9-10 August 2025 Hildesheim, Germany Ticket link/full lineup information at https://www.ticket-onlineshop.com/ols/meraluna/en/tickets/channel/shop/index/

22 June, 2025 at The National Bowl, Milton Keynes One day, 2 stages. The UK sister event of the Cruel World Festival will celebrate post-punk music, fashion, and literature.

Tickets on sale Friday, 6 December. Ticket link and festival information at https://www.forevernowfestival.co.uk/

Watch the video: https://petermurphy.bandcamp.com/album/let-the-flowers-grow Purchase the download: https://petermurphy.bandcamp.com/album/let-the-flowers-grow Available to listen on all streaming platforms.

Here are just a few of the wonderful fan comments on the Peter Murphy and Boy George collaboration:

“Earlier today I was wondering what's the use and what's everything for. For this. For beautiful music like this. The rare beautiful moments in life that we get. They keep us moving on.”

“Truly, one of the best and remarkable releases of this year! MILESTONE !!!”

“This is no ordinary music, it’s a masterpiece, please people make the right decision once in your life and make this no.1 in the official charts. Well done Boy George & Peter Murphy.”

“After listening to this song everyone realize everything will be OK. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day it's gonna be alright.”

“A song so deep, it will hit you in the heart for those who understand the complex packed in the changes of life...”

Limited edition giclee prints of Peter Murphy’s self portraits and iconography art works are available to ship in time for the holidays. Each print is numbered and limited to editions of 50.

Details and purchase link at https://sotamarketplace.co/pages/seller-profile/peter-murphy

Download available at https://petermurphy.bandcamp.com/album/let-the-flowers-grow

See the video at https://youtu.be/OsZzvTF7llY?si=xfW62Ssw9_cXO17G

The artists reflect on their collaboration: Peter Murphy: “I was recording my new album in Spain with Youth (Killing Joke). Whilst listening to a playback of a song during a lull, I heard a piece of music that was coming from his cell phone. It caught my ear for its melodic beauty as well as a Roy Orbison-like voice that sang the song.” Learning that it was an unfinished demo that Boy George had written, Peter was intrigued and asked Youth if he could work on the partial song. “In a matter of 20 minutes, we had ‘Flowers’ finished.”

Boy George: “When I heard the mix, I was satiated in every way. I have always loved Pete’s voice and his writing on this adds a beautiful darkness. The production feels very epic, like Scott Walker.”

This new track features these iconic, powerful vocalists delivering a message of acceptance and hope. Originally written by Boy George, its initial message was about personal acceptance of being gay. As the song developed, it took on a more expansive and universal scope, its lyrics extending beyond sexuality and embracing race, gender, creed, and religion. “With everything going on in the world about identity, ‘Let The Flowers Grow’ feels very powerful. It makes me dizzy and proud” beams Boy George. Peter remarked “Boy George loved it and I’m so glad that he did.”

Released via Metropolis Records and produced by Youth.
Peter Murphy photo: E Gabriel Edvy
Boy George photo: Dean Stockings

Peter would like to thank his fans for their questions. He received great questions that elicited very illuminating, evocative, and personal responses. His answers are some never before given in prior interviews and give unfiltered insight into Peter’s life and creativity. See the previous post for questions 1-30.

31.What does Peter Murphy dream about?Abandonment

32.What makes you laugh?I have a friend, a female who has such a terribly naughty sense of humor. It shocks.

33.What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?Moved to Turkey, learned Turkish, immersed myself into the culture. I am nigh on Turkish.

34.What do you love most about life?To breathe is truly a gift

35.How do you overcome creative blocks?Sit myself down and move. Just apply myself and do it. Action.

36.Do you have any fears?I have a recurring nightmare about abandonment. Being lost and unable to find my way back. These dreams imbue the day, though dreams tend to work out and offer a solution to the problem.

37.How do you define success and fulfillment?To keep moving. Securing my family first. Accepting that I have fans who believe in me.

38.What is your favorite time of the day?One hour before dawn, the very time when it is said that the sacred saints and masters are present.

39.If you could relive one day or time from your past, just for the experience, which would it be?The birth moment of both my children. Indescribable.

40.How did you like filming your role as the “Cold One” in Twilight?Loved every minute of it from stunt training to it all. Even though I was in it for 15 seconds (bloody cheek).

41.What is your favourite black & white film?La Belle et La Bette by Jean Cocteau

42.I've read that the song "Marlene Dietrich's Favourite Poem" (absolutely beautiful song by the way, definitely my favourite one from your solo work) was inspired by a documentary you saw of Marlene Dietrich where despite her hesitation in revealing details about her personal life, she was quick to share what her favourite poem was, which was how she 'showed her true self'. Do you have a favourite poem or is there anything that you've related to on a deeply personal level?Oddly, the lyric to Eno’s Bone Bomb. Deeply moving.

43.I thought your Miracula concept of intimate shows taking place at a private location with a small crowd was brilliant. Do you have any future plans for these types of events in the states?I would like to put on a series of them in different countries.

44.You mentioned you would like to do a residency—are you considering any particular cities?Would love to do so in various countries.

45.You have always struck me as one of the most literate and intelligent of lyricists. What informs your lyricism; travel, education, native intelligence?Shakespeare’s genius and sometimes made up phrases that evoke meaning

46.Have you ever thought that you might share in a more narrative form your unique and beautiful human experience that has such a diverse and specific array of experiences?You are so kind. If I were to write a book, it would have to be unencumbered by biopic gossip-type storytelling but would be a more abstract sense of being with, of course, actual events.

47.Now that you are a recognized singer, did you ever think or visualize an ordinary life before entering the world of music?I was always singing believe it or not, as was my father and big brother.

