| Peter Overend Watts | |
|---|---|
Overend Watts performing with Mott the Hoople, reunion gig, Hammersmith Apollo, October 2009 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Peter Watts |
| Born | 13 May 1947 |
| Origin | Birmingham, England |
| Genres | Rock, hard rock, glam rock |
| Occupations | Bass guitarist, vocalist, record producer |
| Instruments | Bass guitar, acoustic guitar |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Labels | Chrysalis, Island, Vertigo |
| Associated acts | Mott the Hoople, British Lions |
| Notable instruments | |
| Gibson Thunderbird | |
Peter Overend Watts (born Peter Watts, 13 May 1947, Yardley, Birmingham, England) is a bass guitar player and founding member of 1970s rock band, Mott the Hoople. He continued with Dale "Buffin" Griffin and Morgan Fisher in the Mott successor British Lions, until their demise around 1979.
Overend's bass of choice was a white Gibson Thunderbird, one of which was later sold to Wishbone Ash bassist Martin Turner. In 1978 he sold Shanne Bradley, female bassist with The Nipple Erectors, The Nips and The Men They Couldn't Hang, a customized cream Gibson Thunderbird bass guitar which can be heard on many of her recordings.
Watts later became a record producer and is credited with producing albums for artists such as Hanoi Rocks, Dumb Blondes, Lenny Kravitz, The Scientists, Department S, XTC, John Martyn, Melanie, Kirsty MacColl, The Cult and Lloyd Cole.[1]
In January 2009 it was confirmed that Watts and the other original members of Mott the Hoople would reform for three 40th anniversary reunion concerts in October 2009.[2] The reunion at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London, England was extended to 5 shows due to popular demand.[3]
Urban legend claims that the name "Overend" came about from the comment "he fell arse over end" after a fall over some equipment. However, it is actually his father Ronald's middle name. His mother was Joan Aylwin Lineker.
Quote from Dale Griffin: " His father is Ronald Overend Watts and Watts is Peter Overend Watts. He gets mad when Overend is put in quotes. Back in 1972, the people in the press thought it was some kind of sexual reference - “Over End” or something. But it’s from Cumbria in the north of England. It’s from up there."
His preferred shoes were thigh-high platform boots. The late Arthur "Killer" Kane of the New York Dolls was inspired by Overend Watts.
In August 2009 American rock music group Mambo Sons released a song in tribute to him entitled "Overend Watts".[4]
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||