Peter "Mars" Cowling

Peter "Mars" Cowling is an English bass guitarist best known for his work with Canadian rocker Pat Travers. His finger-style playing technique made him a standout among critics and fans alike.

Cowling was born in England in 1946, and for many years lived in Grimsby where in 1962 he formed his first band of note - "The Syndicate" - with Steve Mills on vocals, Frank Singleton on lead guitar, Doug Hollingworth rhythm guitar, Geoff (Cannonballs) on piano and John (S**thead) Smith on drums. This band was ahead of its time in the early '60s playing covers of imported American blues and R & B records, including Elmore James, Ray Charles, Rufus Thomas, Bobby Troup and John Lee Hooker. After that he played in British groups including Gnidrolog and the Flying Hat Band before joining forces with Pat Travers in 1975. One of Cowling's bandmates in the Flying Hat Band was Glenn Tipton, who later became an international superstar as lead guitarist for the British heavy metal group Judas Priest.

Cowling recorded eight major label albums as bassist for the Pat Travers Band from 1976 to 1982. He left Travers in 1983, but returned in 1989, and remained until 1993. He performed on Travers' best-known radio hits "Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)" and "Snortin' Whiskey". Cowling is also featured on two video releases, one entitled "Hooked On Music", a live performance originally shot for the German TV show "Rockpalast" in 1976. This program showcases an early lineup of the Pat Travers Band that also included Nicko McBrain before his rise to fame as drummer for Iron Maiden. Cowling's other video appearance with Travers is "Boom Boom-Live At The Diamond Club", a full-length concert filmed in Toronto in 1991 that also features guitar great Jerry Riggs.

Cowling now lives in Florida, and has worked with musicians Billy Livesay and Stan Waldman since leaving the Pat Travers organization.