From as early as I can remember I wanted a guitar. I used to see cool stuff (and not so cool) on the tele as a kid. Every birthday I closed my eyes and wished for a guitar, but because I couldn't tell anyone what I'd wished for I had to wait until I was 18 to get my first one. My Dad bought one for himself, but gave up after about a week and gave it to me - so maybe it was my wish coming true after all?
I soon learnt a few chords and worked my way through most of Bob Dylan's songs. I think I wrote a few "half songs" at that time. I did start a song called "Memories of a 6am Train" and I finished that one in 2004 whilst in France on a song writing course at La Juesseliniere (an awesome old place owned by Martyn Wyndham Read and his lovely wife Danni). It was nice to get it finished because I always felt it needed something adding.
Twice a year the Black Bull Bender whisks me away from reality for a short while: if only life could be like that every day, the Wilkinson family run a charity weekend for local hospice care - plenty of good folk music, great beer, and more awesome friends than you could shake a stick at (although I don't think they condone that sort of behaviour, lol).
I "burst" onto the local music scene - actually that sounds a bit too dramatic, I formed a band, in 1996 and we got a great reputation around the area. We headlined a local Bike-week rally in Scarborough (the previous year Suzi Quatro headlined the same gig! There, that's fame for you!) We played mostly covers of Rock n Roll and 60's/70's stuff but livened it up and had them up on the tables dancing. We did play some of my songs too & got some good comments about them. Set Me Free came from this period, but it's usually played with a full band and thrashing guitar solo.
I played more and more solo gigs in the late 90's and eventually the band split up. Well, it's like a 5 way marriage; it's never going to last! So I was playing quite a few gigs each week and writing a few songs too.
In 2003 I saw Harvey Andrews in Scarborough. (It was years before at the Stage Door that I'd last seen him). He told the audience about a song writing course in France that he tutors once a year. It sounded perfect so I put myself down for a piece of paradise and it definitely changed my outlook on music. I wrote a song called Cleckheaton with a very good friend Clive Walker. I met Clive in France and he's a top dude! He's written some fantastic songs, and some famous ones too, but I can't tell what they are because he was fiddled by his writing partner and doesn't have any rights to the songs. He's not bitter though (MUCH!). It's now included on here and it's also on Clives space sung by him (very well I might add).
George Papavgeris was on the same course and meeting him and finding out about his incredible songs was the icing on the cake.
I recorded a demo c.d. with my excellent good mate Paul Tilley doing all the technical stuff. He's teaching me piano at the moment, I'm building up to making my "piano debut" in a gig soon. Paul's a hell of a songwriter too, and plays every instrument ever invented, (and percussion on anything, and anyone, he can reach at the time) - makes you sick all that talent! Better leave it there; I'm starting to sound as bitter as Clive! Lol - joking pal.
Recently I've been singing for Paul Tilley, he's had some problems with his voice lately but things are improving & I'm sure I'll be sat in the front row at his gigs again before long. All the gigs on my list are these at the moment, lively gigs but all covers. Worth a look in if you're passing but don't book a flight from the US specially (or get a bus from Filey!). It would be great to meet you if you do drop in though.
So that's it - here I am, typing this. Thanks for dropping in. Please say hi!
And this is where you are.............
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