PEACH STREET REVIVAL

Photo by About Face Photography

Gonzales: My family was musical. My Uncles had bands, my mom was a bass player, one of my grandmothers played harmonica, the other grandmother played tambourine. At age 5 I attended my great grandmother’s funeral, where a gospel choir “sang” her home. I knew, right then, I wanted to DO THAT!

Cooper: I first picked up the acoustic guitar around age 12 while living in Costa Rica, Central America. The first two things I learned was the pentatonic scale, and the opening riff to “Stairway to Heaven.”

Jordan: I started taking piano lessons at the age of 5, courtesy of my parents. I’m so grateful for that foundation because I joined every band I could in middle and high school -- wind ensembles, jazz bands, marching bands -- and I tried out for (and made) every honor band that was available. I’ve always admired women of rock like Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, and Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart (thanks to my parents’ rockin’ taste in music), but it wasn’t until I heard Amy Lee of Evanescence letting it rip on their first signed record, Fallen, that I decided at the ripe age of 9 that “I want to be a rockstar.” I started learning guitar to a handful of my parents’ CDs, including the Fallen record, and I got my first bass when I was 15. One week later, I was playing it on stage at our church, where I also played drums and keys. When I got to college and spent the first several years as a percussion major, bass had been on the backburner for a while, until a friend asked if I was interested in joining his band. In January of 2015, I was in my first official band outside of school called Bicycle Annie, playing several shows a month and getting my feet wet in the world I had dreamed of since I was 9. I met Gonzales in that band and we eventually went on to form Peach Street Revival in 2018. I also had an amazing run with a punk band called Deep Purple Rain.

Sofia: I started getting interested in music when I was seven or eight. At the time, I was homeschooled and would go with my dad to his band rehearsals. Being exposed to live music really fueled my curiosity, and I always enjoyed a challenge. After getting frustrated I couldn’t play like the drummers I saw, I was determined to learn myself.

Gonzales: For me it was all the gamma stars! Madonna, Janet Jackson, Grace Slick, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mary J Blige, Alicia Keys. All these ladies sung from such a brilliant place. That has always inspired me.

Cooper: I’d have to say Led Zeppelin has been my biggest musical influence since I started playing guitar. I grew up listening to classic rock and have always wanted to follow in the same footsteps as the greats!

Jordan: (per above)

Sofia: My family definitely inspired me to pursue a career. Both my parents and my grandparents would play together often, and I always wanted to join in.

They were very supportive of me, and I realized that music was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I also had some wonderful teachers along the way that really showed me the different options in the real world to have a career based in music.

Gonzales: I think as time has passed; we have challenged our sound more. We are choosing more intricate songs to cover, and that is parlaying into our songwriting and performance.

Cooper: We have evolved a lot since we first started playing music together. We initially focused mainly on covers to get comfortable and build some musical momentum. Since then, we have shifted gears to be an original band, writing, creating, and performing our own songs!

Jordan: When Peach Street Revival was first formed, we were primarily a cover band. Gonzales had several originals we introduced into our repertoire from her time as a solo artist, but in the interest of getting out to play as soon as possible, we learned some three hours worth of covers. Mostly 70s psychedelic / blues rock, among some newer groups like Greta Van Fleet and Wolfmother. I think it’s because of the genre of covers we started with, we have the sound we do today. A lot of our songs are influenced by those same classics we got out and started performing with. Because we all have such diverse musical backgrounds, it keeps our sound evolving and fresh. No two originals sound the same.

Sofia: I joined the band after Peach Street had already been around for a year. Our content has really made a huge transition this past year to be more original based, rather than just doing covers. I believe that as we have all become comfortable with each other, the writing process has become a very strong and enjoyable focal point as we have developed our sound.

Gonzales: Passion. For me, passion is the strongest emotion to sink your roots into. Especially when the winds of frustration or disappointment are raging.

Cooper: I’d have to say the joy of performing for others, especially when you can see how much the crowd is into it! There’s nothing better than being onstage to a packed crowd and getting to perform your own music. Jordan: OOF, dang. There are so many emotions involved in this line of work. But, I think the most recurring emotion, the one that keeps me going, is joy. Joy manifests in so many different ways -- whether it’s landing a slot at an amazing venue, nailing a bass line, writing a new song, or slaying it on stage in front of a crowd -- all those moments always lead back to joy.

Sofia: Hmm, this is a tough question! If I had to pick one, I would say my passion drives me the most. I have a very strong passion for performing, and also to push myself to learn new things. I hate feeling stagnant, and I really force myself to try new things, and to keep honing my craft. I also have a hard time connecting with people, and music has always provided me a way to share emotion with others, whether that is the audience and/or my fellow bandmates. All of the struggles that come from the music business seem insignificant compared to the rewards.

