Peter Bardens
Encyclopedia
Peter Bardens was a keyboardist and a founding member of the British progressive rock
group Camel
. He played organ
, piano
, synthesizer
s and mellotron
and wrote songs with Andrew Latimer
. Bardens worked alongside Rod Stewart
, Mick Fleetwood
and Van Morrison
and recorded solo albums.
after leaving The Cheynes. He moved on and formed Peter B’s Looners who eventually morphed into Shotgun Express
, a band who played soul music
and featured Rod Stewart
, Peter Green
and Mick Fleetwood
.
In 1970 he formed The Village and recorded The Answer (1970), an album featured Peter Green and Andy Gee
. Bardens recorded an eponymous album in 1971 which was released in United States
as Write My Name in the Dust before forming Camel
in 1972. During this period Bardens began exploring electronica
and released albums such as Heart to Heart (1972). He left Camel in 1978 to join Them band-mate Van Morrison
's band, recorded Wavelength
(1978) and appeared on the album's promotional tour.
He co-wrote "Looking For A Good Time" which was co-written with Bobby Tench
, which featured as the B side of the single "Chain Gang
" (1982), which Tench had recorded as a tribute to Sam Cooke
. In 1984 he became a member of Keats
. Bardens released a number of solo electronic albums including Seen One Earth(1987), which found success in the United States. His first single from this album was entitled "In Dreams" and enjoyed heavy airplay on FM album rock stations in the U.S. and Australia, most notably Brisbane's FM104, the most popular radio station in the Country at the time . In 1988 he followed this with Speed of Light (1988), which featured Mick Fleetwood
. "Gold" was released in the U.S. as a single, also enjoying some success on MTV.
Bardens released Water colours(1991) and formed Pete Bardens' Mirage
in 1994. This album featured his former Camel bandmate Andy Ward and Caravan
's David Sinclair. His last concert, subsequent to being diagnosed with a brain tumour, was in Los Angeles
in the summer of 2001. Other performers who joined him at his concert included, John Mayall
, Mick Fleetwood
, John McVie
, Sheila E and Ben Harper
. Bardens died from lung cancer
in Malibu January 2002, at the age of 56. A double CD Write My Name in the Dust was released after his death and covered tracks recorded throughout his career.
He is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, CA
Peter Bardens: Organ, Piano, Vocals
Andy Gee: Guitar
Bruce Thomas: Bass (Courtesy of Head Records)
Reg Isadore: Drums
Rocky
: Congas
Alan Marshall: Vocals & Percussion
Davis Wooley: Vocals & Antiques
Linda Lewis: Vocals
Steve Ellis: Vocals (Courtesy of CBC Records)
Recorded at Sounds Techniques, London
Engineer: Gerry Boys
Produced By: Peter Berdens
Production Co-ordinator: John Whitehead
Photography by Keits Morris
Sleeve Design by Rainbow
Birds by Annie Walker
Mastering by George Peckham
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 Camel
Camel (band)
Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in 1971. An important group in the Canterbury scene, they have been releasing studio and live recordings steadily, with considerable success, since their formation.-1970s:...
. He played organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s and mellotron
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
and wrote songs with Andrew Latimer
Andrew Latimer
Andrew Latimer is an English musician and one of the original members of the progressive rock band Camel. He is mainly a guitarist and singer, but also a flautist and keyboardist....
. Bardens worked alongside Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, Mick Fleetwood
Mick Fleetwood
Michael John Kells "Mick" Fleetwood is a British musician and actor best known for his role as the drummer and namesake of the blues/rock and roll band Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of John McVie, was the inspiration for the name of the originally Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac...
and Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
and recorded solo albums.
Career
In 1965 he spent a brief spell as the keyboard player with ThemThem (band)
Them were a Northern Irish band formed in Belfast in April 1964, most prominently known for the garage rock standard "Gloria" and launching singer Van Morrison's musical career...
after leaving The Cheynes. He moved on and formed Peter B’s Looners who eventually morphed into Shotgun Express
Shotgun Express
Shotgun Express was a short-lived British R&B band formed in London in May 1966. Although it achieved little success at the time, it is notable for having briefly included such subsequently famous musicians as Rod Stewart, Mick Fleetwood and Peter Green....
, a band who played soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and featured Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, Peter Green
Peter Green (musician)
Peter Green is a British blues-rock guitarist and the founder of the band Fleetwood Mac...
and Mick Fleetwood
Mick Fleetwood
Michael John Kells "Mick" Fleetwood is a British musician and actor best known for his role as the drummer and namesake of the blues/rock and roll band Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of John McVie, was the inspiration for the name of the originally Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac...
.
In 1970 he formed The Village and recorded The Answer (1970), an album featured Peter Green and Andy Gee
Andy Gee
Andy Gee is a German guitarist and musician, best known for his time with Peter Bardens and as a temporary member of Thin Lizzy.-Career:...
