Mike Peters – Exclusive Interview.
Love 1959 – 1991 is the brand new autobiography to be published on November 1st 2024.
The Countdown to the November 1st publication of Mike Peters’ autobiography Love 1959 – 1991 starts here, and we are proud to bring you this exclusive interview during which Mike Peters talks about the process of writing the 158,00 word story and collating all the various archive materials that make up the extensive written word, audio and pictorial content of Love 1959 – 1991.
Love 1959 -1991 is officially published on November 1st 2024 by A Way With Media.
So Mike, why did you decide to write the book now?
The time felt right is the main reason. I’d been approached about writing a book many times in the past but I never felt comfortable about the timing, the format or where I was at with the story. It was only when I met Andrew Richardson from A Way With Media a few years ago at a John Lydon speaking engagement that I started to take the idea of writing the book seriously.
When we met, Andrew offered me the chance to tell my story but at first I decided against the opportunity, thinking that I wasn’t ready. Andrew was persistent though and kept coming to shows and finally he persuaded me to give it a go.
At first, Andrew presented the idea of doing a series of long interviews that Andrew would then takeaway and write up on my behalf. There was something in me that wouldn’t allow that to happen and so I said to Andrew that I would write the beginning myself and see if it made sense to continue and that’s what happened. Once I started, I couldn’t stop, and then I became obsessed with getting every story, every detail, every date as accurately correct as possible and now here we are looking at three separate books- the first book is called Love, the second book is called Hope and the final book is called Strength.
What was your preferred method of writing?
To be honest, I wrote nearly all of it into my iPhone using the Notes application. I found that I could write wherever I found myself and any updates were stored in the Cloud so I could also add or make changes from my laptop. I also found it easy to skip from the writing to searching on the internet to verify facts or dates. At certain points some uncanny coincidences came into play earlier this year when I was on holiday with my family, travelling through Colorado and Texas while writing about being in those States during the War Tour with U2 in 1983. It really helped to bring those passages to life while I was writing about that particular time. Writing into my iPhone meant I could also update the text whenever any random thought or recollection came to mind. I wrote parts of the book during takeoffs and landings, on car journeys and even on the beach. Some parts of the story were more difficult to convey and for those passages, I would write at home with my journals and archive on hand to make sure I was being accurate with dates and times.
What did you use as your research materials? Did you keep diaries to help you with the detail?
I do have diaries that have really helped, but I only really kept up with them at certain major periods in my life. Jules also kept extensive journals that have really helped clarify details and times in recording studios and on tours. I also kept everything that I could gather from shows and events dating back to the very beginning of my life as a musician. I started a scrapbook around 1978 and began to document all the early stages of the life I was leading with various bands and musicians. You could say that the scrapbook is where the book really began to be written. The Super Deluxe edition of the book has a reproduction of my original Scrapbook included. Then there was my own personal archive of memorabilia, photos and documents that I had saved along the way. I guess you might say I have the mentality of a hoarder in some ways, as even I question why I kept so many photos, posters, itineraries, set lists, fanzines and press cuttings, but the collection has proved invaluable time and time again in helping me make sense of the direction of travel from starting out in Rhyl and then taking the music around the world. I was also fortunate that Rob Bevis (our first ever fan), kept hold of everything I sent him or that he picked up at Seventeen gigs back in the late 1970’s. Gareth Gaz Top Jones was also of great help by allowing me to access his personal diary from 1983 when I went to the USA with him for the first time.
Have you left anything out?
Nothing, I wanted the book to document everything that happened both good and bad as seen through my eyes having lived it all from day to day. I also wanted the writing to reflect the era that I have travelled through, and so there is a lot of detail and side stories that a normal single edition autobiography would not allow for.
Is there a visual aspect to the book?
That was one of the factors that persuaded me to commit to the book. When A Way With Media showed me the kind of print possibilities that were open to me, I realised I could present my archive alongside the narrative of the story. Choosing all the relevant photos to place alongside the corresponding passages and text was challenging because I had so many event specific images that I wanted to use, and so deciding which ones to leave out was tough. I think the correct decisions were made though, and I know that the finished edition will present readers with a great balance of images to compliment the telling of the story and, along with the Scrapbook reproduction, there are tons of photos, documents, memorabilia and images that have never been seen before.
Is there anything in the book that your old band members or associates won’t like to read?
All of the action in this book took place over 30 plus years ago, and I’ve made every effort to make sure that the story is factually correct, does everyone justice and at the same time, tells it like it was from my own personal point of view. The story is like a fairy tale in many ways, so there’s always the good and the bad side of life to reflect upon. If someone hasn’t been able to come to terms with or take personal responsibility for their own part in the fallout caused by young people and their sometimes irrational decision-making processes of the time, then more fool them. The writing process really helped me come to terms with a lot of the bad things that occurred along the way and I also learned that even some of the worst things that happened paved the way for even better situations to develop in the future. As I write at the top of the book, “Everything happened”, and as I wrote my story, I also learned that everything happened for a reason, so it’s time to accept the facts, celebrate them and move on, especially now it’s all in the past.
I can see that there is an audio element with some of the formats. What can fans expect to hear.
