top of page

Music - Summary

It all started with those piano lessons forced on me until I was 13. Scales and classical music that, at the time, I had no interest in. Then I gave it up and taught myself guitar. I'm still determined to write the novelty hit of the year - I have a terrible inability to write serious songs.

In the seventies I started multi-tracking by bouncing tracks from one tape recorder to another, then in the eighties started buying synths and drum machines and discovered the delights of four channel multi-tracking with a Tascam 244 Portastudio. It's still here, along with my trusty Yamaha TG55 Tone Generator and Alesis Quadraverb. Then I got deep into midi with Cubase on the Atari later in the eighties.

 

When Cubase VST came out I started recording direct to the computer, then with Pro Tools and now the sublime Logic 8 on the Mac, I can take the studio anywhere.

 

Four years ago Judy gave me a banjo and I started writing more country type songs. The astonishing SE Reflexion Filter makes even my voice sound bearable and I'm getting closer to broadcast quality sound.

Over the years I've had the invaluable help of my musical genius chums:
Philip Bird, Tony Armatrading, Jon Dixon, Robert Reynolds and John Telfer, to all of whom I am eternally indebted. Man we'd make a great band!

Here's a favourite:

Drive My Car
I wrote this some years ago as a cheeky dig at Jeremy Clarkson, but it seems that now he actually has gone green. I did send it to him so maybe he took the hint!

It was turned into a video by the amazing Richard Hetherington of www.pocketrocket.media
(Recording and arrangement, piano and drums by the inspired Philip Bird).

bottom of page