. Bardens recorded an eponymous album in 1971 which was released in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as Write My Name in the Dust before forming Camel
Camel (band)
Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in 1971. An important group in the Canterbury scene, they have been releasing studio and live recordings steadily, with considerable success, since their formation.-1970s:...
in 1972. During this period Bardens began exploring electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
and released albums such as Heart to Heart (1972). He left Camel in 1978 to join Them band-mate Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
's band, recorded Wavelength
Wavelength (album)
Wavelength, the tenth album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison was released in the spring of 1978. The album has a different musical sound than his previous albums, leaning towards a pop sound with prominent electric guitars and synthesizers. Wavelength was Morrison's best selling...
(1978) and appeared on the album's promotional tour.
He co-wrote "Looking For A Good Time" which was co-written with Bobby Tench
Bobby Tench
Robert Tench , also known as Bob Tench, Bobby Tench and Bobby Gass is a British vocalist and guitarist. Originally a bass player he began singing with Gass influenced by artists such as Sam Cooke and Ray Charles...
, which featured as the B side of the single "Chain Gang
Chain gang
A chain gang is a group of prisoners chained together to perform menial or physically challenging work, such as mining or timber collecting, as a form of punishment. Such punishment might include building roads, digging ditches or chipping stone...
" (1982), which Tench had recorded as a tribute to Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
. In 1984 he became a member of Keats
Keats (band)
Keats was a short-lived British band which produced one eponymous album in 1984. It was an Alan Parsons Project offshoot. Its members were Colin Blunstone , Ian Bairnson , Pete Bardens , David Paton and Stuart Elliott .-Track listing:...
. Bardens released a number of solo electronic albums including Seen One Earth(1987), which found success in the United States. His first single from this album was entitled "In Dreams" and enjoyed heavy airplay on FM album rock stations in the U.S. and Australia, most notably Brisbane's FM104, the most popular radio station in the Country at the time . In 1988 he followed this with Speed of Light (1988), which featured Mick Fleetwood
Mick Fleetwood
Michael John Kells "Mick" Fleetwood is a British musician and actor best known for his role as the drummer and namesake of the blues/rock and roll band Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of John McVie, was the inspiration for the name of the originally Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac...
. "Gold" was released in the U.S. as a single, also enjoying some success on MTV.
Bardens released Water colours(1991) and formed Pete Bardens' Mirage
Mirage (band)
Mirage were a progressive rock offshoot from Camel in the 1990s.The band was formed by drummer Andy Ward and keyboardist Peter Bardens, both former members of Camel, having last been together in the band in 1977. Also in the original line-up were guitarist Steve Adams and bassist Rick Biddulph...
in 1994. This album featured his former Camel bandmate Andy Ward and Caravan
Caravan (band)
Caravan are an English band from the Canterbury area, founded by former Wilde Flowers members David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, Pye Hastings and Richard Coughlan. Caravan rose to success over a period of several years from 1968 onwards into the 1970s as part of the Canterbury scene, blending...
's David Sinclair. His last concert, subsequent to being diagnosed with a brain tumour, was in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in the summer of 2001. Other performers who joined him at his concert included, John Mayall
John Mayall
John Mayall, OBE is an English blues singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, whose musical career spans over fifty years...
, Mick Fleetwood
Mick Fleetwood
Michael John Kells "Mick" Fleetwood is a British musician and actor best known for his role as the drummer and namesake of the blues/rock and roll band Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of John McVie, was the inspiration for the name of the originally Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac...
, John McVie
John McVie
John Graham McVie is a British bass guitarist best known as a member of the rock group Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of Mick Fleetwood, was the inspiration for the band's name...
, Sheila E and Ben Harper
Ben Harper
Benjamin Chase "Ben" Harper is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances and activism. Harper's fan base spans several continents...
. Bardens died from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in Malibu January 2002, at the age of 56. A double CD Write My Name in the Dust was released after his death and covered tracks recorded throughout his career.
He is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, CA
Records
- 1970 - The Answer
Peter Bardens: Organ, Piano, Vocals
Andy Gee: Guitar
Bruce Thomas: Bass (Courtesy of Head Records)
Reg Isadore: Drums
Rocky
Rocky Dzidzornu
Rocky Dzidzornu, also known as Rocky Dijon, is an African percussionist. He is known for his playing contributions to the The Rolling Stones, among others. Critic Ned Sublette has written that the addition of his conga drumming on "Sympathy for the Devil" transformed the song from "a dirge, and a...
: Congas
Alan Marshall: Vocals & Percussion
Davis Wooley: Vocals & Antiques
Linda Lewis: Vocals
Steve Ellis: Vocals (Courtesy of CBC Records)
Recorded at Sounds Techniques, London
Engineer: Gerry Boys
Produced By: Peter Berdens
Production Co-ordinator: John Whitehead
Photography by Keits Morris
Sleeve Design by Rainbow
Birds by Annie Walker
Mastering by George Peckham
- 1971 - Write My Name in the Dust
- 1973 - CamelCamel (album)Camel is the first studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. It was released in 1973. Although most fans agree the best was yet to come Camel is the first studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. It was released in 1973. Although most fans agree the best was yet to come...
