Peak UK Chart Position: #18 in October 1987.

Happy birthday to Mike Peters – born in Prestatyn, Wales – who celebrates his 58th today. He formed The Alarm in 1981, after having dabbled with several other bands over a four year period, and they were to play their first gig in Peters’ home town in June of that year. Building recognition by playing alongside The Fall, and then U2, they scored their debut (and biggest) chart hit with “68 Guns” in 1983, getting to number 17. The group disbanded in the early 90s, with Peters moving onto solo work; however, they reformed in 2000, and continue to perform (albeit with Peters being the only constant original member).

Quick facts:

• “Rain In The Summertime” was their second biggest UK hit, and was taken from their third studio album “Eye Of The Hurricane”.
• Peters’ first proper band was The Toilets, formed after he saw the Sex Pistols play at Chester in 1976. The first song The Toilets played live was “Nothing To Do” at the Palace Hotel in Rhyl.
• More recently, he was also frontman of – and toured with – Scottish rock group Big Country between 2011 and 2013.
• The Alarm have a tour planned for May 2017, and will also be appearing at the Isle of Wight Festival in June.
• Peters is a two-times cancer survivor,  and is founder of the cancer charity ‘Love Hope Strength Foundation’.
• In October 2007, Peters, along with 38 other musicians, cancer survivors and supporters, made a 14-day trek to the Mount Everest base camp to perform the highest concert ever on land to raise awareness and money to fight cancer.

Here’s their Top of the Pops performance of “Rain In The Summertime” from October 15th 1987, a show that included UB40, Five Star, and Terence Trent D’Arby in the studio.