Born in Cumbria, and raised variously in Kent, Chile, Winchester and Brighton, eventually coming by way of North Yorkshire to finally wind up settling (for the moment at least... I hope to remain a while here, but you never know; I’m not too good at sticking around anywhere long) in sunny Blackpool - the most rock n roll town on Earth. That’s the short version, anyway.
I’ve been playing the harmonica for just over ten years now. The intention was initially to learn the accordion, being (at that stage in my life) a bit of a plastic crusty. Unfortunately that went pear-shaped when I realised I’d require some degree of musical knowledge, and probably talent. Not being blessed by either, and having already spent the best part of a very hot summer slaving my backside off on the hop farms to raise the money to get some kind of instrument on the go, it was time to look for other options.
Percussion was out of the window, due to having no sense of rhythm (ever seen me dancin’, like, reeeeeally dancin’???), I didn’t fancy the kazoo much (I may be reconsidering that decision), recorders aren’t all that rock n roll, really, and I couldn’t get a note from a penny whistle, but then the ’monica popped up and its been all honkin’, all tootin’ ever since. Any instrument that you can learn to play by blasting along to the first Clash album in your bedroom for hours on end is a good thing. In fact it should be a mandatory part of everybody’s upbringing.
The first eight years were fairly uneventful, but then a well-timed strop at some former employers brought me to Blackpool, to the (sadly deceased) Sunday night jam at the Blue Room pub, and eventually into the musical whirlwind that is Lotus Circle.
The last couple of years have also seen me becoming a member of - and recording with - The Empty-Headed Heroes and Cosmo Disney (an acoustic off-shoot from Lotus Circle). I’ve also played live with and guested on recordings by Andrew Bond (The Handshake), Jo Byrne (Brooklyn, The Life and Times of Jeff) and The Sound of Superstring (Give Us a Kiss).
Live, I have opened for one of my all-time heroes, Ginger (of Wildhearts infamy), with the Empty Headed Heroes, played four times at Blackpool’s legendary Grand Theatre, entertained sundry drunken media types at the Edinburgh Festival and won the 2006 Blackpool Gazette RockQuest competition with Lotus Circle. All in all, its been busy.
In between all the music making, I also have a day job, which is working (against all better advice) with children and animals as an education officer at Blackpool Zoo. What little free time is available between the music and my job is normally dedicated to anything that involves either music or being out of doors.
Just before I go, I’m gonna put in a quick plug for an organisation working on sustainable development projects in Ecuador called CRACYP (http://www.progresoverde.org). I’ll be doing some voluntary work for them later this year. They are doing some great stuff and have some remarkably visionary projects on the go, so if you have an interest in that sort of thing (with our current global situation, you’d be a fool not to), then make sure you follow the link and check them out.
Toot toot!