Peter is an alternative rock singer/songwriter powered by espresso. Grab a coffee and add some Switchfoot guitars to U2-like vocals mixed with missions and Mercy Ships NZ.
I am crazy excited to announce that I’m flying to Australia to record starting October 21st at The Grove Studios with Andy Mak.
Andy has worked with artists including Silverchair, New Empire, Selahphonic, Boy and Bear, Darlene Zschech, Phebe Starr, Lucy Mason, Jess Ellen and many more.
The Grove Studios have hosted Silverchair, Eskimo Joe, and INXS to name a few. It’s uniquely hidden away on 25 acres 50 minutes north of Sydney giving enough seclusion to escape reality and discover creativity. Jimi Maroudas (Producer for Eskimo Joe, Tigertown, Kimbra) said “Love, Love, Love The Grove! Have heard so many great things about The Grove over the years & now know why!” while Ben Gillies of Silvershair said “The Grove is my favourite Australian studio. Amazing space. Great gear. Great staff. Josh does great coffee. No distraction. The perfect combination to make GREAT music!”
I’m a Kiwi – NOT an American. I married a “California girl” and all my kids are American Citizens Born Abroad so being close to Americans but “not included” I get an interesting perspective. So what’s my take on Independence Day from the outside looking in? What does “freedom” mean to a Kiwi on the 4th of July?
America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles (despite revisionists telling the world a different story) by those that were willing to leave family and homes to go to a nation dedicated to religious liberty. The 4th of July remembers those that share faith, but don’t share the freedoms of America, and gives everyone a chance to help preserve all people’s liberties throughout the world.
The Fourth of July is a day the USA celebrates it’s independence as a nation. 2013’s July 4th celebration is significant given the realities of religious persecution around the world are more visible today than ever before. Today in Egypt for example the ‘democratic’ government was removed by the military which leave Egypt’s Christians wondering if they will lose all their civil liberties. America was born to celebrate freedoms and to remember those freedoms are precious while taking the opportunity to consider the many blessings enjoyed in her history that began with the Declaration of Independence, a document that recognizes that we have rights given by God, not by governments.
Freedom is never cheap.
America paid for her’s by the blood of patriots, of fathers and mothers, and July 4 remembers with gratitude all those who have given their lives to preserve and continue freedom and most particularly the first freedom, freedom of religion.
So as a Kiwi who believes in freedom I just want to say … “Happy Birthday America – have a great 4th of July!”.
Playing at ONESOUND Music Festival at El Rancho last Saturday June 15th was more than just another gig for me. It was a defining moment for me … I came home – full circle – back to my roots.
I spent so much of my teenage days at El Rancho Camp in Waikanae that I’ve lost count. It was another wintry Saturday night 30 years ago that I sat alone in front of Redwood Hall’s roaring fire strumming some new chords. The hall was silent except for the spitting and crackling flames and my stumbling chord changes … and then it happened … all of a sudden I was struck with inspiration and scribbled out lyrics with those 3 chords.
One of my first songs was born – ‘The Road’ – and I had no idea what it would mean beyond that night.
I was 17 and young and naive, with preconceived ideas of how life worked and how I had it all figured out – yeah right! ‘The Road’ was my prayer, knowing that God is with us and walks with us through life no matter what happens – we just need to trust him and keep walking with Him.
You can imagine how amazing it was for me to take the stage more than 30 years later last Saturday, in the very same hall, right in front of the same fireplace, in Redwood Hall, at the ONESOUND Festival, to share songs that tell the story of my life, with my son Jesse at side of stage running the tracks for the songs! My life’s not always been what I expected but God has walked with me through thick and thin – He never leaves us.
30 years full circle back to my roots … with the One who’s never left me.
Pete
Want to join me on this journey and get a free monthly Backstage Pass and song? Signup below …
I’ve just had a fantastic weekend playing in Wellington at the charity musical festival ONESOUND. I grew up in Wellington and even though it was great to be back in my old stomping ground what was really special about the trip was that my youngest son Jesse went with me to crew for my gig.
It meant that it was more than just a gig trip – it was a “father and son road trip”! We got to visit his Grandma who’s still trucking along at 90, we paused at the memorial for his Grandad, and we passed by the house where as a boy he fell through a glass window!
I got to show him where I grew up as a boy riding skateboards and trolleys down steep neighbourhood hills, crashing bikes and almost setting fire to a house!
Rather than just telling tales about my life I got to show him where I walked and wandered as a boy and then grew into a man. Sometimes words just don’t say enough.
Of course we got up to some other things … but as they say “what goes on tour stays on tour” :p
Pete
Want to join me on this journey and get a free monthly Backstage Pass and song? Signup below …
Send it off to get CD’s? I’ll just submit that online …
It all seemed so SIMPLE to take the songs I’ve written for you, get them recorded and sent your way – until I met my next challenge.
