I started playing melodeon aged 11 having broken my leg,
my Dad taught me my first few tunes and then I was off.
I learned from the safety of my parents morris side, from the musicians in that side - particularly Steve Howe -
as well as the music that I was listening to - John Kirkpatrick, Tony Hall, Andy Cutting, Martin Ellison and Dan Quinn to mention but a few.
Lots of practice and attendance of several melodoen workshops later I was encouraged (pushed) to enter the Young Tradition Award in 1991 which was massive exposure for me (didn't win but played the loudest!!!)
I was then asked to join the ceilidh band Phungus as cover for the main melodeon player Paul Nye who had been unwell. I must have made an impression as I'm still playing with the band today.
Then in early 1994 I went with my Dad to the Pumphouse folk club in Watford (sadly no longer in exsitence) to see Waterson:Carthy and play a support slot. That night, I met Eliza Carthy. I liked her playing and singing and she must have liked mine as she asked me to join a band that she and Nancy Kerr had planned - The Kings of Calicutt. This band went through 3 or 4 line ups as it got bigger and louder and while that was happening I was asked to join Waterson:Carthy.
Both Kings and W:C toured extensively and recorded with Topic Records. Liza and I went on to have a successful duo that toured in all sorts of places and has recently been reformed after an extensive break. Hooray!
Through the Kings, I met Dan Plews and formed Dansaul, a great festival concert band with incredulously only 1 album to it's name, Dansaul is still going with the post album line up - Dan and me, Guy Fletcher and Mark Woolley. Also through the Kings, I met Maclaine Colston and together we've had a fanstic duo which has recently been ressurected! Out of the blue, Simon Care asked me to cover a 2 week tour with E2 in Europe which turned into 2 of the most amazing weeks of my life! You'll have to ask why...
Phungus still goes on but to reach the late night extra audience of certain well known festivals, Random was formed. A curious blend of me and 5 lads of my parents generation, Random has occupied a lot of my musical focus whilst I've been away from full time music (paying the mortgage, boring job stuff and so on...) and is now a match for any festival ceilidh anywhere!
Which brings me to Faustus. An opportunity to sing and play for singing and get back on the concert stage after so long off, Paul Sartin and Benji Kirkpatrick have asked me to join forces with them and take up the gauntlet left by the late Dr Faustus...
my Dad taught me my first few tunes and then I was off.
I learned from the safety of my parents morris side, from the musicians in that side - particularly Steve Howe -
as well as the music that I was listening to - John Kirkpatrick, Tony Hall, Andy Cutting, Martin Ellison and Dan Quinn to mention but a few.
Lots of practice and attendance of several melodoen workshops later I was encouraged (pushed) to enter the Young Tradition Award in 1991 which was massive exposure for me (didn't win but played the loudest!!!)
I was then asked to join the ceilidh band Phungus as cover for the main melodeon player Paul Nye who had been unwell. I must have made an impression as I'm still playing with the band today.
Then in early 1994 I went with my Dad to the Pumphouse folk club in Watford (sadly no longer in exsitence) to see Waterson:Carthy and play a support slot. That night, I met Eliza Carthy. I liked her playing and singing and she must have liked mine as she asked me to join a band that she and Nancy Kerr had planned - The Kings of Calicutt. This band went through 3 or 4 line ups as it got bigger and louder and while that was happening I was asked to join Waterson:Carthy.
Both Kings and W:C toured extensively and recorded with Topic Records. Liza and I went on to have a successful duo that toured in all sorts of places and has recently been reformed after an extensive break. Hooray!
Through the Kings, I met Dan Plews and formed Dansaul, a great festival concert band with incredulously only 1 album to it's name, Dansaul is still going with the post album line up - Dan and me, Guy Fletcher and Mark Woolley. Also through the Kings, I met Maclaine Colston and together we've had a fanstic duo which has recently been ressurected! Out of the blue, Simon Care asked me to cover a 2 week tour with E2 in Europe which turned into 2 of the most amazing weeks of my life! You'll have to ask why...
Phungus still goes on but to reach the late night extra audience of certain well known festivals, Random was formed. A curious blend of me and 5 lads of my parents generation, Random has occupied a lot of my musical focus whilst I've been away from full time music (paying the mortgage, boring job stuff and so on...) and is now a match for any festival ceilidh anywhere!
Which brings me to Faustus. An opportunity to sing and play for singing and get back on the concert stage after so long off, Paul Sartin and Benji Kirkpatrick have asked me to join forces with them and take up the gauntlet left by the late Dr Faustus...