Gonzales: I really love our line-up. Having Sofia and Jordan rock their instruments like they do, and the way Cooper (our unicorn), effortlessly rips melodies on his guitar. I know it is special.

Cooper: I’d have to say our individual dedication to our instruments sets us apart from most bands. Everyone in this group brings something special to the table and together we’ve created some musical magic!

Jordan: We don’t fit in to the mainstream, I don’t think we ever have. We’ve never felt pressure to conform to any look, sound, or idea. We’ve always just written what we want to write and been true to ourselves as individuals. I think that by not trying to be something that isn’t authentic to who we really are is what separates us from a lot of artists. And I know that our friends and fans recognize and appreciate that about us, which is how we’ve developed the reach that we have.

Sofia: I think that the chemistry we all have as musicians together allows us to have a ton of creative freedom. I have never worked with people prior where it was so easy to meld all of ideas into one, rather than one person primarily being the influence. We are all about energy and creating an experience for the audience. It’s about being us, and not trying to put ourselves in any kind of box.

Gonzales: Thus far, getting over the hurdle of performing full-time, and it supporting us financially. All of us have a side hustle to make it work. Negotiating the hustle and being an artist is a fine line.

Cooper: For me it was probably performing live and gaining that confidence to step out on stage in front of a packed house and not choke! It definitely took me some time but every once in a while I still get butterflies before I hit the stage!

Jordan: I could have never imagined a challenge greater than the roadblocks Covid-19 put in our path. Just as we were gaining some serious momentum, gearing up to release our first studio EP, the world pretty much stopped turning. Venues were closed. Our entire plan was thwarted. We could have still just released the album... but then what? Sit around for a year? We made the decision as a band to nix the original plan of releasing our first EP all at once, and instead, decided to release each song individually with its own music video. I think this was one of the best ways to navigate this pandemic, where we simply just didn’t have the opportunity to play live, travel, or record, because everything was shut down. Filming and releasing each music video has kept us busy for the entirety of 2020, and the absence of live shows has allowed us to write more original music than I could have imagined. Nothing stopped for us. It was heartbreaking to watch venues close permanently, or bands fizzle away because of this pandemic. I am grateful to my bandmates for remaining strong and motivated so that we could keep the momentum going for Peach Street Revival through 2020 and in to 2021.

Sofia: This pandemic has absolutely been the biggest challenge to overcome. I never thought live music would stop but for almost a year nothing was happening for anyone. We decided to take that time to focus our energy on writing. We ended up releasing several music videos, and we were all able to safely rehearse together to stay sharp. Even though it has been difficult, we were able to accomplish a lot on our own and to prepare for when things started opening up.

Gonzales: I think people equate sacrifice with suffering. Pursuing a music career, there are decisions you will need to make along your way. It still should be a fun ride, a fulfilling ride. If you are not having a blast doing something, why do it?

Cooper: Everyone has suffered at some point. I think part of the joy of being an artist is taking that negative and spinning into something positive. Sometimes that transcribes into lyrics but for me it’s usually a new tasty riff.

Jordan: I think this is a pretty huge misrepresentation of what it means to be an artist. I think “suffering,” like any perspective, is in the eye of the individual, and is not a requirement to be a successful musician. Is this difficult? Yes, at times it can be incredibly taxing, especially with juggling a day job or other side projects. If being a musician was easy, everyone would do it. But have I “suffered?” No, and that’s because I actively choose to not apply labels like that to myself. I hear some people refer to this as “toxic positivity,” but I really do believe in no bad days, and always looking for that silver lining. To me, working hard and burning the candle at both ends is not suffering, I feel like I wouldn’t enjoy the fruits of my labor if I gave it that label.

Sofia: I don’t think “suffer” is the right word to describe it. In order to make it in anything, you have to put the time and work in. Sometimes you have to fight for your art. Fight for opportunities, fight to keep motivation, or just to fight to make enough time. But at the end of the day, being involved in the music industry is just so incredibly...FUN. No suffering here.

Gonzales: The internet had distributed the music business. No longer do you have to go to the major music hubs like LA, or New York, or Nashville. People are finding thriving music careers outside of these hubs. Moving back home to Western Colorado from Los Angeles, I noticed this straight away.

Cooper: It’s been interesting seeing the industry shift to more of an online focus, especially this last year. I believe it’s helped bands reach larger audiences as well as give them a platform at times when performing live isn’t viable.