(with CamelCamel (band)Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in 1971. An important group in the Canterbury scene, they have been releasing studio and live recordings steadily, with considerable success, since their formation.-1970s:...
) - 1974 - MirageMirage (Camel album)Mirage is Camel's second album, released in 1974. It features some of their best-known songs, including "Nimrodel" and "Lady Fantasy". It is also a showcase for Andrew Latimer's flute, notably on "Supertwister"....
(with CamelCamel (band)Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in 1971. An important group in the Canterbury scene, they have been releasing studio and live recordings steadily, with considerable success, since their formation.-1970s:...
) - 1975 - The Snow GooseThe Snow Goose (album)The Snow Goose is the third album by the band Camel. released in 1975. The success of "The White Rider" suite , inspired the group to write more novel-inspired conceptual suites. The band considered several novels on which to base their next album...
(with CamelCamel (band)Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in 1971. An important group in the Canterbury scene, they have been releasing studio and live recordings steadily, with considerable success, since their formation.-1970s:...
) - 1976 - MoonmadnessMoonmadness (album)Moonmadness is an album released in March 1976 by English progressive rock band Camel. It was their 4th album and the last to feature the original line-up...
(with CamelCamel (band)Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in 1971. An important group in the Canterbury scene, they have been releasing studio and live recordings steadily, with considerable success, since their formation.-1970s:...
) - 1976 - Vintage 69 (reissue of The Answer)
- 1977 - Rain DancesRain DancesRain Dances is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. It was released in 1977, with Deram Records, and brought a major change to the band's lineup, by replacing bassist Doug Ferguson with ex-Caravan Richard Sinclair and by adding saxophonist Mel Collins, former King Crimson...
(with CamelCamel (band)Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in 1971. An important group in the Canterbury scene, they have been releasing studio and live recordings steadily, with considerable success, since their formation.-1970s:...
) - 1977 - A Live RecordA Live RecordA Live Record is the first live album by the progressive rock band Camel, released in 1978. It is a double LP, composed of recordings from three different tours....
(with Camel)Camel (band)Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in 1971. An important group in the Canterbury scene, they have been releasing studio and live recordings steadily, with considerable success, since their formation.-1970s:... - 1978 - BreathlessBreathless (Camel album)Breathless is the 6th studio album by the English progressive rock band Camel, released in 1978. It is the last album to feature the group's original keyboardist Peter Bardens, who left the group before the tour for the album...
(with Camel)Camel (band)Camel are an English progressive rock band formed in 1971. An important group in the Canterbury scene, they have been releasing studio and live recordings steadily, with considerable success, since their formation.-1970s:... - 1978 - WavelengthWavelength (album)Wavelength, the tenth album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison was released in the spring of 1978. The album has a different musical sound than his previous albums, leaning towards a pop sound with prominent electric guitars and synthesizers. Wavelength was Morrison's best selling...
(with Van MorrisonVan MorrisonVan Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
) - 1979 - Heart to Heart
- 1984 - Keats (with KeatsKeats (band)Keats was a short-lived British band which produced one eponymous album in 1984. It was an Alan Parsons Project offshoot. Its members were Colin Blunstone , Ian Bairnson , Pete Bardens , David Paton and Stuart Elliott .-Track listing:...
) - 1987 - Seen One Earth
- 1988 - Speed of Light
- 1989 - Pete Bardens (reissue of Write My Name in the Dust)
- 1989 - White Magic Soundtrack (to film by Warren MillerWarren Miller (director)Warren Miller is an American ski and snowboarding filmmaker. He is the founder of Warren Miller Entertainment and produced, directed and narrated his films until 1988. His credits include over 750 sports films, several books and hundreds of published non-fiction stories...
) - 1991 - Water Colors
- 1993 - Further Than You Know
- 1995 - Big Sky
- 1995 - Mirage: Live 14.12.94
- 2000 - Speed of Light: Live (as Pete Bardens' MirageMirage (band)Mirage were a progressive rock offshoot from Camel in the 1990s.The band was formed by drummer Andy Ward and keyboardist Peter Bardens, both former members of Camel, having last been together in the band in 1977. Also in the original line-up were guitarist Steve Adams and bassist Rick Biddulph...
) - 2002 - Art of Levitation
- 2002 - Live: Germany 1996
- 2005 - Write My Name in the Dust: Anthology
- 2008 - WavelengthWavelength (album)Wavelength, the tenth album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison was released in the spring of 1978. The album has a different musical sound than his previous albums, leaning towards a pop sound with prominent electric guitars and synthesizers. Wavelength was Morrison's best selling...
with Van MorrisonVan MorrisonVan Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
re-mastered + bonus tracks from promo album Live at the Roxy
Samples
- Sample of "No Jazz" (mp3) by Pete Bardens, from his final album, Art of Levitation.