Peter Van Hooke

Pete Van Hooke
Birth name	Peter Van Hooke
Born	6 April 1950 (1950-04-06)
Origin	Stanmore, Middlesex, UK
Genres	Various
Occupations	Musician, composer, producer, TV producer
Instruments	Drums
Years active	1975–present

Peter Van Hooke (born 6 April 1950) was drummer in the English band Mike + The Mechanics (from 1985 to 1995 and again in 2004) as well as having drummed for, Van Morrison's band, Headstone, and Ezio. During the 1980s he successfully co-produced (along with Rod Argent) many of Tanita Tikaram's hits.

Van Hooke grew up in Stanmore, Middlesex and attended Mill Hill school. His schoolmate Chaz Jankel (later of The Blockheads) lived close by, and the two formed The Call of The Wild. This band became the Rik Parnell Independence, featuring the son of bandleader Jack Parnell as vocalist (later to join Atomic Rooster as drummer, and take the part of the drummer in the movie Spinal Tap). Other members of the Rik Parnell Independence included sax player John Altman (orchestral arranger and co-writer of The Rutles music with Neil Innes) and bass player Jon Rose (later of band Sebastian) First professional gig was a travelling circus in South Africa for 18 months , then played on board the Windsor Castle. Returned to the Uk where he joined the band Headstone and were managed by the same team as Queen . Left to become a session player and was part of the pick up band at Montreux festival in 1974 where he played with muddy waters and Cleanhead Vinson. Was spotted by Van Morrisons tour manager Ed Fletcher and asked to join Van Morrisons band .. Playing a couple of weeks later to 250,000 people at Knebworth festival.

Van Hooke played drums on Van Morrison's albums from 1978's Wavelength, Into the Music (1979), Common One (1980), Beautiful Vision (1982), Inarticulate Speech of the Heart (1983), the live album, Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast recorded in 1983 and released in 1984, and The Philosopher's Stone (1998). For some years he also was the drummer in Morrison's touring band which sometimes included two simultaneous drummers. He can also be heard on Chris de Burgh's albums Into The Light (1986) and Flying Colours (1988).

Van Hooke was also in demand as a session drummer in the 70s and 80s, and was one of the first UK drummers to own a set of Syndrums, initially coming to prominence on the Marshall Hain hit "Dancing in the City". He joined Stackridge in time to play on their 1976 album Mr. Mick, though the band broke up not long after. Started his own label MMC which was an independent audiophile label that featured many of the Uks finest musicians. It released 23 albums before being bought by EMI records in 1985, it was also the first label to have its music available on CD. Albums included Neil Innes ,Innes book of records and a ground breaking album which featured many of his Van Morrison colleagues Herbie Armstrongs Back against the wall. ASACP award winner for most played composition in America , the theme tune for Hard Copy along with Ray Russell. Also composed many TV themes in the UK including the Eurosport theme, LWT theme, the theme music for the Italian world cup with Rod Argent. Co Produced albums with Tanita tikaram which sold in total more than 6 million albums this included the multi platinum album Ancient Heart. Eurovison 2001 produced the english contestant Lindsay Dracass. Co wrote and produced 24 half hour episodes for the animated series Spheriks which was commisioned for the world cup in Japan. Also played on

