Pete heads home to tour

Jul 23 2008 by Gordon Robertson, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

IT IS a long way from Kirkwood to the hills of Los Angeles – but for Coatbridge-born songwriter Pete MacLeod it has helped him find exactly what he wants from the music industry.

Pete and his band The Star 69 were not short of admirers back home, as sell out gigs at King Tuts, The ABC and appearances at T in the Park will testify.

But since he has moved Stateside he has matured musically and established himself as a songwriter for the Myspace generation.

He recently appeared in Q magazine’s top 50 artistes to download on Myspace, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Madonna and Radiohead and has also caught the attention of Alan McGee, the man who signed Oasis.

Pete said: “I wanted to play at Alan’s club a few years back with my band and got in touch with him. He e-mailed me saying he loved my songs and would book a gig for me.

“I moved to LA and said maybe next time I’m in London I would do one. He said ‘let’s just do one in LA and I’ll help you promote your songs and DJ’. We did that and it was a good night. He’s a great guy.”

Fans back home will get a chance to see Pete in action in November when he is co-headlining with former Oasis guitarist Bonehead around the UK.

“I am really looking forward to coming back home. I haven’t been back since I supported Ocean Colour Scene last year, so when Bonehead mentioned that he was into my songs and would be up for it, I thought, sounds like a good laugh, let’s do it!”

With his debut album selling out, Pete has now made the whole album available for download from his website for free as a thank you to everyone who has supported him.

On what the future holds, Pete is philosophical: “The music industry is in turmoil at the moment. As long as I feel like playing music I will. If people like it, all the better.”

You can catch Pete in action with Bonehead when they play at Pivo, Pivo in Glasgow on November 22. “It is going to be great,” Pete said, ”just Bonehead and myself playing my songs on acoustic guitars. It’ll be a bit of a party.”

Visit Pete’s website at www.petemacleod.net to download his album for free.