All proceeds from the sale of this recording go to UnionAID and Atareira

WORDS ABOUT PETER
Peter Conway (1953 – 2015)

Peter Conway was the best dad, partner, brother, colleague and friend that anyone could ever wish for. He wrote some really good songs and was a very talented musician, especially when it came to playing his treasured mandolin. He was a strongly committed trade unionist – with his adult life spent tirelessly fighting alongside working people for industrial, economic and social justice. Peter died in June 2015 aged 61 after battling a 14-month long serious depressive illness. The Wesley Church in Wellington’s Taranaki Street was packed to the gunnels for his funeral. From every corner of the country – and overseas - hundreds of his friends and family had gathered to mourn his tragic passing – joined by his comrades from the trade union movement, business people and MPs from across the political spectrum. Peter was held in such high regard by everyone he came into contact with. In working life, he was said to be ‘hard on issues, soft on people’. He was an intellectual giant who made a huge contribution to the New Zealand union movement and political labour. Peter was always passionate about his music, playing regularly in public and in private with friends and his many bands – including folk ensembles Jade and Red Gumboot from his Christchurch days. After he moved to Wellington in the late 1990s he formed Not The Day Job, his union band – a group that’d be an outlet for his political music. Stalwart members who would regularly perform with Peter included Sue Windsor, Lisa Beech, Bill Newson and Ross Teppett. The band performed regularly at the May Day Cup concerts in Palmerston North, house concerts in Melbourne Road for the South Wellington branch of Labour Party, the occasional 21st and many more. Songs with political themes were often penned by Peter just for the occasion – some of which are captured on this album. When he fell ill, there was a solid core of family and friends that worked with him to help him get well. There were so many people counting on Peter getting back to his stellar best. His death was devastating – and his loss is still so very painful and sad for his whānau and many friends. Peter Conway was a good man. He was so deeply loved and respected, and he will never be forgotten. He has made a lasting contribution to making Aotearoa New Zealand a better place for everyone. This project ensures his music lives on.

For Pete’s Sake had its genesis in 2010 when I was on a six month unpaid sabbatical. My mate Pete Conway told me it’d be a great time to record some of the songs we’d written and played. We did get to do one song, Organise, at Robbie Duncan’s Braeburn Studio with Pete and Lisa Beech, but that was it (and unfortunately this recording has been lost with the subsequent closure of Braeburn in 2016). Fast-forward a few years and I started working with Pete at the NZ Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi – and the recording idea keep on coming up, especially after we’d played a gig. Shortly after Pete finished as CTU Secretary at the end of 2014, CTU President Helen Kelly became very ill. Helen decided the time was right to marry her longtime partner Steve – and she wanted a wedding band for the occasion. That band would involve Not The Day Job (and union) stalwarts Bill Newson, Sue Windsor and Mark Wallis – as well Helen’s son Dylan, the amazing pipes of Janelle Pollock and Helen’s long-time family friends David Long and Nick Bollinger. After Pete died, the idea of recording an album of his songs took on a whole new resolve. I met with Pete’s partner Liz in September 2015 and said I wanted to do an album of his music and I wanted to make sure the family was OK with the idea. I told Liz I wanted to ‘rock Pete’s songs up’ – having in mind augmenting the Not The Day job line up with the Wedding Band. The following year I’d talked with both David and Nick about the album idea and they were keen to be involved. Following the death of our dear friend and comrade Helen in October 2016 it was time to get the ball rolling with getting a recording plan together – having a May Day 2017 release in mind. The PledgeMe crowd funding campaign to pay for the project received great support from union people and Pete’s family and many friends. We found a tiny bunch of days in (nearly) everyone’s incredibly busy calendars to rehearse and learn the songs. The bulk of the music was recorded in one day in March by Lee Prebble at the Surgery Studio in Newtown involving Bill Newson, George Hollinsworth, David Long, Nick Bollinger, Kieran Monaghan and myself. A whole host of fantastic people augmented this recording with their instruments and voices to make it what it is. David Long put in a huge amount of his time and mind-boggling expertise in his home studio to come up with the final mixes. To all those who contributed big and small to this project – a huge thanks for your mahi, aroha and support. Without you, For Pete’s Sake would never have happened. – RT

