Peter Wilson
Hi Peter,
First let me thank you for agreeing to this interview and giving me some of your precious time. I'm very happy to have someone from my home town of Melbourne to interview. 1. Peter I think like me you discovered Italo Hi Nrg in the mid 80's. I can remember making up tapes from the late shows on 3RRR and going to Central Station. This was all to satisfy my hunger for Italo and Hi Nrg, not being played on mainstream Melbourne radio. Can you tell me what started your passion for the music, and how you came across the music? A) That's exactly what I did in the 80s. I discovered 3RRR by accident one Friday night when I was about 11 years old. I heard a 12" mix of Madonna's Lucky Star, which wasn't released here. The show went on and was playing things like Sylvester, Shannon, Donna Summer, The Flirts, Ken Laszlo. I was hooked at that point. Then came Two Girls, Modern Talking, Taffy, and so began a weekly ritual. 2. I loved the club scene in Melbourne during the 80's, can you tell us some of your memories of these great times? Which clubs do you remember the most and which ones did you like? A) I didn't club in the 80s, except for once in December 1989 at the Cadlllac Bar on a Sunday night. But my real club memories are in the 90s. So I would remember Three Faces, Cadlillac Bar, 397, Peel. I was underage at the time. But fun times, and I soon discovered late nights were not for me. 3. As one half of T1 Productions, You have written music for a number of great artists, including Amanda Lear, Nicki French, Haywoode, Samantha Fox & Sabrina. Do you find it hard to believe that you are writing for singers, that you would have listened to in the 80's? A) I still have to pinch myself to be honest, especially people like Amanda Lear and Sabrina, whom I grew up idolising. I do feel very lucky. 4. Can you tell us some of the artists and songs that you loved in the 80's? A) Sure, Modern Talking (You're My Heart You're My Soul), Jackie Rawe (I Believe In Dreams) Patty Ryan (Stay With Me Tonight), ANYTHING by Bobby O, Tracy Spencer (Run To Me), Donna Summer (I Don't Wanna Get Hurt), Hazell Dean (Stand Up), ANYTHING by SAW. 5. You have released some great material over many years, tracks like, Move, Into the Night, Doin Fine, Twenty Four Seven and some equally great albums Follow Me and Stereo. You have a new single and album coming out this year, can you tell us a bit more about them? A) Broken Man is one of the best I've written, and it was produced by Pete Hammond, in true classic PWL style. I love it. The album is called Laser Light, and it picks up from where Stereo left off. It still has the 80s vibe, and 2 more songs SAW fans will adore, but it's a slight progression into 2012 in many ways. Same team are involved, Matt Pop, Pete Hammond, Ford & Curnow, and I've also recorded songs with John Von Ahlen, of a dance act called Parralox. I am very happy with it so far. 6. On the last album you had SAW write some music for you. I know Stock Aitken and Waterman music in the 80's was pretty special to you. How would you describe the experience of getting to work with your hereos? A) Very, very surreal. Mike Stock was very easy to work with. Twenty Four Seven had been a demo some years before which he allowed me to record, and even let me make some lyrical changes. You Better Not Fool Around was originally released by Haywoode in 1986, and I loved it. So after producing her new material she agreed to do backing for me, so I recorded this with Pete Hammond, in true Mel & Kim style. Haywoode likes my version more than her own! I wrote the song Stereo with Ian Curnow and Dave Ford from PWL, which was great. Very easy going and open to ideas. They were all very easy to work with. Very fast. So I had to work with them all again. However there are no Mike Stock songs this time around I'm afraid to say. 7. I often ask the artists I interview for Skerat's, if they have ever been to Australia. I'm going to ask you the opposite question here. Which countrys have you been to because of your music? A) I've been to England for musical reasons, and am going there again later this year for my album, and will be spending some time at PWE/PWL and Pete Waterman, and to France to meet up with Amanda Lear. 8. What projects are in the pipeline Peter, will you be doing any stage shows for your album release? A) No plans for stage shows at present, performing is not in my blood. Never say never though. Projects are my album, and a further 2 singles, then a new single for my artist Sammy Paul (with a Pete Hammond Remix) followed by her album which I wrote, and UK artist David Christopher with his single Unprotectable which I also wrote. Of course if Amanda Lear needs any more songs, I will be very willing! Well that's it Peter, thank you once again for doing this interview and I eagerly await the release of your new single and album. Andrew (Skerat) Note all answers are quoted word for word from artist, for this interview. Therefore the answers are of their opinion and not necessarily those of the person asking the question. |
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