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PETE JENSEN

Friends hold tribute concert for fallen comrade

By Matt Nagle

On April 20, local musician Pete Jensen passed away in his sleep at the age of 23.

Tight with a lot of local bands in the punk and metal scenes, his friends are planning a tribute show for him May 8 at Hell’s Kitchen.

It is a varied line-up of talent, with five bands on the bill: Jupiter and Mars, Basic Radio, Xanadu, American Wrecking Company and Serious Black.

A $5 donation will be requested at the door, which will go directly to the Jensen family. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

Shane Griessel, who plays guitar for Serious Black, spent his teenage years with Jensen on Raft Island, just outside of Gig Harbor, where Jensen’s father owned a home. Griessel remembered when Jensen played as a fill-in drummer for the Bellingham-based band Arc of Descent, back in the days when the two would hang out and play punk rock together whenever they got the chance.

“For lack of a better word, he was amazing,” Griessel said. “He was an incredible musician. At 15 he could play guitar like nothing I’d ever seen. He also played drums very well and very fast.”

Griessel said Jensen took no formal music lessons, but rather had a “natural ability.” Another buddy, John Steele, who plays guitar in American Wrecking Company, also knew Jensen for many years and noted his innate musical talents. “He played anything he could pick up. He was kind of a prodigy I guess.”

Both musicians described Jensen as a very fun person to be around. “He was always smiling and having a good time, making everyone else feel good,” Griessel said. “He was a very original and unique person.”

“He was one of those people that was everybody’s friend,” Steele said, “always bouncy and happy. You couldn’t help but be his friend. Everybody loved him.”

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