Pete McRae
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
.
Born Robert F. McRae, Jr. in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in 1955, McRae and his family moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
when he was aged ten. Pete graduated from Terra Linda High School, in Marin County, in 1973. He began serious guitar studies with Paul Miller, in Terra Linda, and with Dave Smith, in San Francisco. He went on to study with Jerry Hahn, David Creamer, and Barry Finnerty in the Bay Area. He got his first real performing experience in a Sonoma County band called Synergy (not to be confused with the Larry Fast
Larry Fast
Lawrence Roger 'Larry' Fast is a synthesizer expert and composer. He is best known for Synergy, his 1975–1987 series of synthesizer music albums, and for his contribution to a number of popular music acts, including Peter Gabriel, Foreigner, and Hall and Oates.- Biography :Fast grew up in...
projects under that name).
In the fall of 1976 he migrated to Los Angeles. There he performed in original and cover bands with many soon-to-be illustrious artists and musicians, and early on became a founding member of The Kats
The Nu Kats
The Nu Kats were a popular original music rock group from Minneapolis in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. The band performed under many other names, including Skogie, Skogie and the Flaming Pachucos, The Kats, Boy and The Kat Club....
. When The Kats big record deal fizzled terribly, McRae took offers to be a "guitar-slinger for hire", and seemed to be on track for a successful session career. In fact, prior to joining The Kats, he had some national exposure touring and recording with Cory Wells
Cory Wells
Cory Wells is an American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night.-Life and career:...
, from Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
.
In 1982, disenchanted by what seemed like 'type-casting' in the work he was getting, McRae sought training and artistic growth in the Music Department at USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. There, he met and worked with Dr. Robert S. Moore, in composition, and with William Kanengiser
William Kanengiser
William Kanengiser is a Grammy Award-winning classical guitarist. He is one of the founding members of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet .Kanengiser holds a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, where he also serves as a...
, in guitar, for a brief period. (Dr. Moore also inspired McRae to take an interest in martial arts training, albeit from a pacifistic, meditative standpoint.) He was very pleased to be on the roster of the great Ted Greene
Ted Greene
Theodore "Ted" Greene was an American fingerstyle jazz guitarist, music columnist, and music educator active in Encino, California.-Early Days:...
's jazz guitar students, for a time. It was at USC that his interest in Harry Partch
Harry Partch
Harry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
and a comprehensive art form including music, dance, drama, poetry, and visual design took hold, and he left school, convinced -perhaps erroneously- that the only meaningful way to continue his studies was outside the academy.
From 1984 to 1993 he resumed his "guitar-slinging" while pursuing his own songwriting, singing, and composition. In the late 1980s he finally tracked down Danlee Mitchell, who set him on the path that led to Kraig Grady
Kraig Grady
Kraig Grady is a US-Australian composer/sound artist. He has composed and performed with an ensemble of microtonal instruments of his own design and also worked as a shadow puppeteer, tuning theorist, filmmaker, world music radio DJ and concert promoter...
, and his mentor Erv Wilson
Erv Wilson
Ervin Wilson is a Mexican/American music theorist. Despite his avoidance of academia, Wilson has been influential on those interested in microtonal music and just intonation, especially in the areas of scale, keyboard, and notation design...
. Mr. Mitchell was kind enough, too, to loan Pete one of Harry Partch
Harry Partch
Harry Partch was an American composer and instrument creator. He was one of the first twentieth-century composers to work extensively and systematically with microtonal scales, writing much of his music for custom-made instruments that he built himself, tuned in 11-limit just intonation.-Early...
's own instruments. From c. 1988 to 1993 Pete performed all over the Los Angeles area with Kraig Grady
Kraig Grady
Kraig Grady is a US-Australian composer/sound artist. He has composed and performed with an ensemble of microtonal instruments of his own design and also worked as a shadow puppeteer, tuning theorist, filmmaker, world music radio DJ and concert promoter...
, playing a purely acoustic music in just intonation
Just intonation
In music, just intonation is any musical tuning in which the frequencies of notes are related by ratios of small whole numbers. Any interval tuned in this way is called a just interval. The two notes in any just interval are members of the same harmonic series...
. But it seemed like every time Kraig set down to record, Pete went on tour. So it was not until Kraig's fourth CD, The Stolen Stars, that he is actually credited as a performer.
In 1993, he returned to the Bay Area, performing and recording with Boris Dig, East Of Eden, Gary Claxton, Brandi Shearer, and Ted Savarese. It was during this period of career questioning that Pete became interested in teaching, inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...
. This led to a broadening and deepening of his interest in literature and language, as well as providing training courses in painting, drawing, sculpture, movement, and speech.
In 2000, he went again to Los Angeles, where he renewed his interests in microtonal music and instrument construction, with Kraig Grady. He also worked and trained with some of the technicians he had met as a rock performer, with an eye towards original instrument creations.
