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News Archive |
Live Archive |
| To Paul October 26 , 2008 | (Reply) |
Pete is not currently playing any live dates. |
| I first met Paul Hart through Dick Heckstall- Smith, of whom he was a great fan. Later, perhaps sensing my everpresent hunger to play, he invited me to join his fusion big band, 200 Fingers, which I was very pleased to do. Together we played a lot of little festivals around the southwest of England. At an early rehearsal I asked the rather grumpy drummer if what I was doing (on percussion) was okay for him. "It's all right", he replied grudgingly. " No one ever gets fired in this band". Later the ensemble mutated into the Barrelhouse Blues Orchestra, doing more gigs and even a BBC Paul Jones radio show. At various times it featured a string section and a choir, and backed such as Andy Shepherd and Mick Taylor. Eventually I got to sing with the band, both backing vocals and lead, also joining the choir when it happened, which was very exciting.
Paul's sudden disappearance in the summer came as a big shock. He was a tireless worker for good music, and also a terrific graphic artist. Somehow he managed to hold down his art teaching job while doing masses of organization for the huge and sometimes temperamental band. One of the last things we were involved in together was his design for a "White Room" Gibson bass to be auctioned for charity, which Jack Bruce and I both signed. I believe it did very well. Paul will be remembered by myself and others including the full Barrelhouse Blues Orchestra (I unfortunately missed his official memorial gig due to illness) on Dec. 20th at the Exchange in Sturminster Newton, Paul's home town. |
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| A Small Update August 08, 2008 | (Reply) |
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| Pete Brown and Phil Ryan are now halfway through their first studio record in fourteen years, likely to be titled 'Road of Cobras', although another contender is 'Life in the Past Lane'. Guests include; Arthur Brown, Maggie Bell, Clem Clempson, Jim Mullen, and Richard Bailey; plus alumni David Hadley, Bob Jenkins, John McKenzie, Mo Nazam, and Taff Williams and a potential cameo appearance by Peter Green. It is hoped to be finished by the end of July.
Pete's autobiography, to be named 'White Rooms and Imaginary Westerns', is very close to completion and due for release in August. Likewise, the new book of poems: 'The Cats of War'. Pete has also been working on T Mandrake's recent album and it should be finished by the end of June. In reissues: Repertoire in Germany will be releasing all of the Harvest records, with Battered Ornaments bonus tracks. There is a definitive Piblokto compilation in the pipeline with much unreleased material, including a live concert in France. Esoteric, who havve been doing a lot of Jack Bruce material recently, including two box sets featuring many songs co-written by Pete, are releasing a double album of the previous (90s) Brown/Ryan records, 'Ardours of the Lost Rake' and 'Coals to Jerusalem', also due to feature unissued material. |
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| Poetry Gigs & New Poem (Reply) |
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Pete will be appearing at a poetry festival entitled "What can a poem do at times like these..." on August 25th and 26th. The venue is the Bakehouse, 44 The High Street, Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland DG7 2HP TEL: 01557 814196 Cell: 07801 801204 The gig also features Adrian Mitchell, Mike Horovitz and Adrian Kops. Pete has also been asked along with the others to contribute a new poem to a pamphlet commemorating the original poems against the bomb in 1961. |
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| Burg Herzberg Festival DVD (Reply) |
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| Pete features in a new 90 minute DVD shot at the 2006 Burg Herzberg Festival. The show, which featured "The Herzberg Blues Allstars" was recently shown on the Rockpalast TV show in Germany. The Allstars band included Pete with The Hamburg Blues Band, and also featured what Pete has described as "A Cast Of Thousands." Pete is featured on "The Old Soul Singer" and also on a lengthy version of "Sunshine Of Your Love" which also features Chris Farlowe, Clem Clempson and Adrian Belew amongst others. The DVD is available in Germany. Click on the link for full track listings. Rockpalast Burg Herzberg 2006 DVD |
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| Books Latest (Reply) |
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| Pete will now be writing the main narrative for his biography, with Harry Shapiro conducting some interviews, and also acting in an editorial capacity. Also, a deal to publish a book of Pete's poems and lyrics should be announced shortly. The book will be called "White Rooms and Imaginary Westerns" and will consist of 50 selected lyrics and poems with comments, photos and illustrations. Pete is hoping for a late spring, 2007 completion. | |
| Ivor Cutler DVD (Reply) |
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| Pete has made contributions to a DVD documentary about Ivor Cutler that is currently available. For more information about Ivor Cutler, please go to Ivor Cutler. | |
| Awards (Reply) |
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At the 2005 BMI Awards, Pete and Jack Bruce were given a "Million-Airs" award for their composition White Room, originally recorded by Cream. the award honoured the fact that the song had received more than two million plays on US radio Pete also picked up an Italian Piero Clampi award in November 2005 for lifetime songwriting achievement. |
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| Dekko & Keepers of the Flame (Reply) |
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| A track produced by Pete for now defunct band Dekko was used in the movie Tidelands. Former members of Dekko now have a new band, Keepers Of The Flame, and Pete recently produced some tracks for them that will shortly appear on their myspace page. | |
| Stolen Peace (Reply) |
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Pete produced an EP for up and coming Manchester band 'Stolen Peace' which is available at the moment. |
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© 2008 PETE BROWN |
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