Pete Hicks

Pete Hicks is a singer/songwriter with an international reputation. He is probably best remembered as the vocalist in ex-Genesis guitarist, Steve Hackett’s first recording and touring band. He is also a featured artist on several Nick Magnus albums and one half of the Americana duo - Cadbury-Hicks. Pete Hicks was born in Buckhurst Hill, Essex. Most of his family were musicians and, when he was about nine years old, he began singing in local clubs with his father and grandfather. His elder brother Bill and his uncle Tommy were members of a ‘skiffle’ trio around the same time, and Pete used to sit in occasionally on ukulele and vocals. The third member of the group was a guy named Michael Gambon who went on to become a Knight of the Realm and Professor Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies. By the age of fourteen Pete had his own group, which included his brother Bill on drums. They supported artists like Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages at local venues. It was at this time that he met with and auditioned for the record producer Joe Meek. The next few years were spent playing in various local bands, some with interesting names - The Down and Outs (their Decca recording "Bring Me Back to Reality", written by three members including Pete, never actually got released), The South-East Blues Band, Fat Daughter (who played local support for artists like Fleetwood Mac and Free), and Justin Thyme. Back in 1968 Pete became associated with Felius Andromeda, an emerging progressive rock group. The following year they were approached by a Japanese producer to make a ‘pop’ single for release on the NEMS label but on the proviso they changed their name to Promise. The record was called "Just For You", with "Nine to Five" on the flip-side. It was at these sessions that Pete got to work with Richard Hartley - the man who shortened Ravel’s "Bolero" for the Olympic ice skaters, Torvill and Dean. With the demise of Promise, Pete embarked on a period of solo acoustic work and played at several folk venues and festivals around the country - he even sang some jazz with a small combo in London. After a short spell of inactivity he joined the Steve Hackett Band - the year was 1978. Pete was associated with what some consider to be the quintessential Steve Hackett recordings, namely "Spectral Mornings" and "Defector" - and he got to write "Sentimental Institution" and "Hercules Unchained" with Steve. In 1982 Pete joined the progressive rock group Tall Story. Only a handful of demo recordings, and a couple of dodgy photographs, exist from this time. Over the next few years Pete concentrated on songwriting and, in collaboration with the old Hackett bass player, Dik Cadbury, penned several songs - some of which appear on Dik’s solo album, "About Time". In 2004 he appeared on Nick Magnus’ "Hexameron" album singing "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" - music by Nick with lyrics by Dick Foster - and in 2010 joined Nick again on "Children of Another God" for two more Magnus/Foster songs - "Doctor Prometheus" and "Crimewave Monkeys". In between "Hexameron" and "Children of Another God", Pete and Nick got together to produce "Flat Pack", an eclectic mix of rock, pop, folk, jazz, and prog … 2014 found Pete working once again with his old mate Dik Cadbury and guesting on the new Nick Magnus album, "N’Monix", released in April that same year … and in 2015 Pete and Dik released their CD, "Cadbury-Hicks".