THEAUSSIEWORD.COM catches up with Petric.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry? We’ve continued to find new inspiration at different points in our lives, but I think the earliest moments that I can remember was the first time we played our hometown festivals. The show went over really well, and people we clapping and asking for more music. It felt really good. I remember being instantly hooked to that feeling. A few years, and many trips down to Nashville later, we formed Petric and never looked back.
The music industry doesn’t “interest” us much at all. It’s a brutally tough business, but the rewards it offers, and the experiences that we’ve had chasing dreams, its more than we ever could have imagined. We love music, and we love performing, so we’ll keep showing up as long as people will have us.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music? We’re all fans of a great song. When we hear one from one of our favourite artists, or we write one, that gets us inspired and excited more than anything. That creative enegery carries into the studio, and onto the stage with us. We spent a lot of time writing for Flashbacks, and making sure we had the right songs for the album. I feel like that was probably the toughest part of the whole album.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish? Our biggest goal is always to produce the best music we possibly can. Whether that’s in the studio, or on stage, we hold a very high standard for ourselves. Everyone in our band agrees if we set the bar high, we will continue to improve and that’s a great feeling. Personally, I would love to create opportunity for us to travel the world with our music. We hope to make it down to Australia once the world is in a little bit better shape!
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour? Honestly, no. It pains me to say that, but our Canada is in not good enough shape for large gatherings. We are finally starting to head in the right direction but we still have some work to do. We plan on shooting a few more music videos for the tracks on Flashbacks, and hopefully do some writing. We started working on new music in December, so we’re always energized to create and hear new songs.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music? Flashbacks is without any doubt the best musical representation of Petric. We’ve worked very hard over the past decade to hone our skills in the studios, and as song writers. A lot of album these days are all program instruments, and recorded over a weekend with one or two people. We didn’t want Flashbacks to be one of those albums. Writing and recording this record took over 2 years, but with taking that time we were able to infuse so much more of our own input, ideas and talents into it. There is a lot of energy in Petric, and there is a lot of high tempo tracks in Flashbacks. Generally we try to record songs that are going to go over well with our fans at shows. I think we have a few of those songs on Flashbacks.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs? It just happens. Ideas show up. If they are good, they usually end up in my phone for a few months. If they are really good, they find a way to resurface sooner than later. I am a huge fan of co writing. I think it’s one of my most favourite things to do in life. It’s liberating, like chatting to a therapist, but also get to be creative. I really try to tear down all my walls, and insecurities when I write. I always try to find the most honest words to use. So when I get to go through that process of just being in that raw emotional state, and then you come out of it with a song that I know is going to work perfectly for Petric, it feel very good. I hope we can do some more writing in 2021.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? I don’t know. And if I did, would I tell you?
Success, what is the secret to it? Hard work. I feel like you have to commit to something daily if you want it to have a chance of finding success. Part time efforts won’t cut it.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far? Headlining our own show at the Burton Cummings Theatre in Winnipeg has to be at the top. It’s an iconic venue in Winnipeg, where many of the major bands who come through town play. It was a bold undertaking, but we sold it! Our fans never let us down. It was our last show before the pandemic, so it has extra special meaning now.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring? Keith Urban has been one of the most influential artists for all of us. His life, and career continues to evolve, and thrive. His no fear attitude towards his music, and guitar playing have always resonated with us. We love exploring new sounds as a band. We love playing guitar, and writing songs. We continue to be inspired by so many artists.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline? There is definitely new music in the works. It’s coming together a little slower due to the pandemic, but we have a solid batch of songs that are already recorded, so we’re in pretty good shape. We have a duet in the works with an amazing Australian singer. Fingers crossed, but I’m really excited to see that one come together.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself in a few years? I think 2020 has taught us that predictions are tough to make. I just hope we’re still making music. This last year, our band has really come together more than ever before. We’re finally finding our stride as a team and it feels great.
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why? I hate the judgement and the competition. Someone is always comparing you to another artist or song. Youre always competing against somebody else, wether thats for airplay or a gig. I don’t think it brings out the best in anyone. I love meeting people. This industry gives us the opportunity to meet fans all over the world. Some of these fans end up becoming life long friends. Music is all about bringing people together, and that’s absolutely my favourite part about being in the music industry.
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists. The Wolfe Brothers, and Casey Barnes seem to be on a hot streak for putting out great tracks. Hayley Jensen has an amazing voice as well. I hope we’ll get the chance to do some shows with some of these artists in the future.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in gettng your records out into the public eye? Social media is a platform that we can use to connect with people. Like I said earlier, music is all about bringing people together. Any way we can connect with fans over music, we’re all for it. We’ve been very lucky to expand our audience around the world over the past year. Hopefully we can get out to these new markets and play some shows soon.
How will you continue appealing to the international market? We’re going to do our best to continue to make the best music we can. We’ve been working hard to expand our team in these new markets. The time difference is sometimes a little fun, but it has been going really well so far.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list? I’d love to write with Chad Kroeger. Nickelback is one of the best bands Canada has ever produced. I am a huge fan of him as a song writer. Maybe one day.
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps? If its what you want, go for it. Life is too short to not live it to the fullest. Don’t be afraid to take risks, trust your gut, and enjoy the journey.
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your followers and fans? Instagram and Facebook. We do our best to message back to all our fans! We love hearing from you!
Any last words? Petric is just getting started! We can’t wait to see you all at a show soon.
Website: http://www.petricmusic.com
Facebook: facebook.com/petricmusic
Twitter: @petricmusic
Instagram: @petricmusic
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