Peter Muller Siamese: Because of rock ‘n’ roll and my little kids, I don’t feel like an uncle
On the occasion of his 70th birthday, we spoke to one of the most important figures in the Hungarian Underground, whose new album with Róbert Bérczesi was released on a distinguished date.
Peter Muller Siamese last time in April, of unparalleled importance Nabidal with Siam In line the goal of the project He told me About a year-long game lessons and a potential vision for the future.
Of course, that topic was still on the agenda, but the main topic of conversation was his 70th birthday, which revealed whether he’s busy of his age and has anything on his boot list.
How do you rate this year compared to last year?
– Regarding the concert, it was very controversial, because although we gave a lot more than we had hoped for in the situation, due to the uncertainty, tickets were sold less. We always used to fill the A38, but the interest is now starting to be more conservative. We were worried about that too, but luckily we ended up with a very nice crowd. In other places, much fewer came, but there were also pleasant surprises.
At Szeged, for example, the JATE Club was closed, so we did a Plan B at a place called City Rock Club, which doesn’t appear to be our field based on the other performance types. After that, it turns out that most of us have been all season.
In addition to AndFriends, I also visited the country often with Béla Szakcsi Lakatos and Romano Drom. Together with Antalek Kovács under the Catching-up Settlements Program, and in cooperation with the LORCA Foundation, which unites prominent Gypsy artists, we went to the most backward settlements of the country to hold music lessons for children and adults alike. There was always a joint song based on the ideas of the attendees, which was then played by the band. Stunning misery and looting, endless serenity and joy were present at the same time. We only got 20-30 places from Nyírség to Baranya this year, and we want to continue into the spring.
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Overall, the year has been quite unexpected, not comparable to the times before Covid, but the balance is definitely better than last year.
– What is the afterlife for the Siamese Nabidal project that ended in April since then?
– I made a rough statistic that showed that more than 1100 songs have been born, and almost 100 of them are already protected in Artisjus or will soon be eligible. A total of about 200 authors participated in the game, and I was constantly in touch with all of them until their songs hit the level we wanted.
The best of them also took a record, such as András Schwenk, who developed all 366 ideas, and Robi Bérczesi, with whom we are also on song 67, and our first joint album was released on My Birthday. Me and the song: Sunshine Titled what many call a masterpiece or decade’s album – I feel that way when I listen to it, and I’m grateful to Rob for one of the most beautiful Christmas gifts of my life. (Including a video of Goodman’s already popular song.)
The following passage was actually created with Rob, who wrote to the mother of my children, who does not leave to the number. I’ve found the perfect co-author on it, we’re working together very easily and with pleasure on our next duet, daily too. In fact, songwriting continues beyond Nabidal, which is a good thing because I usually stick to the classic pop-rock style of song, so the end result can be more self contained.
This is a really important comeback for Nabidal, but perhaps what was most important to me was the number of people who got together around the whole initiative. Bands were formed, and those inactive for a long time were directly reunited for this reason. A network of Napidalosok appeared, many of whom had been looking for each other since they needed professional advice or help, banded together in a club-like fashion in the recordings of the TV show that grew out of the game, and behind – on the other side.
– You recently mentioned a light music education program that would build on this project.
– With Egó Póka, Remó Andrásik and Rector Dr. Zita Horvath et al., We had an old goal of starting a program that would make light music a high school subject. We have also been able to make progress in this area: the Béla Bartók College of Music at Miskolc University was established in August. The goal is to get a one-year-old teacher out of here in a few years, who can then lead the operation. Let’s find the location of the object to be organized around song knowledge, songwriting and analysis, similar to Napidal.
Nowadays everyone hangs out on Spotify, where young people have separate lists of their favorites. I also see in my children making it a matter of standing to show others what they don’t already know. I can imagine something where each lesson begins with the teacher’s question: Did you find something good? Let’s listen!
Then I analyze the lyrics, music, and performance. This can already be incorporated into the curricula for teaching literature. The point is, it’s worth dealing with songs because there’s a lot to learn from them.
