Viv Peyrat ranges wide in style and territory, and the feel-good sound of Viv and the Revival is the result of a wide variety of experiences and influences.
“I was born in Paris and moved to Philly when I was about five years old. I moved to LA when I turned 18. I lived there for about two or three years and came back. That’s when I started writing my own music,” he says. “My family is a bunch of musicians. My dad’s a professional drummer. I started playing guitar when I was 13. I didn’t start writing songs until I was 21.”
Photo by: Jodi Samsel
According to Peyrat, the moniker Viv and the Revival came about at a time when he had revived his passion for music. “It was like a new start. Now I’m ready to go.”
Viv and the Revival is multi-dimensional. Listeners will be surprised by the interjection of articulate guitar leads in various styles.
“A lot of guitar players influence my playing. Steve Lukather from Toto—since I was younger, I’ve listened to his solos and tried to play like him—David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, to name a few.”
Recent success landed Viv national exposure. NBC and Budweiser used his song “Fire” in a 2012 Summer Olympics promo.
“It was awesome to see Michael Phelps on TV while my song was playing,” Peyrat says. The song’s upbeat rock rhythm and positive tone make it a fitting soundtrack. Peyrat calls it “a song about feeling like you can take on the world.”
Peyrat’s latest album, Seven, was released in March 2012. He composed a track list that evidences his wide range of influences. “Every song has its own feel. ‘Only Love’ gets a little hype, then there are songs like ‘Just Like a Dream,’ which are more laid back. I wanted to make a varied album, so every song has its own vibe. I wanted to make sure people weren’t thinking, ‘This song sounds like the last song.’”
The album is an expression of several styles representative of Viv, and understandably so—the album is a personal creation. “I wrote it, played all the parts, and recorded all of it in my bedroom. It was my first time doing the whole process myself. It was a really interesting record; I got to see my vision come to life. I felt like I accomplished something pretty cool.”
A late addition, “Welcome to a Good Time” leads off and sets the tone for the album. “I put it first on the album because it’s pretty much what I wanted the album to say.” The song represents a common thread in Viv’s various styles: a positive party vibe.
Photo by: Jodi Samsel
Although he’s enjoying it, Peyrat stays motivated. “Making it is a big theme in my writing right now.”
With its catchy, original blend of pop, rock and hip hop, Viv and the Revival will continue toward that goal.
Written by: Nick Hancock
