Peter Miller (born 26 May 1942,
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
, England), also known as "Big Boy Pete",
is an English singer, songwriter,
recording engineer
An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, ...
and record producer.
Born in Norwich, England, he has lived in San Francisco since 1972. He is a veteran of the 1960s English pop music, starting out with a rock & roll band called the Offbeats, who recorded an EP in 1958, and joining the beat group
Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers in 1961.
He has
toured
''Toured (A Live Album)'' was a live album by Huntington Beach pop punk band Big Drill Car. The concert was recorded live at New York's CBGB's on September 3, 1991, at the beginning of a nineteen-week tour known as ''The Batch World Tour'', in su ...
with
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
,
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
, and most of the rest of the
British Invasion
The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" on b ...
.
He released one of the first English
psychedelic
Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of ...
songs ("Cold Turkey") which placed his name in
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 and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music an ...
. A copy of "Cold Turkey" sold for £250 at
Sotheby's
Sotheby's () is a British-founded American multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City. It is one of the world's largest brokers of fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles. It has 80 locations in 40 countries, and ...
Rock and Roll auction in London.
His 1965 record "Baby I Got News for You" on
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
is also a sought-after
collector's item
A collectable (collectible or collector's item) is any object regarded as being of value or interest to a collector. Collectable items are not necessarily monetarily valuable or uncommon. There are numerous types of collectables and terms t ...
. David Wells, owner of the British archival Tenth Planet
record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...
has released four albums of Miller's 1960s music. They have been released by Dionysus Records and Gear Fab Records in the U.S. Recent releases are also on Raucous Records and Double Crown records. His recording studio in San Francisco recorded the early San Francisco
punk scene
The punk subculture includes a diverse and widely known array of ideologies, fashion, and other forms of expression, visual art, dance, literature, and film. Largely characterised by anti-establishment views, the promotion of individual freedom ...
. Miller is also the founder and CEO of the Audio Institute of America, an online recording engineer school which has taught thousands of students from more than 130 countries around the world.
His debut novel, ''The Ice Cream Man'', was released by Stark House Press in 2023.
The Ice Cream Man
/ref>
Discography
* 1958 ''Introducing the Offbeats'' – Peter Miller & the Offbeats ( EP) Magnegraph Records (Lead Guitar/Songwriter)
* 1962 "Ever Since You Said Goodbye" – Marty Wilde
Marty Wilde, (born Reginald Leonard Smith; 15 April 1939) is an English singer and songwriter. He was among the first generation of British pop stars to emulate American rock and roll, scoring several 1950s hit singles including "Endless Sle ...
(single) Philips
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...
326546 (Lead Guitar)
* 1962 "Can Can 62" / "Redskins" – Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers (single) Decca Decca may refer to:
Music
* Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label
* Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group
* Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label
* Decca Studios, a recording facility in W ...
11531 (Lead Guitar)
* 1963 "Totem Pole" / "Jaywalker" – Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers (single) Decca 11593 (Lead Guitar)
* 1963 "Poet and Peasant" / "Ooh Lala!" – Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers (single) Decca 11659 (Lead Guitar)
* 1964 "Kansas City" / " Parade of the Tin Soldiers" – Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers (single) Decca 11840 (Lead Guitar/Vocal)
* 1964 "If You Love Me" / "You Girl" – Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers (single) Decca 11917 (Lead Guitar/Vocal)
* 1964 "Where Did Our Love Go" / "Caroline" – Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers (single) Piccadilly
Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Court, ...
35199 (Lead Guitar/Vocal)
* 1964 "Tonight You're Gonna Fall" / "Red Cabbage" – Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers (single) Piccadilly 35212 (Lead Guitar/Vocal)
* 1964 "Kansas City" – Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers (compilation album
A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...
: ''Ready Steady Go!'') Decca 4577 (Lead Guitar/Vocal)
* 1965 "Parchman Farm
Mississippi State Penitentiary (MSP), also known as Parchman Farm, is a maximum-security prison farm located in unincorporated Sunflower County, Mississippi, in the Mississippi Delta region. Occupying about of land,[I Count the Tears
"I Count the Tears" is a song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and performed by The Drifters, with Ben E. King singing lead. In 1960, the track reached No. 6 on the U.S. R&B chart, No. 17 on the U.S. pop chart, and No. 28 on the UK Singles C ...]
" – The News (single) Decca 12356 (Lead Guitar)
* 1965 ''Spectre/Solitaire'' – Sounds Orchestral
Sounds Orchestral was a British studio-based easy listening group, assembled by John Schroeder (musician), John Schroeder with Johnny Pearson in 1964.
