Interview by Marcus Boxler

Peaches: Echoes of Rebellion and Resonance

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Interview by Marcus Boxler

In the realm of contemporary music and culture, Peaches stands as an unapologetic pioneer, her work a bold fusion of avant-garde electronic music and fierce advocacy for sexual liberation and gender fluidity. With a career spanning over three decades, Peaches has not just made music, she has crafted anthems for the marginalized, challenged societal norms, and pushed the boundaries of performance art. Her influence transcends genres, touching hearts and minds across the globe, making her a symbol of resistance and empowerment.

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Marcus Boxler: You once called Tacheles the “Disneyland of squats” rather than attributing that description to Berlin as a whole. Can you elaborate on that?

Peaches Nisker: I specifically referred to Tacheles because it was open 24 hours and served as both a squat and a tourist attraction when I was there.

How significant was Tacheles’s presence in Berlin to you, considering your unique connection to the city and its culture?

Moving to Berlin was driven by its atmosphere of free thinking, new ideas, and affordable living spaces that welcomed open platforms for creativity. That is when I came here. That is why I came here. And it has always been like that until this year. This particular year has been very problematic, especially regarding the rights and freedoms of marginalized communities and the understanding of my identity as a Jewish person in Berlin.

With that in mind, how do you view the responsibility of artists and public figures in today’s sociopolitical climate?

This year, there has been a shift. The responsibility has changed this year because people who are voicing their opinions, very important opinions, marginalized voices, non-white voices, Jewish voices, Arab voices, Palestinian voices, they are all being censored. It’s crucial for artists to speak out, but we’re facing censorship. It’s paradoxical – you’re free to express, yet there’s a looming threat of being silenced, especially when your art or opinions don’t align with certain political views.

Do you have the feeling that it’s one directional censorship, or rather multidirectional censorship? Whether you are Candice Breitz, Deborah Feldman, Tania Bruguera, or simply a Jewish student trying to go to university, everyone is being threatened for speaking out, threats are coming from all directions.

It is unfortunate that people can’t listen to each other anymore. We, ourselves, who are all trying to actually fight for the same thing, won’t even listen to each other. There has to be a way to work together. And then there’s the whole AfD. How the fuck are they in the government right now? How are they pretending to be pro Israel when they really are anti everybody?

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Let’s shift gears a bit. You’ve mentioned before that mainstream culture has started to embrace the topics you’ve long been advocating for. Do you feel your goals have been achieved in this regard?

From my perspective, things go in waves. Yes, there’s more discussion on body politics, sexual identity, and gender politics, which is a step in the right direction. But I’m sorry that I can’t be optimistic again because with more visibility comes more opposition, too. Yes, there’s awareness, and yes, there’s a celebration, but there’s also still always a fight. The fight for acceptance and understanding, especially for trans and marginalized individuals, continues.

But generally speaking, isn’t there a noticeable development towards more acceptance? Quoting your iconic track, “Fuck the Pain Away,” it seems like societal attitudes towards handling emotional pain have shifted. Nowadays, there’s a lot more talk about sensitivity, identity politics and new forms of masculinity. Do you think “Hug the Pain Out” might be a more fitting anthem for today’s climate?

You’re right, there’s a significant shift towards sensitivity. People have always had different needs in how they handle pain, whether that’s through cuddling or other means. Some people hugged the pain away 20 years ago, some still fuck it away nowadays. What’s crucial is the evolution of language and awareness we’ve developed over the years, allowing for a broader understanding of these needs. 20 years ago, there just wasn’t the vocabulary to express all individual needs. At least, it was not as established as it is today. Everything is growing in every direction, rapidly and overwhelmingly. There’s so much nuance in every single person. And that’s all I ever wanted to bring awareness to, so that people feel comfortable in their own bodies.

In fact, you did lay the cornerstone for the message that encourages everyone to be who they want to be and to freely express themselves.

Not to be whoever you want to be. It’s not a want, it’s a need. It’s to be whoever you need to be.

On another note, are there any future projects that excite you?

There is a documentary focused on me that just launched at the Berlinale. But right now, I’m focused on making new music.

Lastly, you’ve kept an extensive archive of your work: every costume, every set list, every cassette tape and videotape, more than 8000 hours of footage, six racks of costumes... What is the goal of archiving yourself and your career in such an extensive way?

What is the goal? That is a good question. First of all, I am a hoarder. I guess it helped me to understand that all of this was really happening.

What would you wish to happen with the archive?

I think that is to be answered by an archivist or a curator or somebody who finds it in line with their work. Whether it be a queer history museum – which probably would be a great place for it – or a place that documents film and people’s careers, or costume history. It can go a lot of ways. I obviously thought it was interesting in some way because I kept it, but somebody else has to find it. I just provided the material and I’m a resource.