For Pete’s Sake Pledgers:
Robin Arthur, Kris Smith, Dion Martin, Vicki McLaren, Anonymous(1), Josh McLaren, Jeanie McCafferty, Marja Lubeck, Bill Rosenberg, Lloyd Woods, Rory McCourt, Marney Ainsworth, Glenda Fryer, Sterile Assembly, Steve Wyn-Harris, ceri l Bryant, Julie Douglas, Rachel Mackintosh, Chris, Bronwynn Maxwell, Louise Caro, Anne Dwyer, Anonymous(2), James Ritchie, Karen Fletcher, Huia Welton, Sylvia Bagnall, Nicola Craig, Carol Jess, Mark Derby, Phillip Brown, Gerry Hill, Evana Belich, Byrce Fleury, Gordon, Sam, Andrew Chick, Grant, Nick Hager, Ged O’Connell, Tanja Bristow, Tina Smith, Rob Taylor, Chris Eichbaum, Charlotte, Mike Will, Gary Froggatt, Anonymous(3), Victoria Quade, Anonymous(4), Lyndy McIntyre, Anonymous(5), Peter Lange, Owen Harvey, Michael Fletcher, Bill Bradford, Jo Duffy, tony ricketts, Camilla Belich, Kerry Davies, Basil Prestige, Paul Watson, Don Matheson, Sheryl Cadman, Nanette Cormack, Angela Collier, Anonymous(6), Karen Newson, Todd Valster, Robert Reid, Simon Oosterman, Louisa Jones, Nicola Owen, Sean Sinnott, mary ellen oconnor (twice!), Suzanne McNabb, Joce Jesson, Noelle Donnelly, Garth Nowland-Foreman, Auckland Trades Hall, Carol Beaumont, Lenka Tolich Ryall, Alana Bowman, Glenn Barclay, Paul Tolich, Sue Ryall, Anonymous(7), Jen Wilson, Anonymous(8), Anonymous(9), Frank, Linda Baxter, Annemarie McInally, Louise Mortland, Anonymous(10), Katrina Harper, Michael Naylor, Fritz Drissner, Sarah Devine, Jen Breed, Syd Keepa, chrisjpriestly, Tom Haig, Beth Houston, David, Karena Brown, Rail & Maritime Transport Union, Denise Roche, Michael Law, Sue Morrison, Cee Payne, Clare, Anthony Quinn, Glenda Alexander, Barry Coates, David Gandar, Peter, Craig Brown, Eddie O’Strange, Kate Teppett, Doug Clark, Graeme Burgess
Pledgers’ Words: Dion Martin: “What an absolutely brilliant initiative by Ross and NTDJ”; Josh McLaren: “Awesome work Rosco!”; Bill Rosenberg: “Just right to honour Peter this way. Thanks all.”; Rory McCourt: “Good luck. A great tribute to a working class hero.”; Glenda Fryer: “Wonderful man.”; ceri l bryant: “We travel around, so would love to just receive the digital download pls. Many thanks. Ceri and Eddie.”; Gary Froggatt: “’ON THE BUSES’ with Yellow Bus Company Director Conway.”; Chris Eichbaum: “This is for Peter, what he fought, and for the others who are fighting that fight and who deserve to triumph over injustice or personal pain.”; Gordon: “More than happy to support the campaign – which I have done – but see no reason why I should have to ‘join’ PledgeMe to do so.” (RT: That’s just how it is Gordon. That’s heaps for your support); Huia: “What a treasure for us this recording with be. With love and sadness – Huia.”; Karen Fletcher: “Looking forward to having this album to remember Peter Conway, a very caring and wise person and greatly missed.”; Anne Dwyer: “A great way for Pete to live on, in a very ‘Peter’ way.”; Louise Caro: “Great idea NTDJ Band – look forward to hearing the music.”; Owen Harvey: “A fitting tribute – looking forward to hearing the result.”; Michael Fletcher: “Thanks for doing this. X”; Camilla Belich: “Thanks Ross.”; Paul Watson: “This is a fantastic tribute to Peter’s music. May his spirit, lyrics and music live on – Paul and Lorraine, Christchurch.”; Don Matheson: “Peter Conway – a great man and a great mate, forever remembered, forever missed.”; Angela Collier: “Fantastic idea – very happy to support this campaign.”; Simon Oosterman: “Lost of activists make noise. But we don’t all make it as beautifully as Peter did.”; Nicola Owen: “Great idea. So happy to see a tribute to Peter living on through his music.”; Sean Sinnott: “What a great idea. I look forward to singing some of Peter's songs.”; Alana Bowman: “A truly wonderful project.”; Glen Barclay: “Proud and excited to be part of this.”; Syd Keepa: “Go Ross, good kaupapa bro.”; Beth Houston: “Great idea! Thanks for doing this.”; Karena Brown: “Very happy to be supporting this worthwhile campaign. Kia kaha.”; Denise Roche: “Thanks Not The Day Job - I look forward to hearing the album.”; Cee Payne: “Thanks for making this tribute to Peter happen :-)”; Anthony Quinn: “Hope the album goes well.”
Glenda Alexander: “Looking forward to hearing the music and remembering good times.”
Barry Coates: “Thanks for arranging this. I miss Peter and having some of his music will evoke good memories.”; David Gandar: “A way to remember an old and respected school friend.”; Kate Teppett: “Fantastic idea and a wonderful way to remember Peter.”