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Mike Peters

'The godfather of Welsh rock music. Without him there would be no Manic Street Preachers, Stereophonics etc.'

Mike Peters led The Alarm throughout the world to 14 Top 50 singles, six successful albums, packed out venues, critical acclaim, and most importantly, a loyal following. Musically, they were unfairly compared to U2, probably a result of both bands touring together. It's ironic that U2 was actually influenced by the Alarm's acoustic approach-just take a look at U2's JOSHUA TREE. That album smacks of the Alarm's acoustic based approach.

Mike Peters had been inspired by punk rock. His life was changed in 1976, after seeing the Sex Pistols in Chester, England. He had never before experienced the type of energy that a band like the Sex Pistols could create on stage. He decided then and there that his life as a computer operator would only be temporary. After starting "The Toilets" with Nigel Twist in 1976, he knew he was destined for a life on stage with a 3-chords in one-hand, and the truth in the other. "The Toilets" were a short-lived yet positive beginning, and "Seventeen" was supposed to be his vessel into the pop world, yet somehow it was just not happening. As he sat in his punk clothing shop "Riot" in the Spring of 1981, it suddenly came to him. He had not been inspired by the early punk of "The Clash", and "The Pistols" because they were ripping other people off. He was inspired by their integrity and the power of their live performances. He realized that it was time to stop imitating and start innovating. He began by writing a new song about tearing down your life and re-constructing it.

(Extract from The Alarm)