Austin-based Peel have been together since late 2004, and Austinist writers have recommended that you catch their show for almost two years! A youthful blend of indie pop with noisy drums, keyboards, and multiple vocalists, Peel wouldn't sound at all out of place on late 80's college radio. Their self-titled debut album finally arrives in early April. Last week, we spoke to Peel's Allison Moore about favorite bands, dive bars, and the business of South By.

How do your parents describe your music to people?

They use ambiguously nice phrases. Or "loud."

Is SXSW fun or business?

Downtown Austin is like a river of free Tito's during SXSW...so I'd say a lot of fun and very little business gets done. We're more interested in making friends than business contacts. Unless, of course, you mean the kind of "business" that requires quotation marks.

If you could open for any artist living or dead, in any era of their career, who would it be?

The Modern Lovers in 1971 or Simply Saucer. Together! In Canada! Or maybe Roxy Music, but only when Brian Eno was still in the band.

Who are you most excited to see play at SXSW? Will you have time?

I'm pretty excited about Beach House. But I'm not getting my hopes up. Last year they scheduled us at exactly the same time as the Table of the Elements Showcase.

What's your favorite song on the forthcoming record? Why?

"Workers, Wake Up!" because it has balls. Or "Sliding Doors" because I like that cat meow at the end.

Where does Peel hang out in Austin when not playing a gig?

At work! If you mean for fun, though...dive bars and pool halls like the G&S Lounge. Occasionally several of us will end up at the same house party or dance party unintentionally and it looks like we came as a band. It's embarrassing.

Do you have a favorite Austin band right now (besides yourselves)?

Horse + Donkey and Shearwater. Does Bill Callahan count as Austin yet?

Thanks for talking with Austinist.

Peel will play the Peek-A-Boo Records day party on Friday, March 16th at Bella Blue Boutique. They will also play another show at a time/location TBD.

Image via Aubrey Edwards on Peel's MySpace page.