That’s another exciting attraction to working with A Way With Media who encouraged me to create a musical element to the book release. I decided to do something different and create a personal Life Soundtrack that can run as a theme across all three volumes of Love, Hope & finally Strength. The soundtrack forms an essential companion to the books and literally takes you through all of the most significant musical highlights of my life so you not only hear Mike Peters and The Alarm but you will also find soundbites from other significant artists who I have interacted with, alongside new studio/live cut ups of important songs from my entire life cycle. The soundtrack is presented in both vinyl and CD formats and features some unreleased tracks alongside songs myself and The Alarm are synonymous with.
Will there be an audio book format in the future?
Most definitely, but I’m so consumed with working on Hope and then Strength, that I don’t have time to record the audio book for Love just yet. I’d like to think that after I’ve published the final volume Strength, in three years time, there will be an opportunity to make the correct decisions about turning Love, Hope & Strength by Mike Peters into an audio book.
Has your current health challenge with Richter’s Syndrome had an impact on the writing?
It’s certainly made me focused on completing the writing while I’m still alive and have the ability to focus on the past with clarity. I’m also realising that as I work my way towards Strength, I shall be writing more about the here and now and the hopeful ending waiting to be played out. I have optimistic options ahead of me and so when I come to write the final passages, I hope to be reflecting upon a positive life-affirming outcome.
The Countdown to November 1st Starts Here:
On November 1st, you can find out how Mike Peters was given his birth name through his own Father’s subterfuge in 1959. Love 1959-1991 is the new autobiography by Mike Peters. pre-order now @ https://bit.ly/4d0g4L3
LOVE 1959 – 1991 by Mike Peters
Mike Peters is pleased to announce the publication of his autobiography LOVE 1959 -1991 which is part one of an autobiographical trilogy entitled LOVE HOPE STRENGTH.
Every word has been written entirely by Mike Peters personally and Volume One Love 1959 – 1991 will be officially released on November 1st followed annually by Volumes two and three over the course of the following years.
A Way With Media and Mike Peters are also proud to announce a comprehensive British Book and Music Tour LOVE HOPE STRENGTH which will run throughout the U.K. next April, May and June 2025. Concert Tickets and Pre-show Experiences for all venues with Mike Peters in person are available to book now via TICKETS
“I’m so looking forward to taking my story and music out on the road and into theatres across the country”, says Mike. “I have so much to share and I’m sure that this will be an adventure into the past like no other. Fans who attend the pre-show experiences will have the opportunity to ask questions about my career as a songwriter and musician with The Alarm, and the concerts themselves will be full of all the music and stories that have illuminated the pathway of my own unique rock and roll tour through life.’
LOVE [1959-1991]
RED SUPER DELUXE Numbered Signed and Dedicated Limited Edition 500 copies including Life Soundtrack Vinyl LP and CD produced by Mike Peters Also includes exclusive print reproduction of Mike Peters’ personal teenage Scrapbook, documenting his introduction to music, forming his first bands and subsequent transformation into The Alarm.
Published November 1st
Price £125 (+Postage & admin fees).
Exclusive Large Clam Shell RED Book Cover numbered from 001-500 complete with book plate signed and dedicated by the author (dedications via pre-order only) and delivered directly to customers in a bespoke mailer box.
LOVE [1959-1991] is packed with the breathtaking 158,000 word self-written story by Mike Peters and a vast array of previously unseen photographs, letters, documents and memorabilia from the legendary Mike Peters / Alarm archive.
Red SuperLuxe Edition Also includes:
Souvenir Reproduction of Mike Peters‘ teenage Scrapbook, spanning the years 1972 – 1980, containing his original handwritten story of the beginnings of The Alarm, band family tree and previously unseen pictures and artefacts of Mike Peters’ formative years as a budding musician.
Exclusive Book Soundtrack Vinyl LP and Compact Disc produced by Mike Peters documenting the timespan of the story, featuring audio sound bites of significant and inspirational moments in time, along with previously unreleased tracks and live / studio mixes of historical musical milestones from Mike Peters’ life journey between 1959 – 1991.
LOVE [1959-1991]
SILVER DELUXE Numbered Signed and Dedicated Limited Edition 1000 copies.
Published November 1st
Price £65 (+ Postage & admin fees).
Exclusive Large Clam Shell SILVER Book Cover numbered from 500-1500 complete with book plate signed and dedicated by the author (dedications via pre-order only) and delivered directly to customers in a bespoke mailer box.
LOVE [1959-1991] is packed with the breathtaking 158,000 word self-written story by Mike Peters and a vast array of previously unseen photographs, letters, documents and memorabilia from the legendary Mike Peters / Alarm archive.
Silver Deluxe Edition Also includes:
Exclusive Book Soundtrack Compact Disc produced by Mike Peters documenting the timespan of the story featuring audio sound bites of significant and inspirational moments in time along with previously unreleased tracks and live / studio mixes of all the historical musical milestones from Mike Peters’ life journey from 1959 – 1991.
“I’ve been silent way too long” writes Mike Peters towards the end of Love [1959-1991] Volume One, and true to those words from Moments In Time, this book leaves no stone unturned.
Presenting the definitive era-defining and historically accurate story of Mike Peters and The Alarm’s life journey that crosses paths with Bono and U2, Joe Strummer and The Clash, Slim Jim Phantom and The Stray Cats, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and more in this almost unbelievable, if it weren’t true, rock and roll adventure from Wales to the World and back. The story of Love, Hope and Strength starts here with volume one Love [1959-1991].