Peter Jones (drummer)

Peter Robert Jones (21 April 1963 – 18 May 2012) was an English-born Australian musician. He replaced Paul Hester on drums for Crowded House in mid-1994. After the band split up in June 1996, he played in Deadstar with Caroline Kennedy and Nick Seymour, but did not return to Crowded House when they re-formed in 2006 about a year after Hester's death. Jones worked as a secondary teacher in Melbourne and on 18 May 2012 he died from brain cancer, aged 49.

Peter Jones
Birth namePeter Robert Jones
Born(1963-04-21)21 April 1963
Liverpool, England
Died18 May 2012(2012-05-18) (aged 49)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
GenresRock, jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, teacher, songwriter
InstrumentsDrums
Years active1983–2002
Associated acts

Biography

Peter Robert Jones was born on 21 April 1963 in Liverpool.[1][2][3] His parents were Barrie and Joan Jones (died 2010); his siblings were Phil and Christine.[3] The family arrived in Australia in 1966 and settled in the Melbourne suburb of Doncaster.[3] By the age of 13 years Peter started learning to play drums as Phil was already playing guitar.[3] For secondary education he attended Templestowe Technical College, which had a passionate music teacher Gordon Pendleton who prepared him for a jazz course at Victorian College of the Arts in 1982.[3] In 1983 Jones was the drummer for Vince Jones (no relation), the Australian jazz musician, and appears on the latter's second album, Spell, which had appeared by November.[4][5]

In 1984, he played in a Melbourne pub band called The Feet, with Wayne Drury (vocals and bass), Tom Roberts (guitar), Tom Hoy (alto saxophone), Peter Orr and Amanda Bathgate (tenor sax).[6] During 1984 Peter also drummed with the band Transwaste, formerly named Recent Theft. Led by Jamie Fielding (keys), Michael Sheridan (guitar), Gavan Dunn (Sax) and James Boddington (Bass) the band was making original music influenced by industrial and independent rock groups. In February 1985 he joined Harem Scarem, a Melbourne-based blues rock group, with Christopher Marshall on lead vocals; his brother, Charles Marshall on bass guitar; Kurt Lindtner on harmonica; David Moll on guitar; and Glen Sheldon on guitar.[7] In September the group reorganised with Moll replaced by Barry Palmer on lead guitar; Lindtner replaced by Chris Wilson on harmonica and saxophone (both ex-Sole Twisters); and Sheldon and Charles Marshall swapped their instruments.[7] Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, described the new ensemble: "Few alternative bands of the day could ever hope to match that line-up for muscular bravado and sheer instrumental firepower".[7]

Harem Scarem issued their first studio album, Pilgrim's Progress, in December 1986 on Au Go Go Records. McFarlane noted that it was a "classic" which had received "great critical acclaim".[7] Trevor Block of Mess+Noise described the re-issue version from 2008 as a "steaming chunk of urban blues from the Yarra delta".[8] Their second album, Lo & Behold, appeared in December 1988 on Citadel Records.[4][7] McFarlane felt it was "another strong release with a more varied approach (rock, blues and soul influences mixed with The Band-like country elements)".[7] As a member of Harem Scarem Jones co-wrote 12 of their tracks including three singles, "Hard Rain" (September 1986), "Miracle Mile" (June 1987) and "Long Time Between Drinks" (December 1988).[7][9] The group disbanded in 1989.[7]

He was also in Stove Top, and recorded with rock band, Lucy's Crown, on their debut album.[10] Jones played with Ross Hannaford, Rowland S. Howard, Lisa Miller, Kate Ceberano,[4] Tinpan Orange,[11] Freakpower and David Hosking.[12]

In mid-1994 Jones was asked to join Crowded House to replace founding drummer, Paul Hester.[4][13] The group were touring the United States and had temporarily used tour mate's Sheryl Crow's drummer Wally Ingram, before Jones could arrive.[14] He remained with the group until they disbanded in June 1996.[4][13] He returned as a guest musician for their Farewell to the World concert in November that year.[4][13] Jones' performance was recorded and appears on the group's live album of the concert, Farewell to the World (November 2006).[15] On the related DVD, founding lead vocalist, Neil Finn, mentions that Jones was a school teacher.

