A few examples of Peter’s magnificent work

The art director at Warner Bros Records called Peter in a panic late one Friday afternoon. The original illustrator hadn’t produced the goods and they HAD to have the cover for Rod Stewart’s Atlantic Crossing the following morning, latest. Peter called and asked me to help him. We would stay up all night to get the thing done. Peter did the drawing, I cut the friskets (stencils) and he began laying in the colors. All the detail in the skyscrapers was laid in with an electric eraser...erasing back the color to the white of the board, as are all the little highlights that he would then hit with some white from the airbrush to make them glow. He delivered the art at 9 am and Warner’s were over the moon. This piece eventually earned Peter a whopping $9,000 in fees as Warner Bros were so up against it, yet wouldn’t pay Peter what they should have...Peter’s agent then told them they couldn’t use the art for ANY advertising, to which the art director readily agreed...he just needed that cover. Peter’s agent saw a huge billboard of the cover on Times Square and billed Warner’s $3,000 for that one, which they paid (different budget), and then Peter spotted a huge one on Sunset Strip, and they billed another $3,000 which got paid.

The Cocaine Angel for Playboy

Another Playboy illustration that Peter did in one day

Peter’s 1949 maroon Nash...where is it now?

For a Playboy story about strange friends.

This is his Moto Guzzi that earned him the speeding ticket on the Pearlblossom Highway (whilst I got the other one on his Ducati 750 Desmo)

This is the illustration that really made Peter’s career take off in the early 70’s. Art Paul, Playboy’s art director, called Peter and asked him to illustrate an Isaac Azimov article titled “The Robots Are Coming,” about the impending use of robots in manufacturing. Art described what he wanted: a phalanx of robots marching inexorably towards you. Peter waited a beat and said, “What?” Art repeated what he wanted. Peter said, “The title of the article is ‘The Robots are coming’ and you want me to draw a phalanx of robots marching towards you!!???” Art replied, “Yes.” Peter said, “Art, forgive me, but you are Playboy... surely you want a male and female robot fucking and coming together, don’t you? THE ROBOTS ARE COMING!” Art laughed and said, “What the hell was I thinking? Of course Peter, brilliant idea. Do it.”

My Trower cover with the leaf from Peter’s sycamore tree, using his Paasche airbrush. My first airbrush painting, thanks to Peter, done in my little apartment above the Hollywood Bowl and now in Robin’s house in England (it was in his attic for years!)

Sadly, the only picture I have of Peter...taken in 1982 mowing my lawn at the “La Bamba” house in Silverlake (where Richie Valens recorded “Come On Let’s Go,” “Donna,” and the demo for “La Bamba”). Peter had just moved to Durango, Colorado and would stay with me when he was in town.

Out of interest, the car in the background is Rosie’s old Volvo that I finally sold the following year to pro golfer Jim Furyk as his very first car...he had just joined the Tour as a junior PGA Professional, had no money, and bought the Volvo for $400.

The boy’s come a long way!

“...and Peter...no faces, OK?”

Peter loved goofy-looking bikes, and loved Ducatis...this is the one he was “saving” his pennies for before he died.

It’s HERE! In the Nash Museum in Elizabeth, Colorado (the Rambler Ranch). I just received an email from Peter’s nephew, Chris, informing me that Peter sold it to them.

Peter with his two children, Lake and Oliver

The internet is great...after putting up this site, Peter’s nephew and brother both contacted me, sending along photos of Peter’s last illustrations of trains (he loved old west trains, especially goofy-looking ones) and this later photo of his family. Thank you Chris and David.