Pete Haycock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pete Haycock
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Haycock with the Climax Blues Band in 1974
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Peter John Haycock |
| Born | 4 March 1951 Stafford, England |
| Died | 30 October 2013 (aged 62) Frankfurt, Germany |
| Genres | Rock, blues rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass |
| Years active | 1968–2013 |
Peter John Haycock (born March 4, 1951 – died October 30, 2013) was an English musician. He also composed music for movies. He began his career as the lead guitarist and singer for the Climax Blues Band. He was one of the founding members of this group.
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Early Life and Music Career
Pete Haycock was born in Stafford, England. He went to St. John's Primary School there. Later, he attended King Edward VI Boys Grammar School. When he was a child, he loved the guitar solos by Hank Marvin. Hank Marvin was a famous guitarist from the band The Shadows.
Pete first played an electric guitar at a miners' club. He was only 12 years old at the time. After that, he played guitar at school and college dances. He formed a blues band with friends called the Mason–Dixon Line.
In 1967, Pete met Colin Cooper. He joined Colin's soul band, The Gospel Truth. A year later, in 1968, they started a new band. It was first called the Climax Chicago Blues Band. In 1970, they changed its name to the Climax Blues Band.
The first members of the Climax Blues Band were:
- Pete Haycock (lead guitar, vocals)
- Colin Cooper (harmonica, vocals)
- Derek Holt (guitar, vocals)
- Richard Jones (bass)
- Arthur Wood (keyboards)
- George Newsome (drums)
In the early 1970s, some band members changed. The most successful lineup included Haycock, Cooper, Holt (who switched to bass guitar), and John Cuffley (drums). In 1976, this group, with keyboardist Richard Jones, wrote their biggest hit song. It was called "Couldn't Get It Right". Pete Haycock and Derek Holt sang harmonies on this song. Colin Cooper sang the main lead vocals.
Pete Haycock was also a great singer. He sang lead on many of the band's songs. These were on albums like Sense of Direction (1974) and Gold Plated (1976). The band toured a lot in the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, Pete often played a special gold-plated Veleno guitar. This unique guitar was even on the cover of their album Gold Plated.
In 1983, Holt and Cuffley left the band. Pete Haycock and Colin Cooper made one more album together. It was called Sample and Hold (1983). After that, they went their separate ways.
In 2012, a live recording from 1976 was released. It was called Climax Blues Band / World Tour 1976. Pete Haycock wrote notes for the CD. This recording showed how talented the band was. In 2015, a 4-CD collection was released. It was called Live, Rare, and Raw 1973-1979. This collection showed the band's powerful live performances. The Climax Blues Band made more than 15 successful albums.
After the Climax Blues Band
After the original Climax Blues Band split up in 1984, Pete Haycock started solo projects. His first solo album was Total Climax (1986). He recorded it with his new band, Pete Haycock's Climax. This band toured a lot in Europe and Australia. They also released another album, The Soft Spot (1987).
During this time, Pete was asked to record an instrumental album. It was called Guitar and Son. He also played on a live album called Night of the Guitars. In 1989, Pete teamed up with Derek Holt and guitarist Steve Hunter. They recorded an album together as The H Factor. Pete Haycock's band also recorded a live album in 1992 called Livin' It. Pete also worked with musician Gary Numan on his 1988 album Metal Rhythm.
Later, Pete Haycock was asked to join a new band. It was called Electric Light Orchestra Part II. This group was formed by Bev Bevan. Bev was a former member of Electric Light Orchestra. Pete toured and recorded with them in the early 1990s. They even released a live CD and video with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra. Pete played with them until 1993.
Composing for Movies
In the early 1990s, Pete Haycock started working on movie music. He collaborated with famous composer Hans Zimmer. They worked on scores for movies like K2 (1991) and Toys (1992). They also worked on Drop Zone (1994) and The Dilemma (2011).
Pete's unique slide guitar playing was featured in the theme music for the 1991 film, Thelma & Louise. The song was called "Thunderbird". Hans Zimmer later asked Pete to play this part again. This time, it was with a live symphony orchestra. This recording was for Wings of a Film. This was a compilation album of Zimmer's successful movie music.
Pete Haycock also began composing his own music for movies and TV shows. He worked with Derek Holt to compose music for the 1992 film One False Move. He continued to create more scores and helped other artists record their music.
Charity Work
Pete Haycock also used his talents to help others. In 2005, he provided all the music for a DVD project. It was for the Hollister Independence Rally. The money raised from this DVD went to Emmaus House. This is a shelter that helps women and children who have been hurt.
When the DVD producer suggested a follow-up, Pete recorded more music. This became the album Bikers' Dozen. It featured a vocal performance by John Fiddler.
In 2009, Pete joined another charity project. It was called LovePower and Peace. This project was led by musician Robin George. It was based on Robin's song "LovePower and Peace". Pete added many of his special slide guitar tracks. He also donated his studio time to the project. This effort helped children with cancer and other serious illnesses.
This collaboration led to the formation of a "super group" called The LovePower Band. They signed a record deal and released their first album in 2011.
Return to Live Performances
After not performing live for some time, Pete Haycock formed a new band. It was called Pete Haycock's True Blues. Glen Turner was also in this band. In 2008, they toured Europe. They also released their first recording together. It was called Pete Haycock's True Blues Live (featuring Glen Turner).
In 2009, Pete talked in an interview about his early days. He spoke about the Climax Blues Band and working on movie scores. He also talked about returning to the stage after 14 years.
Pete continued to record music and perform live. He was a special guest performer with Siggi Schwarz' band. In 2012, he even shared the stage with famous bands like ZZ Top and Johnny Winter.
In 2013, Pete formed a new super-group. It was called Pete Haycock's Climax Blues Band featuring Robin George. Pete was joined by Robin George and other musicians. He had worked with Robin on the LovePower Band. Pete wanted this project to be a return to the "true" Climax Blues Band sound. He had just finished their new album, Broke Heart Blues, before he passed away.
Death
Pete Haycock built a recording studio in Frankfurt, Germany. He lived there for several years. He died in Frankfurt on October 30, 2013. He was 62 years old. The news was shared on his group's official website. He died from a heart attack.
