Mike Peters who fronted the Alarm in the early 1980's has passed away aged 66 years.
The Alarm were a very exciting early 80's band who fused 'punk' with Bob Dylan inspired songs. I saw The Alarm somewhere in Manchester (might have been the Poly) and supporting U2 at Milton Keynes Bowl He subsequently proved himself just as as good performing solo. Just him and a twelve string acoustic......saw him supporting Runrig at King Georges Hall and various other NW venues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPp9bCK1y9A

Hero of mine for 40 years, adore the bloke.

Needs a 68 gun salute. RIP Mike. No age again.

Billyblah wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 3:00 pm

Mike Peters who fronted the Alarm in the early 1980's has passed away aged 66 years.
The Alarm were a very exciting early 80's band who fused 'punk' with Bob Dylan inspired songs. I saw The Alarm somewhere in Manchester (might have been the Poly) and supporting U2 at Milton Keynes Bowl He subsequently proved himself just as as good performing solo. Just him and a twelve string acoustic......saw him supporting Runrig at King Georges Hall and various other NW venues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPp9bCK1y9A

Memory must be playing tricks on me or it maybe a different gig, but don’t remember the Alarm supporting U2 at Milton Keynes.Although they may have done and I was too under the influence.

RIP Mike Peters, another gone too soon.

RIP Mike. Loved The Alarm back in the 80s.

Played the cellar bar in Barlick not long ago, where he was excellent and hung around afterwards for a chat in the bar.

Sad news.

68 Guns is a belting tune....RIP Mike

Oh fck! what a great performer Mike was , 1st saw them supporting U2,87?/91??can’t remember , and loads of times since Manc Apollo and later yrs at assorted Academy venues . He was excellent live and always said hello at the smaller gigs. He beat leukaemia twice ! and was at one time fighting cancer along with his wife .i recently bumped into him at the Christie too, bloody hell . A cracking accoustic guitarist and a great songsmith .
RIP Mikey

This thread has reminded me of how I liked the sound of their powerful music, and also it's made me wonder why I didn't buy at least one of their Albums because through most of the 80's I was buying at least one Album a week.

RIP Mike

Sad to hear, one of my favourite bands in the '80s. He'd been ill for some time. RIP.

Saw The Alarm in the rock temple of Amsterdam ....The Paradiso... they did an excellent gig, was around 1985 I think.
R.I.P. Mike, you fought till the end by all accounts.

AlargeClaret wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 6:11 pm

Oh fck! what a great performer Mike was , 1st saw them supporting U2,87?/91??can’t remember , and loads of times since Manc Apollo and later yrs at assorted Academy venues . He was excellent live and always said hello at the smaller gigs. He beat leukaemia twice ! and was at one time fighting cancer along with his wife .i recently bumped into him at the Christie too, bloody hell . A cracking accoustic guitarist and a great songsmith .
RIP Mikey

85 I reckon

I remember one of the very first overnight tv programmes was a music video thing presented by ex Alarm roadie Gaz Top.

68 Guns got played- ahem-quite a bit.

Sad about Mike.

MrTopTier wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 4:25 pm

Memory must be playing tricks on me or it maybe a different gig, but don’t remember the Alarm supporting U2 at Milton Keynes.Although they may have done and I was too under the influence.

RIP Mike Peters, another gone too soon.

Hey Top Tier, you're making me doubt myself!!

U2 played a gig billed 'the Longest Day' at Milton Keynes in the summer of either 84 or 85. It was a miserable affair as it chucked it down constantly. Supporting U2 on that day were The Alarm, The Ramones, REM and Billy Bragg...or is some of that a figment of my ageing imagination?!!

Billyblah wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:14 pm

Hey Top Tier, you're making me doubt myself!!

U2 played a gig billed 'the Longest Day' at Milton Keynes in the summer of either 84 or 85. It was a miserable affair as it chucked it down constantly. Supporting U2 on that day were The Alarm, The Ramones, REM and Billy Bragg...or is some of that a figment of my ageing imagination?!!

Almost a True story…

Pretty sure the alarm supported u2 on the Joshua tree tour, but my
Memory could be flawed… Kirk Brandon’s spear of destiny played at MK

Think the pretenders were there too… saw em at Cardiff arms park and Wembley on that tour

Loved the Alarm. Saw them at the Hacienda in July ‘86. I remember it being ridiculously hot but a great gig. RIP Mike.

Billyblah wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:14 pm

Hey Top Tier, you're making me doubt myself!!

U2 played a gig billed 'the Longest Day' at Milton Keynes in the summer of either 84 or 85. It was a miserable affair as it chucked it down constantly. Supporting U2 on that day were The Alarm, The Ramones, REM and Billy Bragg...or is some of that a figment of my ageing imagination?!!

I was at that gig, can't remember the Alarm but i thought i remember the Bangles playing. Too many years ago for me.

Spear of Destiny?

Claret Till I Die wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 9:01 pm

Spear of Destiny?

Yes i remember them supporting U2 but i thought that was Wembley 1987.

Sad day indeed, saw him as part of a sort of an alternative super group for us oldies called "The Jack Tars" in Birmingham about 7 years ago and he was absolutely fantastic. Lovely amiable chap chatting away to all n sundry after the gig, a real genuine nice guy gone far too soon

PhiladelphiaChris wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 9:03 pm

Yes i remember them supporting U2 but i thought that was Wembley 1987.

I went to Leeds in 87 and they had The Fall, the Mission & the Pretenders supporting them.

Billyblah wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 29, 2025 8:14 pm

Hey Top Tier, you're making me doubt myself!!

U2 played a gig billed 'the Longest Day' at Milton Keynes in the summer of either 84 or 85. It was a miserable affair as it chucked it down constantly. Supporting U2 on that day were The Alarm, The Ramones, REM and Billy Bragg...or is some of that a figment of my ageing imagination?!!

Hi Billy

Both doubting ourselves, so phoned a friend.
I have it on good authority from the sober driver that it was
The Faith Brothers
Billy Bragg
Spear of Destiny
The Ramones
U2

Agreed it was a filthy day only stopped raining when U2 came on.

Has he still been in their line up? They are on the line up of acts at Lytham Festival, supporting Texas and Simple Minds on Sunday night.
RIP Mike.

Ah that's very sad news. Saw the Alarm support U2 along with the pretenders and the silencers on the Joshua tree tour Cardiff Arms Part in '87. Cracking day out.
Chatted with Mike at Aberystwyth Uni bar in 95? Lovely man and great solo gig.
RIP.

RIP Mike. Met him on a number of occasions and came across as a really nice guy. First met him in a “Chippy” with his wife Jules after a Stranglers convention at Bream Sands and we sat and chatted for 30 mins regarding his collaboration with Dead Men Walking (K Brandon, C Sensible + More) I then saw/met him a few times at Alarm/Spear of Destiny events and on occasions asked if I knew a good local “Chippy”. Loved by his fans and respected by his fellow musicians. Thanks for the music Mike RIP