As far back as I can remember I’ve always wanted to play & perform. My first ‘gig’ was in a British Legion club somewhere aged about 8, stood on a chair and singing Yellow Submarine..

I remember making drum kits out of my mothers’ best pouffies (padded foot stools, for them to young to remember), saucepan’s & lid etc. and using the thickest knitting needles I could find.

I used to mime with anything remotely guitar shaped while singing into the handle of a Hoover Upright Vacuum Cleaner. (Sad, I know but I was only 24!)

Eventually, at the age of 13, I got my first real guitar. Only a cheap (£35 quid) Jap Telecaster copy but now there was no stopping me. I learnt Major chords. Minor chords, 7^th chords and even a couple of diminished. Learn't nearly every Shadows tune out there plus other assorted instrumentals. 

My first real performance (you couldn’t call it a gig), was at a social club in Shirehampton, I’d formed a duo with my cousin Lee, also on guitar. We opened for one of the named local bands that used to play there every Saturday. By ‘opened for’ read two guitars and a mic all plugged in to one little amp perched on the edge of the dance floor to the side of the stage.

I think we played for half an hour, mainly instrumentals but I remember singing Paint it Black by the Stones. Still in our set today!! Spurred on by the adulation of our parents, we kept going for about a year or so. playing mainly talent shows or special spots in some of the local pubs. Eventually, in 1976, we found a couple of mates to form a band

‘Negative Earth’ consisted of myself & Lee on lead guitars, Martin Perrott on bass and lead vox. Andy Berry on Drums. The fact that Andy had never played drums before didn’t stop him, he had a job, so he earned enough cash to buy a massive Tama kit. All he had to do was learn to play it.

Although we were all mad rock fans, we played a real mix of stuff, I remember having Thin Lizzy’s Rosalie and Don’t Believe a Word next to Dream by the Everly’s and Nights in White Satin. Quite an eclectic mix.

At our peak we were playing 2 or 3 nights a week. Everywhere from little pubs in Bristol to very large Labour clubs in Wales and Biker rallies like the Norton Owners Club. We just Rocked up the softer numbers or played down the heaver ones depending on where we were. Worked a treat!

The band kept me in mischief from 1976 to 1981 by which time, and after a number of line up changes it had run it’s course. But a great time was had by all.

Next up, still with Lee on guitar, we recruited a new rhythm section and lead singer. Andy Fox the near legendary DJ from Rock nights at Tiffanys and The Granery fronted the new band. Called Spitfire, we played mainly original stuff with a few covers thrown in. This was the early 80’s so I was resplendent in Spandex trousers, Kimono top, big shaggy permed hair and Gibson Flying V, what else!! But the band only played a handful of gigs before it folded. Mainly due to me,  I sacked Andy. Unfortunately, a lack of vocal talent let him down, Looking back, we should have packed him off for singing lessons and vocal training because a better front man you couldn’t wish to have.

Call it the enthusiasm of youth or just blind faith in yourself but up until this point I really thought a career in music was on the cards.

After a period of inactivity the band got up and running again but this time without me. I hadn’t been sacked, just replaced. Arghhhh!! Still I wasn’t to sad, I was loved up and for the first time in nearly 10 years, something came between me and my music….

The Flying V was sold off to pay for a week in Paris, My effect pedals and leads went in a box under the roof and the amp went under the stairs. I kept a Fender Strat for a few years but eventually stopped playing that and sold it on. My music career had come to an end……

Fast forward to 1998 Married, Mortgage and two young kids at primary school.  Started chatting to other dad’s and discovered a couple were keen to make some music, Hugh being one of them!

Rhythm Method was the result. A rocky 7 piece R‘n’B band that lasted until mid 2004.

It hit crisis point with the usual musical differences. The rest of the band decided they wanted to play disco ‘dancie’ middle of the road pop, with a female singer. Not too much of a musical difference then!!

Hugh & I didn’t, we were asked to leave.

This brings me to Psycho-Delia Smith.