Career
John Schroeder had worked with Johnny Pearson previously over at Oriole Records (US), ...
(album) Piccadilly 38016 (Composer)
* 1966 "Baby I Got News For You" / "Girl with the Castle" – Peter Miller (single) Columbia 7972 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1966 "Stop!" – The Knack (single) Polydor
Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
602005 (Composer)
* 1966 "The Baby Song" – Boz (single) Columbia 7735 (Composer)
* 1966 "Rumpelstiltskin" – The Magic Lanterns
The Magic Lanterns were an English pop rock/soft rock group formed in Warrington, Lancashire.
Career
They formed in 1962 as The Sabres, playing locally in Manchester and changing their name a few years later. They signed to CBS Records after ...
(single) CBS 202250 (Lead Guitar)
* 1967 "Stop!" – Dan et Vanny (single) Barclay Barclay may refer to:
People
* Barclay (surname)
* Clan Barclay
Places
* Barclay, Kansas
* Barclay, Maryland, a town in Queen Anne's County
* Barclay, Baltimore, Maryland, a neighborhood
* Barclay, Nevada, a town in Lincoln County
* Barclay, ...
71080 (Composer)
* 1968 "Cold Turkey" / "My Love is Like a Spaceship" – Big Boy Pete (single) Camp Records 602005 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1968 "Playboy" – Freddie and the Dreamers
Freddie and the Dreamers were an English beat band that had a number of hit records between 1963 and 1965. The band's stage act was enlivened by the comic antics of Freddie Garrity, who would bounce around the stage with arms and legs flying.
...
(single) Columbia 7929 (Composer)
* 1974 ''Music From Little Flint'' – Pete Miller (album) .22 Records TT2201 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1978 "Can Can 62" / "Totem Pole" – Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers (compilation album: ''The Joe Meek Story'') Decca 19076 (Lead Guitar)
* 1979 "I Hate Disco Music" – Marshall Crenshaw
Marshall Howard Crenshaw (born November 11, 1953) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for hit songs such as " Someday, Someway," a US top 40 hit in 1982, " Cynical Girl," and "Whenever You're on My Mind." He i ...
(single) Loral 001 (Backing Vocalist)
* 1981 ''Pre C.B.S.'' – Peter Miller (album) .22 Records TT2202 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1983 "Can Can 62" – Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers (compilation album: ''The Decca Originals Volume 4'') Decca TAB65 (Lead Guitar)
* 1983 "Can Can 62" – Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers (compilation album: ''Twenty One Hit Wonders'') See For Miles Records
See for Miles Records (SFM) was a British record label which was one of the first British re-issue specialists predating the emergence of compact discs.
See for Miles reissued most of the records of many labels including Dandelion Records on C ...
CM124 (Lead Guitar)
* 1984 "Cold Turkey" – Naz Nomad and the Nightmares Naz or NAZ may refer to:
* Naz (name)
* NAZ (studio), Japanese animation studio
* Naz, Iran, a village in Hormozgan Province, Iran
* Naz, Switzerland, in the canton of Vaud
* Naaz islands, a set of tidal islands in the Persian Gulf, south of Iran
* ...
(album track) Bigbeat WIK21 (Composer)
* 1986 ''Rockin' is My Bizness'' – Peter Miller (album) .22 Records TT2203 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1989 "Baby I Got News for You" – Peter Miller (compilation album: ''English Freakbeat Volume 3'') Archive International AIP10048 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1995 "Double Diamonds" – Shig & Buzz (single) Maitai DD0103 (Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1995 "Spectre" – Shig & Buzz (compilation album: ''Secret Agent Sounds'') Maitai DD0118 (Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1995 "Swept Away" – Shig & Buzz (compilation album: ''21st. Century Surf Sounds'') Orange ORA1007 (Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1996 "Good Luck Charm" – Shig & Buzz (single) Sheena Music MCE38 (Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1996 ''Homage to Catatonia'' – Big Boy Pete (album) Tenth Planet TP026 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1997 ''Summerland'' – Peter Miller (album) Tenth Planet TP030 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1997 ''Homage to Catatonia'' – Big Boy Pete (album) Bacchus Archives
Bacchus Archives is a record label that has often released previous unreleased recordings. Some of the recordings it has released, includes recordings by artists such as The Controllers, Evan "Funk" Davies, The Dils, Peter Miller and Bob Thompso ...
