Quick Hit Band Interview: Peg Leg Love

Peg Leg Love at Old Towne Pub

Interview with the band. Enjoy:

What's the story behind how your band started? Ilir Zeneli started Peg Leg Love back in 2005 as a solo project. In 2009, he moved to L.A. and reformed the rhythm section and started playing more and putting out recordings on his own. In the last 5 years, Peg Leg Love has toured N.Y., Japan, Northern Scandinavia, Denmark, and Berlin with Rocio Galindo on drums and Christina Ownby on bass.

You had your record release party at Old Towne Pub. Do you have any thoughts to share about the challenges of making a record? The current record took a year to make and is on 12'' vinyl, which is always a big expense. This time we recorded at our friend's studio A64A Recordings. We mixed and mastered it at the Laundry Room recording studio. Zeneli spent more time on these songs and they are also more political due to our current president & corruption. These songs are more poetic and existential and he ties in a lot of abstract ideas on life and art.

Own final thoughts. Zeneli's influences have always been Death in June, Boyd Rice, Nick Cave, Blixa Bargeld, Lee Hazelwood, Foetus, The Birthday Party, The Cramps and Leonard Cohen. His Guitar influences are Daniel Ash, Rowland S. Howard, Buddy Guy, Thurston Moore.

What is unique about Peg Leg Love is the music has elements of surf rock, death rock, garage and post punk. It has unique guitar riffs and also vocals that recall Scott Walker.

Old Towne Pub: Peg Leg Love

The last time I was at Old Towne Pub was way back in 2016 for the final year of Make Music Pasadena. The venue was never a favorite, but I used to go a handful of times a year. For some reason, it dropped off my radar for 3 plus years. Well, I got invited to catch Peg Leg Love and decided to accept the opportunity. When I got to Pasadena, I actually realized that I knew the general area where the venue was, but wasn't exactly sure which side street to head down. That's what happens after 3 plus years. Luckily, I could hear a band ending their set and so let the music lead me.

Peg Leg Love is one of those DIY bands that you can tell plays for the love of the craft. The focus throughout the set was on the music, which is what one would expect from a band that has been at it in different forms since 2005. Lead guitarist and vocalist Ilir provided that raw energy while bassist Christina gave out a nonchalant cool vibe. Rocio on drums made sure they kept the pace of their furious sounds. 

The set was to celebrate the release of their record The Funeral Empyre. The Pub crowd seemed to be packed with friends and family that were out to support the release.

After their set, I decided to head to - where else - King Taco.