- Mike Peters (musician)
-
Mike Peters 
Mike Peters performing in 1984.Background information Birth name Michael Leslie Peters Born 25 February 1959 Genres Rock Occupations Musician, songwriter Instruments Vocals, guitar Years active 1975–present Labels 21st Century Associated acts Hairy Hippie
The Toilets
Seventeen
The Alarm
Coloursound
Children of the Revolution
Big CountryMike Peters (born Michael Leslie Peters, 25 February 1959)[1] is a Welsh musician, best known as the lead singer of The Alarm. He currently lives in Dyserth, North Wales with his family. After The Alarm split up in 1991, Peters wrote and released solo work, which he has been releasing under the name "The Alarm" since 2000.[2] Additionally, he is co-founder of the Love Hope Strength Foundation. Mike Peters is currently the lead singer for Big Country.
Contents
Early life
Peters was born in Prestatyn and grew up living in The Crescent Hotel in Edward Henry Street, Rhyl, with the former The Alarm band member Eddie MacDonald. The name of the street became the inspiration for a track on the album of the same name, released as part of "The Poppyfields Bond"[3] of albums. On "Edward Henry Street", Peters describes his life growing up in Wales.
Peters' first job was a computer operator. He worked on an old IBM System 3 mainframe with an operating system of RPG II. It was a data card based system that seen in today's terms was very primitive.[1]
Musical career
1970s
Peters' musical debut came on 10 October 1975,[4] when he fronted Hairy Hippie (named by the disc jockey James Barr), a band formed with his schoolmates to perform at his sister's 21st birthday party at the Talardy Hotel in St Asaph. The first song performed that night was a cover version of "If You Think You Know How To Love Me" by Smokie.
His first band proper was The Toilets, formed after he saw the Sex Pistols play at Chester in 1976. The first song The Toilets played live was "Nothing To Do" at the Palace Hotel in Rhyl.
Peters, along with MacDonald, Dave Sharp and Nigel Twist (then called Nigel Buckle), formed a band called Seventeen in 1978. The first song Seventeen played was "Pop Generation" at the Bee (now Station) Hotel in Rhyl on 27 May 1978. One single was released in 1979 on the Vendetta label entitled "Don't Let Go".
1980s
In 1981 Seventeen moved to London to tour the club circuit. They were signed by the IRS label. After Seventeen was disbanded, the group reformed under the name Alarm Alarm, based on one of the songs written by Peters for The Toilets. On BBC Radio 1, John Peel commented that with Duran Duran, Talk Talk and now Alarm Alarm perhaps he should call himself John Peel John Peel, so the name was shortened to The Alarm.
The Alarm played their first gig in the Victoria Hotel in Prestatyn on 10 June 1981.[4] "Shout To The Devil" was the first song to be played. Peters wrote the song that day and as it suited the three acoustics and drumkit line-up, the band used to rehearse it during the soundcheck. Their first single on their own label, "Unsafe Building", was released in November 1981.
1990s
In 1991, The Alarm split up after Peters left the band on stage at The Brixton Academy, declaring
“ "We've shared some great moments in time over the last ten years and tonight I would like to thank all the people who have supported me from the beginning to the end. Tonight, this is my last moment with the Alarm, I'm going out in a blaze of glory - my hands are held up high." ” The original members of The Alarm have only reunited once. This was for the VH1 series Bands Reunited.
Two singles were released in 1994. "Back into the System", which also included a Welsh release of the single. This was followed by "It Just Don't Get Any Better Than This". Peters teamed up with "The Poets" for both records. The single also included a first release of the track "White Noise" which Peters re-recorded for the album "Rise". The American release also included a re-mix.
It would be a further year before Peters released his first solo album venture "Breathe". Being a UK only release, the CD version of the album did not contain Peter's first two solo singles. An acoustic only version of the same album was also released. By now, Peters had retreated into the internet and had his own website, where most of his future releases would be sold.
In 1996, after having been misdiagnosed with cancer, Peters released his second solo venture "Feel Free". The album included a take on Grandmaster Flash's influential rap track "The Message." The American release of "Feel Free" also included a special hidden track called "Gone Elvis".
