The Portsmouth Music Scene
Pete Cross - DJ and Agent

From the Portsmouth NEWS 2nd September 2016 Pop-picking Pete is preparing to play his last-ever request Pete Cross is retiring from DJing Pete Cross is retiring from DJing LEGENDARY DJ Pete Cross is hanging up his microphone after 49 years on the turntables. He’s decided to call it a day as he nears his 70th birthday, with around 7,000 shows under his belt in a career that saw him mix with scores of the most famous names in music. DJ Pete Cross DJ Pete Cross After working as a teenager in WH Smith in Portsmouth, Pete began his DJ career in earnest in 1967 at the celebrated Tricorn Club in Portsmouth city centre . ‘They’d been running cabaret acts but weren’t getting the crowds,’ said Pete. ‘I started playing middle-of-the-road songs to 20 people in between acts. ‘Then they decided to start a disco, and the audiences shot up. ‘Pretty soon we were locking the doors at 7.30pm with 500 inside. We did all sorts of stupid things, showing our immaturity really, but people just loved it.’ They decided to start a disco - and the audiences shot up Pete Cross Pete made regular appearances at Nero’s and the Mecca ballroom, before moving back to the Tricorn in 1975 and working alongside some of the biggest names of the day who appeared there including Slade, Mud, Sweet, Status Quo, and T Rex. Pete’s DJ years have seen him appear at venues far and wide, from the famous Lakeside Club in Camberley to The Royal Yacht Britannia. ‘I used to play records alone on the deck while they dined below at whatever ball it was,’ said Pete. ‘People on passing ferries would take pictures and I’d wave – I’m sure many of them thought I was a royal!’ Pete Cross at the Tricorn Club Pete Cross at the Tricorn Club Pete has also enjoyed a long radio career. He appeared for five years on BBC Radio Solent, presenting the Cabaretland feature each week plus Saturday’s Juke Box Jury shows and fronting his own live programmes from the Southsea Show. Nowadays Pete, who runs an entertainments agency from his Waterlooville home, can be heard on the Havant-based community station Angel Radio (101.1FM) at 8pm on Mondays and on his Sixties show at 9am on Saturdays. As he prepares for his last show, at a wedding reception in Fareham on Saturday, he says: ‘I’ve had a great time.’ Tony Blackburn who was guesting at the Tricorn Club along with Pete Cross. Tony Blackburn who was guesting at the Tricorn Club along with Pete Cross. PETE’S ALL-TIME FAVOURITES FAVOURITE DJ.... ‘It has to be Tony Blackburn, one of the many stars I was lucky enough to work with. I just loved his stupid jokes.’ FAVOURITE GROUP... ‘Without a doubt it was Mud. Lovely fellas. I remember them playing the Mecca and telling me to hang around so that we could all have a drink afterwards.' FAVOURITE SHOW... ‘I was appearing alongside a comedy group called Hobson’s Choice but the lead singer was taken ill and I was asked to fill in - singing like Tommy Cooper and having absolutely hilarious time.’ FAVOURITE SONG... Young Hearts Run Free (Candi Staton) Pete Cross at Angel Radio, was resident at the Tricorn Club from the mid 1960's until the late 1970's Pete Cross with Noel Edmunds left, and Tony Blackburn right Pete tried his hand at singing in the early 1980s! with him in the KM band, Jim Berry, Arnold Gutbucket, Humphrey Camelfoot, Dave Houghton, and in the chorus, Pete Mitchell, Steve Campion, Ian Foster, Dave Martin, Ricky Martin and Sharon Flannery, and engineered by Dave Hardcastle at Toucan Studios on Hayling Island. This record information kindly made available by Phil Tilbury. - To hear the songs click here - Pete in action

Pete and Jan mark 50 years, Portsmouth NEWS Bob Hind 24th March 2023 There are not many Portsmouth people of a certain age who would not have known of Pete Cross; he was one of the most well-known DJs of his time. Pete and his wife Jan celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this week. Their wedding, on March 23 1973, was held at Portsmouth Registry O?ice in St Michael‘ s Road with a reception. The best man was entertainment agent Ricky Martin. Pete grew up in the Adelaide Street area of Buckland with Jan being a former resident of Bedhampton. The couple had courted for eight years after they met at the Birdcage Club, located in Eastney Road, Milton. Jan, then aged 15, was warned by her parents not to go near the venue, especially with her being underage. But Jan de?ed her parents and went anyway where she met Pete, who was one year her senior. After their marriage the couple moved into a basement ?at in Campbell Road, Southsea, where they lived for three years before moving out of Portsmouth to Apollo Drive in Crookhorn, eventually settling in Jason Place where they still reside. Pete began working in the Tricorn Club in 1967 and remained there until the mid 70s. During this periodhe also became the venue’s manager whilst still DJing until its takeover by another company, Pleasurama. Jan was working at IBM Havant as a computer data-prep manager with 18 girls under her charge. Pete joined Ricky Martin in running the successful KM Entertainments company before opening his own agency, with Jan, PCA UK in 1997- There were very few bands, DJs, musicians, cabaret acts and star attractions who didn’t pass through the company’s books. The couple havetwo sons, Jamie and Joel, along with six grandchildren and their ?rst great grandson born on Mother’s Day last weekend. These days Pete con?nes his DJ work to broadcasting on award-winning, Havant- based community station Angel Radio. There he continues to present his popular Saturday 60s show (9am-11am) which has been running for over ten years, alongside other regular programmes.

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