PETER DUNTON
English drummer and vocalist. Died Jan 20, 2022. Dunton’s career began in 1960s British psychedelic
bands The Flies, Neon Pearl, Please, and Bulldog Breed. He then succeeded original drummer Louis Farrell in late ’60s British psychedelic / progressive band The Gun. After the demise of Gun, Dunton co-founded British band T2. The band’s debut album It’ll All Work Out In Boomland (1970) is considered as one of the best British psych / prog albums of all time. In the early 2000s, Dunton was playing in psychedelic band Sun Dial, including drumming on their 2002 release Zen For Sale.
Drummer/vocalist Peter Dunton appeared on the crest of stardom when he was tapped to replace
original drummer Louis Farrell in Gun, a late-'60s British psychedelic/progressive band featuring brothers Adrian and Paul Gurvitz. Although he arrived too late to play on the band's most successful recording, "Race With the Devil," his hard-hitting syncopation helped to transform the band's 1969 album, Gunsight, into one of the unsung classics of late-'60s British psychedelia.
Forming a similar band, T2, with bassist Mike Foster and guitarist Ray Lee a few months after Gun's
demise, Dunton released an album, It'll All Work Out in Boomland, in 1970. Although he recorded several subsequent tunes with the group, including a single produced by Dave Edmunds, and a solo single, "Taking Time" b/w "Still Confused," Dunton failed to meet his early potential and faded into obscurity.
Drummer and vocalist Peter Dunton died of brain cancer on January 20, 2022.
THE FLIES COMPLETE COLLECTION 1965 - 1968 (2000)
The Flies, also known as No Flies on Us, were an English psychedelic pop band formed in Wanstead, East London in 1965. Releasing three singles during their recording career, the group is best-remembered for a cover version of "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone". Although the Flies' rendition of the song was not too commercially successful, it, along with the band's other material, has since received notice as a result of "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone"'s appearance on the early psychedelic compilation album Chocolate Soup for Diabetics, Volume 1.
Originally known as the Rebs, the group's line-up featured Robin Hunt (lead vocals, drums), Ian Baldwin (bass), George Haywood (lead guitar), Brian Gill (lead guitar) John Da Costa (rhythm guitar, keyboards), and Peter Dunton (drums). In 1966, the band recorded a British Invasion-exploitation
album on RCA Records, Introducing the In-Sect Direct from London, under the name In-Sect, with all but one of the tracks on the piece being cover versions of contemporary pop hits. Later in the year, the group, then known as No Flies on Us, auditioned for Decca Records by presenting them two demos of songs with one later appearing on the band's debut single: a rendition of Paul Revere and the Raiders' tune "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone" and "Just Won't Do". The Decca label negotiated a record deal with No Flies on Us after they agreed to shorten their moniker to the Flies.
In October 1966, the band re-recorded a psychedelic pop-oriented cover of "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone", along with the new composition "Talk to Me" for the respective A-side and B-side of their debut single. The record became a regional hit, peaking at number 11 on the Wonderful Radio London
Fab 40 charts. With a substantial following circulating around the Flies, the group was picked up as the opening live act for popular English bands such as the Move, the Who, and the Moody Blues. In addition, the Flies held a prominent slot alongside the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the popular club, the Roundhouse, They went through a few line-up changes before parting ways in December, 1968. Members went on to be in Bulldog Breed, The Gun, Please, and T2, amongst other groups.
The Flies – Collection 1965-1968
Label: Won-Sin Music Company – WS 885 657-2
Series: 100 Collection Of The World Best Rock Rarities – 008
Format: CD, Compilation, Reissue, Remastered, Unofficial Release
Released: 2001
Genre:Rock
Style: Beat, Psychedelic Rock
TRACKS
01. The Flies – (I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone
02. The Flies – The Magic Train
03. The Flies – House Of Love
04. The Flies – Turning Back The Page (Demo)
05. The Flies – Gently As You Feel
06. The Flies – Talk To Me
07. The In-Sect – Tired Of Waiting For You (Demo)
08. No Flies On Us But – Just Won't Do (Demo)
09. No Flies On Us But – (I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone (Demo)
10. The Flies – The Magic Train (Demo)
11. Alexander Bell – Alexander Bell Believes
12. Alexander Bell – A Hymn... With Love
13. The Flies – Sincerely Yours (Demo)
14. The Flies – Where (Demo)
15. The In-Sect – There Ain't No Woman (Demo)
16. The Flies – Winter Afternoon (Demo 2)
17. The Flies – It Had To Be You
18. The Flies – The Dancer (Demo)
19. The In-Sect – Reelin' And Rockin'
20. The In-Sect – Ticket To Ride
21. The In-Sect – There Ain't No Woman
22. The Flies – Winter Afternoon (Demo 1)
LINE - UP
Robin Hunt
John Da Costa
Ian Baldwin
Peter Dunton
George Haywood
Flac Size: 314 MB
NEON PEARL - 1967 RECORDINGS 2004
Lost-in-time, dreamy, mysterious sounding British psychedelia from the magical year of 1967, never released at the time. Originated from London circa 1967. The band headed to Germany for
work purposes where the group proved a popular live attraction thanks to their choice of cover material and ‘alternative’ self-composed material. The band was formed to play as a resident band in a club in Germany, but returned to England in late 1967. That same year, the band recorded a number of songs but could not find a record contract. In 2001, Acme released the recordings as the album "1967 Recordings".