BA1123 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1998 ''Return to Catatonia'' – Big Boy Pete (album) Tenth Planet TP035 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1999 "Baby I Got News For You" – Peter Miller (compilation album: ''The Story of Oak Records'') Wooden Hill WHCD007 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1999 "Baby I Got News For You" – The Bristols (track from – ''Tune In with...'') Damaged Goods
Damaged goods or Damaged Goods may refer to:
* Goods that have been damaged, where goods are items that satisfy human wants and provide utility
* A person considered to be less than perfect psychologically, as a result of a traumatic experience ...
193CD (Composer)
* 1999 "Me" / "Nasty Nazi" – Big Boy Pete (single) 3 Acre Floor Records 3eeAC05 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1999 "Psycho-Relics" – Big Boy Pete (single) Bacchus Archives BA 1137 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 1999 ''Return to Catatonia'' – Big Boy Pete (album) Gear Fab Records GF-139 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 2000 ''Summerland'' – Pete Miller (album) Gear Fab Records GF-147(Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 2000 ''World War IV... A Symphonic Poem'' – Big Boy Pete (album) Gear Fab Records GF-157(Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 2001 ''World War IV... A Symphonic Poem'' – Big Boy Pete (album) Comet Records GFC-414 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 2002 ''London American Boy'' – Big Boy Pete (album) Raucous Records
Raucous Records is a British record label focusing on rockabilly, psychobilly, rock and roll, and surf music. The label has released albums such as "Between The Polecats" by The Polecats, "Rock 'n' Roll Fever" by Jay Chance, "Rockabilly Expres ...
RAUCD-105 (Vocal/Lead Guitar)
* 2002 ''Big Boy Pete Treats'' – The Squires of the Subterrain (album) Rocket Racket Records RRCD-209 (Composer/Producer)
* 2002 ''Strawberries on Sunday'' – The Squires of the Subterrain (album) Rocket Racket Records RRCD-210 (co-producer)
* 2003 ''Great British Rock 'N' Roll and Rockabilly Collection – Vol. 3'' – Big Boy Pete (compilation album) Raucous Records RAUCD-120(Vocal)
* 2004 ''The Margetson Demos'' – Big Boy Pete (album) Gear Fab Records GF-206 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 2005 ''Rock-Ola'' – Bonney & Buzz (album) Double Crown Records DCCD-20 (Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 2006 ''The Perennial Enigma'' – Big Boy Pete (album) Angel Air
Angel Airlines, trading as Angel Air, was an airline based in Bangkok, Thailand, which was operational between 1998 and 2003.
Destinations
Over the years, Angel Airlines flew to the following destinations:
Thailand
* Bangkok — Don Mueang In ...
SJPCD-224 (Vocal/Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 2007 ''Rock It Racket'' – The Squires of the Subterrain and Big Boy Pete (album) Rocket Racket Records RRCD2112 (Vocal/Lead Guitar)
* 2007 ''Seasonal Favorites Vol.2'' – Big Boy Pete (compilation album) Double Crown Records DCCD28 (Vocal/Guitar)
* 2008 ''Bang It Again!'' – Bonney & Buzz (album) Double Crown Records DCCD29 (Guitar)
* 2010 ''Bark!'' - Big Boy Pete (CD) .22 Records TT2203-A (Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 2010 ''Winklepickin'' - Big Boy Pete and the Offbeats skiffle group (CD) .22 Records TT2204 (Guitar/Banjo//Vocals/Composer)
* 2010 ''Be Dreamers'' - Kelley Stoltz (CD) Sub Pop Records SP890 (Guitar/Composer/Producer of one track)
* 2012 ''Merry Skifflemas!'' - Big Boy Pete and Hilton Valentine (CD) .22 Records TT2205 (Vocals/Guitar/Composer)
* 2012 ''Jaywalkin - Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers (CD) Cherry Red Records, Retro 906 (Lead Guitar/Composer)
* 2012 ''Play Rough'' - Bonney & Buzz (CD) Double Crown Records DCCD 47 (Guitars/Composer)
* 2012 ''Cold Turkey'' - Big Boy Pete (CD) Gear Fab Records GF 258 (Vocals/Guitars/Composer)
* 2013 ''Hitmen'' - Big Boy Pete and The Squire (CD) Rocket Racket Records RRCD221 (Vocals/Guitars/Composer)
* 2013 ''Through The Back Door'' - Big Boy Pete (CD) 22 Records TT-2206 (Vocals/Guitars/Composer)
* 2016 ''Miller's Tales'' - Big Boy Pete (DVD) 22 Records TT-2207 (Vocals/Guitars/Composer)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Peter
1942 births
Living people
English male singers
English rock guitarists
English pop guitarists
English male guitarists
English male songwriters
English record producers
Musicians from Norwich