   The GTO Years   Dana            Drums

1975 Headstone Headstone Drums 1976 Love on My Mind Brian Parrish Drums 1976 Mr. Mick Stackridge Drums 1976 Original Mr. Mick Stackridge Drums 1976 Rock Follies Rock Follies Drums, Percussion 1976 Snap Scrounger Drums 1976 Evita (Original Broadway Cast) Original London Cast Drums, Percussion 1977 Ready or Not Ray Russell Drums, Percussion 1977 Rock Follies of 77 Rock Follies Drums 1977 Romeo & Juliet Alec R. Costandinos Drums 1977 Teenage Dream Sonny Worthing Drums 1978 Beware of the Dog Yellow Dog Drums 1978 Dont Talk Back Jim Rafferty Drums 1978 Free Ride Marshall-Hain Drums 1978 How Much, How Much I Love You Love and Kisses Drums 1978 Midnight over England John Glover Drums 1978 Nite Flights The Walker Brothers Drums 1978 Resolving Contradictions Andy Mackay Drums 1978 Wavelength Van Morrison Drums 1978 Wavelength Van Morrison Drums 1978 Wavelength [Bonus Tracks] Van Morrison Drums 1979 Have a Little Faith in Me Evelyn Thomas Drums 1979 Heart to Heart Peter Bardens Drums 1979 High on a Easy Feeling Neil Bashan Drums 1979 Into the Music Van Morrison Drums 1979 Life of Brian...Always look on the bright side of life. Drums 1979 Into the Music [Bonus Tracks] Van Morrison Drums 1979 Live at the Roxy Van Morrison Drums 1979 Midnight in Manhattan Seventh Avenue Drums 1979 Per-Spek-Tiv Louis Clark Drums 1979 Runner [Bonus Tracks] Runner Drums 1979 Solo Mark Ashton Drums 1979 Welcome to the Cruise Judie Tzuke Drums 1979 Welcome to the Cruise Judie Tzuke Drums 1980 Starlight Express Drums 1980 Chas Jankel Chaz Jankel Drums 1980 Chas Jankel [Bonus Track] Chaz Jankel Drums, Photography, Producer, Percussion 1980 Common One Van Morrison Drums 1980 Shout! Shout! Rocky Sharpe Drums 1980 Sonja Kristina Sonja Kristina Drums 1981 Playing in the Flame Sally Oldfield Drums 1981 Questionaire Chaz Jankel Drums, Engineer 1981 Sheena Easton Sheena Easton Drums 1981 Take My Time [Bonus Tracks] Sheena Easton Drums 1982 Beautiful Vision Van Morrison Drums 1983 Back Against the Wall Herbie Armstrong Drums 1983 Off the Record Neil Innes Drums 1983 Strange Day in Berlin [Bonus Tracks] Sally Oldfield Linn 1983 Requiem ..Andrew Lloyd Webber 1983 Red House..Rod Argent..Co producer 1983 Vapor Drawings Mark Isham Electronic Percussion, Drums 1983 Inarticulate Speech of the Heart Van Morrison Drums, Tambourine, Trombone 1984 Aspects of Love Andrew lloyd Webber ... drums 1984 Career in Dada Processing Group 87 Drums (Electric), Cymbals, Percussion, Drums 1984 Climate of Hunter Scott Walker Drums 1984 Live at the Grand Opera House Belfast Van Morrison Drums 1985 Close to Perfection Miquel Brown Programming, Drum Programming 1985 Live in London Maria Muldaur Percussion, Producer, Licensing 1985 Looking at You Chaz Jankel 1985 Gerrard Kenny 1985 Mike + the Mechanics Mike + the Mechanics Drums 1985 Minx Toyah Drums 1986 Into the Light Chris de Burgh Drums 1987 American English Wax UK Programming, Drums 1987 Seen One Earth Peter Bardens Drums 1987 One Good Reason Paul Carrack Drums 1988 Ancient Heart Tanita Tikaram Mixing, Producer, Drums, Arranger 1988 Ancient Heart Tanita Tikaram Producer, Mixing, Drums, Arranger 1988 Bel Assis Mo Foster Electronic Percussion, Percussion 1988 Guitar Speak, Vol 2 Various Artists Drums, Drums (Electric) 1988 Living Years Mike + the Mechanics Drums 1989 Working Girl Original Soundtrack Drums 1989 Zarzuela Luis Cobos 1990 Mark Isham Mark Isham Producer, Drums 1990 Sweet Keeper Tanita Tikaram Drums, Arranger, Producer, Mixing 1990 Windham Hill: The First Ten Years Various Artists Drums (Snare), Electronic Percussion 1991 Best of Miquel Brown Miquel Brown Drums 1991 Distant Drum Mort Shuman Producer, Tracking, Drums 1991 Everybody's Angel Tanita Tikaram Mixing, Producer 1991 Late Night Grande Hotel Nanci Griffith Percussion, Drums, Producer 1991 Late Night Grande Hotel Nanci Griffith Percussion, Producer, Drums 1991 Word of Mouth Mike + the Mechanics Group Member, Drums 1993 MCA Years: A Retrospective Nanci Griffith Producer, Percussion, Drums 1993 Painted Desert Serenade Joshua Kadison Percussion, Drums, Piano, Producer 1993 Into the West [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] Original Soundtrack Producer 1993 Crossing Paul Young Drums 1994 DR John..Live in London..producer 1994 Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore Jules Shear Producer 1994 So Many Men, So Little Time Miquel Brown Programming, Keyboards, Drum Programming 1994 Beautiful in My Eyes [US] Joshua Kadison Producer 1994 Healing Bones Jules Shear Producer 1994 Keep it On Ice Croisette Drums 1994 Out of the Darkest Night Barbara Pennington Drum Programming 1995 Child Star [UK #2] Marc Almond Producer 1995 I Hear Thunder: The Best of Seventh Avenue Seventh Avenue Drums 1995 Beggar on a Beach of Gold Mike + the Mechanics Drums 1995 Best of Croisette: Landslide Croisette Drums 1996 Best of Tanita Tikaram Tanita Tikaram Producer, Mixing 1996 Big Mix '96 Various Artists Producer 1996 His Master's Bones Gary Windo Drums 1996 Blue Views Paul Carrack Producer, Engineer 1996 En Esta Noche