Peter Warren (New Zealand musician)

Peter Warren (born 1958) New Zealand drummer primarily known as the drummer for DD Smash. Warren is also known by the nicknames 'Rooda' and 'Beat'.[1] With a career spanning decades,[2] Warren has been described as 'one of New Zealand's finest rock drummers.'

When he was 14 years old, Warren formed a band with other Westlake Boys High School students including a young Don McGlashan, called Ethos. Warren played drums and sang.[3]

In the late 1970s Warren was the drummer, lead singer, and songwriter of the band Lip Service, during which time fellow band member The Future coined his nickname Rooda.[3] Lip Service were managed by Charlie Grey, who also managed Th' Dudes, one of New Zealand's top pop/rock bands of that time.[3] Lip Service often supported Th' Dudes at concerts, which is where Warren met future DD Smash band-leader Dave Dobbyn. Lip Service signed to CBS records for a four-record deal,[3] though the only album released was their self-titled debut album[4] which sold poorly.[3]

In 1981 Dave Dobbyn had decided to leave Th' Dudes and approached Warren and Lip Service bandmate Rob Guy (Revox) to form a new band, DD Smash, which initially also included Lisle Kinney previously of Hello Sailor (band).[5][6] DD Smash lasted for eight years, with three albums being released which sold well in New Zealand and Australia.[3] Their first album, Cool Bananas, debuted at No. 1. in the New Zealand music charts.[7] In 1982 DD Smash won the award for Top Group at the New Zealand Music Awards.[8] Later, in Australia,

After he left DD Smash,[2] Warren was involved with projects including: Pop Mechanix,[9] the band Rooda (named after his nickname),[10] 'all star collection'[11] The Party Boys.,[12] toured New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, and United States with guitarist Midge Marsden,[2] and joined Serbian band Disciplin A Kitschme.[2]

Since 2016 Warren has been drumming for reformed New Zealand band The Narcs. In 2017 Warren drummed for Tony Painting's Deep Purple Project.[13] In 2018 he drummed in a tribute for late Hello Sailor frontman Graham Brazier.[14]

  1. ^ "Peter Warren (2)". Discogs. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d "Peter Warren – AudioCulture". www.audioculture.co.nz. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Peter 'Rooda' Warren, A Drummers Story". Johnstone's World. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Lip Service (5) – Lip Service". Discogs. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  5. ^ "NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  6. ^ "DD Smash – New Zealand Musicians & Bands". www.muzic.net.nz. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  7. ^ "Old New Zealand – The Way We Were – Entertainment – Music – DD Smash". www.oldnewzealand.info. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  8. ^ "DD Smash | NZ Artist Directory | NZ Music Commission". nzmusic.org.nz. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  9. ^ Mayes, Rob; Lewis, Peter. "Pop Mechanix – Failsafe Records – Current Artists". www.failsaferecords.com. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Peter Warren's Rooda – Energy & Vaudeville – witchdoctor.co.nz". witchdoctor.co.nz. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  11. ^ Dix, John (2005). Stranded in paradise : New Zealand rock and roll, 1955 to the modern era (Rev ed.). [Auckland, N.Z.]: Penguin. p. 215. ISBN 0143019538. OCLC 63692850.
  12. ^ Bourke, Chris (14 August 2014). Crowded House: Something So Strong. Momentum. ISBN 9781760081744.
  13. ^ "Kiwi drumming great anchors slick Deep Purple Project". Stuff. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  14. ^ "Graham Brazier Tribute". Aucklandnz.com. Retrieved 21 May 2018.