Pete Kircher

Peter Kircher (born January 21, 1948 in Folkestone , Kent , United Kingdom ) is a British drummer who was active in the 1960s to 1980s. As a member of Status Quo , he opened the Live Aid concert in 1985 .

1960s

Kircher played in 1966 in the group The Loving Kind , which initially included guitarist Noel Redding (later bassist for the Jimi Hendrix Experience ). After three of the band's singles were unsuccessful, the group fell apart. Kircher became active as a songwriter , among others together with Pete Dello and Ray Cane .

This connection resulted in the Honeybus group in 1967 . By 1970 Honeybus released several singles and one album. They also had a hit with I Can't Let Maggie Go . The group then broke up and reunited at the end of 1971. Since they could no longer follow up on the commercial success, it was finally dissolved in 1973.

1970s

Kircher's next musical station was the band Shanghai , which was founded in 1974 by Mick Green (ex- Johnny Kidd & The Pirates ). Shanghai released several singles and albums and opened up for Status Quo in 1976 before splitting up in late 1976. During the tour together , friendships were formed with the members of Status Quo, which led to Mick Green subsequently writing several pieces with Status Quo's bassist Alan Lancaster . Pete Kircher, in turn, was asked by Quo's lead singer and guitarist Francis Rossi to accompany the recordings of John Du Cann (ex- Atomic Rooster ) on drums that he was responsible for. Andy Bown ( keyboard ) was also involved in these recordings , which is why the recordings were later re-released under the title John Du Cann & Status Quo .

After these recordings, Kircher first worked as a session musician before joining the band LEX in 1978/1979, which had previously had some success under the name Liverpool Express . Kircher later worked with Ian Broudie . The loose project developed into the band The Original Mirrors , which remained without the desired success despite several record releases. Broudie, in turn, later made the breakthrough with The Lightning Seeds .

1980s

Kircher returned to session work again. At the end of 1981 he received the news that Status Quo were looking for a successor for the retired John Coghlan at short notice . Kircher supported the band with the recordings for the album 1 + 9 + 8 + 2 and was later introduced as a new member of the band. With the album Kircher achieved a number 1 success in Great Britain . He can also be heard as a member of Status Quo on the albums Back to Back and Live at the NEC (recorded in the presence of Prince Charles ).

He had his last appearance with Status Quo on July 13, 1985 when the band opened the Live Aid concert with Rockin 'All Over the World . After the concert, Status Quo broke up for a short time and the band was re-founded in 1986 without Pete Kircher.

After leaving Status Quo, Kircher has largely withdrawn into private life. In 2003, however, he appeared again with Honeybus as part of an oldie show on Dutch television .

swell

• David J. Oxley: Rockers Rollin '- The Story of Status Quo . ST Publishing, 1999, ISBN 1-898927-80-4