Ged Peck
Encyclopedia
Ged Peck is a musician
who played in several bands
- mainly backing work with Billy Fury
, Vince Eager, Tommy Quickly
when he was managed by Brian Epstein
, Americans
Bob & Earl
who had a hit single
with Harlem Shuffle
, The Flower Pot Men, the Pirates, singers Marsha Hunt
, Billie Davis, Screaming Lord Sutch
, and David Garrick
, whilst doing numerous studio
sessions
.
He recorded
for the BBC
with Billy Fury
, Marsha Hunt
, Billie Davis
, and James Royal, whilst playing on an early recording by Marc Bolan
which was produced
by Mike Hurst
of The Springfields
.
He began playing semi-professional when still at school and was soon working the big London hotels with the Rudi Rome Orchestra. He also played at the famous 2i's Coffee Bar in Old Compton Street and was offered a residency which he turned down due to his reluctance to sign any contracts with owner Tom Littlewood. After a later spell in northern England
playing with a Bury
-based group, he returned to London
and joined a "mod" band called the Favourite Sons who recorded some tracks in 1965 with Mike Hurst (he wasn't featured on the recordings though). It was this band that occasionally backed Vince Eager
, Tommy Quickly
, and Marc Bolan
.
In 1966 he joined the Freddie Mack
Sound which consisted of anything between ten to eighteen personnel with a full scale horn section led by baritone sax player Roger Warwick and toured Britain
, Ireland
and France
incessantly. It was here that he met drummer
B.J. Wilson
and bassist
Alan Cartwright
, both of whom were later to join Procol Harum
. The band also included Liverpudlian singer Derry Wilkie who had previously topped the bill over the Beatles
in Germany
with his band the Pressmen. The Freddie Mack Sound was so popular on the road that people would be turned away at some gigs
. This was certainly the case when the band appeared at Liverpool
’s Cavern Club. Freddie Mack was a former American light-heavyweight boxer
of some repute. The connection helped to get them a regular residency at English boxer Billy Walker’s Uppercut Club in Forest Gate
, east London. They played with all the leading acts of the time such was The Who
, Pink Floyd
, The Small Faces
, and Jimi Hendrix
.
Following a myriad of aforementioned backing work, Peck was then invited by Alan Cartwright
to join Every Which Way, a short-lived band prior to Cartwright and B.J. Wilson
joining Procol Harum
. He had a knack for turning down such promising offers having previously refused to join the chart
-topping Foundations
. He was also known for walking out of engagements he did not like, and was either lauded or criticised by contemporaries for his very fast playing style.
During his time backing The Flower Pot Men around Europe, who also played at Wembley
’s Empire Pool with Cliff Richard
and The Shadows
, two members of the backing band – bassist
Nick Simper
and organist
Jon Lord
– were approached by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore
to form what later became Deep Purple
. Peck and Blackmore had previously met in Hamburg
through their drummer Carlo Little
, although there was no animosity about the band’s break up. They continued to exchange guitar
s and amplifier
s for subsequent recording sessions. Simper was then temporarily replaced by former Georgie Fame
bassist Tex Makins who toured Switzerland
with Peck and Little backing singer David Garrick. Before this, Peck, Lord, Simper, and Little had taken part in a ‘package tour’ with the U.S.
band Vanilla Fudge
, and Steve Winwood
. Incessant touring around Europe taking in Germany many times, Denmark, Holland, and Belgium continued to take their toll.
In 1968, Peck worked with Billy Fury
, whilst trying to form a trio
called Storm with former Screaming Lord Sutch
bass player Tony Dangerfield and drummer Pete Phillipps. They recorded a solo album although the tapes were subsequently lost. BBC recordings done with Fury from that year have turned up on Fury's official website. On one tour, the group played solo in German, France, and then Germany again (all in the same day), but failed to take off in England. For Peck, session work continued with the likes of pianist Nicky Hopkins
who played on many of The Rolling Stones
records and James Royal.
