Peat Loaf needs local band for Greenock gig in December

Pete Rossi, better known as Peat Loaf, is playing the town hall on December 27 - and he needs an Inverclyde band to help him. 

The rocker played his first gigs performing as his hero Meat Loaf here in the 1990s. 

To say 'thank-you' to the music fans across Inverclyde who supported him right at the start, he says he'll do anything to give a local band the chance to make their rock and roll dreams come true. 

Pete, 62, said: "Inverclyde is a very musical place. 

"When I first started out, Greenock was one of the places I played the most. 

"I was in Connelly's and Cafe Roslin every couple of weeks and there was always a full house. 

"The people of Inverclyde are fantastic.

"They have so much personality and they're so down to earth. 

"I really want to give a local band the chance to support me on the night."

Pete's love for the rock and roll icon, who passed away at the start of 2022, started when he was 15. 

He heard the classic tune 'You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth' and was hooked. 

Pete was involved in a serious motorbike accident in 1984 and said Meat's music saved his life. 

He added: "I struggled with severe back problems for about seven years after the accident. 

"Listening to his music helped me through. 

"The lyrics mean so much and his voice is so powerful."

Pete, who lives in Troon, played in a lot of different bands before finding his niche.

He said: "A friend was getting rid of computer discs full of backing tracks and I found three Meat Loaf songs. 

"I went to a pal's house and started singing along, we put a love guitar track alongside them, and that's where it all started. 

"People had always told me how much I looked and sounded like him.

"When we started it was mega."

Pete moved to Benidorm in the early 2000s where he performed as his icon for holidaymakers and locals. 

He's been back in Scotland since 2012 and next year will mark 25 years of Pete playing Meat full-time. 

Pete says he was heartbroken when his idol passed away. 

After Meaf Loaf praised Pete for his performance on Britain's Got Talent, the pair became friends. 

He said: "I knew Meat personally.

"I met him four times and we kept in touch. 

"He didn't like tribute acts but he always saw me as someone who was 100 per cent genuine and not jumping on the bandwagon. 

"He would always give me advice about the business and he really helped me. 

"He used to tell me to go out and be myself as I had the talent.

"We always had a good laugh, he was such a funny guy and a genuinely lovely man."

Pete says he can't wait to get on stage in Greenock alongside singer Gina Lillycrop Lawson. 

He added: "I like to perform exactly the way Meat did. 

"There are no variations in the songs and I bring in all the theatrics as well. 

"I hope I'll see a lot of the faces from back in the day and some new faces too. 

"It will definitely bring back a lot of memories for people."

Tickets for the gigs can be booked via www.eventbrite.co.uk

Bands who would like to be considered for the gig should contact Pete by emailing Peat_loaf@live.co.uk or info@ryanjenkins.co.uk