Sketching New Sounds: Peter Daltrey's Post-Kaleidoscope Canvas

For many, Peter Daltrey is synonymous with the psychedelic sounds of Kaleidoscope and Fairfield Parlour. But his musical journey didn't end when those bands did. Since the mid-1990s, Daltrey has been crafting a rich and varied solo discography that deserves just as much attention. Let's take a trip through Peter's post-Kaleidoscope musical odyssey.

The Solo Adventure Begins

After Kaleidoscope/Fairfield Parlour disbanded in the early '70s, Daltrey's musical output went quiet for a couple of decades. But beneath the surface, a new chapter was brewing. As Peter recalls:

"We had been confined to history. Well, not even that. Forgotten. But rumbling along below the surface people were exchanging cassettes of our music and eventually we were rediscovered."

This rediscovery sparked something in Daltrey. He began writing his own songs, expanding beyond his previous role as just a lyricist. In his own words:

"I was frustrated and began writing my own songs. A gentle learning curve. I had only ever written the lyrics to our songs, now I was writing the melodies as well...and learning how to be a better musician and learning how to record on mind-numbingly complicated software."

Peter's journey into solo work was not just artistic, but technological. He recalls, "To get to this point I had worked on Sinclair and Commodore 64 computers using basic DAW software combined with a state of the art digital keyboard workstation. I then decided to climb the very steep learning curve of Cubase, a sophisticated music production software program that proved frustrating and rewarding in equal measures."

The Early Solo Years

Peter's solo debut, "Dream On," arrived in 1995. While he admits it shows the signs of those first steps in writing and recording, it also produced "Dust," a song he describes as "a heart-felt musing on life itself and our place in the big picture."

The late '90s saw Daltrey honing his craft with albums like "English Roses" and "When we were Indians." About the latter, Peter notes: "'Indians' is a metaphorical look back at the Kaleidoscope brotherhood. My band. My friends. My youth."

Daltrey's early solo work quickly gained attention. In 1999, Blueprint invited him to compile a 'Best of...' collection for CD release. As Peter humorously notes, "Crikey, I thought, a best of already...!" This compilation included a special unreleased track, "Candy," featuring "a blistering guitar solo from the multi-instrumentalist Dutch rock god, my mate Arjen Lucassen."

Collaborations and Experimentation

As the new millennium dawned, Daltrey's creative spirit led him to collaborate with other artists. A particularly fruitful partnership emerged with Damien Youth, resulting in albums like "Nevergreen" (2000) and "Tattoo" (2002). Peter describes "Tattoo" as "one of my own personal favourites with its humble emphasis on the simplicity of the marriage between voice and guitar."

The 2000s also saw Daltrey experimenting with spoken word elements under the name Link Bekka, and even forming a "virtual band" called The Morning Set with Damien Youth.

Under the nom de plume of Link Bekka, Peter released a series of experimental albums featuring spoken elements. These included "Pittsburg Warhola" (2003), "The madness of King Bekka," "Saharaville" (2007), "Jack's Town" (2008) featuring Derek Head on saxophone, "Fractured" (2009), and "Errinern" (2010).

Reissues and Compilations

As Peter's solo career gained momentum, his earlier work began to receive renewed attention. In 2010, Vinita Joshi of Rocket Girl Records recognized the enduring appeal of Daltrey's solo material. The label released "Heroine/Tattoo," a double CD combining two of Peter's earlier albums. This compilation introduced Peter's solo work to a new generation of listeners and reaffirmed his status as a psychedelic pioneer.

Following closely on its heels, in early 2011, Karl Anderson of Global Recording Artists released "King of Thieves: The Best of Peter Daltrey/Volume 2." This compilation further cemented Peter's place in the psychedelic pantheon, showcasing the breadth and depth of his solo output.

A Psychedelic Renaissance

In 2012, Daltrey found himself collaborating with contemporary psych masters Asteroid #4, resulting in the album "The Journey." This project allowed Peter to revisit his psychedelic roots while pushing into new territory.

This collaboration came about through Damien Youth's matchmaking. As Peter recounts, "Damien now emerged from his hermit's cave to take on the role of matchmaker...and in doing so initiated a major change in my career and spawned one of own personal favourite albums." The experience even led to live performances: "I hopped on a big bird, had a week of rehearsals with Rob Bartholomew, Christof Certik and Cheryl Caddick and enjoyed three time-warped gigs."

American Adventure

It led to an exciting new chapter in his career - live performances in the United States. As Peter recounts:

"Damien wasn't finished with his experiments in changing my life. He now linked me up with some of his musician friends who also happened to be Kaleidoscope aficionados...and I suddenly found an invitation to do some gigs in California. I hesitated, but my missus wisely cautioned that if I turned down this trip way down memory lane I would regret it for the rest of my life."

This Californian adventure in 2012 was just the beginning. In 2013, Peter embarked on a more extensive tour of America, bringing his unique blend of classic psychedelia and contemporary songwriting to audiences across the country.

Coinciding with this tour, Burger Records released a cassette compilation of Peter's solo work titled "Tales of ordinary madness." This release, in true Burger Records fashion, introduced Peter's music to a hip, younger audience and solidified his status in the neo-psychedelic scene.

Recent Works

Despite the whirlwind of activity in the early 2010s, Peter notes that "this was followed by two fallow years." However, this quiet period would prove to be the calm before a new storm of creativity.

In 2020, amid the COVID-19 lockdowns, Daltrey found a new collaborator in Mark Mortimer. Peter describes the process: "We soon decided to collaborate in the hope that we might gel and eventually produce enough songs for an album. Well, there was no holding back these two tethered race horses. We galloped at break neck speed to the finishing line and found ourself with a very satisfying album."

In recent years, Peter has been as prolific as ever. His collaboration with Mark Mortimer resulted in "Running through Chelsea" (2023), which Daltrey describes as "punching through my usual melancholy with mystical and brassy energy."

Think Like A Key Music has been proud to release Peter's recent solo efforts, including "The Leopard and the Lamb" (2023) and "The Rhymer in the Long-Tongued Room" (2024). On these albums, Peter continues to refine his songcraft, always aiming for that perfect pop song. As he puts it:

"Buddy Holly was my hero as a teenager...he invented pop music and the small group format. My intention has always been to write a good pop song."

About his recent work, Peter reflects, "I also like to have variations of mood, each song a mini chapter of the whole musical story. I also like to inject some humour as po-faced doom and gloom is not very listener friendly across an entire album no matter how intense the songs are."

Looking Forward

Even after decades in the music business, Peter Daltrey shows no signs of slowing down. He's currently working on another collaboration with Mark Mortimer and has hinted at new material for an upcoming Kaleidoscope/Fairfield Parlour box set.

Interestingly, Peter reveals a personal quirk about his work: "I doubt you will believe this, but I never listen to my albums once they're released. I move on immediately. I expect the majority of musicians do the same. We don't sit around listening to our music congratulating ourselves on how wonderful we are. We always look forward, never back."

In Peter's own words: "So...onwards and upwards. I'm still looking for that pop song."

For fans of Kaleidoscope and Fairfield Parlour, Peter Daltrey's solo career offers a treasure trove of musical gems waiting to be discovered. From introspective acoustic numbers to psychedelic journeys, Daltrey's post-Kaleidoscope output showcases an artist constantly evolving, always seeking new ways to express himself through song.

Dive into Peter Daltrey's solo catalog - you might just find your new favorite album hiding there.