In 1998, "Rise" was released, to a wider audience this time. "Rise" was a change of musical direction for Peters. "White Noise Part II," found Peters experimenting with studio sound manipulation and drum machines, whereas "My Calling" featured Peters' signature acoustic/electric roots-rock sound. The album also featured the song "In Circles," which Peters co-wrote with ex-Cult guitarist Billy Duffy.
Peters followed the release of "Rise" by touring the US under "The Interactive Acoustic Works U.S. Tour", which started in Boston on 10 October 1998. That year also saw the release of the album "Live [From a Broadcast]". This set included a version of The Alarm's best known song, 68 Guns, which reinstated an extra verse that the band had trimmed out early in the writing process.
In 1999, Peters again worked with Billy Duffy, forming a band called Coloursound with Duffy, his former Cult bandmate Scott Garret, and Craig Adams (formerly of The Mission). They recorded one, eponymous, studio album.
Since 1993, Peters has held an annual weekend event called "The Gathering"[5] at Llandudno. It has been attended by various guest musicians, including former Alarm band members.
2000s
The new millennium saw Peters release Flesh and Blood, based on the stage play of the same name written by Helen Griffin.
In 2000, Peters decided to reuse The Alarm brand name. After he left the band in 1991, Peters had signed over rights to the name to the other band members. This caused former drummer Nigel Twist to threaten to sue. Peters has since used The Alarm brand name, sometimes with an added roman numericals for the year.
In 2001, Peters went on the road again as part of "Dead Men Walking". Featuring Pete Wylie (of The Mighty Wah!), Glen Matlock (former Sex Pistols), Captain Sensible (The Damned), and Kirk Brandon (Spear of Destiny), the band played a mixture of old and new material spanning their combined careers.
In 2004, Peters released the single "45 RPM" using the pseudonym, The Poppy Fields, using the guise that this band was a teenage band based from Chester. Peters came eleventh in an on-line poll to find 100 Welsh Heroes.[6]
Mike joined members of The Mescaleros in 2010 to perform songs of Joe Strummer under the name Los Mondos Bongo.[7]
Mike Peters is set to perform as frontman with Big Country on their upcoming UK Tour. http://www.bigcountry.co.uk/home.php
Musical influences
Peters has stated various artists have had an influence on his musical direction. In "Edward Henry Street" of the album with the same name Peters sings "bought Aladdin Sane from Greaves records" in reference to the song by David Bowie
Woody Guthrie is also part of Peters' musical heritage. Peters stated:
“ I got into Woody Guthrie mainly because of my interest in Bob Dylan. I first heard about Woody when I read the Anthony Scaduto Dylan biography around 1981 which told of Guthrie's influence on the young Dylan. Also I read Dave Marsh's biography on The Who (Before I Get Old) which carried an interview with Pete Townshend urging modern artists who claim to be influenced by The Who, Beatles, Stones etc. to go back to their influences, namely the likes of Guthrie, Robert Johnson etc. I thought this was a very interesting point, and bought up as much early, pre-pop music as I could. ” MPO
MPO (Mike Peters Organisation) was formed in 1992 as Peters used the internet to communicate with his fan base.
Health and family life
In 1996, Peters made a recovery from lymph cancer,[4] and began recording and touring again, sometimes with members of the re-formed band. He also presented a regular show called Bedrock on BBC Radio Wales. In 2005, Peters discovered that he was suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.[4] At this time, Peters started a cancer foundation called Love Hope Strength to help with the fight against cancer.
He has since announced a remission of this and has appeared in a documentary for BBC Wales chronicling his so far successful battle with cancer. The documentary was released in 2006 as Mike Peters on the Road to Recovery with some of the proceeds being donated to Peters' foundation.
In 2011, Peter's Love Hope Strength Foundation released the film More to Live For intended to promote the importance of bone marrow donation in saving the lives of cancer victims.
In October 2007, Peters, along with 38 other musicians, cancer survivors and supporters, made a 14 day trek to the Mount Everest base camp to perform the highest concert ever on land to raise awareness and money to fight cancer. Other musicians included Cy Curnin and Jamie West-Oram of The Fixx, Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze, Slim Jim Phantom of The Stray Cats and Nick Harper. Peters is the co-founder of The Love Hope and Strength Foundation with James Chippendale, president of CSI Entertainment in Dallas, Texas.
Peters is married to Jules and has two children.
