Pete Molinari

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Cover of Walking Off The Map, released in 2006
Cover of Walking Off The Map, released in 2006

Pete Molinari is a singer/songwriter from Chatham, Kent.

Contents

[edit] Background

Molinari was born into a large Maltese-Italian-Egyptian family in Chatham, Kent. As a youngster Molinari, unlike his friends, who listened to popular artists at the time such as Nirvana and Oasis, he developed a deep infatuation with the Billie Holliday, John Coltrane, Leadbelly, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan records of his much older brothers.[1]

Intending to visit New York for a month, Molinari ended up travelling around the USA for two years where he built up a cult following, playing the bars and cafes of New York’s Greenwich Village like the Bitter End, The Gaslight Cafe, Cafe Wha?, Cafe Del Artista – places where Jack Kerouac and his beat poets read and also the likes of Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and Bob Dylan all played. While in America, he played with some of the players that were part of Bob Dylan/Phil Ochs scene like Justin Devereaux and Eric Fransen[2].

[edit] Walking Off The Map

When he returned to Chatham the painter/poet/musician Billy Childish suggested recording an album. The subsequent result, Walking Off The Map was recorded live in Billy's kitchen on a Revox tape and was released in 2006 on Damaged Goods Records. Pete's distinctive voice, as remarkable for its ability to distil folk-roots history as for its crystalline resonance was perfectly captured on this album, along with his acoustic guitar and the occasional percussion/harmonica part by Wolf Howard and Jim Riley. Billy's wife Julie also sang on the album.

Following this, a double A-side single "A Virtual Landslide"/"There She Still Remains" was released on Big Bertha records, a label run by journalist Will Hodgkinson[3]. This then led to coverage national newspapers such as The Guardian and The Observer[4][5], a set at the Glastonbury festival[6], a closing set at the Spitz Festival Of Country and several support shows with James Hunter[7]. He also toured in Europe with Holly Golightly, and in Australia with Ash Grunwald.

Cover of the A Virtual Landslide single, released in 2006
Cover of the A Virtual Landslide single, released in 2006

[edit] A Virtual Landslide

Pete's second album, A Virtual Landslide, was released on the Damaged Goods Records label on 14 April 2008. With a full band and producer Liam Watson, the album was recorded at the famous Toe Rag Studios renowned for using analogue equipment which captures the sound of 60s & 70s recordings.[1]. He is currently supporting Richard Hawley on tour.

[edit] References

  1. ^ PETE MOLINARI. Damaged Goods. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  2. ^ » ARTIST INTERVIEW: Pete Molinari at Quiet Paws. Quiet Paws. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  3. ^ Big Bertha - Meet The Gang. Big Bertha records. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  4. ^ David Geffen, your reign is over. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  5. ^ We came, we played, we sank. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  6. ^ We came, we played, we sank. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.
  7. ^ PETE MOLINARI. Damaged Goods. Retrieved on 2008-05-20.

[edit] External links