A bug's life....

People have often asked me how and when I started singing .. but actually I'm not even sure myself, it's just something I've always felt compelled to do. Ever since a small child, much to the surprise of my parents (and myself), I was diligently entering any school show, talent competition, local music festival or whatever to satiate this quirky thing I call my 'singing bug'.

For a few years in my early teens modesty/embarrassment preferred to confine any performance to the privacy of weekly singing lessons - that was until the opportunity came along to sing with a friend's function band
- from that point on the 'bug' was back with a vengeance exploring every wacky, wonderful, diverse opportunity I could lay my larynx on!

It's hard to say how one thing lead to another ..but somehow in those early explorations I found myself doing a one off contract in Dubai, never dreaming this would prove to be the first link in a chain of events which resulted in a 4 year tour of the States with a completely different band, 'Flair'.
To this day that US tour remains a milestone in my life.. yes, bloody hard work (5 sets a night, mostly 6 nights a week and covering nearly 20 states in the process of our travels) but the most fantastic experience.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the 'bugs life' continued as a combination of live gigs, original projects and recording sessions. Bands include country/rock 'Gypsy' - who I have to thank for my claim to two appearances at Wembley Arena amongst all the other fun we had - and 'Phantasm', no holds barred metal to the MAX! the wildest time, guys! Grrr-eat!
(and oh the thrill of getting the chance to perform on the infamous old Marquee stage just before it moved location.)

Recording wise I worked with a vast array of songwriters and bands, sometimes with some very wacky results but mostly it's been about serious demoing sessions for the 'big deal'... one of which, written by Simon Climie, resulted in a single release with Chrysalis, a bit of a hit in Italy and a whole whirlwind of PR and TV work at the time
(so near yet so far!)
.. yes it's a bug's life!

Somewhere in amongst this I'd done a couple of those Eurovision 'final 8' song contests on Wogan. I also found myself one step away from being in the new line up of Bucks Fizz (well! it was there, so I had to go for it!
- but really can you imagine?!)

Anyway, to bring all this rambling together, somehow Ian's studio (see About page) became the hub of activity drawing everything together - I found myself there for the first time recording for songwriter Phil Curtis, meanwhile so impressed by Ian's recording skills I introduced 'Phantasm' as we were looking to record some new material at the time, Ian also passed a couple of recording sessions my way
...including this 'Aussie mate' with whom he felt there could be some special musical affinity between us...
As they say ....And the rest is history.....