Discography
Albums
Title Release date Breathe 1 January 1995 Breathe - The Acoustic Sessions 1 January 1995 Second Generation Volume 1 1 January 1996 Feel Free 5 August 1996 Abbey Road Sessions 1 March 1997 Rise 26 February 1998 Acoustic Works 1981-1986 5 November 1998 Acoustic Works 1987-1991 5 November 1998 Live [From a Broadcast] 1998 Rise Demos 1 May 1999 Flesh & Blood 19 February 2000 The Millenium Gathering 1 February 2001 Collected Works 17 September 2001 The Alarmstock Collection Live 1 September 2003 Mike Peters in Session 2007 2007 Mike Peters in Session 2008 2008 Breathe - Expanded Edition 2008 Acoustic Live 2009 Feel Free - Remastered and Expanded 2009 Mike Peters in Session 2009 2009 Singles
Title Other tracks Release date "Back into the System" "A New Chapter", "21st Century (demo version)", "Back into the System" 1994 "Nol I Mewn I'r System" "Y Bennod Newy", "Canrif 21 - Fersiwn Demo", "Nol I Mewn I'r System" 1994 "It Just Don't Get Any Better Than This" "Devil's Word", "White Noise" 1994 "Shine On" "113th Dream", "Safe European Home", "Going Underground" 1996 Promotional recordings
Title Songs Album Release date Breathe Promo "Levis and Bibles", "Love is a Revolution", "Spiritual", "If I Can't Have You", "Breathe" Breathe 1994 Mike Peters EP "Transcendental", "Your Are To Me", "Gone Elvis", "I Want You", "Shine On" Feel Free 1996 Regeneration "Regeneration" Feel Free 1996 Mike Peters Sampler "Transcendental" (radio edit), "Sold Me Down the River", "Rain in the Summertime", "Rescue Me", "Interview with Mike Peters" Rise 1998 Filmography
Videos
Title Release date Videozine Volume 1 1997 Flesh and Blood Recording Sessions 1999 Alarm 2000 Day Documentary 2000 DVDS
Title Release date The Story of The Alarm 2001 The Gathering DVD Box Set Collection 4 December 2004 Mike Peters - The Documentary - On the Road to Recovery 2006 The Gathering Electric MMVI 2006 The Gathering Acoustic MMVI 2006 Alarmcast #1 2006 References
External links
Welsh albums AERLive albums Abbey Road Sessions • The Millennium Gathering • Live 2 (From a Broadcast) • Alarmstock III • Mike Peters in Session • Mike Peters in Session 2007Compilations Second Generation Volume 1 • Acoustic Works 1981-1986 • Acoustic Works 1987-1991 • Collected Works • The Best of The Alarm and Mike PetersDemos Rise demosSingles Back into the System • It Just Dont Get Any Better Than This • Shine OnWelsh singles The Gathering 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18Mike Peters · Eddie MacDonald · Dave Sharp · Nigel Twist Managers Ian WilsonAlbums Declaration • Strength • Eye of the Hurricane • Change • Raw •
In the Poppyfields • Under Attack • Guerilla Tactics • Direct Action (Released as Alarm MM++)Welsh Albums Newid • TanLive albums Electric Folklore Live • Live at the Hammersmith Palais 1984 • King Biscuit Flower Hour Radio Show • Blaze of Glory • Sound and the FuryCompilations Compact Hits • Standards • The Best of The Alarm and Mike Peters • 68 Guns • The CollectionEPs The AlarmPromos Curtain CallDemos Change Demos • Alt-StrengthSingles Unsafe Building • Marching On • The Stand • Sixty Eight Guns • Where Were You Hiding When the Storm Broke? • The Deceiver • The Chant Has Just Begun • Absolute Reality • Strength • Spirit of '76 • Knife Edge • Rain in the Summertime • Rescue Me • Presence of Love • Sold Me Down the River • A New South Wales/The Rock • Love Don't Come Easy • Raw • 45 RPM • A New Home New Life • Close • Superchannel • Rain Down Released as Alarm MM++DVD Audio From the Front Row LiveVideos Spirit of '86 • Change EP • Blaze of GloryCategories:- 1959 births
- Living people
- Welsh male singers
- Welsh guitarists
- Welsh songwriters
- People from Prestatyn
- The Alarm members
- Big Country members
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
