Pete Wilhoit

Pete Wilhoit
Origin New York City
Genres rock music, alternative rock, jazz
Occupation(s) Drummer, musician
Instruments Drums
Years active 1989–present
Labels MCA, Geffen, Interscope, Roadrunner
Associated acts Fiction Plane, Sharon Corr(of The Corrs), Mike Doughty(of Soul Coughing), Declan O'Rourke
Website www.petewilhoit.com

Pete Wilhoit is an American percussionist and session musician, best known as drummer and backing vocalist for UK rock band Fiction Plane. Wilhoit currently resides in the New York area.

Early years

Crushing it at Henson Studios-Dave Wagstaff

Wilhoit was born in Bloomington, IN and started a band with Bill Maki at Elm Heights Elementary School in 4th grade called The Explosives. He credits his grandfather as his first real musical inspiration.[1]

Pete continued learning the art of rock and jazz drumming throughout middle and high school, playing in several musical projects: Z201, Jake Smith (Mysteries of Life, Antena (band)), The Nixon Tapes/The Nixons, 3rd Man, Gyrogenics Quartet, etc.

He was a founding member of the band The Cutters (Rob Calder, Tommy Berry, Bill Maki) which enjoyed an eleven-year career, releasing two EP’s (one recorded & funded by A&M Records) and two full lengths (released by BMG and Green Van Records). During that time, Pete also played drums on over 35 studio albums and performed numerous live shows, which included Michael McDonald, G.E. Smith and jazz notable James Moody.[1]

He attended Indiana University School of Music and received a Bachelor's degree in Jazz Studies & Percussion. Pete had the fortune of being taught by some of the top drummers/jazz educators in the world, including Shawn Pelton (Saturday Night Live, Sheryl Crow), David Baker, Dominic Spera, Wilber England and Kenny Aronoff.[1]

Fiction Plane

After moving to New York City, he joined the British rock band Fiction Plane in late 2002, and became a full member in 2004. Pete has done extensive touring (including 2 months with Lifehouse), three tours in Japan, 2 tours the UK, a 2-month – 29 date, 25 country – European tour opening for Sting. He shared the stage with such notable musicians as guitarist Dominic Miller, guitarist Lyle Workman, and drummers Abe Laboriel, Jr. and Josh Freese.

In 2005, Fiction Plane recorded and released the Bitter Forces and Lame Race Horses EP for the Geffen imprint, Everybody's Records. The EP was produced by Paul Corkett (The Cure, Placebo (band).

In 2007, Fiction Plane partnered with Corkett again, and recorded Left Side of the Brain and released it on indie label Bieler Bros. Records. Fiction Plane was also the opening act for The Police on The Police Reunion Tour. The band shared the stage with other acts such as The Fratellis, Foo Fighters, Maroon 5 and Maximo Park. The tour ran for over a year, with 87 shows all over the world ending in Hawaii where both bands took the stage for the encore "Next To You". It was a rare moment where Stewart Copeland played guitar in the band and letting Wilhoit handle the drums (as seen on the DVD box set).

The band followed that up with tours with The Feeling, The Bravery, and the 2008 Summer Unity Tour in the U.S. with 311 and Snoop Dogg.

In 2009, Fiction Plane released the live album, Paradiso. Also later that year the band, partnering with Paul Corkett once again, recorded Sparks (Fiction Plane album) in London's RAK studios and released it (in Europe only) later in 2010.

After a year and a half hiatus (in which time Wilhoit toured and recorded with Mike Doughty, Declan O'Rourke, and Sharon Corr), the band started writing sessions together in London, LA, NYC and New Haven CT. The result was a new album in 2015 entitled "Mondo Lumina", loosely translated as "Extreme Light". The album is set for a North American, U.K. and Japanese release in November.

Wilhoit has made appearances with Fiction Plane on several TV shows including "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn", "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", "Taratata" (France), MTV2: "You Hear It First", "E! News Live", "Extra", and "Viewsic on the PLANET" (Japan).

He was voted #3 "Up & Coming" Drummer in the 2009 Modern Drummer Reader's Poll (July issue).[2]

Equipment

Pete uses the following equipment live and in the studio

Selected discography

As session drummer

External links

References

  1. 1 2 3 Official Biography.
  2. ↑ Pete Wilhoit voted into Modern Drummer.
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