In the ‘churn them up and spit and them out’ world of popular music, Mike Peters has shown how nurturing a loyal fan base can remove the need for constant chart success and media coverage.

Formed in Rhyl in 1978, the band that eventually became ‘The Alarm’ recorded six albums and enjoyed 15 hit singles. In Britain they’re best remembered for the anthemic “Sixty Eight Guns”, with lyrics inspired by Mike’s teenage years in North Wales, which made the UK top twenty in 1983.

For many bands with their spell in the limelight expired, obscurity generally beckons. For Mike Peters and The Alarm however, things turned out rather differently.

Perhaps his best move was to establish direct connections with his fans around the world and cut out the middle men of the music business.

The Alarm had always impressed as a live act and Mike had made many friends by taking the trouble to meet and talk to fans afterwards.

They hadn’t forgotten him and in 1992, with The Alarm in tatters, Mike embarked on an extensive solo tour in Britain and the U.S., taking down fans names and addresses as he went. These contacts formed the basis of the Mike Peter’s Organisation. MPO members were invited to Rhyl for an event called ‘The Gathering’, the success of which ensured it became an annual fixture.

When The Alarm released a retrospective boxed set of its complete works in 2000, Mike agreed to record a song and personal dedication for everyone who requested one. He expected to do a few hundred and ended up recording several thousand.

In today’s globalised music industry, performers have never seemed more removed from ordinary fans. Mike Peters has stepped across that divide and his devotion to his public has been repaid in kind.