The Alarm lead singer MIKE PETERS had a fantastic run of live dates last year having recently returned from a US promo trip presenting the new album Forwards at various US press, radio and TV outlets, including an appearance on Outlaw Country with Steve Earle who gave the new album a ringing endorsement. Mike also made a special guest appearance at the Alex Theatre in Los Angeles performing ‘Baby Please Don’t’ Go’ with Wayne Kramer from the legendary MC5 alongside guitarists Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Band) and Peter Buck (REM).
Described by Bono of U2 as…….
“The second greatest rock and roll band in the world”.
The Alarm released their latest album Forwards in June, which was followed by a two-night-stand at The Gramercy Theatre in New York on June 23rd / 24th.
Looking ahed to this month and there’s a big date here in South Wales for fans. THE GATHERING 2024 GOES TO CARDIFF gives fans a brand-new adventure in Alarm style rock’n’roll over the weekend of January 18th – 21st at various special venues and historic sites across Cardiff – the capital city of Wales – birthplace and home of Mike and The Alarm.
So, we thought it was a good idea to put a call in to Mike to have a chat about all this, with his brilliant dog Ziggy Stardust adding extra vocals in the background. I started by asking Mike if he could have ever believed this would have turned into his full time job when the band first enjoyed success……
2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the release of The Alarm’s classic debut album ‘Declaration’(1984), which will be honoured by The Alarm and played in full (for the first time ever) at Cardiff University (Y Plas) on Friday January 19th along with other songs featured on the band’s legendary 1984 Sound And The Fury Tour.
Mike added……
“Reflecting on the amazing 30th Anniversary Gathering this January and with the imminent release of our new album ‘Forwards’, I believe that the time is right for new Gathering adventures.
By reversing the role of fans travelling to my hometown, we will all now travel to Cardiff – the capital city of Wales – to once again celebrate our unique history and music; past, present and future.
In my opinion, Y Plas is one of the best venues to see a band in Cardiff “, continues Mike. “The Alarm played there during the Blood Red Viral Black Tour in 2017 and, with an audience packed onto the venue’s main auditorium floor and fans looking down at the stage from all sides of the balcony, it was an electric atmosphere. For The Gathering 2024, Y Plas offers the perfect place for myself and the band to perform an album like ‘Declaration’, which was honed in similar hot and sweaty halls and ballrooms across the country back when the sound and fury of The Alarm was first unleashed.”
After emerging from a year of serious life challenges during which he faced down both pneumonia and a serious leukaemia relapse, Mike is thankful to be around.
“I’m lucky to be here. I was in hospital for such a long time, I had my guitar brought on to the ward and I began writing songs in between IV sessions. The first people to hear ‘Forwards’ were the very people who were trying to keep me alive.”
Forwards is alive with melody and invention and destined to contend for a top place amongst The Alarm’s extensive discography, one that boasts over 17 Top 50 UK singles and over six million album sales worldwide. In fact, the previous three Alarm albums have all featured in the Top 10 of the UK Rock Album Chart – Equals (No. 2 in 2018), Sigma (No.1 in 2019) and Omega (No.8 in 2022).
To find out more about the band’s date with The Cult and THE GATHERING 2024, head to their website HERE.
Here at South Wales Life we want to wish Mike all the best and much love, your strength is a real inspiration Mike. In fact, Mike says….
“There’s always another way forwards. A mantra and a phrase that has proved itself to me time and time again. Even in the most simple phases of life when a door seems closed, or life impacts on your direction of travel. I’m a believer that there is always a solution and always an option in any given situation. Forwards.”
