The Christian Underground Encyclopedia

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====== Pete Ryder ======

Folk Rock\\
Northumberland, England, United Kingdom

According to his website, Ryder "mainly plays guitar, with occasional excursions onto keyboards, mandolin, and sitar. In the 1970s he was involved in the production of three vinyl albums, now rarities fetching ridiculous amounts of money on eBay. Since then he has produced an album every year or so, some resulting in considerable critical acclaim."

AS for those three vinyl, Ryder originally started off as one of the vocalists and guitarists for Paradise Square, who released //Never Thought I'd See the Day// in 1974. At some point he joined Cair Paravel, who released //Some Other Morning// in 1976. After that, he joined up with Cair Paravel vocalist/guitarist Sian Harry to release //On Our Way Home// in 1978. He released most of his albums solo or with various collaborators independently after that.

Outside of his music, Ryder has an interesting life. From his official bio on his website:

"Welcome! Peter Ryder is various things. Professionally he has been an independent Historic Buildings Consultant, or Buildings Archaeologist, working primarily in the North East of England. He was born in Darlington and got his first degree (Geography/Geology Dual Hons) at Sheffield University in 1974, working for a while in Hull University (where he met Elaine, his wife) before returning to Sheffield to become Assistant Archaeologist with the South Yorkshire County Archaeology Service (1976-1984) during which time he obtained a Masters Degree in Archaeology, through a study of medieval cross slab grave covers in the county. Peter and Elaine, now with two young children (Aidan and Megan) then moved to Northumberland for him to work for two years on the National Resurvey of Buildings of Architectural and Historic Interest; they took up residence in Riding Mill on the banks of the Tyne sixteen miles west of Newcastle. In 2018 Elaine was ordained as a priest in the Church of England and they moved to Otterburn, then when she retired in 2022 they went north to Burntisland in Fife (to be near grandson Ezra) where they reside today in a bungalow nestling beneath an ancient volcanic neck, along with two cats, Clemency and Charity.

Since 1987 Peter has been self-employed, and has got to know an awful lot of interesting old buildings.... He does other things as well; since the mid 1960s he has been a member of the Moldywarps Speleological Group, and knows various obscure corners of the British Isles from underneath as well as from the surface."

===== Discography =====

| 1978 | Pete Ryder & Sian Harry | On Our Way Home | Profile Records |
| 1981 | Pete Ryder, Dave Tuckett, Sue Dixon | Odd Songs |
| 1988 | Pete Ryder | Will Your Soul Stay White While Your Body Goes Brown |
| 1989 | Pete Ryder | Jumble |
| 1991 | Pete Ryder | [[https://christiantapeunderground.wordpress.com/2025/11/16/pete-ryder-beatrix-potters-gun/|Beatrix Potters Gun]] |
| 1993 | Pete Ryder & Frances Davies | A Mole Played Euphonium |
| 1994 | Pete Ryder & Frances Davies | Bones in the Chimney |
| 1995 | Pete Ryder & Frances Davies | Pressed Flowers |
| 1995 | Pete Ryder | Never Been Plugged Anyway... |
| 1998 | Pete Ryder | Floodtide |
| 1998 | Pete Ryder | Fossils |
| 1999 | Pete Ryder & Friends | Feast of Fools |
| 2001 | Pete Ryder | Upwards/Sideways The Pete Ryder 2001 Collection Vol 1: Crystal Stream |
| 2001 | Pete Ryder | Upwards/Sideways The Pete Ryder Collection Vol 2: Gravity |
| 2001 | Pete Ryder | Crystal Stream |
| 2003 | Pete Ryder | Forgive the Ghosts |
| 2004 | Pete Ryder | Dark Dream |
| 2005 | Pete Ryder & Friends | Where the Lion Stands |
| 2006 | Pete Ryder | Philately Philosophy & Felicity |
| 2008 | Pete Ryder | Pour Les Petits Animaux: The Bestiary of Pete Ryder |
| 2008 | Pete Ryder | Faith Superstition |
| 2011 | Pete Ryder & Sian Harry | My Barometer is Right (But the Weather is Wrong) |
| 2011 | Pete Ryder | Another Good Day for the End of the World (single) |

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==== On Our Way Home ====

1978 Profile Records (GMOR 166)

Pete Ryder - Vocals, guitar, twelve-string guitar\\
Sian Harry - Vocals, piano, guitar\\
Phil Shankland - Electric bass, vocals

