Mike Peters, front man of Welsh bands Seventeen & The Alarm and a long-standing cancer campaigner and fundraiser, has died aged 66.
His band, The Alarm, was formed in 1981 in Rhyl, Denbighshire, era and had a top 20 hit, Sixty Eight Guns, two years later.
It typified an anthemic style of song but their unpretentious and down-to-earth approach earned loyal followings on both sides of the Atlantic.
Peters lived with blood cancer for 30 years, following his diagnosis of lymphoma in 1995, and later having chronic lymphocytic leukaemia twice.
He was born in Prestatyn, Denbighshire, and lived in Dyserth with his wife of 39 years, Jules - who had fought her own cancer battle - and their sons Dylan, 20 and Evan, 18.
He was awarded the MBE in 2019 for his services to cancer care.
Peters - who had worked in the computer department for Kwik Save supermarket - had started a band The Toilets in Rhyl in 1977, after seeing the Sex Pistols play in Chester.
As part of Mod band Seventeen, he released the classic 7", 'Don't Let Go' c/w 'Bank Holiday Weekend' on Vendetta Records in 1980. An album, 'A Flashing Blur Of Stripped Down Excitement' was released in 2002 by Vinyl Japan.
After various changes of line-up, notably the introduction of guitarist Dave Sharp, and changes of name, The Alarm played their first gig in Prestatyn in 1981.
They would go on to sell an estimated five million records and also become the first Welsh musicians since Tom Jones and Bonnie Tyler to crack America.
No comments:
Post a Comment