48.Do you have a favourite tea?Darjeeling

49.What is your favourite flower?Orchid

50.What historical period do you think describes you best?None, only because I don’t fit in a good way.

51.What is your definition of a perfect day?Moment by moment

52.What is the creature/monster/legend that scared you the most?Serial killers

53.What do you like the most about yourself?Now that I am no longer stunning and am old I like that I feel just the same person as I ever was.

54.What are your memories of growing up in Northamptonshire?Close family. Good people. Weekly mass hymns. Long walks over the fields for hours. Brook jumping, apple scrumping. Running from farmer’s dogs. Discovering my first soft porn mag with Joe my mate. Ughhh.

55.The shimmery glam jackets you wear on tour are stunning!!! Who creates them for you? I designed them and my niece Zeynep made them. My polka dot mirror jacket I designed and Chantal my costumer made it.

56.What are your must-have tour essentials?My assistant Chantal

57.What was the first live concert you attended?My elder brother Daniel playing the lead in the school musical of “Hello Dolly”

58.What was the first album or single you purchased? How old were you ?A Hard Day’s Night. Beatles. 7 years old.

59.What is your favorite thing to cook?Bolognese

60.What is your favorite thing to grow in your garden?Jasmine

61.What do you think about when you’re on stage?I don’t

62.How has the experience of having a heart attack changed you?I just carry on.

63.Do your kids have any idea how famous you are or are you just Dad to them?Both

64.Would ever consider making a Peter Murphy biopic?People do ask me.

65.PERE UBU....those first singles are ESSENTIAL....what did you think the first time you heard “Final Solution”?David J played it for me at his house. We were listening to a host of songs that we felt related to us, Bauhaus, in 1979. Loved the song and went for it as my first single on ‘Should the World Fall Apart”.

66.Many artists have covered your work both with Bauhaus and solo. Are there any cover versions that you’ve heard and thought are any good?The band did not like this metal band Nevermore’s version of “Silent Hedges”. I, though, liked it. Imbermind’s cover of “Strange Kind of Love”.

67.I've always thought that the song "Antonin Artaud" captures perfectly the spirit of this absolute and tormented genius. Why and how did you find his life and work so inspiring?This was David J’s lyric and for us all an introduction to A. Artuad.

68.How many songs from each album do you typically leave on the cutting room floor never to see the light of day? How many of those songs are excluded only because they don't fit the album or its theme as opposed to being a subpar song?None really

69.Is it realistic to expect/hope you'll do more work with Paul Statham and/or the Hundred men?I doubt it. Love them all, though. I still write with Paul the odd song. He always has a song on each album of mine.

70.Why did the Murphy-Statham collaboration end?It hasn’t, see above.

71.When you worked with Paul Statham, what was the general creative process? Did you come up with song lyrics, hand them to Paul and let him create the melody? Or was it the opposite where he'd create music tracks and you'd pick the ones that piqued your interest and wrote lyrics to finish them?Paul would present me with a collection of instrumental ideas. I would weed them out and create and add music sometimes.

72.Dust is so hypnotic and spiritual. Might you have a future collab with Mercan Dede?Quite possibly.

73.What was the inspiration behind Dali's Car as a theme?Derived from my lyric. An account of a dream. To evoke a sense of the surreal, which I felt Mick’s bass playing was.

75.Have you ever considered playing the Dali's Car albums with other musicians?No

76.In addition to Justin Chancellor, I heard that Tool drummer Danny Carey is also involved on your new album. How did the collaboration with both of them happen?By a fortunate way of both good men wanting to play on the album. I am good friends with their manager and also have met Danny (a lovely human) and Justin here in Istanbul. I just couldn’t stop them doing it. Very chuffed.

77.When making an album, how do you decide when it is complete? Is it driven by number of songs? Contractual deadline? Money? Something else? All or none of the above?I work until I get enough for an album.

78.Who designed the covers of the Bauhaus albums?We all did. David J was good, too.

79.Looking back, what are your thoughts on “Go Away White”? I love the record and I think it’s very under appreciated. I am really fond of your lyrics on Black Stone Heart. Also, “The Dog’s a Vapour” seems out of place just from a production point of view in my opinion. What are your thoughts on that and was there a reason it was so different?We were just getting warmed up when we had to break for the NIN tour. We had intended to continue but as is our habit we split up just after the tour. I do like the memory of our collective chemistry in working solid for two weeks. Yes, “The Dog’s a Vapour” was an add on from an entirely different session.

80.Was “She's in Parties” written about a prominent German film director active in the 1930s?No

81.Your Bauhaus band mates kept working on "Burning From the Inside" while you were recovering from Pneumonia. What songs were completed and/or in progress at the time you fell ill? Which songs were in progress when you returned? Which songs were created from scratch after you returned? Were "Honeymoon Croon", "King Volcano" and other songs exhumed from the Bauhaus archives included in the album as a means to finish the album quickly or were they always intended to be in the album?Yes, the songs that were developed prior to my re-joining the band were more or less completed by my own vocal redos and became Bauhaus songs proper. “Burning From the Inside”, “Honeymoon Croon”, “In the Night” were from scratch.

82.Why didn’t Bauhaus play "Party of the First Part" in concert? I'm not referring to the voice tracks borrowed from the cartoon, but the jazzy music you play as the backing track. Why did Bauhaus never make more songs along those lines? Any credits you can share on that song such as who played what, or wrote it?Because it was improvised on the spot and not doable live. Not least because we never used keyboards live as a rule, except for the monotone Wasp on “Of Lilies and Remains”.

83.Did you still think albums are relevant to your career in today's music industry climate? Or do you think it's better to do smaller targeted releases like an EP or single? Do you have a preference of format to release your music?I am a believer in album creations which carry a story line of a collective whole. Though I have a non- album track special (unexpected some will say) single coming out in November. With Bauhaus, I did value putting lone singles or EPs out.

