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Pete Molinari

 
Artist: Pete Molinari
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Pop Artists

Similar Artists:

Justin Townes Earle, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Dave Van Ronk, David Bromberg, Phil Ochs

Influenced By:

Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly

Formal Connection With:

Liam Watson
  • Active: 2000s
  • Genres: Folk
  • Instrument: Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals, Guitar
  • Representative Albums: "A Virtual Landslide," "Walking Off the Map"

Biography

A British singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Pete Molinari draws on the ghosts of Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, and Phil Ochs and the spirit of the great folk revival of the 1960s for his inspiration, and by looking to and drawing on this musical past, he manages to channel it into a fresh and still reverent contemporary sound. Born into a large Maltese/Italian/Egyptian family in Chatham, Kent, Molinari fell early under the spell of his older brothers' record collections, and grew up fascinated by the music of John Coltrane, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Scott, Leadbelly, Hank Williams, Billie Holiday, and others from a bygone era. After reading Guthrie's Bound for Glory and Jack Kerouac's On the Road, he was inspired to set off for New York City and spent a couple of years playing and honing his performing skills in the legendary folk and blues clubs there, also finding time to visit Memphis, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Los Angeles before returning to Chatham, where he recorded his debut album, 2006's Walking Off the Map, on an old Revox tape machine in his friend Billy Childish's kitchen. For the follow-up, 2008's A Virtual Landslide, Molinari worked with producer Liam Watson at Toe Rag Studios, and the album included some tracks with a full band and a throwback sound that was still somehow fresh and contemporary even as it suggested echoes from another time. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: Pete Molinari
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Pete Molinari
Born 1974
Chatham, Kent, England
Occupations Singer-songwriter, Musician
Instruments Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica
Associated acts Billy Childish

Pete Molinari is a singer/songwriter from Chatham, Kent.

Contents

Biography

Pete Molinari was born into a large Maltese-Italian family in Chatham, Kent. He developed a deep infatuation with the Billie Holliday, John Coltrane, Leadbelly, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan records of his older brothers[1].

Intending to visit New York for a month, Molinari ended up travelling around the USA for two years where he built up a cult following, playing the bars and cafes of New York’s Greenwich Village like the Bitter End, The Gaslight Cafe, Cafe Wha?, Cafe Del Artista – places where Jack Kerouac and his beat poets read and also the likes of Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and Bob Dylan all played. While in America, he played with some of the players that were part of Bob Dylan/Phil Ochs scene like Justin Devereaux and Eric Fransen[2].

2008 saw Molinari's inaugural solo headlining tours of the UK, Northern Ireland and continental Europe, as well as support slots with Richard Hawley.

In 2009, Pete released an EP of classic country covers - "Today, Tomorrow and Forever", "A Satisfied Mind", "Tennessee Waltz" and "Guilty" - recorded in Nashville with The Jordanaires. His forthcoming third album was also recorded in Nashville.

Walking Off The Map

Cover of Walking Off The Map, released in 2006

When Molinari returned to Chatham following his New York trip, the painter/poet/musician Billy Childish suggested recording an album. The subsequent result, Walking Off The Map was recorded live in Childish's kitchen on a Revox tape and was released in 2006 on Damaged Goods Records. Molinari's distinctive voice, as remarkable for its ability to distil folk-roots history as for its crystalline resonance, was perfectly captured on this album, along with his acoustic guitar and the occasional percussion/harmonica part by Wolf Howard and Jim Riley. Childish's wife Julie also sang on the album.

Following this, a double A-side single "A Virtual Landslide"/"There She Still Remains" was released on Big Bertha records, a label run by journalist Will Hodgkinson[3]. This then led to coverage national newspapers such as The Guardian and The Observer[4][5], a set at the Glastonbury festival[6], a closing set at the Spitz Festival Of Country and several support shows with James Hunter[7]. He also toured in Europe with Holly Golightly, and in Australia with Ash Grunwald.

Cover of the A Virtual Landslide single, released in 2006

A Virtual Landslide

Molinari's second album, A Virtual Landslide, was released on the Damaged Goods Records label on 14 April 2008. With a full band and producer Liam Watson, the album was recorded at the famous Toe Rag Studios renowned for using analogue equipment which captures the sound of 60s & 70s recordings.[1].

References

  1. ^ "ARTIST INTERVIEW: Pete Molinari". Quiet Paws. http://quietpaws.com/?p=140. Retrieved 2009-06-21. 
  2. ^ "ARTIST INTERVIEW: Pete Molinari". Quiet Paws. http://quietpaws.com/?p=140. Retrieved 2009-06-21. 
  3. ^ "Big Bertha - Meet The Gang". Big Bertha records. http://www.bigbertharecords.turnpiece.net/image/2934. Retrieved 2008-05-20. 
  4. ^ "David Geffen, your reign is over". The Guardian. http://music.guardian.co.uk/folk/story/0,,2238484,00.html. Retrieved 2008-05-20. 
  5. ^ "We came, we played, we sank". The Guardian. http://music.guardian.co.uk/rock/story/0,,2125087,00.html. Retrieved 2008-05-20. 
  6. ^ "We came, we played, we sank". The Guardian. http://music.guardian.co.uk/rock/story/0,,2125087,00.html. Retrieved 2008-05-20. 
  7. ^ "PETE MOLINARI". Damaged Goods. http://www.damagedgoods.co.uk/petemolinari/index.html. Retrieved 2008-05-20. 

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Pete Molinari (Folk Artist, 2000s)
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