‘Cos anything can happen in this place
Take a step inside
The door is open wide
(From Tigers in the Butter)
Peter Jones – composer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire – is a musical phenomenon. The schoolboy Peter, who lost his sight aged 15 months, loved improvising and recording his own music, and before leaving school was already performing original songs and pop covers at local gigs. In 2004 he reached the finals of ‘The X Factor’ and he released his first commercial album in 2010. His name is familiar as a member of bands including Camel, Red Bazar and Cyan, and he is a highly sought-after solo performer on the gig and festival circuit. Tiger Moth Tales is essentially a one man outfit, with Peter playing or programming just about everything, but he is joined by a band for live performances.
Cocoon, from 2014, was the debut outing for Tiger Moth Tales. As the album title implies, its songs evoke the transition from the comforting safety of childhood to the anxieties and responsibilities of adulthood. On 16th November 2024 Tiger Moth Tales celebrated Cocoon’s tenth anniversary with a complete performance at Trading Boundaries, East Sussex, prefaced by a solo acoustic set from Pete. Peter’s introductions to the songs, delivered with his customary geniality and self-deprecating humour, are all featured on this recording, delivering a personal insight into the music and conveying something of the unique atmosphere of a Tiger Moth Tales gig.
So let us open up the toy box, take a step inside and find our seats amid the exotic décor and candlelit tables of Trading Boundaries. Pete greets us warmly and launches into the Vivaldi-inspired high spirits of Spring Fever, from the studio album Song of Spring. The virtuosic solo piano part sparkles with the freedom and verve of a jazz improvisation, while the vocals are as warm and bright as spring sunshine. A truly joyous way to open proceedings!
The next pair of songs hails from Tiger Moth Tales’ most recent studio album, The Turning of the World. Though lacking the complexity of the full band version, the clean lines and strummed acoustic chords of The Lock Keeper suggest a folkiness that perfectly matches the song’s gentle nostalgia for the wholesome simplicity of times past. We’ll Remember was written in memory of David Longdon, beloved front man of Big Big Train. The exquisitely shaped melodies showcase the mellow tones and expressive phrasing of the vocals, and Pete’s genuine affection and sense of loss for his fellow musician resonate through every note.
Just when you thought it was safe to put your handkerchief away, along comes Hans Christian Anderson’s unashamedly sentimental fable of The Little Match Girl, taken from Tiger Moth Tales’ second Story Tellers album. This bittersweet song, accompanied simply by warmly reverberated keyboard, allows the story to take centre stage, every word ringing clear and true in Peter’s heartfelt delivery and perfect diction. The set closes with Hygge, a heart-warming Christmas song from 2017’s The Depths of Winter. The graceful arrangement for acoustic piano reveals Pete’s love for classical music while his mellifluous vocals flow as smoothly and sweetly as a warm glass of Glühwein, briefly insulating us from the cares and concerns of the outside world.
Now to the main event of the evening, for which Peter is accompanied by two of his partners in crime from Red Bazar, Andy Wilson on guitar and drummer Paul Comerie. Joining them for the first time is the versatile Gareth Cole, guitarist with Drifting Sun and The Bardic Depths but here playing bass. Before the team comes on stage, Peter ruefully introduces his childhood composition Isle of Witches, as “one track that some people don’t seem to like very much – including the band!” All the male and female voices, instruments and bizarre sound effects are Peter’s own work, and the music is an extraordinary blend of Hammer Horror, Monty Python and The Goon Show. Clocking in at over eleven minutes this juvenile epic perhaps overstays its welcome, but there is no doubt that it brilliantly demonstrates Peter’s imagination and versatility as performer and composer. Upon its conclusion the band feel safe to venture onstage for the joyous Overture. As the name suggests, this whets our appetite for subsequent proceedings by dropping teasers from later songs, including appearances from some buttery tigers, a merry vicar, and a brief tour of Chigwick. All good clean fun.