In August 1995 while still a member of Crowded House, Jones formed a pop music side project, Deadstar, with former Harem Scarem bandmate, Barry Palmer on guitar and bass guitar (also in Hunters & Collectors), and Caroline Kennedy (ex-Plums) on lead vocals.[4][16] They issued their debut self-titled album in October, most of the tracks were co-written by the three band members.[16] After Crowded House had disbanded in November of the following year, Deadstar recruited Nick Seymour on bass guitar. The group issued two more studio albums, Milk (August 1997) and Somewhere Over the Radio (September 1999), until they disbanded in 2001.[4][16]

After Deadstar Jones worked as a session musician for various groups including Ross Hannaford's Reggaebites (2002); as a producer he worked on albums by Stephen Cummings (Firecracker, 3 February 2003; Close Ups, 16 August 2000), Tess McKenna (Boom Bam, 2003), and Rebecca Barnard (Fortified, 2006).[4]

From 1999 Jones was at Roxburgh College, initially as a drum instructor and then as a classroom teacher.[3] In March 2011 Jones was diagnosed with brain cancer. He died from the disease on 18 May 2012 in Melbourne, aged 49.[2][3]

References
General
  • McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Whammo Homepage". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-072-1. Archived from the original on 5 April 2004. Retrieved 19 September 2014. Note: Archived [on-line] copy has limited functionality.
Specific
  1. "Crowded House drummer Peter Jones dies at 45". BBC News. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  2. Koha, Nui Te (19 May 2012). "Crowded House drummer Peter Jones dies after battle with brain cancer". News.com.au. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  3. Pereira, Ray; Wakefield, Lynn (9 June 2012). "Kept a Rock-Solid Groove in Music and Life". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  4. Peter Jones entries at Australian Rock Database:
    • Peter Jones: – Holmgren, Magnus. "Peter Jones". passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 24 February 2004. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
    • Vince Jones (1983–84, 1993): – Holmgren, Magnus. "Vince Jones". passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 19 March 2004. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
    • Harem Scarem (1985–89): – Holmgren, Magnus. "Harem Scarem". passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 19 March 2004. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
    • Kate Ceberano and Her Septet (1986–88), Kate Ceberano and Her Sextet (1990): – Holmgren, Magnus. "Kate Ceberano". passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 24 February 2004. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
    • Crown of Thorns (1988–89, 1991): – Holmgren, Magnus. "Crown of Thorns". passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 27 August 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
    • Deborah Conway and The Mothers of Pearl (1991), Rose Amongst Thorns (1991): – Holmgren, Magnus. "Deborah Conway". passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 23 August 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
    • The Saints (1991): – Holmgren, Magnus. "The Saints". passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 15 October 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
    • Crowded House (1994–96): – Holmgren, Magnus. "Crowded House". passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 12 October 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
    • Deadstar (1995–2001): – Holmgren, Magnus. "Deadstar". passagen.se. Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren). Archived from the original on 15 October 2003. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  5. Foster, Michael (14 November 1983). "Canberra Living: Mostly Jazz". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). National Library of Australia. p. 14. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  6. "Sleazy (The Feet), by Apache Run". Apacherun.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  7. McFarlane, 'Harem Scarem' entry. Archived from the original on 15 June 2004. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  8. Block, Trevor. "Harem Scarem – Pilgrim's Progress". Mess+Noise. Sound Alliance. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  9. "'Hard Rain' at APRA search engine". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA). Retrieved 27 July 2014. Note: User may have to click 'Search again' and provide details at 'Enter a title:' e.g Hard Rain; and/or at 'Performer:' Harem Scarem
  11. "Tinpan Orange — Official Website". Tinpanorange.com. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  12. "David Hosking". Davidhosking.com. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  13. McFarlane, 'Crowded House' entry. Archived from the original on 6 April 2004. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  14. Nimmervoll, Ed. "Crowded House". HowlSpace – The Living History of Our Music (Ed Nimmervoll). Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  15. Coleman, Miriam (20 May 2012). "Peter Jones, Drummer for Crowded House, Dead at 45". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  16. McFarlane, 'Deadstar' entry. Archived from the original on 13 August 2004. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
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