Peter & Gordon
Peter Asher: vocals and guitar
b. 22 June 1944, London
Gordon Waller: vocals and guitar
b. 4 June 1945, Braemar, Scotland
d. 17 July 2009, Norwich, Connecticut
 
Asher and Waller both came from upper middle-class families with doctor fathers, although Waller was born in Scotland where his mother had taken refuge from German bombs. Peter's mother played and taught oboe at the Guildhall School (where George Martin was one of her students). The Ashers were particularly active artistically and Peter and his sister, Jane, were child actors on the London stage and in motion pictures. Asher and Waller met at the elite Westminster School for Boys on the grounds of Westminster Abbey.
His sister Jane met the Beatles and, in particular, Paul McCartney on a staged television segment where she pretended to be a member of the audience. She and McCartney began seeing each other and McCartney moved into the Asher home.
 
1963   [Asher 18-19, Waller 19-20]
As the beat boom hit London, Asher and Waller began performing together on college campuses and moved on to play in the early London club scene (beating a 9:00 p.m. curfew by climbing over the school's 12-foot fence).
While playing at the Pickwick Club (an after-hours haunt of some entertainment professionals), producer Norman Newell heard them and recommended an audition at EMI. However not incoincidentally, Paul McCartney was Jane Asher's boyfriend (living on the top floor of the Asher home) and thought that Peter and Gordon would do well with "World without Love."
 
1964   [Asher 19-20, Waller 20-21]
22 February. "World without Love" / "If I Were You" [release of Columbia DB 7225; charts 12 March; UK #1]
29 May. "Nobody I Know" / "You Don't Have to Tell Me" [release of Columbia DB 7292; charts 4 June; UK #10, US #12]
5 June. Peter & Gordon [Columbia LP Mono #33SX 1630 & Stereo #SCX 3518
9 September. "I Don't Want to See You Again" / "I Would Buy" [release of Columbia DB 7356; US #16]
20 November. "I Go to Pieces" / "Love Me Baby" [release of Columbia DB 7407; US #9]
4 December. In Touch with Peter and Gordon [Columbia LP Mono #33SX 1660 & Stereo #SCX 3532]
 
1965   [Asher 20-21, Waller 21-22]
23 March. "True Love Ways" / "If You Wish" [release of Columbia DB 7524; charts 8 April; UK #2, US #14]
11 June. "To Know You Is to Love You" / "I Told You So" [release of Columbia DB 7617; charts 24 June; UK #5, US #24]
8 October. Hurtin' 'n' Lovin' [Columbia LP; Mono #33SX 1761 & Stereo #SCX 3565]
15 October. "Baby I'm Yours" / "When the Black of Your Eyes Turns Grey" [release of Columbia DB 7729; charts 21 October; UK #19]
October. "Don't Pity Me" (US #83)
 
1966 [Asher 21-22, Waller 22-23]
11 February. "Woman" / "Wrong From the Start" [release of Columbia DB 7834; charts 24 February; UK #28]
22 September. "Lady Godiva" [Columbia DB 8003; charts; UK #16]
The duo continued recording into 1967, but were not interested in a transition to the Psychedelic era. Their later hits took on the Music Hall style also popular at the time. Asher became a successful producer (James Taylor) and Waller continued as a soloist.
London Schedule The Zombies
  21-mar-16