Pete Overend Watts

Peter Overend Watts (13 May 1947 – 22 January 2017) was an English bass guitar player and founding member of the 1970s rock band Mott the Hoople.

Early life Watts was born in Yardley, Birmingham on 13 May 1947. He moved as a child to Worthing, Sussex, and then to Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, where he started learning guitar while at Ross Grammar School. and, taking the advice of manager Guy Stevens, Pete Watts adopted the stage name Overend Watts.

Watts continued, with Dale "Buffin" Griffin, Morgan Fisher and Ray Major, in the Mott successor British Lions, recruiting former Medicine Head member John Fiddler. They released the albums British Lions, which reached No. 83 in the US (1977), and Trouble with Women (1982).

Watts's bass of choice was a white Gibson Thunderbird, one of which was later sold to Wishbone Ash bassist Martin Turner.

Later career In January 2009 it was confirmed that Watts and the other original members of Mott the Hoople would reform for three 40th anniversary reunion concerts in October 2009. The reunion at the HMV Hammersmith Apollo, London, England was extended to five shows due to popular demand.

In August 2009 American rock music group Mambo Sons released their double album Heavy Days featuring a song in tribute to him entitled "Overend Watts".

In November 2013 Mott the Hoople again reunited, with Martin Chambers

Before his death in 2017 Watts completed the solo album that he had said he would make for over a decade. Knowing that the album would be released after his death it would not be called "She’s Real Gone" as originally planned, but instead titled "He’s Real Gone".

Death Watts died on 22 January 2017 from throat cancer at the age of 69.

Publication Watts was known for his long-distance walks. His book, The Man Who Hated Walking, was published in 2013.