Pete Overend Watts, best known as the bass player in 70s glam rock outfit Mott the Hoople has died age 69. I only found this out yesterday as there was an obituary in The Guardian.
I knew Pete, not through any musical connection, but because he was a shy member of the Bongo Fury club. Indeed, he was going to attend this year's Bongo Bash to present this year's Bongonaut of the Year award.
In his later years, and in between various Mott reunions, Pete was a carp fisherman, antiques dealer, published author and, above all else, a keen long distance walker. His Bongo was bought to support himself on his travels. The only long distance trail in Britain that he failed to conquer was the Owain Glyndwr Way. There was talk of us completing it together in 2018.
Pete was notorious here at Bongo Mission Control, both for being a thoroughly nice man, and also because of the sense of alarm within the team when he rang. It was a case of "Oh no! What's happened to Pete now?"
This was due to various things, the most memorable sequence of events being that
a) his local garage discovered a nest of mice in his air intake during a routine service,
b) having removed the visitors, garage left oily rag in air intake,
c) Pete's Bongo filled with smoke on the A40; and
d) while parked overnight outside garage to get remains of oily rag removed, someone stole his catalytic converter.
There are other stories I could tell, but Pete would have been embarassed.
So farewell Pete Watts, you will be missed here at Bongo HQ. And yes, your middle name really was "Overend". And you really were the first to wear thigh length hi-heel boots on Top of the Pops. How cool was that?
Here's a tribute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R-eyw3eHAU
Pete Overend Watts
Moderator: Bob
Pete Overend Watts
668. The Neighbour of The Beast.
Re: Pete Overend Watts
So sorry the hear this sad news.
Music of my era.
Music of my era.
- mikeonb4c
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Re: Pete Overend Watts
How very sad indeed. I met him i think c1978 when we supported British Lions (an offshoot of Mott) on their first gig. Strangely, the band i was in reunited last year and are now recording some of songs we played around then (we can a connection with Bowie and the Spiders also, who in turn had a connection with Mott etc).
What a great shame i never knew we'd both ended up as ramblers with a passion for Bongos or I might have reminded him of that night.
Musos that pass in the night (in Bongos).
RIP POW.
What a great shame i never knew we'd both ended up as ramblers with a passion for Bongos or I might have reminded him of that night.
Musos that pass in the night (in Bongos).
RIP POW.
- helen&tony
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Re: Pete Overend Watts
Hi
Sad, indeed...R.I.P.
Pretty dangerous age, it seems
Cheers
Helen
Sad, indeed...R.I.P.
Pretty dangerous age, it seems
Cheers
Helen
In the beginning there was nothing , then God said "Let there be Light".....There was still nothing , but ,by crikey, you could see it better.
- mikeonb4c
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Re: Pete Overend Watts
Yes indeed. The Old Man's 27. Just about to reach three score and ten, and then....helen&tony wrote:Hi
Sad, indeed...R.I.P.
Pretty dangerous age, it seems
Cheers
Helen
Re: Pete Overend Watts
As the old saying goes:
If sixty-nine
Puffs you out
Admit you're old
And don't get it out
If sixty-nine
Puffs you out
Admit you're old
And don't get it out
668. The Neighbour of The Beast.
- mikeonb4c
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Re: Pete Overend Watts
I'd not heard that one. 5 years (as Bowie sang) before i have to pee in my pants then.....or have i misunderstood (as The Animals sang)Ian wrote:As the old saying goes:
If sixty-nine
Puffs you out
Admit you're old
And don't get it out
Re: Pete Overend Watts
It is so sad to hear of the loss of another Bongonaut...
I never knew or met him...but the character that you describe Ian means that I wish I had....
We are losing so many of our characters from the forum lately.....but will never be forgotten..
Alan
I never knew or met him...but the character that you describe Ian means that I wish I had....
We are losing so many of our characters from the forum lately.....but will never be forgotten..
Alan
Alan...still plodding on....!