Percussionist and e-drum app developer Pete Lockett has announced that he is hanging up his sticks, beaters and fingers.
In a letter to fans, the artist, whose percussion has accompanied entertainers spanning Jeff Beck to Björk, Robert Plant and Amy Winehouse and appeared in several James Bond movies, says he has re-evaluated his overall life objectives and decided to retire from all touring, performance and recording.
“It has been an amazing journey for the last 35 years and I feel blessed to have shared part of that journey with all of you.
“It has been an opportunity to play the best gear with the best artists and be with the very best people. Every single moment is a cherished and deeply valued memory,” he writes.
Lockett was first profiled in the February 2011 digitalDrummer and spoke about his extensive e-drum experience, culminating in a collaboration with 2box that saw him develop sounds for the Swedish module.
In February 2013, we reviewed Lockett’s DrumJam app, still one of the most innovative, versatile and entertaining drumming software products around.
Most recently, Lockett became the poster boy for ATV’s aFrame electronic instrument which he took to like a fish to water when he picked it up for the first time at NAMM in 2017. Lockett went on to create scores of demo videos for the instrument, combining its customisable sounds with looping technology and his inimitable rhythmic vocabulary.
In 2020, Lockett was among the artists who applauded our 10th anniversary, saying “specialist magazines like digitalDrummer are incredibly useful resources and prove to be a gold mine of information”.
“For me, the main benefit I feel is being inspired to try out new ideas featuring new gear and innovations that get covered in the mag. I have always been a great explorer and lover of the digital and electronic side of the music world, so my explorations are never far from the surface. The holy grail for me, though, is the creation of new sounds and textures rather than bothering too much with recreating acoustic sounds electronically.”
Lockett has withdrawn from social media and scaled back his website, remaining tight-lipped about his plans. “I feel fantastically excited for my new adventures and look forward positively to what awaits me, whatever that may be,” he tells his contacts.
His website gives some clues about his future direction, noting that he will continue to be active with his app and various other projects, “many not related to the music industry”.
On a personal note, I’d like to thank Pete Lockett for his inspiration, encouragement and support, and wish him all the best.