Pete Greenwood
I first met Pete about five years ago at the Half Moon pub in Hearn Hill, South London –Where we were both on the same bill. As usual, we had a lot of time to kill before the gig got started, so I sat with Pete and bored him with my life story. I soon found out that Pete was far more interesting then I am!
Pete was born and bred in Leeds and moved down to London in 2002 and started doing a degree course in music at Goldsmiths University. Shortly after, he was stopped in his tracks by an offer to tour the world with the band Mojave 3 – which he accepted, later going on to tour Europe with Starsailor and the UK with Loose State .
Pete’s musical craftsmanship rolls on to this day – He plays guitar in the See See who are getting a big following and a lot of critical acclaim – I plan to go and see then very soon. But it’s Pete solo work that really moves me, from the moment I saw him at the Half Moon
I thought this guy has something very special going on. He has great stage presence and oozes charisma, his songs are infused with a unique type of complex simplicity and are much more heart warming and valid than many of the more well known modern singer/songwriters we have foist upon us.
Sirens was Pete’s first album and I’m not ashamed to say I’m a bit in love with it, I find new elements in it every time I listen, and I have been playing it a lot. Sirens is on a par with any of the truly great albums by the likes of Nick Drake or John Martin. Pete’s guitar skills are right up there with the best of them too, and he also plays a wide range of instruments – more than you can shake a drum stick at!
But it’s his vocals and lyrics that gets straight to my soul, with his unassuming Yorkshire tones that glide though you like an arrow straight to your heart and mind – this is music with deep meanings that are well worth tying to fathom out, although so far I have not been wholly successful.
I know that there is a new album in the pipeline and I’m now poised like an old dog waiting at the front door for his master to come home. I’m sure it will be as good as Sirens, as Pete is always advancing his music to greater heights, as I saw when he was on my radio show – Where he just blew my mind with his talent. I’m very glad to say he will be back on my show on 8th November.
The Spanish artist and philosopher Marta Bravo once said of Pete Greenwood, ‘The word of a Yorkshireman is worth half a cashew nut. Not much else.’ She may be wrong on that one!
Pete’s Label – Heavenly Recordings
Bob’s Folk Show Tuesday 9pm www.radiowey.co.uk
photos by Paul Kelly