In 2001, following the death of his father, he moved back to Northern California, where he completed his undergraduate studies, with a degree in Music Education from Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University is a public, coeducational business and liberal arts college affiliated with the California State University system. The main campus is located in Rohnert Park, California, United States and lies approximately south of Santa Rosa and north of San Francisco...
.
He is currently living and working in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he has recorded and performed with Gina Ferrera, Rented Mule, and Todd Horton's ROMP.
He has been known -from his LA days- to have worked with:
Roach and the White Boys,
Josie Cotton
Josie Cotton
Josie Cotton is an American singer/songwriter, best known for her minor hits "Johnny Are You Queer" and "He Could Be the One" from 1982...
,
Billy Rankin,
Bobbyzio,
The Kat Club
The Nu Kats
The Nu Kats were a popular original music rock group from Minneapolis in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. The band performed under many other names, including Skogie, Skogie and the Flaming Pachucos, The Kats, Boy and The Kat Club....
,
Connie Stevens
Connie Stevens
Connie Stevens is an American actress and singer, best known for her roles in the television series Hawaiian Eye and other TV and film work.-Early life:...
,
Eddie Jobson
Eddie Jobson
Edwin "Eddie" Jobson is an English keyboardist and violinist noted for his use of synthesizers. He has been a member of several progressive rock bands, including Curved Air, Roxy Music, U.K., and Jethro Tull. He was also part of Frank Zappa's band in 1976-77...
(Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
; Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
),
Mr. Mister
Mr. Mister
Mr. Mister is an American pop rock band most popular in the 1980s. The band's name came from an inside joke about a Weather Report album called Mr. Gone where they referred to each other as "Mister This" or "Mister That", and eventually selected "Mr. Mister." Mr. Mister may be considered as...
,
Peter Kingsbery
Peter Kingsbery
Peter Kingsbery is an American singer songwriter who cofounded the band Cock Robin in the 1980s. He grew up in Austin where he studied classical music...
(Cock Robin
Cock Robin
"Who Killed Cock Robin" is an English nursery rhyme, which has been much used as a murder archetype in world culture. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 494.-Lyrics:...
),
David Baerwald
David Baerwald
David Baerwald is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and musician.He has one son, Beker Baerwald, who is a nationally ranked basketball player. He is the son of Hans Baerwald, a political scientist, and Diane Moore, a psychologist...
, and
Stan Ridgway
Stan Ridgway
Stanard 'Stan' Ridgway is an American multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter known for his distinctive voice, dramatic lyrical narratives, and eclectic solo albums and was the original lead singer of the band Wall of Voodoo...
.
He also toured with The Rembrandts
The Rembrandts
The Rembrandts are an American pop-rock duo formed by Phil Solem and Danny Wilde in 1989. They had previously worked together as members of Great Buildings in 1981...
, playing Cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
and Mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
and with the Tom Petty tribute band, Petty Theft.
Discography
- L.A. InL.A. InL.A. In is a compilation of studio recording by various artists. It was originally released in 1979 as an LP by Rhino Records.-Track listing: Side One1.The KatsI Can't Have You2.Oingo Boingo I'm Afraid...
- (compilation) Rhino Records featuring The Kats – 1979 - Get ModernGet ModernThe Kats - Get Modern was recorded at Shelter Studios, Hollywood in 1979. The album was produced and engineered by Noah Shark and Max Reese. It was originally intended for release on Infinity Records but the label went out of business before the album could be released...
- (unreleased) by The Kats – 1979 - The Faraghers - Polydor RecordsPolydor RecordsPolydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
by The Faraghers – 1980 - Minimum Wage Rock & Roll - Arista RecordsArista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
by The BusBoysThe BusboysThe BusBoys are a musical group known for playing rock 'n' roll with a bar band, boogie woogie flavor.-Overview:Formed in Los Angeles in the late 1970s, the original lineup featured brothers Brian O'Neal and Kevin O'Neal , Gus Louderman , Mike Jones , Vic Johnson , and Steve Felix...
– 1980 - Full Grown Child - Dreamland Records by Holly Penfield – 1980 (pictured, but hired after the recording)
- Convertible MusicConvertible MusicConvertible Music is the 1982 new wave debut album by pop rock artist Josie Cotton, released on Elektra Records.Convertible Music contained Cotton's two most well-known songs, the minor hits "Johnny, Are You Queer?" and "He Could Be The One", both of which were later performed by Cotton herself in...
- Electra Records by Josie CottonJosie CottonJosie Cotton is an American singer/songwriter, best known for her minor hits "Johnny Are You Queer" and "He Could Be the One" from 1982...
– 1982 - Back to Avalon - Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
by Kenny LogginsKenny LogginsDuring the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...