Phil Shepherd - Tambourine on "On My Way Home"\\
Maggie Delves - Backing vocals on "Everybody Needs A Friend" and "On My Way Home"

  - Morning's Here
  - A Song You Can Sing
  - Goodbye Maisie, Goodbye
  - Treacle Pudding and Custard
  - Evensong
  - We Climbed a Hill
  - I'm a Rock-and-Roll Singer
  - Everybody Needs a Friend
  - On My Way Home
  - The Judge's Story
  - Spring Song
  - However Far
  - Day Sinks

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==== Odd Songs ====

1981 Independent

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==== Will Your Soul Stay White While Your Body Goes Brown ====

1988 Independent

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==== Jumble ====

1989 Independent

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==== Beatrix Potters Gun ====

1991 Independent

Pete Ryder - Vocals, acoustic guitar, mandolin, electric guitar

Ginny Crompton - Vocals\\
Rita Acanley - Vocals\\
Kevin Doonan - Fiddler, voice choir on "Coffee"

  - Coffee
  - Do Gerbils Have Souls?
  - Beatrix Potters Gun
  - Ivan the Terrible
  - The Poll Tax Moan
  - She is a Singer
  - Slow Train Going
  - Born to Shop
  - Watching the War
  - Above, Below
  - Usury
  - A Long Way From Bethlehem Tonight
  - Salisbury
  - Tom
  - Evensong

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==== A Mole Played Euphonium ====

1993 Independent

Pete Ryder - Vocals, instruments\\
Frances Davies - Vocals

Songs include:

  * The Candle and the Mirror
  * If You Want to be a Pilgrim
  * The Sky Fell at 10.30

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==== Bones in the Chimney ====

1994 Independent

Pete Ryder - Vocals, instruments\\
Frances Davies - Vocals

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==== Pressed Flowers ====

1995 Independent

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==== Never Been Plugged Anyway... ====

1995 Independent

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==== Floodtide ====

1998 Independent

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==== Fossils ====

1998 Independent

  - Talking to my Fossils
  - The ballad of Albert Goodfellow
  - Usury
  - Beatrix Potter
  - Spires
  - Carnival down on Death Row
  - The Moles' Revenge
  - A Long Way from Bethlehem Tonight
  - The Currency of promises
  - The A68
  - Wait for You
  - Map Reading
  - You say you
  - Tom
  - Salisbury
  - Dance Piggies Dance
  - After All
  - Evensong

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==== Feast of Fools ====

1999 Independent

  - Power of the Stones
  - Holy Places
  - Cats (notwithstanding...)
  - Earth Mother
  - Jigsaw (Clear Blue Sky)
  - Screwing down the Safety Valve
  - Survivors
  - Spoonful of Curry
  - Cry in the Darkness
  - Claustrophobia
  - She Paints from Life
  - To Die for the Freedom of Ireland
  - NSU Quickly
  - Flood Tide
  - Millennium Bug
  - Feast of Fools
  - This Love of Yours

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//(...to be continued...)//

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===== Links ====

  * [[https://broomlee.org/|Pete Ryder's official website]]
  * [[https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Pete_Ryder_Not_your_runofthemill_songsmith/9251/p1/|Pete Ryder: Not Your Run-of-the-Mill Songsmith]]
  * [[https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Paradise_Square_Pete_Ryder__Sian_Harry_Christian_folk_collectors_items/42173/p1/|Paradise Square, Pete Ryder & Sian Harry: Christian Folk Collectors' Items]]
  * [[https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Pete_Ryder__His_Barometer_Is_Right_But_The_Weather_Is_Wrong/43336/p1/|Pete Ryder: His Barometer is Right (But the Weather is Wrong)]]
  * [[https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/Pete_Ryder/Beatrix_Potters_Gun/28580/|Beatrix Potter's Gun Review]]
  * [[https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/Pete_Ryder__Frances_Davies/A_Mole_Played_Euphonium/22112/|A Mole Played Euphonium Review]]
  * [[https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/Pete_Ryder__Friends/Feast_Of_Fools/2899/|Feast of Fools Review]]

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{{tag>folk_rock united_kingdom 1981 1988 1989 1991 1993 1994 1995 1998 1999}}