84.How sore does your throat get after a show? How much time do you need to recover to be ready for the next show? What is your routine in the hour before you walk on stage to perform? Do any of these differ whether you're performing solo vs. with Bauhaus?My voice tends to be strong. It takes 2 or 3 shows to become consistent and if it isn’t then I will use my voice differently but not too much. I generally stay quiet between shows even though I’m a chatter box. Drink water, lemon water. Rarely warm up. Bauhaus songs tend to be more eccentric and character-based with some very high pitched songs such as “Spy In the Cab”, “Passıon of Lovers”. As I rehearse them I easily find the original voice in my throat no problem.

85.You have such a beautiful voice! Which song is the hardest to sing for you? Which one requires your energy - body and soul - at the fullest?If it proves to be too hard to recreate live I just won’t do it. None of them are hard actually since they came from my body in the first place. I revel in singing “Your Face” and “Subway.” Also “Flat Field” and “Stigmata Martyr”.

86.What advantages does your voice have now vs. your younger self relating to vocal qualities? I’m not sure. I do find, as I mention above, that I can easily find my original voicings in my throat. Singing is a full bodied experience. The throat the final tuning muscle but the profundity or character of the intent is summoned by the entire body. A mixture of full presence and being totally relaxed yet fully physically present and, most of all, summoning the soul that is singing to you, the audience. I do not separate myself as some separate speaker. I am telling each of you my messages aimed at reaching you. Without you there is no one to touch or to exist. It is an act of passion to create an event for you watching. I am, I would say, a hopeless romantic yet can be quite serious and take you deep into a journey. It is a very valuable gift to have been able to do what I do.

87.What have you long wanted to do, but have never done (career wise)?Acted with at least one great actor.

88.As an artist, did you ever feel that you did not fit in the times in which you were creating? Did you ever feel ahead of your time or, on the contrary, that you were making music that would fit better in another era?It is impossible for me to know where I fit, actually. I think being ahead of the trend is manifest and decided by the listeners. I do believe that, having witnessed my audiences, a few of whom have probably never heard of me, and seeing a genuine amazement in their reaction. This demonstrates that there is future value to my work. Also, the work may not receive the exposure that it could have and therefore remains in obscurity until such a time that you loyal fans spread the word. Plus I’m an old goat now. Still a bit gorgeous but I can’t be worrying about all that.

89.Are there any recording techniques, instruments, styles, or trends you absolutely refuse to use in your own work? If so, what are they?Slide guitar. Lazy drum loops or samples. Real killer drummers are gold dust. I choose producers like Youth who are naturally aesthetically aligned with my attitude. We are cut from the same cloth. Killing Joke and Bauhaus double headlined in 1980. Youth even then was super charming and spoke like an all round creator. Very much fond of him. He is so chill yet a taskmaster. But with me I’m one step ahead of him and kill the song, leaving him the luxury of producing on a higher level.

90.You've written about some pretty extreme topics, or topics in extreme/intense ways over your career. Are there any topics that are off limits to you? How have your boundaries changed over your lifetime?Clearly never a sex-oriented subject. Avoid politics. Never about “chicks” or misogynistic rubbish, though I have two songs on the subject of female groupie types, “She’s in Parties” and a new one on my new album to observe the dangers to women who chase fame or the famous. How they will end up disenchanted. That’s all.

91.How does one surmount the struggles of life? Not necessarily contending with the fact it must end but rather just existing from day to day?As I mentioned in a previous question, every breath is a gift. Contemplate what you have. Imagine those in the shit. Palestine, Korea etc... deny unhappiness a place. Change if you need to.

92.What do you think about peak experiences, and the concept of the dual nature of things?Clever you. What do I say to that now?? Think on the idea of unity of being. That is oneness. There can be no “other” of thing separate. I suspect this is a way to discover being. Connectedness.

93.What biggest, deepest and true spiritual lesson have you learned in your life? And how do you apply it to your life and your art? I understand that you are a traveler on the path of a Sufi tariqa. By what means have you progressed on this path? Can you use music as a support for your own progression? And what is the connection that binds you to a sheikh?I cannot speak of this stuff, not being a teacher but a student. Read Rumi’s poems.

1.Peter, outside of you, your family, and band mates, who do you credit most for your success and/or helping you on a path to succeed?Daniel Ash most definitely. Not only was he an inspiring, fascinating school friend who had natural charisma, but he also enjoyed our common orientation toward the then Bolan, the creature that was Bowie and all that represented: a total, one-off arthouse beauty that inspired me to get a Bowie cut (probably the 1st kid in England to do so). Later, at 20 years of age, Daniel grabbed me by the coattails and in 2 days we both had half of “In the Flat Field” written even before DJ and Kevin joined. A great escape.

2.What musical instruments can you play well? How long have you played them? How did you learn? I don’t play any instrument well, but after learning two or three chords tend to come up with songs like “All We Ever Wanted”, “Hollow Hills”, “Strange Kind of Love”, “My Last Two Weeks”… the innocence shapes the song in those cases.

3.What is the longest amount of time you've spent on a single project? What is the shortest?Longest, “Deep” being three months. Shortest my new album. 7 days.

4.Do you have anything in your life that you considered a failure that you salvaged and turned into a success? Only my ever self-critique, salvaging failure to, I hope, transform in to a more refined personal quality.

5.Is there anything you've done that you were immensely proud of at the time you completed it, but today no longer hold in the same light? Is there anything that you were minimally satisfied with at the time of completion only to look back on and be very appreciative of it today?This question induces a train of thought that pushes you to be mistakenly over self-critical. Everything you do, even words you say, set in motion an effect. Some even say that every word resonates eternally. That aside. pride is as much a foolish thing as it is self-effacing. No way do I let any of that get to me. Even a musical mistake can be the most inspiring bit of a song.