The Producer.
What was God thinking when He told me to seek out a Producer so I could make these songs the best they could be instead of just spinning out something hacked together in my home studio???!?!?! Was He off His rocker or something?!?!?!
It’s been over a year going backwards and forwards trying to find the right Producer for my Recording Project and many times I thought I was sooooo close. But it still turns out that I have to wait for a few more backwards and forwards still!
ARGGGGHHH!?!?!?!?!!?
So here I am – at the crossroads of Patience and Perseverance struggling to let them do their full work in my life …. AGAIN!
It seems that God is not ONLY interested in me recording these songs as a high quality product so they give you hope and courage to face the challenges of life with patience and perseverance – but He also wants to make sure I continue to grow the same patience and perseverance … who ever thought God wasn’t cunning eh?
Soon enough I will have nailed down the Producer (no … I don’t mean that literally but the thought did occur to me while writing this) and then I’ll be giving you the chance to be involved in the Recording project – c’mon …. you don’t think I want all the fun to myself do ya? :p
Until then I’ll keep pumping patience and perseverance into my own life so I can then share it with you in the songs 🙂
Keep on rocking this world and don’t give up or give in!
Pete
Want to join me on this journey and get a free monthly Backstage Pass and song? Signup below …
In the last few months I’ve gotten air-play on 2 radio stations and was interviewed by Vents Mag too.
All interviews have the standard “who are your influences” and “what is your style” type questions which all seem kind of “blah blah blah” after you’ve read a few of them. But somehow Vents Mag uncovered one story I’d like to forget. It’s something I’m not proud of. It’s something that would disturb any musician if it happened. It was a troubling time but I need to bare my soul with you my fans …
During the dry-mouthed dusty-shoe Sweetwaters music festival (that was eventually closed down because of continuos out-of-control chaos) I was working with OAC doing outreach to the mad masses. We had setup a sketchboard stage on Main Street and while I thrashed my guitar and spat out “Sipping whiskey from a paper cup you drown your sorrows till you can’t stand up …” the crowd’s mood darkened and a XXXL muscle bulging beer drenched t-shirt slunk away.
Just as I hit the religiously redeeming chorus “Why don’t you look into Jesus? He’s got the answer ….” I snatched a glimpse of his BIC orange lighter fevered flick at side of stage which would be closely followed by a dancing orange crackle. Ending my song in an andrenaline induced increased tempo before things heated up even more I exited to the side of stage and caught the hot-handed pyromaniac before his plans burst into their full glory.
It wasn’t till after the relieving laughter subsided that I got to thinking what does it say when you’re singing your heart out and someone in the audience tries setting fire to the stage you’re standing on! I had a compelling realization that not everyone liked what I sang about. There are definitely some people who don’t like my voice or my message. And I can’t say everyone will.
It’s still the same today … I sing about having hope in God and making a difference in this world and not everyone is going to like that. I continue to reach out to people and give them the courage to keep going with God and I hope that in the process that I don’t upset too many people to the point that they get in the way of what God might be doing … or that I light up any more aspiring arsonists!
You might say I could have been burned on the stage for my faith but no matter what I plan to keep telling everyone how much God loves them … even when they don’t want to hear!
I know – you’re thinking to yourself “what’s taking Pete so long to do this recording project? Surely you just set up some mic’s hit ‘record’ and whammo bammo it’s done …”. It’s not quite that simple, especially as I really want to make sure that these songs are the BEST they can be … for YOU!
Unfortunately life doesn’t seem to always go as I plan.
I’ve been slowly working on this with a renowned Producer who’s been engaged in lots of other projects. We finally got together to discuss the next stage last week and were making progress until we discussed the budget – guess how many zero’s there were … all I can say is there were tooooo many!
Does that happen to you sometimes? Everything is going wonderfully and then “boom” – a mountain falls out of the sky and lands on your foot stopping you in your tracks.
Suprisingly it’s forced me to look elsewhere and I’ve spoken to 2 other talented Producers in the past few days who are excited about working with me at a considerably different investment scale.
This “setback” has become a “stepping stone” so I’m moving closer to getting these songs recorded and into your hands and hearts!
I’m making sure this Music With a Mission is gonna Rock Your World!
Pete
Not part of my Backstage Pass and want to take this journey with me and Mercy Ships? Join my mailing list below and get a free song and my Backstage Pass.
Why are 60 Minutes doing an expose on Mercy Ships? They’re treating the sick for free in the poorest parts of the world … but what’s the REAL reasons for why they do it?
Here’s what 60 Minutes uncovered – from 7 mins a nurse called Ali Chandra explains why …
I’m an Affiliate Artist for Mercy Ships so just by joining my mailing list below, together we can help Mercy Ships rock the boat – and rock this world!
