Peter Brideoake
Brideoake as a member of the Twilights circa 1968.
Brideoake as a member of the Twilights circa 1968.
Background information
Birth namePeter Arthur Brideoake
Born(1945-04-23)23 April 1945
Adelaide, South Australia
Died4 February 2022(2022-02-04) (aged 76)
Adelaide, Australia
GenresPop, classical, orchestral
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • composer
  • lecturer
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, harmonica, Chinese zither, vocals
Years active1964–2022
LabelsColumbia Records, EMI, Festival Records
Formerly ofThe Twilights, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney String Quartet, The Seymour Group, Victorian String Quartet, Ryszard Pusz
Websitewww.australianmusiccentre.com.au/artist/brideoake-peter

Peter Arthur Brideoake[1] (23 April 1945 - 4 February 2022) was an Australian musician, composer, singer, songwriter and lecturer. He gained national success in the 1960s as a member of the Twilights, for which he played guitar and wrote songs. The Twilights had eight consecutive national hit singles including "Needle in a Haystack" and "What's Wrong with the Way I Live".[2] After the Twilights, Brideoake formally studied music and established himself as a multi-talented musician, composer and university lecturer.

Brideoake, as a member of the Twilights, was inducted into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame on 10 April 2015.[3][4]

Career

Peter Brideoake was born and educated in Adelaide, South Australia, on 23 April 1945. His musical career began as a rhythm guitarist and vocalist in popular Australian pop group the Twilights (1964 - 1969). At times, Brideoake co-wrote with Terry Britten and Glenn Shorrock. The Twilights officially broke up in 1969, but have played reunion or special concerts in 2000, 2002, 2011 and 2015.

In 1969, Brideoake commenced studies in music composition at the University of Adelaide. Following his graduation with a Bachelor of Music (Hons) he began teaching harmony and modern composition techniques. From 1975, he was a career lecturer at the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide.[5]

After several periods of study in China, Brideoake became a proficient performer on the ancient Chinese zither (ch'in or guqin) instrument. In 1978, he was awarded the John Bishop Memorial Commission; other commissioned works have been composed for the Sydney String Quartet, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Seymour Group, the Victorian String Quartet and, more recently, by percussionist Ryszard Pusz.

The Twilights

Main article: The Twilights

The musical career of Brideoake began in Adelaide, South Australia, as a rhythm guitarist and vocalist in the popular Australian pop group the Twilights (1964 - 1969) which reached the peak of their success in 1966. The Twilights consisted of Frank Barnard (drums 1964–65), Brideoake (rhythm guitar, vocals), Terry Britten (lead guitar, vocals), John Bywaters (bass, vocals), Clem "Paddy" McCartney (lead vocals), Laurie Pryor (drums 1965–69) and Glenn Shorrock (lead vocals). The Twilights earned acclaim for their body of recorded work, coupled with their status as arguably the most polished and accomplished Australian live act of the era.[6]

Twilight' discography

Singles produced by: David Mackay (producer)
Engineers: Roger Savage and David Page
Studios: Armstrong's Melbourne; AWA and EMI Sydney except:
First three singles self-produced in Adelaide *
Produced by Norman Smith at Abbey Road Studios London **
Produced by Howard Gable at Armstrong's Studios Melbourne ***

Supergroup project

Pastoral Symphony, a "supergroup" project, issued a one-time studio release which was executive-produced by Jimmy Stewart and produced by Geoffrey Edelsten. A substantial hit upon its initial release, it was re-released in a barely noticeable US remix form in 1977. Pastoral Symphony comprised the full Twilights lineup augmented by Terry Walker (The Strangers) on lead vocals, Ronnie Charles (The Groop) doing backup vocals; and the Johnny Hawker Orchestra.

After the Twilights peak period (1964-1969), which included many recordings and performances (stage and television) around Australia, in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, the group disbanded and Brideoake returned to Adelaide in 1969.

Beatles tribute concert

The Twilights reunited for a special Beatles tribute concert in Adelaide in 2000.[8]

"Long Way To The Top" concert tour

The Twilights reformed again for the hugely successful "Long Way To The Top" Australian concert tour in 2002.

"Rock of Ages" concert

The surviving Twilights reunited for the all-star "Rock of Ages" concert promoted by Aztec Music at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda, Melbourne, in 2011.

"Yesterday's Heroes" show

Brideoake and two other original members of the Twilights (John Bywaters and Paddy McCartney) were joined by guest singer / guitarist Peter Tilbrook (Masters Apprentices) to perform "Needle In A Haystack" at "Yesterday's Heroes",[9] a various artists' show promoted by the Adelaide Music Collective in the Mortlock Chamber of the State Library on 9 February 2015 to coincide with a collection of Adelaide music memorabilia at the library.[10]

Education

Elder Conservatorium

After the Twilights main period (1964-1969), the band broke up and Brideoake returned to Adelaide. In 1969, he began studies in composition with Richard Meale at the Elder Conservatorium of Music at the University of Adelaide. Following his graduation with a Bachelor of Music (Hons) he began teaching harmony and modern composition techniques at the conservatorium.[5]

Academia

From 1975, Brideoake was a career lecturer at the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide for the next 27 years. As well as teaching in composition studies, he introduced a course in Chinese music as the result of an interest in the music, theatre and language of China. A special interest in an ancient Chinese zither (ch'in or guqin) meant that after several periods of study in China, he became a proficient performer on this instrument. In 1978, he was awarded the John Bishop Memorial Commission; other commissioned works have been composed for the Sydney String Quartet, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Seymour Group, the Victorian String Quartet and, more recently, by percussionist Ryszard Pusz.

Music compositions

Songwriting

Brideoake co-wrote some songs with Terry Britten and Glenn Shorrock during the Twilights era.[2] In 2015, Peter Brideoake co-wrote " Situation Not Normal",[11] a song based on the kidnap for ransom of fellow Australian Warren Rodwell.

Personal life

Brideoake lived in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, in south west China from 2002 to 2009 before returning to his hometown of Adelaide.[citation needed] His death notice lists him as having two sisters and two sons.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Brideoake, Peter Arthur". The Advertiser. 11 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Twilights, The (3) Discography at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  3. ^ "SA Music Hall Of Fame - Fowler's Live Music Awards". Fowlerslivemusicawards.com.au. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Adelaide Music Collective & SA Music Hall of Fame - Adelaide". WeekendNotes.com. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Peter Brideoake : Associate Artist". Australian Music Centre. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  6. ^ "The Twilights History". Australian Music Database. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  7. ^ "Australasian Music & Popular Culture 1964-1975". MILESAGO. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  8. ^ "Peter Brideoake". Music Minder. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Get ready to rock at the State Library's ethereal Mortlock Wing". Adelaidenow.com.au. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  10. ^ "The Twilights : Needle In A Haystack (live 2015)". YouTube. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  11. ^ "Videos Related to Peter Brideoake". Mediander.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.

External links

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