Pete Solley
Encyclopedia
Peter "Pete" Solley is a Hammond organ
player, pianist
and a Grammy-nominated record producer
. He has recorded with Eric Clapton
, Al Stewart
and Whitesnake
as well as producing records for Ted Nugent
, Oingo Boingo
, Motörhead, The Romantics
, Peter Frampton
, The Sports
, Wreckless Eric
and many others.
in London and after graduating became a session musician. In the late 1960s he played in The Thunderbirds, the backing group for vocalist Chris Farlowe
, and in the backing band of singer Terry Reid
.
ca. 1970 Solley was a founding member of British progressive rock
band Paladin, whose second LP Paladin Charge! featured a cover design by Roger Dean
. Following the break-up of Paladin in 1973, bassist Peter Beckett
joined Steve Kipner
and Steve Groves in the pop band Tin Tin
.
After turning down membership in several groups,ProcolHarum.com in 1977 he became a member of the Progressive rock
group Procol Harum
playing synthesisers (this allowed Chris Copping
to take over on bass guitar
). During his time with the group he recorded one album, Something Magic
, and toured extensively to promote the album. Shortly afterwards the group broke up.
In the 1980s, Solley began writing TV jingles for clients including British Airways, BMW cars, and Coca Cola, and he became a record producer
; his credits include hit
albums for the Australian bands Sports
(Don't Throw Stones) and Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons
(Screaming Targets, Hats Off Step Lively). Solley's best-known production is the 1980 single "What I Like About You
" by The Romantics
. He also produced the Grammy
nominated album, 1916
by Motörhead.
In 1997, he briefly rejoined Procol Harum for a concert in Redhill and, in 2004, played with their lead singer Gary Brooker
in a concert in Guildford
.
Solley is of Romania
n descent, his grandparents were from Romania.
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
player, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and a Grammy-nominated record producer
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...
. He has recorded with Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Al Stewart
Al Stewart
Al Stewart is a Scottish singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician.Stewart came to stardom as part of the British folk revival in the 1960s and 1970s, and developed his own unique style of combining folk-rock songs with delicately woven tales of the great characters and events from history.He is...
and Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
as well as producing records for Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
, Oingo Boingo
Oingo Boingo
Oingo Boingo was an American new wave band. They are best known for their influence on other musicians, their soundtrack contributions and their high energy Halloween concerts. The band was founded in 1972 as The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, a performance art group...
, Motörhead, The Romantics
The Romantics
The Romantics is an American New Wave band from Detroit, Michigan, formed in 1977. The band adopted the name "The Romantics" because they formed on Valentine's Day, 1977. The Romantics achieved popularity in the United Kingdom, The U.S...
, Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
, The Sports
The Sports
The Sports were a popular Australian rock group that performed and recorded between 1976 and 1981.Based in Melbourne, Victoria, the group released a number of successful singles and albums. Their sound fitted well with both 1970s British pub rock bands and British New Wave...
, Wreckless Eric
Wreckless Eric
Wreckless Eric is an English rock and roll/new wave singer-songwriter, best known for his 1977 single " Whole Wide World" on Stiff Records. More than two decades after its release, the song was included in Mojo magazine’s list of the best punk rock singles of all time...
and many others.
Biography
At the age of 13 he won a scholarship to Trinity College of MusicTrinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music is one of the London music conservatories, based in Greenwich. It is part of Trinity Laban.The conservatoire is inheritor of elegant riverside buildings of the former Greenwich Hospital, designed in part by Sir Christopher Wren...
in London and after graduating became a session musician. In the late 1960s he played in The Thunderbirds, the backing group for vocalist Chris Farlowe
Chris Farlowe
Chris Farlowe is an English rock, blues and soul singer. He is best known for his hit single "Out of Time", which rose to #1 in the UK Singles Chart in 1966, and his association with Colosseum and the Thunderbirds.Outside his music career, Farlowe collects war memorabilia.-Career:Inspired by Lonnie...
, and in the backing band of singer Terry Reid
Terry Reid
Terry Reid is an English rock vocalist and guitarist. He has performed with high profile musicians, as a supporting act, a session musician, and sideman.- History :...
