The Pfeffers are a brother and sister rock/pop/acoustic duo. Cori and Kevin both have extensive backgrounds in live entertainment. They have been performing off and on together for the past several years before finally, in 2015, deciding to team up and work exclusively as The Pfeffers.
The Pfeffers unique musical brand fuses elements of rock, pop, acoustic, and alternative into one concoction. Their musical ability transcends any one particular style or genre. Cori and Kevin’s songs consistently captivate their listeners by packing a powerhouse of emotion, melodic riffs, and originality. In addition to having a knack for writing catchy hooks and sing along material, The Pfeffers also deliver a stellar live show commanding the attention of their audience with explosive vocals, heart felt lyrics, and sincerity in each and every note they produce.
In this interview spotlight, we chat with Kevin and Cori about influences, the latest project and much more.
Q&A along with links and a stream of This Feeling can be found below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
Cori and I have pretty eclectic taste when it comes to music. We listen to pretty much everything. If it’s a good song.. it’s a good song. Cori came from a musical theater and Jazz/R&B background and my musical upbringing is deeply rooted in rock. As far as how to classify our sound.. if I had to put our music into a broad genre.. I would say its rock/pop. However if you dive deeper into our sound you will find indie, folk, and alternative influences too. With our sound, there is a lot going on under the hood, and sometimes I have a hard time classifying our music. We kind of cross over a few genres. I was always told that from a marketing stand point that is a bad idea, you hear things like you need a specific target audience. I don’t think it is that black and white. More and more I am seeing artists that cross many genres and have music that defies that logic. In the new digital music age, consumers download singles more than albums and there is a lot of content out there. People are going to download a song they like and add it to their music library along with every other genre they are listening to. We kind of have two sounds going on at the moment. One is a more raw stripped down acoustic rock sound that we often perform live. The other is the more produced pop/rock music we release as singles. The stuff we are currently writing is being divided up into two separate EP’s we plan on releasing a few months apart.
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
Since we were kids we have been performing and entertaining, it’s almost all we have ever known (laughs) …. I don’t think I could quit music if I tried.. I hear melodies in my head all day long. These songs almost write themselves in some strange way.. I believe it is what we were born to do. There are those brief moments that you experience when you watch or listen to something you love..the hair on your arms and legs stand up and you get goosebumps.. for me those moments come most often when an idea that was once in my head is manifested into a physical tangible song. There were many artists that gave me those kinds of moments growing up too. They changed my life, and I want to share those moments with as many people as I can. Then there is also the message and the poetry.. I usually write about my own experiences because they are real. It has to be real or whats the point.. if my experiences and music can help someone get through their day or provide a temporary escape… well then it’s worth all the hard work and effort. -Kevin
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
We both have many influences ranging from classic iconic bands like Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, or The Red Hot Chili Peppers, to underground alt bands like Taking Back Sunday, Thrice, and Brand New. My taste in music does change over time, but I always find myself going back to those bands you love and grew up on. There is something special about music that really sparks memories and feelings of a particular time. I love that nostalgia thing (smile). – Kevin
I think it’s important to stay current too, you pretty much have to if you’re in the business of making music for a living. I really respect a lot of the current artists on the radio such as Macklemore, Bruno Mars, Twenty One Pilots, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and many more. They all have a great sound and worked very hard to get where they are. That is inspiring. – Cori
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
With the release of our new single “This Feeling”, Kevin and I were trying to establish a more produced pop sound. I think it is a good foreshadowing of the direction we are heading musically. We will of course retain that folky acoustic rock edge we love, but with a little more polished sound. Kevin loves production and adding a lot of interesting instrumentals to the music, so it will be fun to see where the next project takes us. – Cori
What was the last song you listened to?
“Nude” By Radiohead .. I’m a big fan of Tom Yorke. – Kevin
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
Vinyl.. it sounds better. Glad to see it making a come back! – Cori
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Hmmm that is a tough one.. We do wish artists were paid more for the streaming of their music.. At this point in time an artist may be able to afford a sandwich with earnings from thousands of streams.. it’s rough. But there is an up side too, it allows more artists to be discovered. We think of it as more of an advertisement and the real money comes from other income sources such as touring, merch, and song placements. – Kevin
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
I feel that the biggest challenge is cutting through all the noise. There are of course some fantastic and incredibly talented artists out there, but there is also some very bad music out there, or maybe I should say..music that is not quite ready for commercial release. I know music is arbitrary and it really boils down to taste.. but It still takes time to master a craft or profession. A good artist takes time to mature and develop as a songwriter or performer. With nothing to vet what gets released, there is just an over saturated market. People have very short attention spans these days, and when everyone who calls themselves an artist is screaming at the top of their longs to get heard, it can be hard for a true gem to stand out. You really have to think outside the box these days. On the other hand, there any so many opportunities that did not exist before, such as direct to fan marketing. It’s amazing what the internet has done. I think Cori and I are really trying to focus on the music enthusiasts of the world, those who love music so much that they actually take time out of their busy lives to discover new artists and good music. Those fans are our life blood. They will support you because they want to and it feels really good to know that their are many people out there who value your music. – Kevin
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
The best place to connect with us is our official website www.thepfeffersmusic.com. Also we can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We try very hard to be accessible to our followers.. Music is an experience and getting to connect personally with the artist enhances that experience. – Cori
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
Right now we are giving away free music, and more in exchange for your email. We want to keep those who are intrigued by our music in the loop. We love meeting new people and chatting with fellow music enthusiasts! So stop by and say hi! – Cori
