In the formative pre-Beatles early 1960s, he was the vocalist and lead guitarist of The Nocturnes, which included his brother John Peverett (later to be Rod Stewart's road manager before becoming a Baptist pastor in the United States) on drums, Keith Sutton on rhythm guitar, and Brixton neighbour Al "Boots" Collins (later to be editor of tourist magazines in the West Indies and Middle East) on tenor sax.

The Nocturnes achieved London popularity as a pub and club band and provided backing for other performers at a recording studio in Soho.

He used his new word to create Junior Foghat, an imaginary childhood playmate who became an alter ego and therefore the genesis of the "Lonesome Dave" persona that he was to employ as a performer.

With the success of an early single, a cover version of Willie Dixon's "I Just Want to Make Love to You", their debut release soon went gold.

He continued to write and record songs not only for Foghat, but also for a wide variety of projects, until his death from kidney cancer in February 2000.