6.When preparing for singing “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” upside down at Coachella 2005, what issues besides blood rushing to your head did you have to deal with to pull it off?I am the type that just loves and is pushed to perform, do stunts, create theatrical moments on stage. When I told the band that we should open with “Bela” (by convention not an opening song), I, without hesitation, envisioned myself doing it upside down, a genius and super cliche spectacle. We had 2 weeks full rehearsals whereby I got ahold of yoga hanging boots and did “Bela” upside down every day. The rush of the head was very enjoyable. I just loved being what I am for Bauhaus and my own work: A quintessential performer.

7.I have always been inspired by your fantastic, dramatic use of light and shade on stage. How much time and effort goes into organizing the lighting and other effects as part of your stage performance? Do you direct and guide all of that? Also, when you were starting out was there anyone’s stage show lighting that inspired and blew your socks off?Even with few lights and resources, I would always have long conversations with the lighting designer as to some basic lighting positions for me to use myself in performance. When I have had a budget to hire a lighting man, such as Martin Phillips (who knows the songs backward and forward even before we start), there are more precise cues that Martin creates and also takes instruction from me. Example: My “Stigmata Martyr” moment with use of mic stand as prop set against a luminous backdrop. But I always go off script and begin to use lights around me. This keeps the lighting designer on his toes. PS Martin Phillips is a great LD.

8.Your crown and suggestion of a cross - with the subtle flick of the mic stand…Do your stage moves come organically, or do you take advice from other friends and family?All my own ideas, yes.

9.What is your ideal venue for performing? What do you like to see in a venue that motivates you to perform your best? Do you prefer to interact with the audience, or be separated?Honestly, all and any venue, big or small, once filled with people is electrifying.

10.What's the most fun you've ever had on stage? Any songs you particularly had fun performing?It is more like the thrill of designing a show set that has dynamics and as I do the show I am thrilled at embodying the flow of songs, thrilled at knowing what comes next for the audience. It is all about the audience. I reach the eyes of the furthest circle back row of an auditorium.

11.What was your favorite album to make?Must admit “Love Hysteria”, “Deep”, and yeah, my new album to come out in 2025.

12.What is the most memorable live performance that you have attended ...memorable in the sense that you have never forgotten it because it greatly impressed you?This is not to say that I was a fan at all, but at our local country rock club at 14 years old Judas Priest played. I was at the front right under Rob Halford. I marveled at his vocal brilliance and more so how he used a floor light to uplight himself. It was both menacing and powerful. I always thought Rob belonged in a better band to be honest. Lovely man too.

13.Have you ever considered on making a movie soundtrack? If so, what genre of film would you make a soundtrack for? If you were to write the soundtrack for any film past or present, which film would you choose and why?Having listened to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s work, especially for “The Killer”, I would be very up for doing a soundtrack.

14.Would you expand on Seven Veils?Seven spiritual stations of refinement. Reality is right there yet it is us who veil it with our gross sense of 'I'. All we need to do is to find a teaching that guides us with the manner of living that guides us through each veil.

15.What does “Cuts You Up” mean to you?Oh stop that. You tell me.

16.I think the song “I Am My Own Name” is beautiful. How would you describe its meaning?Self-acceptance. The putting aside of self-hate. Becoming yourself. You have a divine name unique. Be it.

17.What was going through your mind when you wrote the lyrics to "Cascade"?It is a hymn-like evocation. Talks of a people who are pure of heart high souls and definitely not elitists.

18.Peter, In your song "Prayer of Jonas in the belly of the Whale" you mention Native Americans. I understand the Arabic. What is the meaning of this song?A chant devoted to a holy council of spiritual masters.

19.I have always adored “My Last Two Weeks,” from my first listen on the album when I saw you perform it live on that initial tour, to the stripped down versions you have played since. Would you be open to shedding any light on what was the driving force for you when writing it?A timeline of an early lover, through separation to finally finding the Rose eternal partner.

20.How do you stay inspired to continue creating music and art?Like other artists, we are all lucky to be doing art, music. It has become what I am from an early age. It takes work and for me a stopping of any doubt or fear of failure and working with a flow that mostly delivers a song within one or two takes. Lyrics I always write in different setting. In a café, on a boat. I do not write with a melody in mind but as pieces of prose or esoteric pieces in their own right. You simply must sit down in front of the page and do it. It needs discipline to stop thinking and not to agonize.

21.In the years between records, do you make music and new songs, or does that only happen when you know you're going to make a new album?I do often with Paul Statham. The odd random song here and there. But since working with Youth on “Lion” and my new album, I purposefully brought only lyrics to the session. Youth and I, I think, are symbiotic. He will have prepared an array of instrumental pieces and I right off the bat form them into songs with vocal and lyrics. It is truly amazing for us all. I must mention the crucial third man in the mix Michael Rendall, the programmer/engineer.

22.One of your most underrated albums is “Unshattered”, are there reasons why you don’t play songs from it? Would you add it to a future residency or play songs from it on future tours?Sure

23.Hi Peter, do you think you will ever tour Australia again?I’d bloody love to.

24.Who has been your favorite musician to collaborate with?Youth. Bauhaus boys.

25.T Rex 3-in-1 question combo: The Slider or Electric Warrior?”Slider”All-time favourite song from T Rex /Bolan?”Cosmic Dancer”Have you seen them live in concert back in the day?No. Too young.

26.What Bowie album do you enjoy the most?I am listening to the batch that I ignored. “Hours” is cool. “Low”, though, has to be tops.