Following this, he was asked to join a project band by Nick Simper
who had subsequently left Deep Purple
. Peck joined forces with keyboard player Rick Wakeman
in writing some of the material. However, Wakeman suddenly left and his place was taken by Frank Wilson
. Ashley Holt was brought in as a singer whilst Peck and Simper discovered talented Birmingham
drummer Mac Poole. Holt and Wakeman had previously been watched when playing at the Top Rank Ballroom in Reading.
In the meantime, Peck was earning a living from session work and touring with Marsha Hunt
, work that culminated in an appearance at the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival
in front of 150,000 alongside The Who
, Bob Dylan
, Joe Cocker
, and Richie Havens
amongst others. Typically, he insisted on using his simple 30 watt Vox amplifier miked-up through Pete Townshend
's rather more extensive gear. (This can be seen on a well-known photo of Peck on stage with Marsha Hunt
on an Isle of Wight Festival
website). Thereafter, Poole replaced Pete Phillipps on drums and the trio secretly rehearsed with Wilson and Holt for what was to become Warhorse
.
Formed between 1969 to 1970, Warhorse released their first LP of the same name which did moderately well, although by this time, Peck was becoming disillusioned with the limitations of rock music and the constant travelling. After some fractious confrontations with the others, he departed. There was one final attempt at a new band with rehearsals at drummer Mitch Mitchell
's house following the death of Hendrix, but nothing came of it and he soon left the rock business and became a classical
guitarist. In later years took a university degree to became a college lecturer specialising in English and Russian history. Still plays classical guitar and jazz.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who played in several bands
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
- mainly backing work with Billy Fury
Billy Fury
Billy Fury, born Ronald William Wycherley , was an internationally successful English singer from the late-1950s to the mid-1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death...
, Vince Eager, Tommy Quickly
Tommy Quickly
Tommy Quickly was a Liverpool rock and roll singer in the early 1960s. He was a later signing of artist manager Brian Epstein, whose biggest act was The Beatles....
when he was managed by Brian Epstein
Brian Epstein
Brian Samuel Epstein , was an English music entrepreneur, and is best known for being the manager of The Beatles up until his death. He also managed several other musical artists such as Gerry & the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, Cilla Black, The Remo Four & The Cyrkle...
, Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Bob & Earl
Bob & Earl
Bob & Earl were an American soul music singing duo in the 1960s, best known for writing and recording the original version of "Harlem Shuffle".-Career:...
who had a hit single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
with Harlem Shuffle
Harlem Shuffle
Harlem Shuffle can refer to:* "Harlem Shuffle" * Harlem Shuffle...
, The Flower Pot Men, the Pirates, singers Marsha Hunt
Marsha Hunt (singer and novelist)
Marsha Hunt is an American singer, novelist, actress and model.-Early life:Hunt was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 and lived in North Philadelphia near 23rd and Columbia then in Germantown and Mount Airy for the first 13 years of her life...
, Billie Davis, Screaming Lord Sutch
Screaming Lord Sutch
David Edward Sutch , also known as "Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow", or simply "Screaming Lord Sutch", was a musician from the United Kingdom...
, and David Garrick
David Garrick
David Garrick was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of theatrical practice throughout the 18th century and was a pupil and friend of Dr Samuel Johnson...
, whilst doing numerous studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
sessions
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
.
He recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
with Billy Fury
Billy Fury
Billy Fury, born Ronald William Wycherley , was an internationally successful English singer from the late-1950s to the mid-1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death...
, Marsha Hunt
Marsha Hunt (singer and novelist)
Marsha Hunt is an American singer, novelist, actress and model.-Early life:Hunt was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 and lived in North Philadelphia near 23rd and Columbia then in Germantown and Mount Airy for the first 13 years of her life...
, Billie Davis
Billie Davis
Billie Davis is an English female singer who had hits in the 1960s, and is best remembered for the UK hit version of the song, "Tell Him" and "I Want You to Be My Baby" ....
, and James Royal, whilst playing on an early recording by Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
which was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Mike Hurst
Mike Hurst (producer)
Mike Hurst is an English musician and record producer.-Biography:...
of The Springfields
The Springfields
The Springfields were a British pop-folk vocal trio who had success in the early 1960s in the UK, US and Ireland and included singer Dusty Springfield and her brother, record producer Tom Springfield, along with Tim Feild, later a noted Sufi writer, who was latterly replaced by Mike Hurst, who...
