Arkitex Starvation Army / Return To Zero |
Arkitex was formed in 1978 and was based in Maryport. The band name came from Tony Collier actually being an architect.
The line up was Peter White lead guitar & vocals, Tony Collier lead vocal & guitar, Jon Shone bass guitar and the drummers included Australian Mike Hague, Paul Waters, Frank Hall, and Baz Elwood.
Arkitex often played in the Carnegie theatre in Workington, often to a full house.
They also performed at some of the Carnegie Hootenany nights, one of which was featured by Border TV. The photo above shows Arkitex performing during the TV recording
Arkitex had a very good following in the Cumbrian area and also played all over the North of England particularly the North East. They played the Mayfair club in Newcastle in front of 1000 people.
| They released one single as Arkitex and one as Starvation Army, which is now something of a collectors item around Europe, changing hands at up to £100. The record was played on radio by John Peel and the band mentioned regularly in the national music press. |  Peter White with the two singles |
Listen to the Starvation Army tracks by clicking here ------> |
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The band tried their luck in London and in one pub, The Windsor Castle, they were told that they were just the sort of band they were looking for as the reggae band they were currently using were absolute garbage. As the lads did not want to move to London permanently they did not take up the offer and returned to Cumbria. The garbage reggae band were Madness, who of course went on to mega success!
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Peter White and Tony Collier at the Battle of the Bands in Durham in 1979
When Arkitex folded the members went on to form Starvation Army and then Return to Zero before calling it a day in 1984.
In 1990 Peter was a member of the reformed Renegades.
Peter is still performing with a band called "The Moonlighters".
 Peter in The Moonlighters in 2004 |
 Peter in 1978 |
Mike Hague (above) is now living in Sydney, Australia and works as a professional session/freelance drummer. He kindly supplied some of the pictures above, the others coming from Peter White.
Mike's website can be visited at http://www.mikehague.com/ where he can be seen photographed with the Everly Brothers, James Burton, Chuck Berry, Albert Lee etc.