Pete Christie

Promote your Page too

Pete Christie Profile on FreeIndex

Acoustic Magazine – Retune Your Ears

by Joel McIver

The acoustic guitar is king for Pete

ACOUSTIC Magazine

The UK’s only dedicated acoustic guitar magazine

Issue 44

August 2010

RETUNE YOUR EARS

Presenting new, interesting or alternative musicians from the acoustic world.

With Joel McIver.

PETE CHRISTIE

The acoustic guitar is king for Pete

“I’ve been involved in music in lots of ways, including developing hi-fi equipment, so I’m coming at it from lots of different angles.

I’ve been playing as long as I can remember – and performing since I was 17. I seem to be getting better: every time I pick up the guitar it seems like a new experience.

When it comes to songwriting, I try to write important stuff: I try not to write just anything. I used to do that: I always remember Elvis Costello used to write five songs a day or something, and I thought ‘I wish I could do that!’ but when I did do that, the output wasn’t what I considered to be high quality, which is the important thing. As you get older, you notice the songs that the audience latch on to. I’m always playing the guitar, it’s always on my lap.

I used to work with (legendary manager/producer) Chas Chandler, who told me once that Jimi Hendrix always had a guitar with him, even in the loo. I don’t take it to that extreme, but I will play as much as I can.

I started off as a strummer – don’t we all? – and playing power chords, but over time I found I don’t strum as much, I play fingerstyle more, because of the subtlety of picking the sounds off the neck rather than thrashing them out with a pick.

I experiment with tunings, too: a friend of mine introduced me to open C and after that, I was away. Sometimes I’ll drop a string and see what happens, because the guitar then takes over and you have to follow it.

I keep saying to people, the acoustic guitar is the most powerful instrument in the arsenal. Electric guitars can be loud, but the acoustic has the power”.

www.petechristie.co.uk

on iPlayer

Normal Shade of Blue

Lost

Shattered

Easy Come, Easy Go

Thanks to Phil Jackson: the South Coast’s answer to John Peel, Dan on sound and Tash on production, for a great show!

Maverick Magazine
The voice of country, folk, bluegrass and roots music
Issue 95 June 2010

Pete Christie
‘LIVE AT MR KYPS’

Self Released
****

Solo and outrageously done, this live album demonstrates what an unsung talent Pete Christie is.
Bournemouth based singer-songwriter Pete Christie first started performing in 1979 with his 3-piece ska-rock band the Skavengers.
This nine track album which rightly shows his ability to pick an awesome tune is delightful from start to finish.

Performed with just an acoustic guitar at the Poole venue, he gives a master class into how to use his chosen instrument stupendously, as all but two of these tracks are written by Pete himself.
‘Not Enough’ is one of Pete’s own compositions, and has a sparse sound that features some excellent picking throughout. With some hypnotic singing and frenetic strumming at the end, this song is simply astonishing.

One of the tracks which isn’t written by Pete is Bob Dylan’s ‘Not Dark Yet’. It takes a daring soul to try and upstage any version which Dylan releases, and here Pete gives it his all in a song which by no means harms Pete’s credentials as one of the UK’s finest acts, but strengthens his cause to be regarded as an awesome artist in his own right.

If you haven’t seen Pete live, please rectify this by going to one of his upcoming performances. His music is good for the soul, and when you see him perform live you’ll leave his gig with a wide smile on your face for days due to the superb musical quality you have just witnessed.

RH

Russell Hill        russelledwardhill@hotmail.co.uk

Live at Mr Kyps - CD

Pete Christie’s ‘Top Music’  Japanese online music profile