.
ca. 1970 Solley was a founding member of British progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Paladin, whose second LP Paladin Charge! featured a cover design by Roger Dean
Roger Dean
Roger Dean is an English artist, designer, architect, and publisher. He is best known for his work on posters and album covers for musicians, which he began painting in the late 1960s. The covers often feature exotic, fantasy landscapes...
. Following the break-up of Paladin in 1973, bassist Peter Beckett
Peter Beckett
Peter Beckett is an English musician and songwriter who has recorded written songs for many prominent recording artists and for several films, as well as produced solo work. He is best known as the lead singer and guitarist for 1970s soft rock group Player, which scored a U.S...
joined Steve Kipner
Steve Kipner
Steve Kipner is a multi-platinum-selling songwriter and record producer with hits spanning over a 40 year history, including chart-topping songs such as Olivia Newton-John's "Physical", Chicago's Grammy-nominated "Hard Habit to Break", "Genie In A Bottle" by Christina Aguilera, for which he won an...
and Steve Groves in the pop band Tin Tin
Tin Tin (band)
Tin Tin was a pop/rock band formed in the UK in 1966, by expatriate Australian musicians.-Beginning:The band was formed by Steve Groves and Steve Kipner, who named the band after the popular belgian cartoon The Adventures of Tintin...
.
After turning down membership in several groups,ProcolHarum.com in 1977 he became a member of the Progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
group 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"...
playing synthesisers (this allowed Chris Copping
Chris Copping
Chris Copping is a musician and singer-songwriter who was a member of Procol Harum in the 1970s, and has also composed for TV and film. He predominantly plays organ, piano and bass guitar....
to take over on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
). During his time with the group he recorded one album, Something Magic
Something Magic
Something Magic, by Procol Harum, was released in 1977.After this album was released, Copping left the band. Dee Murray replaced him for the North American tour promoting this album.- Side one :#"Something Magic" - 3:37...
, and toured extensively to promote the album. Shortly afterwards the group broke up.
In the 1980s, Solley began writing TV jingles for clients including British Airways, BMW cars, and Coca Cola, and he became a record producer
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...
; his credits include hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
albums for the Australian bands Sports
The Sports
The Sports were a popular Australian rock group that performed and recorded between 1976 and 1981.Based in Melbourne, Victoria, the group released a number of successful singles and albums. Their sound fitted well with both 1970s British pub rock bands and British New Wave...
(Don't Throw Stones) and Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons
Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons
Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons were an Australian blues and rock music band which featured singer, songwriter and saxophonist, Joe Camilleri . The band was active in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and had several Australian chart hits, including "Hit and Run", "Shape I'm In" and "All I Wanna Do"...
(Screaming Targets, Hats Off Step Lively). Solley's best-known production is the 1980 single "What I Like About You
What I Like About You (song)
"What I Like About You" is a song by American rock band The Romantics. The song, written by Romantics members Wally Palmar, Mike Skill and Jimmy Marinos is featured on the band's self-titled 1980 debut album, and was also released as a single. Marinos, the band's drummer, is the lead vocalist on...
" by The Romantics
The Romantics
The Romantics is an American New Wave band from Detroit, Michigan, formed in 1977. The band adopted the name "The Romantics" because they formed on Valentine's Day, 1977. The Romantics achieved popularity in the United Kingdom, The U.S...
. He also produced the Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominated album, 1916
1916 (album)
-Motörhead:* Lemmy – bass, vocals* Phil Campbell – guitar* Würzel – guitar* Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor – drums, except "1916", which featured a drum machine.-Additional Credits:...
by Motörhead.
In 1997, he briefly rejoined Procol Harum for a concert in Redhill and, in 2004, played with their lead singer Gary Brooker
Gary Brooker
Gary Brooker, MBE, is an English singer, songwriter, pianist and founder of the rock band Procol Harum. Brooker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours on 14 June 2003, in recognition of his charitable services.-Early life:Brooker was born in...
in a concert in Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
.
Solley is of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n descent, his grandparents were from Romania.