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Pete Thompson (born 1952) is an English rock drummer who has played with Silverhead, Robin Trower, Robert Plant, Pete Haycock, Eric Bibb, Ken Hensley, and David Byron. He has been a professional touring, recording and session drummer throughout his career and has expanded his interests to include producing and composing.
Pete Thompson was born in Bournemouth, England, and spent most of his life in Southend-on-Sea. He admits in his biography on his official website that when he "was always tapping and singing and generally driving my teachers and parents mad." He got his first drum kit in 1968 and rapidly gained a local attention as a fine young drummer in a town that produced notables such as Gary Brooker, Robin Trower, Mickey Jupp, and Procol Harum. At 19, he became a professional drummer and went on a U.S.O. tour in Europe and played for the soldiers on R&R from the Vietnam War. It was at that time that he met Rod T. "Rook" Davies, guitarist and alumni of David Bowie's The Riot Squad, who would later bring Pete in as the drummer for Silverhead.
After the U.S.O. Tour, he joined the British band Silverhead in 1972. They toured the United States, Europe and Japan. Silverhead played support for some of the biggest bands of the era, including KISS, Deep Purple, Nazareth and Uriah Heep. Silverhead included Michael Des Barres, Nigel Harrison, for a short time- Stevie Forest who was replaced by Robbie Blunt, and Thompson's friend Rod T. Davies. Silverhead stopped touring in 1974 and was disbanded. [1]
When Silverhead was over with, Pete became a session drummer for MCA UK. He did many commercials and jingles for radio and television. Thompson appears on the 1975 Murray Head release Say It Ain't So . Also in 1975 he joined his friend and former colleague David Byron, lead singer of Uriah Heep for the album Take No Prisoners . In 1980, Thompson joined Ken Hensley, another Uriah Heep alumnus, for Ken's first solo outing in the band Shotgun. The lineup included Ian Gibbons on keyboards and Denny Ball on bass. [2] Shotgun did 2 shows at London's Marquee. [3] Hensley changed the name of the group to The Ken Hensley Band to highlight his efforts as a solo artist and the band did a North American tour in 1982.
From 1983 to 1986, Thompson joined former Climax Blues Band guitarist Pete Haycock. They toured Australia and Europe and recorded Total Climax and Guitar and Son. Thompson played with The Old Pal's Act, who would become The Hamsters, where he met bassist Dave Bronze. Bronze and Thompson would team up again touring and recording with Eric Bibb and Robin Trower. Thompson joined Trower in 1986 and recorded Passion and Take What You Need . Thompson was awarded Best Drummer-Rock Category by National Association of Independent Record Distributors in 1986 for his performance on Passion. Thompson was the drummer for Melanie Safka during her 1987 tour of the UK and appears on the BBC Radio 1 live recording "BBC On Air: Melanie" [4]
Thompson traded touring for a more settled life, teaching seven days a week in his hometown of Southend-on-Sea and for ten years leading the house band at The Blue Last in London, England. In 1993, he recorded Fate of Nations with Robert Plant, which scored Thompson Gold and Platinum Album awards. In 2005, Thompson rejoined Robin Trower and Old Pal, Dave Bronze for Living Out of Time They toured and also made a DVD Living Out of Time: Live. In 2002–03, Thompson and Bronze toured with Eric Bibb in Australia and Europe and recorded the album Friends. He also did some short tours with Dr. Feelgood and The Hamsters. Thompson worked with Trower in 2004 and in 2005 and on the soundtrack for the movie Good Humor Man starring Kelsey Grammer. Thompson has been Trower's drummer recording and touring in Europe and North American nearly every year since 2006 and to date has recorded 6 albums with Robin. Pete relocated to the United States in 2008. He continues his association with Trower recording and touring and works as a producer, teacher, performer, and composer in his spare time. [5] [6]
Uriah Heep are an English rock band formed in London in 1969. Their current lineup consists of guitarist Mick Box, keyboardist Phil Lanzon, lead vocalist Bernie Shaw, drummer Russell Gilbrook, and bassist Dave Rimmer. They have experienced numerous lineup changes throughout their 55-year career, leaving Box as the only remaining original member. Former members of the band are vocalists David Byron, John Lawton, John Sloman, and Peter Goalby; bassists Paul Newton, Mark Clarke, Gary Thain, John Wetton, Trevor Bolder, and Bob Daisley; drummers Alex Napier, Nigel Olsson, Keith Baker, Iain Clark, Lee Kerslake, and Chris Slade; and keyboardists Ken Hensley, Gregg Dechert, and John Sinclair.
