bands and projects

1984: I was asked to join a band with my friends and the only option left was to be the singer. I went for it but fancied hiding behind a guitar, so I bought one. A few weeks later I had learned a few chords and had my first band rehearsal with 'Bizarre Alternatives'.

The first thing I realized was I had a rubbish voice. The second thing was, that if I wanted to be in a band, I'd better get good at playing guitar instead. I became heavily influenced by such great players as Gary Moore and Randy Rhoads and fell in love with the instrument.
I spent the next four years studying, six hours a day, seven days a week. No pubs. No girlfriends. No TV, Just guitar.

During art college I found some like minded musicians and formed 'Mask'. We played some Ozzy songs and a few songs by Rush. This was the first time I had played through a Marshall amp and was hooked straight away! The only live performance we did was in my living room during my 18th birthday party!

Got involved with another project featuring 'Big Trouble' members Jim, Calvert and singer/nightmare on legs Kevan Ward, called 'Interstate'. Within a few months we had supported Dokken, Diamond Head and Skid Row.

We also recorded several of our own songs and a few covers which can heard on my YouTube Channel HERE

bazarre alternatives

In 1990 I got a phone call from bass player Dom asking me to join his band. We rehearsed and became 'Shed'. Our singer was the drummer from 80's rock band 'Shy' Alan Kelly.

While rehearsing with Abuse, I bumped into Neil Brown, the other guitarist from my 'Urgent' days and we decided to mould our two bands into one and 'Big Trouble' was born. We stayed together for 7 years. We played hundreds of gigs and recorded three albums worth of material.

1984

1987

1989

urgent

mask

After four years of hard study, I felt ready and auditioned for a local Stourbridge band called 'Urgent'. When we finished playing the first song, the singer said "You're hired!" My hard work had paid off. I was in a band with the best local musicians around and did my first gig with them two weeks later.

This band lasted about a year until the singer left to go on tour with 'Neds Atomic Dustbin' as sound engineer. He was hard to replace, so we split up and I went to Tenerife to play in bars for a few months. Here, I did my first guitar lesson in a dodgy apartment for 500pts. (about £2.50 at the time) I jammed with the guitarist from 'Showaddywaddy', repeatedly drove on the wrong side of the road and nearly trashed a car when I left the handbrake off on a steep road.

1990

abuse

the sahotas

Came back from Tenerife and met bass player 'James Rudge' and joined what was left of his band 'Tilt'. It was just a 'show off' band, so we showed off, got it out of our system and became more mature musicians because of it. We did a few local gigs under the name of 'Abuse'

shed

oringe

1997: I had an audition with a local cover band called 'Oringe'. After the audition, two great things happened. I got the gig and we all saw a U.F.O. outside the studio.
A very versatile and talented band, doing covers from David Bowie, Tears for Fears, James Brown, to U2, Free and Jamiroquai.

No known photos videos or audio exist of this band.

Joined a Thin Lizzy tribute band called 'Dizzy lizzy', with Brian Tatler of 80's metal band Diamond Head. We played two or three times a week for the next year.

Formed Ozzy Osbourne tribute band with Jim and Calvert from Big Trouble, the multi-talented Andy Vargo on keyboards and J.P "Izzy Osbourne" as Ozzy. We stayed together for five years and did various gigs and a four track demo, which can be found on my YouTube channel HERE

1991

1994

Recorded several songs for Bhangra band The Sahotas debut album 'The right Time' on the EMI label.

The single 'Out of reach' was released which entered the pop charts and the 'B' side stayed at number one in the Asian charts for a record number of weeks.
We did a nationwide tour with one of Britain's most successful reggae bands 'Aswad' and I also played many Bhangra shows with them up and down the country.

east ‘n’ west

Got an article published in a magazine made by the RGT, explaining how my idea of online tuition works. Click on the article or HERE to read it.
I had this idea 2002 and only in 2006 did I see a small amount of other tutors offering this service which I still do to this day.

I have taught people in Israel, Alaska, America and Europe.

I was asked to play bass for a one off gig with the UK's top Robbie Williams tribute band "Dodgie Williams"

The band were pleased with the way the gig went and I accepted their offer to be their regular dep.

On December 06 '07 I visited the Marshall factory in Milton Keynes after a generous invite from Danny Thomas.
Danny is the signature series product development engineer for Marshall and an all round nice bloke.

Gave an online guitar lesson to Jon Bently, one of the presenters of Channel 5's The Gadget Show and series producer of Channel 5's Fifth Gear.
A screen capture of Jon's lesson using MSN messanger.

The Gadget Show will be doing an article on 'learning on the internet' (due to be shown in May 06) and it will take Jon through learning to play the guitar online with me, up to a performance on stage with amazing Queen tribute band Killer Queen.

1995

1997

ballroom glitz

Next I got a call from 70's tribute band Ballroom Glitz to fill in for a gig that their guitarist couldn't do. I did the gig about a week later and continued to guest with them until 2002, when I felt it was time to move on and concentrate on my own projects.

prince of darkness

2003

2005

interstate

2006

dodgie williams

lee small

I recorded two solos for my good friend Lee Small for his album 'Jamaica Inn' released on the Escape Music label.

Check out the solo for 'dead man walking' here. I played the solos on 'Dead Man Walking' and 'Walk The Plank'.

randy rhoads prototype pedal

In 2006 I was asked to test the Randy Rhoads prototype signature series pedal that DigiTech were making.

August '06: I was featured in the monthly RGT 'Teacher Feature' in Guitar Techniques magazine.

june 2007

Singer Kevin DuBrow from L.A rock band Quiet Riot called me and asked if I'd like to join his band for a tour of the UK that was due to happen in early 2008.

Disaster struck. Click on the button to learn more.

After recording an album and then touring with Bhangra band 'The Sahotas', Mukhtar Sahota and I got together and fused Asian music with rock guitar instrumental music and recorded these four songs together.
I played guitar and bass on all songs except for 'Funky Bitch’ - bass parts played by Robert Samuels.
We had a favorable review in 'Guitar Techniques' magazine and won Demo of the Month in Birmingham's 'Brum Beat' magazine.