I’ve always been inspired by music. From the age of six, where my school would bypass traditional assembly and instead play classical music. This process seemed to determine a pattern for my future.
My sister Sue (four years older) would listen to everything from The Beatles and The Stones, to The Beach Boys and The Doors, which had a huge influence on me. Throughout the 70’s I became more interested in rock music, especially Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and The Who, not to mention Tull and Fairport, who also were and are still big influences.
I’ve only ever had one “proper” job. That was working as delivery driver for Peter Dominic in The Kings Road Chelsea in 1981. The only reason I took that job, was for the dodgy Dodge van that I could use in the evenings for band rehearsals and gigs.
Since the age of 14, I had been playing guitar and keyboards in a band called Silent Movies. In 1980, I left Taunton in search of the bright city lights of London. Having spent over a year in London, playing in various bands, I left to return to Taunton. My main ambition was that of re-forming Silent Movies with my old school friends. We were later signed by IRS, popsters, The Police’s managers: Tony Brinsley and Miles Copeland. They continued to manage the band for some time, culminating in Silent Movies recording deal in Los Angeles with Columbia records in1983.
We spent some months in Los Angeles’s recording an album at The Sunset Sound, and Sunset Sound Factory studio. The album was Produced by David Kahne, Engineered by Tchad Blake, also featuring the keyboard playing of now producer Mitchell Froom, The entire experience confirmed my future was to be in music making.
Silent Movies continued to tour extensively with such bands as The Bangles, Nick Kershaw, The Lords Of The New Church, Joan Jett etc. We had a track feature on Stuart Copeland’s “post Police” venture, Colts. This also featured Derek Holt, bass player from the Climax Blues Band.
Silent Movies slowly fell apart as a result of ongoing Drummer and Singer’s brotherly disputes. And it was at our last gig a local charity concert, I met Tull guitar player, Martin Barre.
I worked as a session guitar player, including playing with pop band Matt Bianco. I also continued writing jingles and dabbled in Festival promotion.
Having been exposed to “white”reggae through names like The Ruts, I explored this genre and became a lover of all kinds of reggae music. I later played keyboards in the reggae band Heartland for some years. Improvisation was our staple diet. Rehearsals were jams, as were our gigs. Sometimes it worked, and that encouraged bravery in performance, which I respect greatly.
With the slow decline of the UK live music scene in the 80s, I became more interested in music production. Having spent plenty of time in studios, when it came to recording, I pretty much knew what to do.
I spent a year or so working at an Audio-visual studio in north Devon. We recorded music for TV programmes, such as BBCs The Natural World, Tiger Tiger etc. I also sold studio equipment and maintained the studios, learning many other skills that would later be useful.
In 1985 Martin Barre was looking for a new studio engineer for his private studio. He asked me to help out on a few sessions. One thing led to another, and on Martin’s behalf, I designed and built, together with a lot of help from my father, Presshouse Studio. I still run Presshouse today. It has been host to many recording by artists such as PJ Harvey, Jethro Tull, Martin Barre, David Hughes, Flook, Anna Ryder, Beth Gibbons, Canadian folk rockers, Spirit Of The West, Jaqui Dankworth, Ralph McTell, to name but a few.
From 1994 to 2000, I played guitar in The Martin Barre Band who featured twice at Cropredy festival,. This is where where I met Dave Pegg. As a result of working on many Jethro Tull recordings, in 1994 Dave asked me to work on the Jewel In The Crown album, The project was later to be accompanied by the large personality and skill of productions royalty, the late Gus Dudgeon.
I continued to frequent Woodworms in Oxfordshire, working on many Fairport and Fairport affiliated recording projects, including; The Dylan Project, Anna Ryder, Ralph McTell,, David Hughes, Bryn Howarth (guitarist for Gerry Rafferty), and The Albion Band. I also took great pleasure in making many live Fairport recordings including the Cropredy Box. One of the most challenging experiences of my life.
My professional base is still Presshouse in Devon, and I continue to produce recordings there. Most recently has seen Jacqui McShees Pentangle and Flook recording their new releases at Presshouse.
My most recent project has been a significant personal contribution to a new magazine called Acoustic. Together with publisher and owner Hugo Mongomery Swan, and editor, Steve Harvey, I continue to work with Hugo and Steve on the creation and development of the magazine.
www.acousticmagazine.comMark
