Peter Andrew Willis (born 16 February 1960) is an English musician, songwriter and guitarist, best known as a founding member of the band
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), a ...
. He co-wrote many tracks and played guitar on the band's first three albums: ''
On Through the Night
''On Through the Night'' is the debut studio album by the English rock band Def Leppard, released on 14 March 1980. The album was produced by Tom Allom. It charted at No. 15 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 51 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The album ...
'', ''
High 'n' Dry
''High 'n' Dry'' is the second studio album by the English rock band Def Leppard, released on July 6, 1981. ''High 'n' Dry'' was Pete Willis' last full-time album with Def Leppard. It charted at No. 38 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 26 on ...
'', and ''
Pyromania
Pyromania is an impulse control disorder in which individuals repeatedly fail to resist impulses to deliberately start fires, to relieve some tension or for instant gratification. The term ''pyromania'' comes from the Greek word (''pyr'', 'fi ...
'', which was being recorded at the time of his departure. He was fired from Def Leppard in 1982 and replaced by
Phil Collen
Philip Kenneth Collen (born 8 December 1957) is an English musician who is best known as the co-lead guitarist for the rock band Def Leppard, joining the band in 1982 during the recording of the ''Pyromania'' album. Prior to joining Def Leppa ...
. In 2019, Willis was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
as a member of Def Leppard.
Career
Willis attended
Tapton School
Tapton School is a secondary school with academy status located in Crosspool, in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It is sited next to another secondary, King Edward VII School in Sheffield, and near to Lydgate Junior School in Crosspool, ...
and has been a guitar enthusiast since his youth. He was a fan of
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
.
In his early adult life, he formed a band called
Atomic Mass
The atomic mass (''m''a or ''m'') is the mass of an atom. Although the SI unit of mass is the kilogram (symbol: kg), atomic mass is often expressed in the non-SI unit dalton (symbol: Da) – equivalently, unified atomic mass unit (u). 1&nbs ...
with Nicholas Mackley,
Rick Savage
Richard Savage (born 2 December 1960) is an English musician best known for being the bass guitarist and one of the founding members of the English rock band Def Leppard. Savage and lead singer Joe Elliott are the only two remaining original ...
, Paul Hampshire, and Tony Kenning. He met
Joe Elliott
Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott (born 1 August 1959) is an English–Irish rock singer, best known as the lead singer and one of the founding members of the hard rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of the David Bowie tribute ba ...
in 1977 and invited him to audition for the band, which later became Def Leppard. Willis was one of the main songwriters of the band during their first three albums.
He was dismissed from the band on 11 July 1982, during the recording of ''
Pyromania
Pyromania is an impulse control disorder in which individuals repeatedly fail to resist impulses to deliberately start fires, to relieve some tension or for instant gratification. The term ''pyromania'' comes from the Greek word (''pyr'', 'fi ...
'', due to excessive drinking that hampered his guitar playing, and was replaced by guitarist
Phil Collen
Philip Kenneth Collen (born 8 December 1957) is an English musician who is best known as the co-lead guitarist for the rock band Def Leppard, joining the band in 1982 during the recording of the ''Pyromania'' album. Prior to joining Def Leppa ...
two days later. Willis later recorded with the bands
Gogmagog (with former and current members of
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
) and
Roadhouse.
Willis played
Hamer
Hamer may refer to:
People with the surname Hamer:
*Hamer (surname)
In places:
* Hamer, woreda in Ethiopia
* Hamer, Iran
* Hamer, Idaho, United States
* Hamer, Ohio, United States
* Hamer, South Carolina, Unite ...
Standard guitars almost exclusively during his tenure with Def Leppard.
In 2003, Willis left the music business. He now runs his own property management company in Sheffield.
Personal life
Willis married Lindsay Smith in 1985, and had two sons, Luke and Andrew. The family resides in
Crookes
Crookes is a suburb of the City of Sheffield, England, about west of the city centre. It borders Broomhill to the south, Walkley and Crookesmoor to the east and open countryside around the River Rivelin to the north. The population of the ...
,
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
.
Discography
With Def Leppard
* ''
The Def Leppard E.P.'' (1979) (aka ''Getcha Rocks Off'' EP)
* ''
On Through the Night
''On Through the Night'' is the debut studio album by the English rock band Def Leppard, released on 14 March 1980. The album was produced by Tom Allom. It charted at No. 15 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 51 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The album ...
'' (1980)
* ''
High 'n' Dry
''High 'n' Dry'' is the second studio album by the English rock band Def Leppard, released on July 6, 1981. ''High 'n' Dry'' was Pete Willis' last full-time album with Def Leppard. It charted at No. 38 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 26 on ...
'' (1981)
* ''
Pyromania
Pyromania is an impulse control disorder in which individuals repeatedly fail to resist impulses to deliberately start fires, to relieve some tension or for instant gratification. The term ''pyromania'' comes from the Greek word (''pyr'', 'fi ...
'' (1983)
With Gogmagog
* ''
I Will Be There EP'' (1985)
With Roadhouse
* ''
Roadhouse'' (1991)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willis, Pete
1960 births
Living people
People educated at Tapton School
Def Leppard members
English rock guitarists
English heavy metal guitarists
Lead guitarists
Musicians from Sheffield
Musicians from London
Gogmagog (band) members
20th-century English musicians