Pleased To Meet Me: Beached Out
Introduce yourself (Where are you from, what band do you play in, etc.)
We’re Jeff and Anne from the band Beached Out. We’re based in Peterborough, ON, and originally from Halifax and Scarborough, respectively. We recently released our debut full-length album, Average Weekends, on Noyes Records. Anne plays drums, Jeff plays guitar, and we both sing.
Why do you play music?
Because it beats our day jobs. We love making something from nothing and hope it brings other people joy. We also love the friendships we make through music.
What was a major influence on you as an artist/band?
When we started Beached Out in 2011, we set out to sound like the psych/garage band Fungi Girls, but landed somewhere between surf punk and ’90s indie rock. Our biggest influence, though, is Halifax’s independent music scene. That DIY culture shaped how we approach everything. We learned early on that you can record your own music, book your own shows/tours, and release your own records without needing anyone’s permission.
What’s a favourite book or film?
Jeff: Hard to say, I don’t really keep favourites anymore. But as a kid, Back to the Future was everything: rock and roll, skateboarding, time travel.
Anne: I’ve been hesitant to revisit some childhood favourites in case they don’t hold up, but The Goonies was a staple growing up. Lately, I really loved reading The Road to Tender Hearts.
Do you prefer the recording process or performing live?
Definitely performing live. Recording is a way for us to shape and refine our ideas before sharing them with others.
What would be a dream collaboration?
Playing with or collaborating with the band Being Dead is the dream. We love their beautiful, weirdo rock music.
Describe a favourite album.
Eels by the band Being Dead was a major influence while we were recording Average Weekends. It is packed with great hooks, lush vocals, and beautiful harmonies. The lyrics are weird in the best way without ever feeling forced. Every song feels like a hit and we never get tired of it. We're really looking forward to their next one.
What’s your favourite local haunt?
Peterborough’s Take Cover Books. Run by brothers Andrew and Sean, it’s a community hub for all things literary and musical. It’s also the headquarters of the Highly Likely Festival of Music and Literature, which takes place every winter. There’s also a used clothing shop in the basement where they occasionally host rock shows.
What’s your strangest experience while performing live?
Jeff: Being heckled by Kevin McDonald from The Kids in the Hall while loading massive amplifier cabinets into a second-storey venue in Montreal with my old band A History Of. Mike Holmes did a comic about it (https://www.thecoast.ca/arts-music/comics-963033/) based on my friend Noel’s recollection, but from my memory Kevin was mostly making fun of how ridiculous we were carting all that gear on tour. Beached Out tours with much more reasonably sized combo amps. Our album title Average Weekends is also a nod to the Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet theme from The Kids in the Hall.
If you were pursuing anything other than music, what would it be?
When we’re not playing music, we’re parenting our very busy children.
What are some of your favourite aspects of being a musician in Peterborough?
We moved to Peterborough in 2019 and have found the scene to be incredibly supportive. There’s very little sense of competition, and people are genuinely eager to support emerging artists. It’s also surprisingly diverse for its size, with rock, pop, indie, metal, country, folk, and hip-hop all well represented.
If you weren’t playing music in Peterborough, where would you be?
Halifax.
Any sage advice for young musicians?
Strive to improve, but start making music with the tools you have right now. You don’t have to be a virtuoso. Some of the best music comes from people who are still learning their instruments.
Average Weekends by Beached Out is OUT NOW! Find it at Noyes Records