.

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Listen to HOMESHAKE’s playlist below, and follow Interview on Spotify for more.