Pete Gage - Pete Gage... Not Alone (2020)

I've worked as a musician since the mid-sixties, primarily as a blues vocalist, I also play blues piano, guitar and harmonica. Not to be confused with the other Pete Gage, from Vinegar Joe, my first break was in 1967 with iconic ex-Shadows bassist Jet Harris's band, playing the British club circuit.

I then moved on to the London blues circuit, fronting my own band Blues Faction and the blues/soul band The Blazers. I moved to the west country in the late 80's and teamed-up with local cult band ?The Pink Torpedoes, which included Paul Hartshorn - guitar, Pete Lowery - bass, and the formidable Dave Raeburn (later of The Hoax and Danny Bryant Blues Band) on drums.

When the legendary R&B band Dr Feelgood lost their frontman Lee Brilleaux to cancer, it was Dave Raeburn who recommended me to take up the challenge of stepping into Lee's shoes. I toured with the band for four and a half years throughout Europe, playing in excess of 200 gigs a year, whilst receiving warm accolades from die-hard fans as well as newer and younger fans. "On The Road Again" was the Dr Feelgood album to announce my arrival as Lee's replacement, and it still receives great reviews to this day. It features as a guest on harmonica, the great Alan Glen (ex-Nine Below Zero and Yardbirds)

Since 2000, I have continued to work mostly in the South West of England with my own band, The Pete Gage Band, playing up to date interpretations of classic blues material. The band has been going from strength to strength since it's inception with a unique and original approach to standard blues, boogie & gospel.

As an off-shoot from the full band, The Pete Gage Blues Trio & Quartet, play the same kind of material as in the band but with a more "laid-back" and spontaneous style, tinged with a roots-y, jazzy flavour. I lead from the piano, accompanied by a varied selection of musicians, including Paul Hartshorn on guitar.

Other projects since 2000, have included my role as front man vocalist/harmonica player with the Mike Hoddinott Blues All-stars, playing high energy blues all over the South West of England. Along with Mike's distinctive drumming and leadership, and I still enjoy gigging with them to this day, whenever Mike needs a vocalist to dep.

In 2007 I teamed-up on piano and vocals,with ex-Feelgood guitarist the late, great Gypie Mayo (Milk & Alcohol/Down to the Doctors) and drummer Will Lunn to form The Monumentals.
In 2010, Gypie was a special guest on 6 tracks of my "Tough Talk" album, produced in Finland.
In 2011, John B. Sparks (bass) & "The Big Figure" (drums), two founder members of Dr Feelgood, joined Gypie and myself to form "The Realgoods". We did a successful tour in Japan at that time with support from Eddie and the Hotrods.

In recent years I have focussed on writing and recording my own material, most of which is available for download on www.bandcamp.com. I have collaborated with many great artists such as, most recently, in (2020), Craig Crofton and Mickey Gavaghan (both tenor sax players) , and previously (2016 and 2018) Ruzz Evans. Also, (2015) with Jesse Davey (founder member of The Hoax) on his great album "Big Blues", plus of course, with Pee Wee Ellis (Tenor saxophonist and MD for James Brown and Van Morrison) in 2015 on my own album "Left Over Blues". Other great musicians I have worked with include Paul Hartshorn, Kevin Brown, Gypie Mayo, Jon Amor (The Hoax), Midge Ure, Innes Sibun, Tristan Powell (Georgie fame's guitarist/son), Joe Wilkins & Duncan Kingston, plus some fine musicians from Finland such as Jassi Takanen, Arto Makela, Tema Lampinen and Teppo Nattila.

My 2010 15-track album, “Tough Talk”, was recorded by, and features, my Finnish connections, along with Gypie Mayo, and is available from Goofin Records on www.goofinrecords.com

My 12-track album, "Left Over Blues" released in 2015, features 4 regular members of The Pete Gage Band, masters of their craft one and all, Craig Crofton, Paul Hartshorn, Duncan Kingston and Eddie John, plus, as mentioned above, special guest saxophonist, Pee Wee Ellis featured on 4 of the songs. This album reflected the way I was wanting to progress in music: blues-influenced songs, accompagnied by fine musicians, who have inspired me so much.

After the release of a "live" album "Jesse Davey and Friends"in 2012 (available on Bandcamp.com), I was invited in 2015 to contribute 4 songs, jointly composed by Jesse and myself, on his 2015 solo album "BIG BLUES". This album received rave reviews even before it was released and it highlights Jesse's great guitar work and his unique tone. Jesse asked for tough and gritty vocals, and I am particularly pleased with the track entitled "The Crow".

Then in November 2016. Gretsch guitar man extraordinaire, Ruzz Evans (a.k.a. Ruzz Guitar), invited me to contributed 2 tracks vocalizing and piano playing on his album "Burn Out". Then, in 2018 I recorded 2 more songs for Ruzz, that featured on his album, The Heist.

Also in 2018, I released my own new album called "Sweet Hearted Woman". This album is more eclectic in style, including blues-y ballads, an instrumental, and some straight blues, all of which are self-penned.

More recently I have teamed up on a number of "LIVE" gigs variously with Jon Amor, Innes Sibun and Paul Hartshorn three of the South-West's finest blues guitarists, in gigs arranged by the exceptional young drummer, Tom Gilkes with Jerry Soffe on bass, and Innes Sibun/Jon Amor/RuzzEvans on guitars.

In 2020 I made a solo album entitled "Pete Gage...not alone" consisting of 12 blues tunes, myself on piano and vocals, but accompanied by 2 different tenor sax players, Mickey Gavaghan and Craig Crofton, both of whom have been a part of The Pete Gage Band