Peter Capaldi: I've come back to music again after 40 years

Peter Capaldi, the well-known actor famous for his role in Doctor Who, is making a return to music after a long break of 40 years. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was the lead singer of a punk band called The Dreamboys while he was a student at the Glasgow School of Art. This band included Craig Ferguson, who later became a famous actor himself. Peter recalls, 'Like many kids in the 70s, I was in a band. It was quite easy to do if you were dedicated. We borrowed instruments, recorded ourselves, and took our music to local pubs to get gigs. ' Glasgow was a vibrant city for music, filled with places to perform and many talented bands. Although Peter's band did not achieve great success, he fondly remembers the music scene of that time, including seeing bands like Simple Minds. After his time with The Dreamboys, Peter shifted his focus to acting, moving to London where he starred in several films such as Local Hero and Dangerous Liaisons, as well as TV shows like The Thick of It. He even played guitar in his first episode of Doctor Who, showcasing his love for music. Peter admits, 'I was never a great player, but I always had a passion for music. ' A few years ago, he met Robert Howard, known as Dr Robert from the 80s band The Blow Monkeys, who inspired him to start playing and writing music again. This encouragement led to the release of his first album, St Christopher, in 2021. Now, he is preparing to launch his new album, Sweet Illusions, which reflects his experiences and memories from Glasgow. The album cover features Peter sitting in a London bus shelter, deep in thought about his hometown. Robert Howard had signed with a small indie label called Last Night From Glasgow, founded by Ian Smith in 2016. Ian was frustrated with how musicians were treated in the industry and wanted to create a label that focused on supporting unsigned artists. He gathered 60 friends to invest in the label, which operates as a not-for-profit organization. Their mission is to ensure that musicians are paid fairly and retain their rights. They have also started a project called Past Night From Glasgow, which reissues older albums, with their first release being The Bluebells' debut album from 1984. Currently, the label has around 100 artists signed and generates a turnover of half a million pounds a year. Ian emphasizes, 'We are not commercial; we reinvest any profits back into supporting grassroots talent. ' Peter's music has started to gain attention at the Last Night From Glasgow shop, where people are curious about the singer's identity. Ian shares that customers often guess who it is, but no one has correctly identified Peter yet. Peter is pleased that his music is being enjoyed without any pressure. He states, 'I have come back to music after 40 years, so it feels fitting to be in Glasgow. ' He is not pursuing fame as a pop star; instead, he finds joy in creating music. He takes his craft seriously and works hard to improve, but he does not have expectations of winning awards or topping charts. Sweet Illusions is set to be released on March 28, and the first batch of 1,200 albums has already been sold out. Peter is also busy working on another album while managing his acting career. During the filming of The Suicide Squad in Atlanta, he used his downtime to write songs, even visiting Nashville, which felt like a homecoming for him. He reflects, 'I think I just picked up where I left off 40 years ago. ' Peter is excited to perform live again after such a long time. He recently did a gig and found it enjoyable, and he hopes to play at the Belladrum Festival in July, along with other performances. He acknowledges that his music career surprises some people in the industry. Although he has received offers from record companies, he prefers to maintain control over his music. He expresses, 'I want to stay true to my music and keep it manageable. I don't want to be a pop star. If people enjoy my record, I am thrilled because it is something I never expected. ' Sweet Illusions will be available on March 28.