These previously unreleased demos were studio versions of the bands live set and display an evocative
line in psychedelic rock with a slight garage psych/folk rock edge. Drifting guitar work and melodic vocal harmonies make this an interesting and unique piece of UK '60s rock history.
Although the band were enjoying some success in the German jazz clubs, Bernard Jinks decided to
return to England leaving room for two German musicians to join the band. Jurgen Ermisch and a man named Holger based themselves in Kassel to rehearse and write material. Further live success ensued, but Peter Dunton decided to return to England re-uniting with Bernard Jinks and joined by Nick Spenser.
The band were eventually given studio time by a music publisher where they recorded several demos.
After the demos were recorded, Spenser left and was replaced by Adrian Gurvitz with Jurgen Ermisch being invited over from Germany to join on keyboards. This reformed outfit would become Please (see entry).
For a brief interim period in 1968, Peter Dunton went on to join The Flies, joining them as drummer
and writing most of their new material for RCA records that year. After RCA’s interest had faded for The Flies’ members split to form other acts such as Infinity (Ian Baldwin and John Da Costa) whilst Dunton teamed up with Neon Pearl associates, Bernard Jinks, Nick Spenser and Jurgen Ermisch to form Please. Peter Dunton later formed T2 (see entry) with Bernard Jinks and Keith Cross.
The music of Neon Pearl is not about complication or extraordinary guitar playing ... Neon Pearl is about the steady redemption of warm fog, ethereal jangling guitars, dream laden lyrics and the altered state of consciousness it's able to bring on through an elegant deep and pervasive sedative drone.
LINE - UP
Peter Dunton
Bernard Jinks
Nick Spenser
(Jörg Ermisch
Pete „Wyoming" Bender)
Written-By [All Songs Written By] – Peter Dunton
The only release of the obscure band Neon Pearl is a real psychedelic pop gem, oftentimes slow, mellow and smooth. The leader of the band was the late Peter Dunton, who played drums (although he could double on all known rock instruments) and sang, he also wrote the songs. His plaintive, calm voice is a perfect ingredient in his brew of mostly slower, darker and tranquil music. Neon Pearl seems to fly rather low above the psychedelic plain, and they feel OK being that low, their songs almost never strive to break higher and wilder. But this is what Peter was about - he was always good at serene and brooding material. Going With The Flow is undoubtedly the highlight of the album, with all the elements perfectly in place -melancholic mood, slow tempo, frowned atmosphere and great effect.
Neon Pearl – 1967 Recordings
Label: Acme – ACLN1001CD, Lion Productions – ACLN 1001 CD
Format: CD, Album, Reissue Feb 15, 2004
Country: UK
Released: 1967
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock
TRACKS
01. What You See 4:58
02. Dream Scream 4:24
03. Out Of Sight 6:59
04. Just Another Day 3:50
05. Forever 5:22
06. Going With The Flow 5:40
07. Urban Ways 4:03
08. Going Back 4:07
BONUS TRACKS
09. Dream 2:23
10. Nothing To Say 1:56
NOTES
All songs written by Peter Dunton, recorded 1967 except tracks 4 & 8, acoustic home demos late 1967.
Flac Size: 233 MB
PLEASE - SEEING STARS 1968 (2001)
Please were formed by Peter Dunton and Bernie Jinks in late 1967. They had just returned to Britain from Germany where they had played with Neon Pearl, which also included their third member
Jurgen Ermisch. The fourth original member Adrian Gurvitz later co-founded Gun. Unfortunately this line-up left no vinyl legacy or unreleased recordings that have been located behind it. They disbanded in May 1968 when Peter Dunton joined The Flies for whom he wrote both sides of their Magic Train 45. When The Flies split up at the end of 1968, Dunton reformed the band (line-up 'B'). Rob Hunt had also been in The Flies.
