About Me
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Guitar MySpace LayoutsI have two musical endeavours that occupy my time, Speedtrap, the band I have played with since 2002, and Independence who I was asked to join in 2008. Another commitment that usually fills my diary for December is the Big Shot Show Band. how I got here is a long and interesting story featuring some highs and lows, constantly meeting new and interesting people, and making friendships which have made the journey worthwhile.I received my first guitar in 1989, at the age of 10, although I would not take playing seriously until I was around 13. Having learned some songs from friends at school, and also taking music lessons privately, but it would be several months later when the passion for live music kicked in. In October 1993 I had a chance to play a song at a blues/rock jam session in my home town of Cumbernauld gave me a taste of live performance, and also helped cure any stage fright that might have been an issue later on.A few months later I began to play as a member of the house band at the same jam session, spending the first few months playing rhythm guitar for anyone & everyone who wanted to play, and eventually taking my first steps towards lead playing as well.From playing at the jam session my first band ‘Feel’ was formed with guitarist John Harvey, Bassist Allan Gold, Drummer Brian Wilkie and Vocalist Sonia Colter. We spent the next couple of years playing all over Scotland, before the band eventually split. A track from our home made demo, U Said, can be heard on this page, featuring John and myself sharing lead guitar duties.Several months later a 2nd version of Feel was formed, with 2 changes to the line up, Chris Armstrong joined on guitar, with Adrian Dawes taking on bass playing duties, and lasted around 12 months. While this incarnation of the band lasted little over a year, we did record a 4 track CD, 2 tracks from which are on this page; I Wanna Know, written myself & Sonia, and shows Chris and I sharing lead & rhythm guitar duties. The 2nd track ‘Times We Liked’ was probably the first slide part I ever recorded, and I think it adds a little character to the track.Following the demise of Feel II, I took some time to simply enjoy playing the guitar, but within a few months was again seeking other musicians to collaborate & jam with. To this end, a friendship began with New Zealand lyricist Richard Anderson, and resulted in the song ‘Gone For Good’. At this time I was studying music full time and working week ends in a music shop in the south side of Glasgow, where I began to hear about jam sessions in and around the city centre. I became aware of a blues jam in The State Bar, where I was fortunate enough to encounter guitarist Jim Keilt, who has been a constant source of encouragement for the last 9 years. Friendships developed at the State led me to Sammy Dow’s where a weekly rock jam session is hosted by Independence. Also during this time I was assigned, as a college project to produce an album. This could be anything I saw fit to record, whether it was myself or others playing, and led to a few collaborations as well as a stint of home recording that resulted in the album ‘Behind The Disguise’, the title track of which is on this page, and while the vocal performance, and drum programming leaves something to be desired, on the few occasions I listen to it I still find something to enjoy. The music for the track was co written with John and Alan during the Feel days, and showcases one of my few attempts at lyric writingHaving regained my taste for live performance, after a minor Cumbernauld jam session reunion at my 21st birthday party, after a breif sabbatical the Cumbernauld jam session was started again, I was part of this for almost 2 years, and during this time was fortunate enough meet musicians that would eventually form Speedtrap, eventually I was rather bluntly asked to leave the jam band, it later emerged that I hadn’t been kissing the correct arse.It was now June 2002, and Speedtrap is formed “Hans†on Drums, Mark Connor on vocals, myself on guitar, and my former jam session colleague Austin Brown on bass. A year into the new venture saw Mark sharing vocal duties with Jim Morrison before passing the mic to Jim on a permanent basis.
The association with Mark was to continue and led to me playing guitar with the Big Shot Show Band, where I got my first taste of the cabaret scene, and the various wonderful characters you can come across if you look hard enough. It also lead to the now legendary moment where, after a difficult journey, I politely asked a social club convener/self anointed twat to “please fuck offâ€.In early 2005 I became friends with singer Al Devine, and together we formed Picture This, a tribute to the recently reformed Wet Wet Wet. Having been a fan of Graeme Duffin’s guitar playing since 1989, and being musically very different to what speedtrap were doing, I took the challenge, and for the most part had a great time. The high points being the first and last gigs, the first was a charity night and general get together for wet’s fans from all over the UK and Ireland, and we were able to play to our perfect audience, and raise funds for Childline. The final gig was around a year later at the Renfrew Ferry which gave us a chance to play all the big hits and live favourites to fantastic audience.2006 and 2007 proved to be very busy years for Speedtrap, with a full diary, also my association with Independence led to me playing with the band quite often when permanent members were unavailable for any reason.January 2008 was to be the first break Speedtrap would take since forming, and the chance to relax has been welcomed by all four members, who are now looking forward to resuming work in February. January 2008 was also my opportunity to play again with Independence, this time on a more permanent basis.