.
He began playing semi-professional when still at school and was soon working the big London hotels with the Rudi Rome Orchestra. He also played at the famous 2i's Coffee Bar in Old Compton Street and was offered a residency which he turned down due to his reluctance to sign any contracts with owner Tom Littlewood. After a later spell in northern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
playing with a Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
-based group, he returned to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and joined a "mod" band called the Favourite Sons who recorded some tracks in 1965 with Mike Hurst (he wasn't featured on the recordings though). It was this band that occasionally backed Vince Eager
Vince Eager
Vince Eager is a British pop singer.As a teenager, he formed the Harmonica Vagabonds, later the Vagabonds Skiffle Group, with Roy Clark, Mick Fretwell, and bassist Brian Locking. The group reached the final round of a televised "World Skiffle Championship", and were offered a residency at the 2...
, Tommy Quickly
Tommy Quickly
Tommy Quickly was a Liverpool rock and roll singer in the early 1960s. He was a later signing of artist manager Brian Epstein, whose biggest act was The Beatles....
, and Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
.
In 1966 he joined the Freddie Mack
Freddie Mack
Freddie Mack , sometimes also spelled Freddy Mack and also known as Mr. Superbad, was a retired light-heavyweight boxer who later enjoyed success in the UK as a singer and DJ.-Biography:...
Sound which consisted of anything between ten to eighteen personnel with a full scale horn section led by baritone sax player Roger Warwick and toured Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
incessantly. It was here that he met drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
B.J. Wilson
B.J. Wilson
Barrie James "B.J." Wilson was an English rock drummer.-Career:Born in Edmonton, London, England, Wilson was the drummer for Procol Harum. He did not play on their first hit "A Whiter Shade of Pale" , but joined the group soon afterwards...
and bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Alan Cartwright
Alan Cartwright
Alan Cartwright was a bass player, but now runs a bar.Before joining Procol Harum in 1972 he had played with the Freddie Mack Show together with fellow Harum band member B.J. Wilson and Roger Warwick. Cartwright's incorporation allowed Chris Copping to concentrate solely on the organ parts...
, both of whom were later to join Procol Harum
Procol Harum
Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...
. The band also included Liverpudlian singer Derry Wilkie who had previously topped the bill over the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
with his band the Pressmen. The Freddie Mack Sound was so popular on the road that people would be turned away at some gigs
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
. This was certainly the case when the band appeared at Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
’s Cavern Club. Freddie Mack was a former American light-heavyweight boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
of some repute. The connection helped to get them a regular residency at English boxer Billy Walker’s Uppercut Club in Forest Gate
Forest Gate
Forest Gate is a residential area in the London Borough of Newham, 7 miles northeast of Charing Cross. It is bordered by Manor Park to the east and and to the west lies Stratford town centre. The northern half of the busy Green Street runs through it.-History:...
, east London. They played with all the leading acts of the time such was The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, The Small Faces
The Small Faces
The Small Faces were an English rock and roll band from East London, heavily influenced by American rhythm and blues. The group was founded in 1965 by members Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones, and Jimmy Winston, although by 1966 Winston was replaced by Ian McLagan as the band's...
, and Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
.
Following a myriad of aforementioned backing work, Peck was then invited by Alan Cartwright
Alan Cartwright
Alan Cartwright was a bass player, but now runs a bar.Before joining Procol Harum in 1972 he had played with the Freddie Mack Show together with fellow Harum band member B.J. Wilson and Roger Warwick. Cartwright's incorporation allowed Chris Copping to concentrate solely on the organ parts...
to join Every Which Way, a short-lived band prior to Cartwright and B.J. Wilson
B.J. Wilson
Barrie James "B.J." Wilson was an English rock drummer.-Career:Born in Edmonton, London, England, Wilson was the drummer for Procol Harum. He did not play on their first hit "A Whiter Shade of Pale" , but joined the group soon afterwards...
joining Procol Harum
Procol Harum
Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...