– 1988 - A Different Man - Barclay RecordsBarclay RecordsBarclay Records is a French record label founded in the mid-1950s by Eddie Barclay under the alias, Edouard Ruault. Eddie Barclay also founded the Riviera label in the early-1950s....
by Peter KingsberyPeter KingsberyPeter Kingsbery is an American singer songwriter who cofounded the band Cock Robin in the 1980s. He grew up in Austin where he studied classical music...
– 1991 - The Real RamonaThe Real RamonaThe Real Ramona is an album by Throwing Muses. Released in 1991, it was the last album recorded by the band before the departure of founding member Tanya Donelly....
- 4AD Records by Throwing MusesThrowing MusesThrowing Muses is an alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Newport, Rhode Island, that toured and recorded extensively until 1997, when its members began concentrating more on other projects. The group was originally fronted by two lead singers, Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly, who both wrote the...
– 1991 - Hang Out Your Poetry - DGC RecordsDGC RecordsDGC Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and currently operates as an auxiliary label of Interscope Records.-Company history:...
by Ceremony (feat. Chaz Bono) – 1993 (pictured, but hired after the recording) - The Stolen Stars: An Anaphorian Dance Drama - by Kraig GradyKraig GradyKraig Grady is a US-Australian composer/sound artist. He has composed and performed with an ensemble of microtonal instruments of his own design and also worked as a shadow puppeteer, tuning theorist, filmmaker, world music radio DJ and concert promoter...
(Archive Of Anaphoria) 2003 - los angelenos - General Records by The Kat Club – 2007
- LIVE! 1991 "poolside with gilly" - A440 Records by Stan RidgwayStan RidgwayStanard 'Stan' Ridgway is an American multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter known for his distinctive voice, dramatic lyrical narratives, and eclectic solo albums and was the original lead singer of the band Wall of Voodoo...
– 2007 - Footpaths and Trade Routes - ini itu Records by Anaphoria (Kraig GradyKraig GradyKraig Grady is a US-Australian composer/sound artist. He has composed and performed with an ensemble of microtonal instruments of his own design and also worked as a shadow puppeteer, tuning theorist, filmmaker, world music radio DJ and concert promoter...
) – 2009 - The Philadelphia Gyil Fusion Project - by Gina Ferrera – 2009
- X - by Rented Mule – 2009
- PullPull (Mr. Mister album)Pull is the fourth studio album by American pop band Mr. Mister. It was recorded from 1989 to 1990, but due to the band's being left without a record company - and subsequent breakup - the album was left unreleased until 2010, when it was remixed and released...
- by Mr. MisterMr. MisterMr. Mister is an American pop rock band most popular in the 1980s. The band's name came from an inside joke about a Weather Report album called Mr. Gone where they referred to each other as "Mister This" or "Mister That", and eventually selected "Mr. Mister." Mr. Mister may be considered as...
– 2010 (licensed self-release of 1990 recording) - Play It Loud - soulsearchmusic by ROMP (Todd Horton) – 2011
Related artists
- The Kats
- Connie StevensConnie StevensConnie Stevens is an American actress and singer, best known for her roles in the television series Hawaiian Eye and other TV and film work.-Early life:...
- Josie CottonJosie CottonJosie Cotton is an American singer/songwriter, best known for her minor hits "Johnny Are You Queer" and "He Could Be the One" from 1982...
- Billy Rankin
- Eddie JobsonEddie JobsonEdwin "Eddie" Jobson is an English keyboardist and violinist noted for his use of synthesizers. He has been a member of several progressive rock bands, including Curved Air, Roxy Music, U.K., and Jethro Tull. He was also part of Frank Zappa's band in 1976-77...
- Mr. MisterMr. MisterMr. Mister is an American pop rock band most popular in the 1980s. The band's name came from an inside joke about a Weather Report album called Mr. Gone where they referred to each other as "Mister This" or "Mister That", and eventually selected "Mr. Mister." Mr. Mister may be considered as...
- Peter KingsberyPeter KingsberyPeter Kingsbery is an American singer songwriter who cofounded the band Cock Robin in the 1980s. He grew up in Austin where he studied classical music...
- David BaerwaldDavid BaerwaldDavid Baerwald is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and musician.He has one son, Beker Baerwald, who is a nationally ranked basketball player. He is the son of Hans Baerwald, a political scientist, and Diane Moore, a psychologist...
- Stan RidgwayStan RidgwayStanard 'Stan' Ridgway is an American multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter known for his distinctive voice, dramatic lyrical narratives, and eclectic solo albums and was the original lead singer of the band Wall of Voodoo...
- The RembrandtsThe RembrandtsThe Rembrandts are an American pop-rock duo formed by Phil Solem and Danny Wilde in 1989. They had previously worked together as members of Great Buildings in 1981...
- The Kat Club