Kenneth William David Hensley was an English musician, singer, songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Uriah Heep during the 1970s.
Robin Leonard Trower is an English rock guitarist who achieved success with Procol Harum throughout 1967–1971, and then again as the bandleader of his own power trio known as the Robin Trower Band.
David Garrick, better known by his stage name David Byron, was a British singer, who was best known in the early 1970s as the original lead vocalist of the rock band Uriah Heep. Byron possessed a powerful operatic voice and a flamboyant stage presence.
Spice were a British pop rock and rhythm and blues band featuring David Byron (vocals), Mick Box (guitar), Paul Newton, Alex Napier (drums) and Colin Wood (keyboards)..
Salisbury is the second studio album by English rock band Uriah Heep, released in January 1971 by Vertigo Records in the UK and Mercury Records in the US. It was produced by Gerry Bron.
John Cooper Lawton was a British rock and blues vocalist best known for his work with Lucifer's Friend, Uriah Heep and the Les Humphries Singers.
Lee Gary Kerslake was an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer and backing vocalist for the rock band Uriah Heep and for his work with Ozzy Osbourne in the early 1980s.
Demons and Wizards is the fourth studio album by English rock band Uriah Heep, released in May 1972 by Bronze Records in the UK and Mercury Records in the US.
Innocent Victim is the eleventh studio album by English rock band Uriah Heep, released in November 1977 by Bronze Records in the UK and Warner Bros. Records in the US.
Paul Newton is an English rock musician. He was bassist with progressive group Shinn, which featured organist Don Shinn and drummer Brian "Blinky" Davison, and then joined a reformed line-up of The Gods with Ken Hensley and Lee Kerslake. He was the original bass guitarist for Uriah Heep and played on the band's first three albums. He subsequently played for a band called Festival for several years on the Mecca Palais circuit and also worked as a studio musician and appeared on various recordings.
Conquest is the thirteenth studio album by English rock band Uriah Heep, released in 1980. It was released worldwide by Bronze Records; however, the album was never released in North America, where it was difficult to find even as an import.
Mark Clarke is an English musician, bass player and singer, best known for his work with Colosseum and Mountain, as well as brief stints with Uriah Heep and Rainbow.
Toe Fat were an English rock band active from June 1969 to 1971, notable for including two future members of Uriah Heep and of Jethro Tull. During their brief existence, they released two full-length studio albums.
"July Morning" is a song by the English rock band Uriah Heep. It is the third track on their 1971 album Look at Yourself.
Andy Pyle is a British bassist who is best known for playing with The Kinks from 1976 to 1978. Prior to that, he was in Blodwyn Pig (1968–1972) and Savoy Brown (1972–1974). Later, he played with Wishbone Ash.
The Lansdowne Tapes is a compilation album by the British rock band Uriah Heep and released in 1993. The recordings featured on the album date from the time before the change of name to Uriah Heep and during the early sessions that culminated in material eventually used on the bands debut album.
The Best of Uriah Heep is the title of the most successful compilation album by the British rock band Uriah Heep. It was released by Bronze Records and Mercury Records in three distinct editions with roughly the same songs, but different cover art and track listing. The first edition was released in 1974 in Canada, the second in 1975 in Europe and the third the following year in the US. Some European editions had the song "Lady in Black" substituted by "Suicidal Man". The compilation reached gold status in Germany.
"Sympathy" is a song by English rock band Uriah Heep, which was originally released on their tenth studio album Firefly in 1977. The song was written by Ken Hensley and sung by John Lawton. It was released as a single in Germany, where it peaked at No. 37. The song was recorded and mixed at Roundhouse Recording studios in London between October and November 1976, just before beginning their US tour as support of Kiss in Macon, Georgia.
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