From an early age I listened to my parents 33's & 45's, such artists as: The Shadows, Eddie Cochran, Elvis Presley, Johnny Burnette and the Everly Brothers. My first recollection of making music was when I was given a snare drum and a high-hat by a relative which at the time was not popular and so they were 'removed'! After bashing the bed with large knitting needles the fun began to wane, but I loved the Rock n' Roll sound.

I was given a nylon strung guitar as a Christmas present at the age of 13. Just after getting past page 2 of Bert Weedon's 'Play In A Day' book I became confused, so I took a few lessons to learn some basic chords and tunes, from a guy who loved The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and alike. At that time I was listening to loads of 'Rock' music, I was never a New Romantic! I particularly enjoyed the early Queen albums and was amazed, and still am by the sound Brian May made with his instrument. He was and still is an idol!

 I was encouraged and influenced by local musicians and especially by the guitarist Nigel Spennewyn who came down from London with his band Pride of Passion, he blew me away and opened my ears. I continued to listen to many guitarists, mainly from the rock field including Garry Moore, Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, The Edge, Alex Lifeson, Kate Bush's guitarist Alan Murphy and Steve Vai. More recently I listened to progressive guitarists such as Alan Holdsworth, Trevor Rabin and Francis Dunnery. In 1996 I was fortunate to support Francis on his British tour, playing an opening set of original acoustic songs I had written. I then had the offer to play 'back up' guitar for him, which I did for the remainder of the tour. From that tour I did a 3 track radio session for BFBS radio which was aired the same year.

I now listen to many artists, not just guitarists, including Scott Matthews, young rockers 'Muse', The Killers and jazz guitarist Ronny Jordon.

Other bands include Guesswork, Cartoon Character, Day by Day, Life Itself, Starsky.

My introduction to music came from my dad, who would get me George Formby albums, which I would play along to with a saucepan. This has led to me being a life long fan of the ukulele banjo and of George Formby, played mostly behind closed doors for my own entertainment. In my mid-teens whilst at school I got my first acoustic guitar, and with some friends formed our first band The Obsession, which later became Desert Island Dick and the Palmtrees, playing original tunes and covers of the day. My next band was The Fizzikisses; playing mostly original punky powered pop songs. During this time my love of the banjo had seen me join local jazz band Just Dixie in which we played weddings and parties playing trad jazz.

My tenor banjo playing has taken me on tour around Europe for a couple of years as a member of Max Collies Rhythm Aces, and still playing around to this day in various jazz bands. In the mid-nineties I was part of the decorating team on the BBC makeover programme Real Rooms for five years. This took me all over the country painting Twickenham Rugby changing rooms to an oil rig in the North Sea, getting an instrument out when I could for a bit of TV airing.

I joined the Meanies when the original singer left due to work commitments and I played with the original band for a few years until Marc joined, Karl a little later and with the addition of the brass, the rest is history. This line-up of the Meanies is quite settled and I think we all enjoy the banter and a lad's night out which gigs have become. I must admit though, the music we play isn't the same as I listen to at home! Although we know they are favourites everyone enjoys at a party. I don't think the bride and groom would appreciate Half Man Half Biscuit, The wedding Present, Modern Lovers or, of course, George Formby as much... or would they?... 

Music has always played a big part in my life. Under my Dad's influence, I started out on the trumpet at the tender age of 6. Dad had played in his own local jazz bands for ages. I progressed on the trumpet and played with the school orchestra until I reached my early teens, at which point I decided that rock and roll seemed much more fun!

Once again, my Dad came up trumps and got me my first drum lesson with local drum teacher, Paul Hitchmo, who was truly inspiring. (Lost contact with him, but would love to know what he's up to now.)  

I played with the classic pots and pans for six months, until I bought my first drum kit for £70, a sparkly Hoshino three piece. I then played with friends in local bands for a few years early on. Around this time, I found myself cycling into town with half a drum kit every Thursday, to play at The Wheatsheaf's 'Jam night' (I was very keen!). This is where I first met the original Meanies.

I first got the gig with the Blue Meanies in 1986, after Terry Drake, the original drummer, moved away. Since then I have played with other local bands but the Meanies has been my steady gig.

In the Meanies we touch on a few different styles, but my real influences are very broad, from punk to funk, soul and roots reggae, I generally love it all. I have listened to and loved stacks of drummers over the years, but have an on-going obsession with Steve Jordan, Roger Hawkins, Al Jackson and James Brown drummers to name but a few.

My earliest musical recollection is listening to a 'Hard Day's Night' on the radio in our kitchen at about the age of 3, probably 1963 or thereabouts (yes I am that old!). By this stage I was already hooked on music. For me, it is a way of life. In these early years I absorbed just about every kind of music that was played on the radio. Particularly of note to me was the music of Motown which I found really inspiring. I also remember a lot of the British beat, boom and blues bands. I got my first guitar in 1967... the strings were so high I could hardly press them down, but this didn't seem to matter...I also played violin.

I played guitar in school bands; first proper gig at 15, by 18 had moved onto bass, although I did join the Detours on organ for a while during the Ska and Bluebeat revival. I got into song-writing quite a bit and worked as an engineer in a studio. Signed a contract with CBS with an Oxford band and got a bit of experience playing big venues as well as visiting some very nice studios (and a lot of dives too however!) I also played a bit of drums every now and then.

Well into Jazz by now and started playing double bass; the first one was so big I could hardly lift it. I also met Mr. Dickie White of the Blue Meanies and so began a relationship that still continues and evolves beyond what I ever expected.

In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: ''Life is a journey, not a destination''....so too is music to me.

I started playing the clarinet at school until they bought a saxophone. I remember the case being opened for the first time, like a treasure chest shining gold onto my face! As soon as I saw it, that was it and it was mine. At the time (age 13) I had no idea what I was going to play with it until I heard James Brown's Living in America (Maceo Parker's sax solo) on telly in 1985 which was a life changing moment - I didn't know you could play stuff like that! Then I realised that you can't play stuff like that! - not without a whole load of work. As there are no short-cuts to anywhere worthwhile, I started from the beginning like everyone else and went through the grades like a good boy…

A couple of early bands were a Ska band called Wolfgang and a Caribbean band called Yellow Bird (good fun but I quickly developed a chronic intolerance to steel drums and left) and a few stand-in gigs with local bands. Then came ten years in the Royal Anglian Regiment Band (TA) which was an incredible influence on me and I was lucky enough to study at the Royal Military School of Music in London and got a diploma in performance in 1991. I also conducted concerts, played in orchestras, saxophone quartets, wind quintets, big bands, rock bands, even had a jazz band inappropriately called Fanny Magnet Jazzy Baz and the S**t Notes! (we were terrible but improved proportionately with beer)

In the late nineties, work brought me to Oxfordshire and I was looking around for a band to play with and eventually, by happy chance, met the Meanies. For all my 'classical' training, the Meanies remain the most all-round, naturally gifted bunch (who don't even know it) that I've had the pleasure to play with, but don't tell them I said that.

I have been teaching saxophones since 1991 and I also play clarinet, flute and piano and have a Certificate of Teaching from the ABRSM. More recently I have a new sax quartet called Four in a Bar that are rehearsing towards our first performance soon. Musical influences are very varied: Ravel, Stravinsky, Nyman, Glen Miller, Kate Bush, The Waterboys, David Bowie, Madness, Stan Getz, most Funk, some Acid Jazz and even ZZ Top. Don't like: steel drums! 60's pop, Eurovision, Bon Jovi, brass bands or country music, with Marty Robbins song 'El Paso' the only exception.