“What does it mean to be seventy?”
“It would have required practically a separate call center to be able to receive and return all the compliments, but I tried to do it myself. I think it is lying to whoever says it does not suit him well. Touching affirmation that I have been looking all my life to be good with people and bring them together. From here, I know all of this really means something to them.
In any case, the figure itself did not cause any tension. I believe that the true age of a man is not as much as he was on earth according to the calendar, but rather is indicated by his physical and mental state. I had a good foundation, played a lot of sports and did yoga when I was younger, but I also made sure not to get involved in elite long-running sports. I am inclined to quote with a smile what the local press wrote after our unexpectedly crowded concert in Piquescape: “68-Year-Old Siamese Peter Muller Everybody Danced”. I have no idea what exactly that term means, but if it had been two years ago, it would definitely still work…
Your father, writer Peter Muller, is 85 these days. Are you talking about the passage of time and aging?
– he always says “Petyokam, you don’t know how old you are yet” Fortunately, he’s still in great shape, he goes to the gym a few times a week, and pours his love for life and serenity. It may have affected me too, but I don’t think that’s the main reason why I don’t feel like an uncle. It’s more about rock ‘n’ roll and the fact that I have young children.
I come home every day with kids as young as their father is 70, but I’d say 45.
Of course, adults always remind me that I started this thing earlier: my fourth granddaughter was born just two days ago, for example, through my son Matthew, who is an excellent drummer. Four little girls, one more adorable than the other.
“Is there anything else on your playlist, whether working with someone or a place you want to go?”
– I have continuity in the boot menu. I have traveled the world, tried a lot of professions and almost all possible forms of life, and I have no sense of inferiority in this field. I’ve never been ambitious, I didn’t want to achieve specific goals, I just wanted to feel good about what I’m doing. I am also under grace in this respect: I live by Him and do what I love with whom I love.
Obviously, I want to make it worthwhile for my children to ride the ferry, and to spend as much time as possible with my parents, my wife, his parents, and my brother Julika for as long as possible. I’d like to get a record with Béla Szakcsi Lakatos someday, if we really play that much together. It is also a great gift that I have made several friends of late, such as Jávori Fegya or Cip, with whom we wrote his last song.
Or I could mention Stray Mecky, who just showed up at one of our A38 concerts a few years ago, saying he came to see us. You were a great Omega when I was born, and it meant so much to me that my friend Andras Trancos made the gesture. Laci Benkő was also a great idol, and we played with her too, Szakcsi and Fegya at the Budapest Gold Stars.
My friend Péter Aranyosi (I even cheated on him) after his Covid class was freshly cured around town and stocked with a cake and a bottle of champagne. Szabi Thuróczy also went up from the ground floor – and with her whiskey, they were still waiting to eat. In light of all this, it is no wonder that only the core of the family remains on the boot list…
– What will be the staff next year?
“Everything that was like a knife in butter before the pandemic has become heavy and uncertain. Nowadays it is not at all self-evident that culture is able to function independently and organically. Many of my acquaintances went to a construction worker or pizza courier for there was no better way to avoid bankruptcy. Compared to them, I am still fortunate, but recently I have been able to support the family mostly from the proceeds of my plays, which are fortunately played in many places at home and abroad, but the theater also suffers from insecurity.
What is certain, however, is that AndFriends will perform at Müpa on February 21 with the Danubia Symphony Orchestra. I usually find such collaborations banal, but what they’ve done with Quimby before has caught on. My friend Peter Kirschner is already working there with the Rezs on transcription and formatting, and I wonder what’s going to happen.
It is a pleasure to be there for the first time at the Kalaka Festival, but it pains me at least that one of my favorite festivals, AlteRába in Körmend, unfortunately cannot continue. The other dates were also set one by one.
In addition, they requested that Nabidal be published in book form, accompanied by commentaries and anecdotes. They often praise me for how good I am as a poet, compared to one volume of my “real” poems that have not yet appeared, “only” my words, only poems in magazines and anthologies. That may change next year.