Jordan: If we had formed back in the early 2000s, and printed thousands of copies of CDs, and then witnessed the boom of online streaming platforms like Napster, iTunes, Pandora, Spotify, etc., my opinion would be very different. I know a lot of artists, especially DIY artists who were independent just like we are, suffered as soon as people didn’t need to buy physical records anymore. But for us, having formed well after these streaming services were established, I think we have a huge advantage with the Internet. Not only does it save us the costs of having to get physical copies of all our music made, we are also able to reach farther using the resources of the Internet than we ever could without it. These days, we can post out our content to other cities, states, and countries, all from the comfort of our homes. We can effortlessly connect with venues with a couple keystrokes. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter have been great resources for getting our content out and connecting with other parts of the world. When you know how to use it, the Internet can be a wonderful tool to expand your band’s reach into the world.

Sofia: The internet has changed the whole game for the music business. With social media, anyone has the chance to be discovered and to make it big which also makes everything a lot more competitive.

Gonzales: Early on in 2020, as everything was starting to close, we did some live-streaming, to stay connected with our fans. It was a strange feeling. Live-streaming made me realize that live music is 50% live music, and 50% audience reciprocating. We are starting to get back to having a live audience, and it has been so exciting hearing the audience again!

Cooper: We have done a few live-streams and it was a nice change of pace! It was especially nice to reconnect with fans during the pandemic via livestreams when we couldn’t be with them in person. We have had great responses from our fans and definitely plan on revisiting some more live-streams in the future!

Jordan: We did two live streams on Facebook during last year’s quarantine, and after several weeks of being isolated from venues, friends, and fans, it was so refreshing. I remember when we cut the live feed, it felt exactly as if we had just stepped off the stage from an actual show. We were able to respond to comments in real time, take song requests, and chat with people we hadn’t seen in weeks. I was grateful to connect with everyone we weren’t able to physically see. And I know all of our friends and family that we were unable to be with in person, were happy to see us as well. The response was overwhelmingly positive.

Sofia: We have done several livestreams! We have a wonderful fan base, and they were received very well. It was really cool to be able to feel connected to everyone, since we couldn’t do much in person.

Gonzales: I really have to back my bandmates on their points. It is an esoteric business, and there are many ways to make it work.

Cooper: That’s a really tough question! I wish the industry was more about how valuable music is in our lives, rather than how valuable a band is to a label.

Jordan: Now that I’ve been performing as a DIY artist for over half a decade, I realize that there is little uniformity or structure when it comes to booking shows. I’ve seen a lot of venues with a “there’s always someone who will do it for cheaper” attitude, neglecting the time and effort many of these musicians have put into perfecting their craft and putting together a quality product. I feel like if local bands were to “unionize” (for lack of a better term), and set standards for payment from venues, the local industry would thrive and artists would have a better chance at making this a viable career path. This would involve working with the venues to develop a payment system that benefits both them and the artists. We have been fortunate to develop relationships with venues who recognize the value of our product, but we have also turned down a few opportunities because “there’s always someone who will do it for cheaper.”

Sofia: If I could change anything in the industry, I think I would simply be to have everything be more about touring and playing live. In today’s standards, you can’t just survive on touring (unless you’re selling out stadiums every night.) You have to learn to do a bit of everything, whether that’s studio time, session work, producing videos, or a variety of other things. All of which are super valuable, but I definitly have a soft spot for performing live.

Gonzales: 1. Aretha Franklin – Soul Queen The way Aretha has mastered her voice and sings so effortlessly while adlibbing throughout her lead vocal sets my heart on fire! This is my favorite collection of her work. 2. David Crosby – If I Could Only Remember My Name I discovered this album while I was living in Malibu, CA. David was able to find a way to make this album (music) sound like the waves of the ocean, sound like the beautiful beach sunsets, sound like the hopeful blue sky. 3. Jefferson Airplane – Surrealistic Pillow Recording back in the 60’s and 70’s is worlds away from today’s recording process. I really enjoy hearing how this album was recorded during its time. I love this is their breakout album, with a skyrocket ride just ahead of the to the Summer of Love! 4. Linda Ronstadt – Greatest Hits 1976 I would whale every song on this album when I was 7. I was singing so loud in the car once, my dad had to tell me to be quiet! 5. Nancy Wilson & Cannonball Adderley - self titled 1962 This album from start to finish is fantastic. I love how Nancy and Cannonball answer one another, and then other times join together. The order of the songs, the musicianship, even the yellow dress Nancy wears on the album cover is fabulous! Jazz and soul are very close to my heart.