. He had a knack for turning down such promising offers having previously refused to join the chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
-topping Foundations
The Foundations
The Foundations were a British soul band, active from 1967 to 1970. The group, made up of West Indians, White British, and a Sri Lankan, are best known for their two biggest hits, "Baby Now That I've Found You" , written by Tony Macaulay and John MacLeod; and "Build Me Up Buttercup" The Foundations...
. He was also known for walking out of engagements he did not like, and was either lauded or criticised by contemporaries for his very fast playing style.
During his time backing The Flower Pot Men around Europe, who also played at Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
’s Empire Pool with Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
and The Shadows
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
, two members of the backing band – bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Nick Simper
Nick Simper
Nicholas John Simper is a bass guitarist, best known as a founding member of Deep Purple.-Biography:...
and organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
Jon Lord
Jon Lord
Jonathan Douglas "Jon" Lord is an English composer, pianist and Hammond organ player.Jon Lord, also known as 'Hammond Lord', is a classically trained piano player. He is recognised for his Hammond organ blues-rock sound and for his pioneering work in fusing rock and classical or baroque forms...
– were approached by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore
Ritchie Blackmore
Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...
to form what later became Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
. Peck and Blackmore had previously met in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
through their drummer Carlo Little
Carlo Little
Carlo Little was a rock and roll drummer, based in the London nightclub scene in the 1960s. He played in an early version of The Rolling Stones...
, although there was no animosity about the band’s break up. They continued to exchange guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s and amplifier
Amplifier
Generally, an amplifier or simply amp, is a device for increasing the power of a signal.In popular use, the term usually describes an electronic amplifier, in which the input "signal" is usually a voltage or a current. In audio applications, amplifiers drive the loudspeakers used in PA systems to...
s for subsequent recording sessions. Simper was then temporarily replaced by former Georgie Fame
Georgie Fame
Georgie Fame is a British rhythm and blues and jazz singer and keyboard player. The one-time rock and roll tour musician, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still a popular performer, often working with contemporaries such as Van Morrison and Bill Wyman.-Early life:Fame took piano lessons from the...
bassist Tex Makins who toured Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
with Peck and Little backing singer David Garrick. Before this, Peck, Lord, Simper, and Little had taken part in a ‘package tour’ with the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge
Vanilla Fudge is an American rock band. The band's original lineup – vocalist/organist Mark Stein, bassist/vocalist Tim Bogert, lead guitarist/vocalist Vince Martell, and drummer/vocalist Carmine Appice – recorded five albums during the years 1966–69, before disbanding in 1970...
, and Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
. Incessant touring around Europe taking in Germany many times, Denmark, Holland, and Belgium continued to take their toll.
In 1968, Peck worked with Billy Fury
Billy Fury
Billy Fury, born Ronald William Wycherley , was an internationally successful English singer from the late-1950s to the mid-1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. Rheumatic fever, which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his death...
, whilst trying to form a trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
called Storm with former Screaming Lord Sutch
Screaming Lord Sutch
David Edward Sutch , also known as "Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow", or simply "Screaming Lord Sutch", was a musician from the United Kingdom...
bass player Tony Dangerfield and drummer Pete Phillipps. They recorded a solo album although the tapes were subsequently lost. BBC recordings done with Fury from that year have turned up on Fury's official website. On one tour, the group played solo in German, France, and then Germany again (all in the same day), but failed to take off in England. For Peck, session work continued with the likes of pianist Nicky Hopkins
Nicky Hopkins
Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
who played on many of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
records and James Royal.
Following this, he was asked to join a project band by Nick Simper
Nick Simper
Nicholas John Simper is a bass guitarist, best known as a founding member of Deep Purple.-Biography:...
who had subsequently left Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
. Peck joined forces with keyboard player Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
in writing some of the material. However, Wakeman suddenly left and his place was taken by Frank Wilson
Frank Wilson
Frank Wilson may refer to:* Frank E. Wilson , U.S. Representative from New York* Frank H. Wilson , American actor* Frank J...
. Ashley Holt was brought in as a singer whilst Peck and Simper discovered talented Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
drummer Mac Poole. Holt and Wakeman had previously been watched when playing at the Top Rank Ballroom in Reading.
