Pete Bardens
| Peter Bardens | |
|---|---|
| Born |
19 June 1944 Westminster, Central London, England |
| Died | 22 January 2002 (aged 57) Malibu, California, United States |
| Genres | Rock, progressive rock |
| Occupation(s) | Keyboardist, pianist, songwriter, singer |
| Instruments | Hammond organ, Rhodes piano, Minimoog, Roland RS-202, vocals |
| Years active | 1965–2002 |
| Labels | Transatlantic, Arista, Capitol, Miramar, HTD, Castle Music |
| Associated acts | Them, Shotgun Express, Camel, Keats, Mirage |
Peter Bardens (19 June 1944 – 22 January 2002) was a keyboardist and a founder member of the British progressive rock group Camel. He played keyboards, sang, and wrote songs with Andrew Latimer. During his career, Bardens worked alongside Rod Stewart, Mick Fleetwood and Van Morrison, and recorded solo albums.
Bardens was born in Westminster, London to Dennis Bardens, a novelist and biographer, and grew up in Notting Hill. He studied fine art at Byam Shaw School of Art, and learned the piano, before switching to the Hammond organ after listening to Jimmy Smith. In 1965, he spent a brief spell as the keyboard player with Them after leaving The Cheynes. He moved on and formed Peter B's Looners which eventually morphed into Shotgun Express, a band that played soul music and featured Rod Stewart, Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood. Fleetwood later said Barden's recruitment into the band kick-started his musical career.
In 1970, he formed The Village and recorded The Answer, an album featuring Peter Green and Andy Gee. Bardens recorded an eponymous album in 1971 which was released in the United States as Write My Name in the Dust before forming Camel in 1972. He left Camel in 1978 to join Them bandmate Van Morrison's band. He recorded Wavelength with Morrison and appeared in the line up of the album's promotional tour. By the end of the 1970s, Bardens began exploring electronica and released the album Heart to Heart in 1979.
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