Peter Getty

Peter Getty is a Glasgow based singer/songwriter who has been writing and playing since childhood. 

Initially inspired by Peter Criss of KISS, Peter was a drummer/singer, and cut his first record at 13 years old, singing and co writing the track “Here We Call Here We Stand” in 1988.

In the early 90’s, Peter was hired as drummer for The Road Masters, which took him on his first tour, including playing at the three day motorcycle festival on the Scottish Isle of Arran, which lead to his love of motorcycles.

As a songwriter, Peter made the decision to move to centre stage and fronted Glasgow band “Exit” in 1992. He then moved on to performing solo acoustic, and recorded a number of EP’s. As he was still forging his own identity, and had come from a background where musicians rarely used their own names, he performed under many different stage names.

As the late 90’s became a time when singer/songwriters were very much to the fore, and as Peter begun to write more personal songs, he gave up on the idea of ‘rock star’ names, and chose to be himself.

In 2008, Peter wrote a song for another band, very close to his family and heart. He was, however, advised to keep the track for himself, and ultimately recored ‘Burn’ with some studio musicians and released the Burn EP (which contained the track ‘A Rose By Any Other Name’, featuring his real hero, his brother, Punky Mendoza, on guitar)

Shortly afterwards, during a period of personal upheaval, Peter embarked on a ‘Have Guitar, Will Travel’ tour of sorts, performing almost every night in myriad venues, rarely playing the same set twice.

Despite living a somewhat peripatetic and nomadic life, Peter still cut many demos during this period, such as ‘Coming Home’, ‘Shadow Games’, ‘Waiting for the World’, as well as a song that would become fan favourite and a mainstay of sets going forward: ‘Snake Eyes’.

The gigs continued to come thick and fast, including a support slot with renowned American artist Chris Trapper., of The Push Stars.

It was ultimately at this show Peter decided the way ahead was to get a band together once again to push ahead from support slots to headline slots.

The first call made was to friend Mark Robertson to fill the guitar and backing vocal slot, although Mark was much more than that; he was Peter’s foil, his right hand man. His consigliere.

They continued to perform acoustically, as the search for suitable musicians continued.

They did perform two shows as a trio, with a mutual friend on bass, including an afternoon outdoor show in the Sloans Ballroom Courtyard (Peter had previously performed in the Ballroom solo).

 
Recruiting Declyn Emslie on drums & Richi Neville on bass, Peter & The Stone River Band, after only two rehearsals, made their live, full band debut at The ABC2, Glasgow, on Saturday 5th May 2012.

Peter and the band then embarked on a ferocious schedule of gigs and radio performances, often playing two shows a day, or a live radio session in the afternoon then a live show that night; particular highlights being recording a live session for Celtic Music Radio in the afternoon, then playing a raucous show in Box, where not another person could have been squeezed into the venue, and playing a sold out show at Maggie Mays, finishing at 10pm, then Peter and The Band, and all their fans going round the corner to play a late night full band acoustic show in McChuill’s.

Following a no show by Declyn on the day of a headline show, Colin Hunter rocked the drum stool at Stereo, Glasgow. Despite only having a brief run through backstage with Peter, then a soundcheck of ‘Snake Eyes’, the show ended up being one of the best the band had played. 

As Colin was a performer in his own right, the drum stool was vacant as Emslie was obviously fired for his unprofessionalism. 

On the recommendation of Richi,  John Hesford became the band's new drummer. Multi instrumentalist and multi talented Frazer Mackay joined at the same time. 

The expanded Stone River Band made their debut at The Garage, Glasgow, the fuller sound and extra instrumentation allowing Peter to introduce new songs into the already large list of songs the band had performed. 

Peter, Richi and John recorded the debut EP (available here at reverbnation.com) in 2015 and the band continued to perform their powerful and spontaneous live shows, including playing a benefit for the victims of the Clutha helicopter crash incident in Glasgow, the very night after the event. When called upon, Peter and the band did not hesitate to step up, one short week before an incendiary show at Oran Mor, in Glasgow’s West End.

One day short of the anniversary of Peter and The Stone River Band’s debut at the O2 ABC2, they returned, but this time as headliners. 

It was a show of shows, a triumph for the band, and for Peter.

Peter turned down a management and record deal, as it did not include the band, a decision he now describes as “really fucking stupid”, and continued to play the circuit. However, outside influences (‘call them Yoko’s, call them Janine’s; they amount to the same; the end of a band’, as Peter put it), began to create issues, culminating in the loss of a Dutch tour.

Following two shows in one day on August 11th 2018 (at Ivory Blacks and Box), Peter essentially fired the Stone River Band. 

“It’s my name on the bill, and on the bills, and I wasn’t interested in the egos of girlfriends and wives of people I hired to be professionals, people I sacrificed for.” Peter said.

Once again, Peter set off, guitar on back, to play whenever and wherever he could, as well as going to Matchbox Sound, in Hyndland, Glasgow, to record ‘Whose Side Are You On?’ (Which features Peter on drums, bass, guitars, and vocals!) and ‘Can I Go Home Again?’, featuring Raymi Rashid - who produced Peter’s first ever solo demo -  on drums.

Further recording and gigs were halted when the world went into shutdown due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

However, Peter has continued to record and produce and will be releasing an album and book, and performing storytelling shows in 2024.