27.When you met Bowie the first time, what surprised you about him?His cordialness

28.Do you like The Velvet Underground?Sometimes

29.How do you feel about Nick Cave's work? Do you know each other? Have you ever thought of working with him?Nick supported Bauhaus in 1981 (stole my stage moves ::)) I love him as a true full artist. Eloquent. Kind as a buttercup. He is too good for me to work with.

30.I have been wondering for years about an album with you and Lisa Gerard. Have you ever considered that?Oh Lisa is a monumental high end singer. I don’t think I would do her justice.

“Let the Flowers Grow” will PREMIERE on rollingstone.com on 7 November and is available for presale NOW on Bandcamp https://petermurphy.bandcamp.com/album/let-the-flowers-grow

A deeply emotional masterpiece that features soaring vocal performances from both artists, the song is produced by Youth and released by Metropolis Records.

Press inquiries please contact Rey Roldan at rey@reybee.com

More information and purchase links below:

Peter Live Vol 1 Covers (Vinyl) US Store: https://shorturl.at/SG24d

Peter Live Vol 1 Covers (CD) US Store: https://shorturl.at/iVBem

Peter Live Vol 2: Blender Theatre (Vinyl) US Store: https://shorturl.at/A2nQb

Peter Live Vol 2: Blender Theatre (CD) US Store: https://shorturl.at/7lOJW

UK/EUROPE/ROW STORE:

Peter Live Vol 1 Covers (Vinyl and CD): https://shorturl.at/ZH2fp

Peter Live Vol 2: Blender Theatre (Vinyl and CD): https://shorturl.at/Pzp3P

📷 Rob Sheridan 2009

76.I was wondering if you wrote the lyrics to “In The Night” and, if so, what inspired them?I did, yes. You tell me what they mean.

77.As you’ve taken this time off from touring, and delved back deeper into visual art, I’d love to know what lessons you’ve pulled out from within yourself, what insights if any you’ve gained from the paintings you’ve created recently, and finally, how your faith has informed your art if at all?Not so complicated as the above I’m afraid. I’m a rock ıcon painting things. That’s all.

78.Are there any ideas or projects that you wish you had pursued?Flying. Healing bats. Javelin throwing.

79.Is playing live outdoors in a sunny daylight concert different compared with performing at night dark in a club?As any band will tell you daylight concerts strip away the usual lighting production and are somehow more of a direct way of performing and connecting to the crowd.

80.You are a great performer with a powerful presence on stage. I understand Daniel Ash asked you to join Bauhaus. You were interested in music for some time before then but how did you become this "slim Pixie thin and forlorn " with a strong mesmerizing voice? Was it something you created or was it something that was always in you ready to come out?Daniel asked me to begin writing songs with him and we wrote just he and I half the 1st album in just one weekend in our rehearsal place. Bauhaus name was absent. Dan suggested I dye my hair black. Before this I had my own propensity for dressing up in old 20s double-breasted suits and women’s clothes shop tops. I morphed very quickly into my image with full makeup in my long black coat walking around Northampton doing day-to-day stuff. I had to look like I looked 24/7. It was a sense of authenticity and Bowie influenced to some degree.

81.I’ve read that it was difficult initially to comprise lyrics; particularly when you ventured out in your solo career. When did you feel the most comfortable in this aspect?Odd! Lyrics have never been a problem for me.

82.Where do you think your extraordinary musical talent came from? Do you come from a musical family with a lot of exposure to great singers? Or were you an anomaly?Youngest of 7 siblings all at least 10 years older with the full gamut of 60s music being played always in the air. I would as I do now sing to all of it trying to match whatever pitch singers had and high notes. My natural baritone came with singing to Bolan and Bowie.

83.Who, besides Bowie, were your biggest influences on singing?Bolan, Lennon, Shirley Bassey, Jagger.

84.What age were you when you truly started getting into the dark style (because you always had your own unique style of clothing)?13 years

85.Any plans to do another tour similar to The Ruby Tour?Remind me of the uniqueness of that tour? I remember it and don’t plan anything similar but will create more themed tours in the future.

86.I read that Peter is vegan. Is it true?Local produce all meats except pork salads sauces…I’m a good cook.

87.Do you recall the September 5, 1981 Futurama gig at New Bingley Hall in Stafford? Several other acts performed that night, many of which became quite famous (Gang of Four, The Sisters of Mercy). It just feels like something out of a movie. Everyone’s favorite bands were all in one old concert in some exhibition hall. And many of which are still the last word in all things dark post-punk. Do you remember?I do we blew everyone off.

89.What happened to your collaboration with Tool bassist, Justin Chancellor?It just happened on my new album.

90.If someone wants to learn about Sufism, what book would you recommend?Idries Shah’s The Sufis

91.The energy you have in your voice and use of the mic and positioning on stage of your body as a frontman is so intense it's like a trance-like feeling for me. I have always wanted to know, were your dance movements self-taught?Yes and I have a dancer theatre person inside me, methinks.

92.Many mistake “Cuts You Up” as a love song. You have stated in interviews that it is a song about the spiritual journey in life. I feel like the opening lines " I find you in the morning, after dreams of distant signs, you pour yourself over me like the sun through the blinds" is about how our higher consciousness can uplift us. Would you say this is an accurate interpretation of what you intended?Hi. Yes, close enough. Simultaneously a love song and ode to the beloved partner guiding me on the way.

93.I have many favourite Bauhaus songs, Lagartija Nick in particular. How did this title come about? What was the inspiration?It was called Bite My Hip. Changed in 1982 to the more S&M-orientated lyric/song.

94.What is the name of your cat? Do you say silly things to them?Pearl and Narin. I exhort them with a “you are unbelievably smashing”. They love it.

95.What’s the craziest thing you recall a fan having done?With no way to have known my hotel since we had just arrived in LA, I get a call from a 'Cat'. “Hi, I’m Cat. Let me into your room” What the FZLknz.

