Pete Thomas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pete Thomas (born on 9 August 1954 in Hillsborough, Sheffield, England) is best known as the longtime drummer for Elvis Costello.
Following early work with Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers and John Stewart, Thomas was recruited as a member of Costello's backing band The Attractions in 1977. Elvis Costello & The Attractions would spend the next decade touring the world, and recording nine albums, including This Year's Model (1978), Get Happy!! (1980), and Blood & Chocolate (1986).
Although Costello split with The Attractions between 1987 and 1993, he continued to work regularly with Thomas during this period. Thomas played drums on the albums Spike (1989), Mighty Like a Rose (1991), and Kojak Variety (recorded in 1990 but not released until 1995) and was a member of Costello's 1989-1991 touring band, The Rude 5.
In 1994, Thomas was part of a trio that included vocalist/avant garde opera diva Diamanda Galas, and former Led Zeppelin bassist/multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones who recorded The Sporting Life.
Costello reunited with The Attractions for the albums Brutal Youth (1994) and All This Useless Beauty (1996). After Costello split with The Attractions for a second time, Thomas worked for the next few years primarily as a session drummer, recording with such artists as Suzanne Vega, Neil Finn, Vonda Shepard, Sheryl Crow, and John Paul Jones. During this period he also relocated from London to Los Angeles, and played local gigs with bassist Davey Faragher and guitarist Val McCallum under the band name Jack Shit. He also played on the Elliott Smith album Figure 8 (Dreamworks) 2000) on the songs "Junk Bond Trader," "Wouldn't Mama Be Proud?," and "Can't Make A Sound".
In 2001 Costello recruited Thomas, Faragher, and fellow Attraction Steve Nieve to record the album that became When I Was Cruel (2002). Elvis Costello & The Imposters, as they were subsequently named, have gone on to tour extensively, and recorded the album The Delivery Man (2004).
Thomas lives in Los Angeles, with his wife Judy. Their daughter Tennessee is drummer for the band The Like. In 2003 Pete Thomas was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions.
[edit] External links
| Squeeze |
|---|
| Chris Difford • Glenn Tilbrook |
| Former members: Paul Gunn • Harry Kakoulli • Jools Holland • Gilson Lavis • John Bentley • Paul Carrack • Don Snow • Chris Holland • Keith Wilkinson • Andy Metcalfe • Matt Irving • Pete Thomas • Kevin Wilkinson • Ashley Soan • Hilaire Penda • Chris Braide |
| Management and Producers: Miles Copeland III • John Cale • John Wood • Roger Bechirian • Elvis Costello • Dave Edmunds • Nick Lowe • Phil McDonald • Laurie Latham• Eric "ET" Thorngren • Steve Forward • Tony Berg • Peter Smith |
| Discography |
| EPs: Packet of Three |
| Studio Albums: U.K. Squeeze • Cool for Cats • Argybargy • East Side Story • Sweets from a Stranger • Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti • Babylon and On • Frank • Play • Some Fantastic Place • Ridiculous • Domino |
| Singles: See here |
| Related articles |
| New Wave music • Difford & Tilbrook • A&M Records • Reprise Records • Ark 21 Records • IRS Records • Quixotic Records |