Soraya Producer 1996 On Nights Like This Soraya Drums, Percussion, Producer 1996 Matthew Fisher/Strange Days Matthew Fisher Drums 1996 Hits Mike + the Mechanics Drums 1996 Hits Mike + the Mechanics Drums 1996 Russ Ballard/The Fire Still Burns Russ Ballard Drums (Electric) 1997 Works of Claude Bolling 34/37 Jazz Ensemble Drums 1997 Flavors of Jazz Various Artists Producer 1997 Torre de Marfil Soraya Drums, Vocals (Background), Producer, Percussion 1997 Magnetic Heaven/American English Wax UK Drums, Programming 1998 Mecano Mecano Drums (Electric), Drums, Bass (Electric) 1998 Mecano [Bonus Track] Mecano Simmons Drums, Electronic Drums 1998 Philosopher's Stone Van Morrison Drums 1999 Salty Heaven Luka Bloom Producer, Percussion, Drums 1999 Salty Heaven Luka Bloom Drums, Percussion, Producer 1999 Canzoni a Raccolta Ivano Fossati Musician 1999 Edycja Specjalna Edyta Górniak Perkusja 1999 Favorite TV Themes Original TV Soundtracks Performer 1999 Winter Solstice on Ice Original Soundtrack Drums, Electronic Percussion 1999 Best of 1990-2000 Various Artists Producer 2000 Higher Ezio Drums, Percussion, Vocals (Background), Producer 2000 Satisfy My Soul Paul Carrack Executive Producer 2000 Satisfy My Soul [Holland Bonus Tracks] Paul Carrack Executive Producer 2000 Rock Follies of 77, Vol. 2 Rock Follies Percussion, Group Member 2001 Bandits [2001 Sony] Original Soundtrack Producer 2001 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Nanci Griffith Nanci Griffith Producer 2001 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Nanci Griffith Nanci Griffith Producer 2001 Groovin' Paul Carrack Executive Producer 2001 Welcome to the Cruise and Sports Car Judie Tzuke Drums 2002 Out of the Shadows Colin Blunstone Drums, Assistant, Coordination, Percussion 2002 Out of the Shadows [Japan Bonus Tracks] Colin Blunstone Drums, Percussion 2002 From a Distance: The Very Best of Nanci Griffith Nanci Griffith Producer 2002 From a Distance: The Very Best of Nanci Griffith Nanci Griffith Producer 2003 Still Groovin' Paul Carrack Executive Producer 2003 Complete MCA Studio Recordings Nanci Griffith Percussion, Producer, Drums 2003 Complete MCA Studio Recordings Nanci Griffith Producer, Percussion, Drums 2003 Hits and More Shakin' Stevens Producer 2003 Make Tea Not War R.J. Wagsmith 2004 Aime Moi Julien Clerc Drums, Drums (Electric) 2004 Windham Hill America Various Artists Drums (Snare), Electronic Percussion 2004 Windham Hill America Various Artists Electronic Percussion, Drums (Snare) 2004 Rewired Mike + the Mechanics Producer, Drums 2004 Rewired [Bonus DVD] Mike + the Mechanics Research, Coordination, Producer, Drums 2004 Mort Schumman 2004 Medúlla [DualDisc] Björk 2004 Medúlla [Special Edition DVD] Björk 2005 Taking Off/The Innes Book of Records Neil Innes Drums 2005 Taking Off/The Innes Book of Records Neil Innes Drums 2005 Anna Krantz... Precious Time Producer 2005 One Fair Summer Evening...Plus! [DVD] Nanci Griffith Producer 2005 Collection Shakin' Stevens Producer 2005 Collection [CD/DVD] Shakin' Stevens Producer 2005 Sporting Themes Various Artists Composer 2005 All Woman: Platinum Collection Various Artists Producer Drums 2005 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Soraya Soraya Producer 2005 Quiet Revolution: 30 Years of Windham Hill Various Artists Electronic Percussion, Drums (Snare) 2006 Gold Soraya Producer 2006 Pure Mark Isham Mark Isham Electronic Percussion 2006 Surrounded Björk 2006 Ten Thousand Bars Ezio Guest Appearance 2007 My Occupation: The Music of Chaz Jankel Chaz Jankel Linn Drum, Drums, Drum Programming, Simmons Drums 2008 Dream of the Electric Guitars, Vol. 1 Various Artists Keyboards 2008 Les Sessions Lost Souls [CD/DVD] James Blunt Producer 2010 Different Hat Paul Carrack Producer, Liner Notes 2011 Bass Themes Mo Foster Electronic Percussion 2011 Tristam Mackay 2011 Real Real Gone Herbie Armstrong Drums, Producer

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Van Hooke is married and has three sons.

Van Hooke has recently created and co produced a new television series called Live from Abbey Road which was aired on Channel 4 in 2006–2009 in the United Kingdom this was the first music series to be filmed in HD and in two seasons recorded over 72 of the worlds leading artists .These included Paul Simon/Dr John/Snow Patrol/David Gilmour/Massive Attack/Norah Jones/Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter/Wynton Marsalis/Def leopard/Muse/Bryan Adams/Leanne Rimes/The Killers/Brian Wilson/Mary J Blige/Dianne Krall/The Kills/The Goo Goo Dolls/Manu Chao/Gypsy Kings/. This sold to over 120 countries.

Created HD-Music.TV in 2009..under the title of LIVE ON AIR completed its first show in 2010 featuring the band Elbow, this was shot in 3D with sponsor Panasonic and co partner Universal records.

Van Hooke co-produced with his former Mike and the Mechanics bandmate Paul Carrack his album A Different Hat, on which Carrack performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. It was released in 2010.

External links

• Peter Van Hooke at the Internet Movie Database