Homeshake’s Peter Sagar fights loneliness on a tour bus with rock songs and yoga – Orange County Register

Loneliness tends to penetrate every corner – on the road between stops, in crowded places and even in the usual routine. For Peter Sagar, the creative force behind Homeshake, these feelings are not just passing thoughts, but recurring themes running through his latest records “Horsie” and “CD Wallet.”

“I’ve felt anxious and depressed about almost everything my whole life, but I’ve learned to deal with it,” shares Sagar during the tour, which includes stops at The Regent in Los Angeles on November 7 and North Observatory Park in Los Angeles. San Diego on November 8th and Santa Ana Observatory on November 9th.

“I even did yoga this morning and I managed to get a jump rope and I use it when we stop for gas on tour. It’s strange, but little things help me stay sane.”

As the world has reopened post-pandemic, Sagar is still grappling with the complexities of human connection, torn between returning to live performances and the sense of alienation that may linger afterwards. This time, however, there was a small but significant change that brought him comfort: he finally got his driver’s license in his mid-thirties.

“This is weird,” Sagar muses. “Touring should be a freeing experience, but sometimes it just makes things more difficult. However, I enjoy being on the open road. I was a late bloomer, but this is the first tour where I’ve been fully licensed. Even though you feel lonely most of the time, it also makes you happy.”

Title track “Horsie” depicts this duality, a sonic journey that reflects the euphoria of open highways while simultaneously confronting the emptiness that can be left after concerts are over.

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The twin records, “Horsie” and “CD Wallet”, mark a new creative chapter for the Toronto-based Canadian musician. His decision to leave his previous label Sinderlyn, known for releasing In The Shower and Fresh Air, gave him the freedom to experiment, resulting in two very different records. “The Horse,” which finished first, carries themes of anxiety, loneliness and the search for meaning, emotions heightened by isolation and exclusion. In contrast, CD Wallet was a quick and spontaneous project, completed in just two weeks. “It was the fastest thing I’ve ever done,” explains Sagar, reflecting on the feeling of making music without thinking about the process.

The release of CD Wallet allowed Sagar to look at Horseie’s music from a new angle. Some of these original tracks will reappear on the deluxe version of the album, demonstrating his desire to evolve even in his latest work.

“My intention was to do ‘Horse; a travel album,” he shares. “With this record, I wanted to expand my personal experiences into a broader context, and hopefully that will resonate with listeners. Touring has been such a big part of my life that it seems like second nature, but I’ve never talked about it before. I just felt like I needed to do something. I don’t deliberately plan to discuss these things; rather, they arise because they need to.”

Returning to the road gave Sagar mixed feelings. Although he has long been open about his struggles with anxiety and depression, the experience of returning to tour after lockdown was unexpectedly unsettling. “I was looking forward to performing live again, but it also brought back a lot of anxiety. No matter where we go or where we perform, I always have this thought: “Will anyone be here?” I still do it every show.”

It’s a surprising feeling considering his cult fan base, which has remained with him since his debut album in 2014, blossoming in the throes of the DIY bedroom pop scene that birthed artists such as Cuco, Clairo, The Marías, Still Woozy and Frankie. Space. Over the years, Sagar has moved from intimate venues to larger stages, performing at major festivals such as the 2023 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Primavera Sound in Barcelona, ​​Spain.

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Emotional obstacles aside, Homeshake’s music itself has undergone significant changes. Originally known for his smooth pop guitar sound, Sagar’s work now takes a more textural, synth-driven approach. More recently, he has been influenced by artists such as Four Tet and D’Angelo, whose early recordings inspired Sagar to explore layers of sound. “I wanted to get away from the dry sound of computer music,” he says. “That’s why I used the Sonic EPS sampler and went back to the basics of getting really good textures.”

Sagar’s creative evolution has been closely intertwined with the core group of musicians he has collaborated with since 2014, the same year he left indie star Mac DeMarco’s band to focus full-time on Homeshake. Although Homeshake is very much his personal project, Sagar relied on a regular band for live performances and touring, allowing him to bring his vision to life on stage.

“I always knew I would make my own music,” reflects Sagar. “Since I was 12 or 13 years old, I couldn’t do much except music – for me it’s the whole world. I always knew that I would find my way to songwriting and achieve success with it. I knew I had to make it work, I had no choice.”

He goes on to explain that his time with DeMarco’s band, where he spent eight months on the road for three years straight, was formative but ultimately unsustainable. “Being in DeMarco’s group was amazing, but I got to the point where I didn’t have enough room for everything. I don’t regret it and he’s still a dear friend to this day. I learned a lot during this time in terms of how I want to practice my craft.”

Keeping the same band together for over a decade brought its own challenges, especially with members living in different cities. However, Sagar emphasizes the importance of healthy dynamics on tour. “Touring is not just about music,” he explains. “It’s about being able to navigate life together and understand each other’s emotions along the way.”

Despite the ups and downs, Sagar continues his creative path. “The biggest change in recent years has been managing expectations,” he admits. “When things are going well, it’s easy to get lost in the tension. But at the end of the day, I make music because I need it – it’s what I have to do.”

The current Homeshake tour has given Sagar an opportunity to reconnect with audiences in a new way. While challenges persist in adapting fresh material for live performances, Sagar finds joy in performing louder, more energetic rock songs on stage. “I look forward to every day on the road. I’m just grateful that people are still listening.”