96.Have you ever used painting as a way to inspire you to write lyrics?I used a painting by Carlos Sosa to generate the story of Indigo Eyes.

97.If you had never been a singer/musician, what career was a second interest or love?Theatre actor or director

98.Bauhaus recorded a criminally underrated album “Go Away White”. Writing credits are attributed to the entire band. I'm curious: Did you write the lyrics?Mostly except for 2 or 3 songs.

99."Subway" remains one of my favorite songs of your solo career. It's fine of course if the subway isn't a metaphor for anything, but I've always wondered what inspired the song?Don’t stay in your fallen or deep sad state.

100.Did you ever meet Lou Reed?As it happens, no. Though the very first American that I sat next to at a small hotel bar (on my first visit to the USA being NYC ) was Iggy Pop himself. Literally the first American that I speak to. If that’s not portentous I don’t know what is.

Photo: Steve Rapport

51.Will there be more artwork?I’m attempting to have my art agent put on a third collection. They’re being sticky for now. Should be ok though soon.

52.Could you share a bit about your creative process when working on a new painting?A hurricane speed of voluminous layers of paint. An image in mind yet letting the paint tell me where to go.

53.How did you learn to sing? I read that it came naturally from the very beginning in Bauhaus, but did you have lessons later? And do you have any tips or suggestions for someone who wants to improve their singing skills?I was a singer way before Bauhaus, singing every hour God gave me. I must rely on my own technique to be me.

54.Who or what has been the greatest influence on your spirituality (as reflected in your songwriting)?The beauty of the human experience.

55.I found a few YouTube videos where you collaborate with Trent Reznor. You seem to "get" each other's music really well. What was the "magic moment" when you realized "hey, we should collaborate?"I had known Trent since 1990 and followed his NIN work over the years. When Trent Reznor asked Bauhaus to open for NIN in 2005, Trent called me privately to invite me to join him for a number of back stage radio performances.

56.Will you ever write an autobiography or do a biopic?It’s not as interesting as you’d imagine. Can’t bear band member’s biography attempts. Reductive and myth spoiling.

57.Is the spirit master you refer to in “Uneven and Brittle” the old Bauhaus spirit, along with the rest of the song?No. it’s the real deal.

58.What are the most amazing ancient sites in Turkey?Goreme, the city of fairy sprites. Aya Sofia, the 3rd century church edifice in Istanbul. Ephesus, the ancient Greek city ruin on the Aegean. Aspendos, the ancient intact Greek amphitheatre in southern Turkey.

59.Did you see/know that a ton of bats flew out of the trees when you started your set at Cruel World?They just got over-excited. I told them to stay put but whaddya do?

60.Do you remember the first time hearing Roxy Music and why did they stand out from other bands over the years for you?Danny (Ash) brought their first album into the school form room. I was already donning a Bowie cut at 13 years old and Bolan was before him. Roxy yet another killer deep glamour band. The whole album sounds like a cocktail party.

61.What was the inspiration or driving force behind “I'll Fall With Your Knife”?What does it mean to you? Self-Sacrifice for a loved one of the Beloved.

62.What was your inspiration for writing the lyrics to the song "Indigo Eyes"?The journey of existence of a deeply feeling character through a landscape of angels and fires.

63.Regarding Catholicism: South West European Audiences frame your shows and vibe as a Mass, a ritual. However, they miss some of the humor that Anglo Audiences get. What do feel when you perform in a Majority Catholic country like Portugal? Do you feel that natural framing of your art?It is heady and absorbing to have an audience view through the prism of ritual. The holy, yes.

64.Your lyrics feel timeless and they say good poetry (and your songs) remain and stay like today's news, ever relevant and captivating. With that in mind, what kind of poets and writers gripped and influenced you in your late teens?Not so much poets but hymns sung in mass, sacred readings, etc…

65.What period of your life/career do you remember most fondly?Tomorrow

66.My question is regarding the ‘Burning from the Inside’ period of Bauhaus. A lot of the music press focused on health issues, but it also would seem that there were fractures in the band. How do you look at that time now?The band got ahead with some sketches whilst I was in hospital. By the time I arrived to the studio I simply turned these sketches into Bauhaus songs adding 4 or 5 more to boot. The time was ok, a typical creative atmosphere that Bauhaus had.

67.Are you still considering acting in the future?We have one pitch for a film up our sleeves but as you can imagine not something to reveal at this time.

68.My question is: Generally, how do you lessen the pain of grief? I know there is no official answer or catch-all, but I wanted to know what is your take on handling the unexpected and processing a heavy situation?Grief is the doorway to true love mercy tolerance ...teaches patience and all… it’s a big subject.

69.How do you decide on the “musical style” and instruments of songs, or is it a matter of trying different things to see what sounds best? For example, my favorite song of all time is “Subway”. When that first keyboard note comes in, it lays out a very dreamy and beautiful soundscape for everything that comes after. Then your voice comes in and the song becomes epic.Thank you. Simply put, the keyboard string arrangement was given to me by Paul Statham. I took it from there.

70.With the most beautiful haunting atmosphere that Bauhaus created, was it all electronics/synthesizers, or were some of the sounds created from non-musical sources like everyday things within the environment?All Bauhaus music was made up of drums guitar bass vocals with sometimes using a very basic analog monophonic keyboard pad called the Wasp.

71.Would you ever consider making another album like the mesmerizing ‘Dust’? Or releasing a live album/video from the Dust Tour?I could, I suppose, try another Dust 2 take.

72.What was your motivation and inspiration for the ‘Dust’ album? What was your process for creating this transcendental album?To take my audience deep into the Turkish classical world yet retain Peter Muphy all at once.

