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Band Profile:
Pete Smith
Guitars/vocals




 I was born at an early age to surprised parents who really wanted a dog. After a brief sojourn with the mini-banjo (see pic below left) I moved on to the piano, but it got too heavy for my mother to drag around, so I took up the guitar instead.


Gear list
Gibson 335 Gibson Blueshawk Fender Telecaster Roland Cube 60 MosValve RT-100 Ernie Ball Volume Pedal
My first guitar was a cheap foreign acoustic adorned with the word ‘Mersey’ (as was nearly everything at that time) but then, ten quid was a lot of money in those days.

By the time I was seventeen I had mastered enough chords (two) to be able to go out and join a band called ‘Dickie and the Donuts’ (it was nearly ‘Ricky and the Rock Cakes’ – you decide). Despite the oh-so-amusing name the band featured much local talent, including the legendary Mik Fletcher on bass. However, when they heard my efforts on the guitar I was immediately given keyboard duties Undaunted, I persevered and eventually bought my first electric guitar, an ‘Eros’ Les Paul. Mmm, lovely.

I eventually acquired some decent equipment, and stints with various bands followed, during which time I also took up the bass, which I still enjoy playing. Interestingly, one of the bands I played with during this period featured no less a personage than one Tilley, S. on drummage.

By the late seventies I was pro, playing American Army and Air Force bases all over Germany. The Americans were a friendly lot, whose favourite shout seemed to be ‘Take a break’! Then followed years of summer seasons, hotels, holiday camps, trips to Florida, Jersey, yes, I saw the world and got paid for it (not much). I also did a few recording sessions at London studios such as CTS and Abbey Road and I still have a few 7” records (wazzat?) that feature my playing.


Fast Facts
Favourite Dan Tracks:
Hard to say, they’re all so good, maybe Third World Man
Favourite guitarist:
The man, Larry C
Favourite lightning:
Chain
Favourite wife:
Mine
Favourite dog:
Biffer
Favourite kid:
Charlemagne
Favourite band member:
Hard to say, they're all so good.

In November 2005 I was pleasantly surprised to get a call from Simon, who was trying to put a Steely Dan-type band together. He had already secured the talents of Bob Phillips on bass, and he was wondering whether I would be interested. Would I? Is the Pope a Catholic? We found a keyboard player and another guitarist and arranged an initial run-through just to see what would happen, but unfortunately not much did.

It took almost another year, by which time it looked as though the whole thing was about to implode, before we finally found the two missing links, if you’ll pardon the expression. With Ray Drury and Mick ‘fantastic’ Steele on board the whole project took off like a rocket and has been gaining momentum ever since. It is every player’s dream to play with a group of guys who have all been through the musical mill and who are all pointing in the same direction. Steely Scam is the realisation of that dream, and it just keeps getting better and better.
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