Tigers in the Butter, as Pete announces, is “all about imagination and fantasy”. The keyboard introduction has an authentically Indian flavour which is especially appropriate here at Trading Boundaries and provides a fitting habitat for the tigers – who growl in a suitably blood-curdling way with a little help from Peter. A heroic guitar theme is taken up by full band, linking a series of colourful musical episodes conjuring up the excitement and adventure of childhood games. In honoured Tiger Moth Tales tradition, the audience are invited to join in with the chorus, before Pete’s glorious guitar solo ends the track in a blaze of triumph and virtuosity. After the fun and games, the achingly beautiful The First Lament captures a child’s first experience of life’s unfairness; the first crack in the cocoon, perhaps. An impassioned introduction from Peter’s expressive saxophone presages a heartbreaking guitar solo reminiscent of Camel’s Ice, suffused with nostalgia and regret.
And now for something completely different. Written in affectionate memory of a family friend, The Merry Vicar recalls the young Pete’s high jinks with his clergyman pal, making up silly voices and messing around on the piano. The grotesque circus atmosphere of the introduction and quaint BBC English of Pete’s vocal delivery suggest the jollity of the Edwardian music hall, but it is the keyboards that are the star here, romping through time signatures, special effects and musical styles with irrepressible glee.
The charming Visit to Chigwick taps into our nostalgia not only for childhood but also for a perfect world that never truly existed. This is the song that released Peter’s creativity after a spell of writer’s block, and inspired him to write Cocoon. As Peter’s evocative Chigwick theme appears on acoustic guitar, over the reassuring sound of a ticking clock, the audience settles contentedly for one of his most well-loved songs. After this evocation of childhood innocence, the candidly autobiographical Don’t Let Go, Feels Alright movingly describes the transition between childhood and adulthood, with its progression from reluctance and doubt to acceptance and positivity. Peter’s emotional vocals and piquant piano harmonies express pain, puzzlement and longing, reinforced by an emotion-laden sax solo. A reprise of the First Lament theme in a major key suggests the first stirrings within the cocoon, and the second part of the song brings a heart-warming sense of peace and gratitude:
It feels alright
Although that song marks the official close of play, the enthusiastic warmth of the Trading Boundaries audience persuades Peter to pull two more songs out of the hat, beginning with Return to Chigwick. The lyrics describe Peter’s gratitude to the original song for launching him upon his immensely successful musical journey ten years ago, and include references to some of his many performance venues. The evening closes with Still Alive, an upbeat song originating from the Covid lockdowns. It resonates with Peter’s characteristic optimism and determination, and is dedicated to the residents of his own village. As in the previous track, melodica and strummed acoustic guitar suggest a homespun folkiness which belies the understated skill of the arrangement. The audience are called upon to participate in the infectiously catchy “na-na-na” refrain, and the tumultuous applause that follows leaves us in no doubt of their appreciation.
The live album is mixed and mastered by John Holden – a successful composer and multi-instrumentalist who has worked with Pete on many occasions. Rather than refining the original recording to within an inch of its life, John and Pete’s aim was to convey as much of the live vibe as possible, even retaining the occasional misplaced note and a false start to one of the tracks. The result is a clear, perfectly balanced mix that combines the immediacy of a live gig with the sound quality of a studio album.
A Visit to Trading Boundaries delivers sheer joy from start to finish, and is the next best thing to attending the concert in person, with the added advantage that you can repeat this visit as often as you like – as I guarantee you will! Its combination of new and familiar arrangements showcases Tiger Moth Tales at their vibrant best and sheds new light on old favourites, making it a must-buy for all “Mothingtons” and indeed for anyone who loves superlatively performed music with a sense of fun and a compassionately beating heart.
TRACK LISTING
DISC 1: Acoustic Solo Set
01. Spring Fever (7:42)
02. The Lock Keeper (4:00)
03. We’ll Remember (8:07)
04. Match Girl (4:15)
05. Hygge (6:47)
– Band Set
06. The Isle of Witches (13:28)
07. Overture (4:58)
08. Tigers in the Butter (14:01)
Time – 61:18
DISC 2: Band Set Continued
01. The First Lament (8:43)
02. The Merry Vicar (9:40)
03. A Visit to Chigwick (10:03)
04. Don’t Let, Go Feels Alright (17:51)
05. Return to Chigwick (7:18)
06. Still Alive (9:13)
Total Time: 62:48
Total Time – 124:06
MUSICIANS
Peter Jones – Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar, Saxophone
Andy Wilson – Guitar
Paul Comerie – Drums
Gareth Cole – Bass, Vocorder
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: White Knight Records
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 7th November 2025
LINKS
Tiger Moth Tales – Website | Facebook | Facebook (Peter Jones) | Bandcamp | X