73.How have your musical influences changed over time?I don’t know.

74.The depth, range, and power of your lyric writing is astonishing, it is so rich and evocative. I would like to ask you if a specific word, or a combination of words (as opposed to a story or an emotion you wanted to express), has ever inspired one of your songs, whether through its meaning or sound?There is no God ………………But God (La ilaha illahllah).

75.What happens when we die?Dear sir/madame: We don’t.

26.In Deborah Curtis' book, she mentioned that Ian Curtis was a big fan of your and Bauhaus's work before he died. Did you ever meet Ian? What did you think of Joy Division's music?I met Ian after my band Bauhaus’s show at Billy’s Nightclub in London. His manager walked out on us, not liking a band with make-up. Ian stayed, saying that he loved us. I met him at the venue bar afterward. He was internalised and genuine as was I. We got on.

27.Dear Mr. Murphy. My question to you is: What inspired you to become a Sufi?I was destined to meet the master of masters by invitation and by my own qualification as a good soul. I am still learning.

28.You are one of my biggest inspirations and role models in life, where do you find inspiration for your creativity?I am you.

29.What are your favourite, and least favorite aspects of being a musician?I am a maverick not only a musician. I have no idea except to say that one day’s favourite thing is the next day’s least favourite. Life is a sea in constant change.

30.How did you achieve your writing style of having one verse being able to say multiple different things all at once, while the music acts as a magnet to hold the listener steady and grounded to feel all of the different lyrical interpretations in unison?I am wide open and genius- like, yet mostly pure.

31.While creating your visual art, does it ever spark inspiration for a poem , lyrics or a song melody? Or does it sometimes happen the other way around?It is the same process. Not thought of at all.

32.What would you say to someone who is in her mid-20s and feels lost about her path in life?Listen to me I am the way and the life but not Jesus. I love you.

33.Was it Mick who sought you out because he was impressed by Bauhaus or the other way around?I called him. He was lost.

34.I wonder if you could share some memories of recording “Your Face”. Was it written for a specific person, or about a specific person?To go into the who what when and how of this would only serve to deconstruct a beautiful work of art and reduce it to this and that. In short, this is an ode to the Divine Beloved Master of Masters.

35.I am interested to know more about your Silver Shade label. Will you be using it only to release your own work, or will you be looking to take on other artists?For now a series of live vinyl albums to be released ongoing. I don’t envisage signing any acts to it, no.

36.It is especially hard to find live recordings of the Should the World Fail, Love Hysteria, Deep and Holy Smoke tours. I think a lot of people would pay to see those. Were any of those tours recorded by your crew? Is there any way to buy or see them?I have a couple in the works from the relevant year’s shows.

37.I would like to ask if you could tell us about the time you spent with Bowie and the impression he left on you?Cordial, interested in my music, sober, and busy acting otherwise.

38.I wonder if you might consider an album of Bowie covers?I think Ziggy caps it all. The one and only, top of the covers charts. Seminal in itself.

39.How did the appearance in “The Hunger” come about? What was it like filming it? Did you get to talk to Bowie, and was he a fan?Ridley Scott’s associate director Howard Guard had directed my Maxell tape ad and brought Tony Scott to see my performance of Bela at a London show. Tony knew then that he had found the opening scene of the film. My dressing room was next to David Bowie’s. My hunger scene was completed at 6 am and upon returning to my dressing room I noticed David sitting in his dressing room whereby I, in all due courtesy, went in and introduced myself. Had A VERY LONG TALK and he also visited me in my dressing room later on in the day I think to escape the sycophancy of my band who’d been gathered around him talking music shit. Yes, he was a fan.

40.How did you endure and prepare yourself for Coachella when you sang upside down?We had two weeks’ full rehearsal for the show in which we played Bela in its turn in the set. I hung upside down every single day to adjust my body to the switch.

41.What are some of the things that keep you motivated? The things that fuel your fire, your inspiration and dreams?That I will record, write, and sing on the stage again. No waiting around for such ephemeral moments. Best to sit down and face the blank page and create. Dreams come later that night.

42.Each of your solo albums seems to represent a distinct visual style and reinvention of yourself (blond hair for Deep, darker for Holy Smoke, etc.) Which is your favorite of your style eras and why?I like when I had hair :)

43.Have you considered creating videos on TikTok sharing your daily life / artwork / other pursuits?I remain out of reach in this regard. Not on your life.

44.How do we live the artistic life when we are not artists in our day to day?Decide to be one and do not stop. Make waves, be amazing.

45.In Bauhaus, did the compositions emerge through the lyrics first?It varied. I had lyrics always to hand. I wrote 90 % of them and created the vocal melody/part.

46.For your solo project I would like to know how your lyrics accompany you in your spiritual growth. What are your inspirations for your compositions? Do you believe in the soul?They are all for you. Once out of my mouth yours to travel with and be accompanied. Of course, I believe in the soul, which is to be refined by action of the body sent through the spirit and creates our soul’s development.

47.“Socrates the Python” influenced part of my spiritual journey. What are you reading now or practicing in terms of the spiritual path?The way of the servant. Not the master vice regency of all man over the earth.

48.What is your main inspiration for writing lyrics and what tips and advice would you give to become a better lyricist?Describe what you are seeing with your inner eye. Tell us that your lover is the sky. We won’t believe you but we’ll see a meaning.

49.What was going through your mind as a young artist when you were writing and performing with Bauhaus in the late '70s and early '80s?Had/have a sense of all that’s going on inside and out like a torrent of output put to tape super-fast and performed like the best frontman ever.

50.Peter, if you could paint what comes to mind for just one of your songs, which song would it be, and what might it be of?A gossamer shimmering angelic being. Quite a serious one at that-- not the sentimental fluffy thing either.

