Portland – While touring in support of his impressive new effort (Dunes EP), Hibou mastermind Peter Michel took some time to do a quick interview with BestNewBands.com, touching on his recent split from Craft Spells, jamming with baby owls and the multifunctional uses of socks. 

Zach Klassen: How did you get into playing music?

Peter Michel: I started classical piano lessons when I was three years old, and just accumulated more instruments until I had my hands full.

ZK: Is there a story behind the name Hibou?

PM: The name actually came to me in a pretty cool way. I was playing some tunes by my house up on Whidbey Island, & this baby owl came and sat next to me on a log for maybe 30 minutes, and just nodded it’s head along to the music. After that my friend got me a glass owl to remember it by, and on the card attached, it read Hibou, which is French for owl.

ZK: What musical influences have made the biggest impression on you and your music?

PM: Growing up listening to a lot of late 70′s and 80′s music, The Cure, Another Sunny Day, Field Mice, so on.

ZK: How has your experience writing/playing/touring changed since leaving Craft Spells and starting Hibou?

PM: It’s been a much more positive experience, I wasn’t writing any of the material for Craft Spells which was one of the biggest reasons I left. Touring has been a much more DIY experience so far, but in a good way.

ZK: What’s the best and worst thing about being on tour right now?

PM: Best thing – just had some poutine. Worst thing – had to use the sock off my foot as a mic muff to keep from being shocked.

ZK: What’s the instrument set up look like for live shows? Who are you playing with?

PM: We have 2 guitars, bass, drum kit, and backing tracks. We play with different bands every night, which is a really rad experience.

ZK: Do you pull from anywhere specific when writing lyrics?

PM: Not specifically, most of the time it’s just poems I’ve written and rearranged to fit the melody.

ZK: What was the recording process like for Dunes? Did you record it all yourself?

PM: I recorded it all alone in my walk-in closet. The recording process will always be bedroom studio style for Hibou.

ZK: You live in Seattle. How would you describe the music scene in Seattle right now?

PM: Sporadic, it feels like there’s so much of every genre going on it’s hard for the city to get a grip on what it wants. 

ZK: Any up and coming bands are you’re stoked about?

PM: La Luz, Lures, Dude York…

For more on Hibou go HERE and HERE.

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Find Hibou on tour—

12/11 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theater

12/12 – Kansas City, MO – The Record Bar 

12/13 – Denver, CO – Lost Lake Lounge

12/14 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Bar 

12/16 – Boise, ID – The Crux 

12/18 – Vancouver, BC – Rainbow Connection