Pete, together with James Anderson, Stephen Booth, Russ Cummings and Mark Downey came up with the idea of a local magazine for Stevenage and District...

THE EYE was born in January 1984

 * * * * * * *

Unfortunately, THE EYE only ran for three issues. Issue one above...

 ...followed by two (above) and three (below)...

There was also the ill-fated 'First Stevenage Arts Festival', whi lost money for 'Eye' co-editor James Anderson...

SWITCHBOARD rises out of the ashes...

After the demise of THE EYE, Pete and Jon Ridley started a Musician's Switchboard, using Pete's telephone to put bands and musicians in touch with each other. This rapidly turned into a monthly magazine, SWITCHBOARD, which became an instant hit...

The first edition of Switchboard (above) hit shops in Stevenage in June 1985.

Switchboard ran successfully for a year, until Pete became anxious about Jon's tardy approach to editorial content. Jon resigned and Pete took over, renaming the publication MOTF SWITCHBOARD, Phase Two...

Despite these differences, John and Pete remained friends, and John occasionally helped with editorial material.

His real interest though, was in playing and acting as 'Roadie' for other bands...



However, due to Pete's failing health with polymyositis, Switchboard finally came to an end in 1988.... 

    ABOVE: Eddie Smith and John Ridley drawn by Pete

There was one edition of a glossy version of Switchboard, produced by local busniessman Martin Randall in 1988, - but it proved unpopular, and Mr Randall tried to rip Pete off. Advertisers and musicians refused to co-operate with Mr Randall, so it came to an end...

 Pete and John remained friends throughout the rest of John's life until his death in 2011. Indeed, he rang Pete for a chat just a few days before he died: John Ridley was a legend of North Herts Music Scene, Original member of The Magic Oak Tree Family, and a local character to boot.

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