1. Why are you so Hot?!I know! It's exhausting.

2. From whom did you get your gorgeous eyes, mum or dad?From my serene Mother

3. Are you working on a new album? When will it be released?My new album is finished and ready to go in 2025. I won’t announce the name or details until the time except to say it’s produced by Youth and has big names guesting on a few songs.

4. Will you perform/tour again? When?I will never stop touring if I can help it.

5. Will you do another residency?Since I enjoyed the two residencies so much (NYC and SF), it is a possibility. I would enjoy holding them in, say, South America and Europe somewhere.

6. What are your favourite books or authors, and how have they influenced your lyrics?In essence, the reality of Divine Love is the wellspring of any inspiration. As for literary references…. Revelations of the Unseen by Abdul Kadir Geylani
   The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
   Book of Psalms by Prophet David
   Poems by Rumi
   The Invisible Way by Reshad Field
   Dr Faustus by Christopher Marlowe

7. Who are your favourite musicians/bands? What music do you like to listen to?Unwise question. Ever changing. The minute I like any music I’ve forgotten it within a day. But Radiohead are always a good go to, early Roxy, Brian Eno, Talking Heads, Gregorian Chants, Philip Glass, Amy Winehouse etc..

8. What is your favourite solo/Bauhaus album? Favourite solo/Bauhaus song?Best not to say. So I won’t.

9. What is your least favourite Bauhaus song?Paranoia Paranoia

10. What is your favourite solo works song?I don’t have favourites….you do… they’re your songs to have.

11. Do you have a favourite song that you love to sing?I don’t remember what it is but it’s from a Philip Glass Opera. It’s transcendent.

12. Which of your works are you most proud of?My marriage and children… All We Ever Wanted and Strange Kind of Love… oh and Your Face.

13. What do you enjoy doing during downtimes?Cooking, singing, gardening, painting, writing, driving long distances alone, travelling far and wide.

14. Favourite movie?Rashomon by Akira Kurosawa. Into the Inferno volcanoes documentary by Warner Herzog

15. Favourite food/snack?Fresh cream cakes. Freshly caught fish n chips with a boiled onion

16. What do you regret?There’s no regrets. No tears, goodbye. Don’t want you back. We’d only cry again…say good bye again.

17. What would you have done differently in life if you could go back and do it all over again?Impossible question and a non-starter since whatever has happened has and whatever is going to happen has already happened.

18. Do you ever agonize when writing lyrics? Are your lyrics intentionally obtuse to allow listeners to fashion their own stories? Do you mostly draw from experience or do you generally just get an idea and stream of consciousness takes over?My lyrics are a result of a natural propensity to be sponge-like acutely perceptive wise and a killer communicator through written words and expression through the singing medium. It’s how you tell them.

19. Do you have a live performance that you recall fondly? Cruel World 2022, with your face on the giant monitors under the blood moon was one of the most intense live performances I’ve witnessed.Thank you. Amazing, yes.

20. Is there any musical collaboration you wish you would have done?Massive Attack and Eno. I’m enjoying my current collaboration with Youth. We are, in effect, a band in ourselves adding the crucial contribution of our engineer/ programmer Michael Rendall as well as Edward Bander on drums and remixing.

21. What is "Hollow Hills" about?Hidden wisdom

22. One of my favourite Bauhaus songs is “Honeymoon Croon”. What’s the song about?Secreted desire expressed through and attempted through relations with a prostitute

23. What was your most memorable Bauhaus show in the 1980s?A lot of them, honestly

24. My all-time favourite song is “CRYSTAL WRISTS”. Are you saying in the lyrics that you had a “born again” experience and struggled with it? If not, can you tell what inspired the song?A childhood (4 years old) trauma, a moment of a kind of expansion of awareness beyond my capacity to comprehend. Shapes seemed to change, buildings grow huge, the vase on the sideboard stretching into the sky… a mind meld.

25. Peter, your music has influenced and resonated with fans for decades. Can you share a moment or experience that significantly shaped your approach to songwriting and performing?The person or people around me feeding me a line or two sends my imagination and one take vocal composition into action. My skill is choosing who and what to work with.

“Peter Live Vol. 1-Covers” available now at

https://cadizmerchstore.com/collections/peter-murphy-bauhaus/products/peter-murphy-peter-live-covers-vol-1-gold-nugget-vinyl-lp

Extremely limited signed and numbered test pressings (run of 30) available at

https://cadizmerchstore.com/collections/peter-murphy-bauhaus/products/peter-murphy-peter-live-vol-1-covers-lp-white-vinyl-test-pressing

The first in a series of releases on Peter Murphy’s new imprint Silver Shade Records features 8 previously unreleased live versions of covers that have had a major influence on Peter’s life and career. Includes his rarely performed cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain” and a version of “Hurt” with its songwriter Trent Reznor (NIN) accompanying Peter on piano.

LIMITED TO 1000 NUMBERED COPIES. Pressed on gold nugget vinyl with a deluxe, embossed UV glossed sleeve. Cover art features an original painting by Peter Murphy. ONLY 30 test pressings in black vinyl with white sleeve signed by Peter with certificate of authenticity.

Track listing:
Funtime
Transmission
Final Solution
Space Oddity
Purple Rain
The Light Pours Out of Me
Love Me Tender
Hurt

Very moved to hear the news of the passing of Kevin “Geordie” Walker, known for his power house riffing guitar in the band Killing Joke. A refined, quiet, and discreet man with a deep charisma. May he rest in the Lap of Compassion.

Exploring his newest artwork series, 'Thorns', Peter sat down with his two art curators, Daniel and Emma, to explore his motivation behind the artworks in a recent interview. Take a look at https://petermurphy.studio/2023/11/13/qa-with-peter-murphy-on-thorns/