Cooper: 1. Led Zeppelin – III Easily my favorite Zeppelin album! This was the first album where I realized the acoustic guitar can freakin’ rock! Plus, “Since I’ve Been Loving You” is my favorite Jimmy Page solo of all time! 2. Cream - Disraeli Gears This album just plain kicks ass. It’s raw, unfiltered classic rock at its best. 3. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of The Moon If I had to put any album on and listen to it side to side, this would be it. The way the entire album rolls effortlessly from song to song is an absolute work of art. 4. Jimi Hendrix - Axis: Bold as Love It’s hard to pick a favorite Hendrix album but “Little Wing” has been my all time favorite since I heard it. Before Hendrix it was either rhythm or lead guitar playing for the most part, he found a way to incorporate both simultaneously and it forever changed music. 5. Boston - self titled This album absolutely blew me away the first time I listened to it! Like most bands, the first record is usually the best and this one doesn’t let you down. Between the insanely high vocals and piercing guitar solos, it became a fast favorite of mine.

Jordan: 1. Fallen - Evanescence This record was what absolutely lit me on fire for Evanescence. To see a woman in metal, absolutely crushing it and not giving in to what society says a woman should be, was THE biggest inspiration to me. 2. The Open Door - Evanescence So naturally, when my favorite band in the history of the universe released their second record, I was even more jazzed and motivated to grow up and be Amy Lee one day. 3. Rumours - Fleetwood Mac My parents had great taste in music. I was eight years old when I got my hands on their Fleetwood Mac CDs, and I listened to Rumours and Greatest Hits (1988) nonstop. The power behind this band was so thrilling, with the endless harmonies and vocals, and huge sound from all these musicians sharing the stage together. Special shout out to the Tusk album though, it’s still a dream of mine to perform backed by an entire marching band some day. 4. Theatre of Pain - Motley Crue I’m pretty sure I have this on vinyl at my mom’s house somewhere... but both my parents were into 80’s hair metal, so I listened to a lot of it growing up. I’ve always been inspired by unapologetic rock and roll. Fast tempoed music, guitar overdrive, power vocals.. definitely set the stage for my ambitions as a musician. 5. What Separates Me From You - A Day to Remember I’ve had some unsteadiness in my road, like most people have. I was always a little different from those around me. Navigating the young adult life was tough, and this album really helped me through that. Driving around at 2am blasting this at full volume and screaming the songs at the top of my lungs is what helped me maintain sanity in my first couple years of college, where I had to start figuring out life on my own. I’ve seen ADTR live five times now, those dudes put on the most amazing shows. They have great energy and are inspiring to me as a performer. They helped shape me and my stage game.

Sofia: 1. From the corner to the block - Galactic The drummer for Galactic (Stanton Moore) has been a huge inspiration to me. I love the raw funky energy, and I even went all the way to New Orleans to take a clinic with Mr. Moore several years ago. All of their albums are so rhythmic and groovy! 2. Super Heavy Organ - Robert Walter Another amazing Funk driven album. Super heavy organ definitely influenced my playing a lot, and to find “the pocket.” 3. Let’s be animals - The Downtown Fiction I got really into Pop Punk for a while back in middle school. I really dug the high energy from this album. 4. Classics - Ratatat Ratatat got me into the more electronic side of music, and my parents would play them a lot around the house. Playing acoustic drums over electronic loops helped me to start explore part writing. 5. Blast Tyrant - Clutch Wow I loved this album so much. I would always daydream about playing on stage while listening, something about this album just gets me pumped every time.

Gonzales: We are currently releasing our 5-song EP “CINCO.” We have just released the 4th song and music video from the EP. You can watch the music videos and hear songs from the EP on Peachstreetrevival.com. Also, check us out on Apple Music, iTunes, and Spotify.

Cooper: We have been writing a lot lately, with that said we definitely plan on doing some more recording soon!

Jordan: We have had lots of time to write some more original music, I’m very excited to get those out into the world whenever the time comes. We just released the fourth of five music videos from our first studio EP, so we have one more music video to get out there. We are also hoping to travel in the near future as we come out of this pandemic! We were planning on trying to tour last year, but that’s

Sofia: Peach Street is currently releasing our latest EP, one single at a time. We are 4 down, and only 1 more to go! Along with that, we are focusing on writing more originals, and looking to tour this summer, once it becomes safe to do so.

Gonzales: We want to perform in new markets. We have tour dates in WY and SD, and working on a TX trip. We really want to get out to new places and rock new faces!

Cooper: We plan on getting out of town and hitting the road for some shows! We can’t wait to get out and showcase what we have been busy working on this past year!

Jordan: EVERYWHERE! We have our music posted on all our social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube), you can stream our music on Spotify (or any streaming platform), and purchase on iTunes! The easiest way to access all our music, live performance, videos, and music videos is on the website, peachstreetrevival.com.