In the meantime, Peck was earning a living from session work and touring with Marsha Hunt
Marsha Hunt (singer and novelist)
Marsha Hunt is an American singer, novelist, actress and model.-Early life:Hunt was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 and lived in North Philadelphia near 23rd and Columbia then in Germantown and Mount Airy for the first 13 years of her life...
, work that culminated in an appearance at the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival
Isle of Wight Festival
The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...
in front of 150,000 alongside The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, and Richie Havens
Richie Havens
Richard P. "Richie" Havens is an African American folk singer and guitarist. He is best known for his intense, rhythmic guitar style , soulful covers of pop and folk songs, and his opening performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.-Career:Born in Brooklyn, Havens was the eldest of nine children...
amongst others. Typically, he insisted on using his simple 30 watt Vox amplifier miked-up through Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
's rather more extensive gear. (This can be seen on a well-known photo of Peck on stage with Marsha Hunt
Marsha Hunt (singer and novelist)
Marsha Hunt is an American singer, novelist, actress and model.-Early life:Hunt was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 and lived in North Philadelphia near 23rd and Columbia then in Germantown and Mount Airy for the first 13 years of her life...
on an Isle of Wight Festival
Isle of Wight Festival
The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...
website). Thereafter, Poole replaced Pete Phillipps on drums and the trio secretly rehearsed with Wilson and Holt for what was to become Warhorse
Warhorse (70s band)
Warhorse were a British band formed by the former Deep Purple bassist, Nick Simper.-Career:Simper left Deep Purple in 1969, and joined Marsha Hunt's backing band. Not long after, Simper replaced her backing band with Ged Peck on guitar and Mac Poole on drums. When Hunt became pregnant, the band...
.
Formed between 1969 to 1970, Warhorse released their first LP of the same name which did moderately well, although by this time, Peck was becoming disillusioned with the limitations of rock music and the constant travelling. After some fractious confrontations with the others, he departed. There was one final attempt at a new band with rehearsals at drummer Mitch Mitchell
Mitch Mitchell
John Ronald "Mitch" Mitchell was an English drummer, best known for his work in The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Early life and the Jimi Hendrix Experience:...
's house following the death of Hendrix, but nothing came of it and he soon left the rock business and became a classical
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
guitarist. In later years took a university degree to became a college lecturer specialising in English and Russian history. Still plays classical guitar and jazz.
External links
- http://www.carlolittle.com/travelman/travelman.htm. Photos of Peck, Carlo Little, Nick Simper, and Bille Davis in Germany in 1967.
- The Third Degree and San Francisco Poet.
- http://www.angelair.co.uk/sjpcd139.htm
- http://www.carlolittle.com/travelman/travelman.htm. Photos on Carlo Little's website.
- http://www.carlolittle.com/travelman/gedpeck.htm. Link written by Giselle Rawlins with photo of live TV show - Peck on the left, Little doing a drum solo, Simper facing the camera, and Lord far right. The same photo, plus others taken in Demark and Germany can be seen on http://www.nicksimper.com/Pirates_pics.htm
- http://web.archive.org/web/20091027104032/http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Diner/2674/makins_tex_a.htm. List of musicians who played with Tex Makins.
- http://www.tonydangerfield.com/page22a.html. List of musicians who played with Tony Dangerfield.
- http://www.billyfury.com/radio/index.htm. Poor recording quality with considerable DJ interruptions, these turned up in a garage at the beginning of 2006.
- http://web.archive.org/web/20091026201938/http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Diner/2674/poole_mac_a.htm. List of musicians who played with Mac Poole.
- http://www.deep-purple.net/tree/warhorse.htm. The interconnections of various musicians taken from the Deep Purple Family Tree website.
- http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/marshahuntandwhitetrash.html. Photo plus an interview given by Peck on the 1969 festival.
- http://www.angelair.co.uk/sjpcd034.htm. Warhorse's current record company.
- http://web.archive.org/web/20091027042655/http://geocities.com/rayraynor2000/. Interview given in 2002.