They recorded all the cuts compiled on this album. Please split again in April 1969 when Peter Dunton joined Gun. The remaining members recruited a new drummer and renamed themselves Bulldog Breed. They later cut the Made In England album. In the Autumn of 1969, Peter Dunton quit Gun to reform
Please with Bernie Jinks and Nick Spenser (ex-Neon Pearl). This incarnation was relatively short-lived as they had difficulty recruiting a suitable keyboard player. In early 1970 Dunton, Jinks and a later Bulldog Breed member Keith Cross joined forces to form T2, who were responsible for the excellent It'll All Work Out In Boomland album. One of T2's tracks, No More White Horses also crops up in a radically different form on Please's 1968/69 retrospective.
(taken from "Tapestry Of Delights")
Line-up 'A': Pete Dunton (vocals, keyboards, drums), Bernie Jinks (bass), Jürgen Ermisch (organ, 1967-68), Adrian Gurvitz (guitar, 1967-68)
Line-up 'B': Pete Dunton (vocals, keyboards, drums), Bernie Jinks (bass), Rod Harrison (guitar, 1968-69), Robin Hunt (vocals, flute, 1968-69), Nick Spenser (guitar, 1968-69)
Line-up 'C': Pete Dunton (vocals, keyboards, drums), Bernie Jinks (bass), Nick Spenser (guitar, 1968-69)
Please – Seeing Stars
Label: Acme – ADCD1028
Series: Acme Deluxe Series
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered 2001
Country: UK
Released: 1968
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock
TRACKS
01. Seeing Stars
02. Words To Say
03. Before
04. Time Goes By
05. The Road
06. Rise & Shine
07. Still Dreaming
08. Secrets
09. Who You Know
10. But
11. Steal Your Dreams
LINE - UP
Backing Vocals, Bass – Bernie Jinks
Drums, Keyboards, Lead Vocals – Peter Dunton
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Nick Spenser
Written-By – Peter Dunton
NOTES
Tracks 1 to 3, 6, 8, 10, 11 - recorded at Marquee Studios, London, September 1969.
Tracks 4, 5, 7, 9 - recorded October 1969.
Flac Size: 244 MB
T2 - IT'LL ALL WORK OUT IN BOOMLAND 1970
T2 were an English progressive rock band, best known for their 1970 album, It'll All Work Out in
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Boomland. It is generally regarded as an excellent album. T2 evolved from an earlier band, Neon Pearl, which was led by their drummer, Pete Dunton. Dunton was by 1968 a member of Please, which also included fellow Neon Pearl member Bernard Jinks. When that band broke up in 1969, due to Dunton's joining Gun alongside Adrian Gurvitz, Jinks became a member of Bulldog Breed.
T2 was formed when Dunton reunited with bassist Jinks, and late period Bulldog Breed guitarist, Keith
Cross. The trio played a form of psychedelic or proto-prog rock, which was similar in content to that played by the earlier bands its members had been in.
T2 were formed and managed by John Morphew, who had previously managed Bulldog Breed; he
financed the formation and successfully signed them to Decca for the then enormous sum of £10,000 in advance royalties and steered their path to what should have been a successful career. However, internal strife caused Morphew to give up on the band and leave them to their own devices.
Recording It'll All Work Out in Boomland, the trio played a series of successful dates, including an
appearance on BBC 2 and returned to the studio to begin work on their follow-up.
However, the number of LPs pressed was limited and associated publicity was poor, hence finding a
copy in a record shop was difficult. (As a result, the rarity of the album meant that a mint copy of the LP some 20 years later would be quoted at around £200). In 1972, while recording material for their second album, T2 disbanded due to internal conflict. The breakup caused the unfinished album to be shelved until the early 1990s.
T2 – It'll All Work Out In Boomland
Label:World Wide Records – SPM-WWR-CD-0032
Format:CD, Album, Reissue 1991
Country:Germany
Released:1970
Genre:Rock
Style:Blues Rock, Hard Rock, Prog Rock
TRACKS
01. In Circles 8:34
02. J.L.T. 5:44
03. No More White Horses 8:35
04. Morning 21:14
05. Questions And Answers 5:17
06. CD 7:01
07. In Circles 9:07
LINE - UP
Bass Guitar, Harmony Vocals – Bernard Jinks
Drums, Lead Vocals, Written-By – Peter Dunton
Engineer – John Burns (tracks: 1 to 4), Mike Butcher (tracks: 1 to 4), Robin Black (tracks: 1 to 4), Roger Quested (tracks: 1 to 4)
Guitar, Keyboards, Harmony Vocals – Keith Cross