Amy’s a Kiwi friend of mine – here’s her story from her time onboard Mercy Ships …
When Amy arrived for the first day of her new job she knew it wasn’t going to be like any other job she’d ever had. More than 3,500 people queued patiently in the hot sun, waiting to be seen by a doctor, hoping for a miracle.
The Auckland nurse was part of the volunteer crew aboard Mercy Ships hospital ship in West Africa. For the crew beginning the 2012 field service in Togo, the necessary screening process for hopeful patients is gruelling; emotionally, physically, spiritually, for all concerned. Sandwiches and water are passed out to injured and disabled people waiting in the hot sun in impossibly long lines for their turn to be medically assessed inside the sports stadium. Once inside surgeons examine, blood tests are done and patient I.D. photos are taken. Hugs and kind touches reassure frightened people who have often been physically isolated by their horrendous conditions for years that someone cares and hope is on the way!
Amy was deeply impacted by all that her role that day demanded. “I felt very privileged to be part of the screening process, but I was very nervous. Thousands of people lined up in the hope of being booked in for a life changing operation. People often line up for headaches or stomach aches, which is not our area of focus. Nurses scanned the line and were able to dismiss people that we knew we could not help. The local police came to assist with security. Only 1,600 made it through the gate into the stadium for further screening. I saw some pretty crazy things.”
Togo’s poor suffering from debilitating conditions like cataracts, club feet, cleft lip, life-threatening yet benign tumours, burn contractures, and obstetric fistulas are offered free surgeries onboard the Africa Mercy.
Amy was assigned to the ‘History Taking’ station. “People came here after pre-screening and registration. It was so interesting asking questions and getting to know these individuals. The ladies would buckle over with laughter when I asked them if they smoked. Only men smoke in Togo. This is just a small example of a cultural difference I wasn’t aware of. I had my own translator who was amazing. He spoke five languages including French, English and Ewe (the local Togolese language). He was refusing breaks when I was nearly on the ground with exhaustion. We noted down their medical history, took their vital signs, and then sent them on to see the surgeons.”
“The highlight of my day was holding the hand of a 25 year old lady who required Obstetric Fistula surgery after a birth injury left her incontinent. Socially, 90% of woman suffering Obstetric Fistulas are rejected by their husbands and society. I just wanted to hold her hand, look into her eyes and let her know how loved she was and still is. It made my day to have the opportunity to do that.”
Mercy Ships NZ follows the 2000-year-old model of Jesus, bringing hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor. A global charity that has operated hospital ships in developing nations since 1978, Mercy Ships brings hope and healing to the forgotten poor by mobilizing people and resources worldwide, and serving all people without regard for race, gender, or religion.Volunteer professional crew offer their services free of charge.
Mercy Ships, a faith-base not-for-profit NGO, operates a 16,000 tonne hospital ship which provides free medical surgeries for the poorest nations of the earth. Staffed by volunteer doctors, dentists, nurses and other health care and maritime professionals, the Africa Mercy provides life-saving surgery for thousands of patients each year. More info is available here.
25 years ago the World’s Population reached five billion, Clive Sinclair launched the Z88 Portable Computer weighing under 2lbs, U2 topped the charts singing “With or Without You”, and The Princess Bride hit the big screens!
Just like U2’s song and The Princess Bride I had my own fairy tale romance too – Miriam and I got married Dec 19 in 1987.
Today we’re celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. 25 years have just sped by … but some things are still the same. I remember singing to Miriam at our wedding and while I sang the room literally disappeared … just like in the movies. Miriam can still do that to me – she can make the room fade away “with just one vertigo glance across the drowning crowd”.
Here’s my song “Fade Away” that I wrote for Miriam that I figured you might enjoy too.
It’s true that us men don’t do sacrifice particularly well – that is unless you put a cold steel gun in our hands and tell us to “go take that thar’ hill” and we’ll do crazy courageous things. But what is courage – I heard a great definition once that goes like this: “Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the acknowledgement of fear and the choice to continue with the course of action anyway”. That’s so similar to loving someone – being afraid that you could get hurt or being unsure as to how things might turn out but then pushing past this and loving them anyway.
How do you spell love that’s spanned 25 years? Simple really – ” C O M M I T M E N T”
In our 25 years we’ve had times when we didn’t have the money to pay the bills. We’ve had times when people around us were attacking us leaving us isolated and mistreated. We’ve had times when we’re not sure how this marriage thing can work. Any of those things is enough to destroy a marriage and dash it to pieces.
But Miriam’s my girl and I’m her’s – we’re committed to love and care for each other and in doing so all these trials and tests fade away. I hope and pray you find someone who can make it all “Fade Away” for you too!
I am crazy excited to announce that I’m flying to Australia to record starting October 21st at The Grove Studios with Andy Mak.
