Peter Murphy on what makes Bauhaus’ music so transcendent
Peter Murphy’s Mr. Moonlight tour comes to Terminal West tonight (Thurs., May 2)
- Thomas Tadeus Bak
- Peter Murphy
For former Bauhaus vocalist Peter Murphy, 2013 has been an eventful year. After being detained in Glendale, Calif., last month on charges of meth possession and an alleged hit-and-run, Murphy pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance on the condition that he does not drive a car. His court date is set for May 17. In the meantime, Murphy has embarked on the Mr. Moonlight tour, playing the music of Bauhaus. Tonight (Thurs., May 2), Murphy and Co. make their way to Atlanta for a show at Terminal West. Earlier this week, he took a few minutes to talk about his current band, and what makes Bauhaus’ music so transcendent.
So just to clarify, you’re playing all Bauhaus songs on the Mr. Moonlight tour, correct? Nothing from your solo albums?
Yeah, I had been touring with my Ninth album for two years when I decided to put on two surprise shows in L.A. I wanted to play an intimate show for the fans, the hardcores who’ve always supported us. So the first night I played my whole album Deep, and then I thought of putting on a night of all Bauhaus songs. It was a pilot, and a test to see how well it worked musically, and if we would have the quality that I would expect it must have. It worked out really well. I was there just a couple of months ago, just about to start my album, which I imagined would take up a period of three months whilst I toured here and there, but I went to London with Youth, who’s a really well-known producer and a very old friend from Killing Joke in the early ’80s, and we basically did the album in four-and-a-half days. So this tour, as you say, is a tip of the hat to those very hardcore Bauhaus audiences around the world, which are also my own as well.