"I began playing guitar in 1965, when I was 13 years old. Started out playing mainly the acoustic folk music of the day, in duets/trios, and kept at it until I was 18. Moved into electricity and joined a rock band where I played rhythm. After that band folded, the keyboard player Peter Kekkel joined Swanee, playing occasionally with Jimmy Barnes. The drummer joined King Dog - featuring Phil Emmanuel. The lead guitarist became a session muso, and the bass player joined the clergy. I returned to my folk music roots while attending university.
In 1970, I composed a folk music arrangement for the Lord's Prayer, with a full mass accompaniment. My melody for the Lord's Prayer, was the first Australian approved version allowed to be sung in the Catholic Church. It is still being played today. The full mass was performed on Channel 9 in late 1974, when the channel hosted a monthly mass for people unable to attend church.
In 1973 I joined Light and Shade, located in Lugano, as lead guitarist. We later re-formed as Nightfall. I was a co-song writer with lead vocalist, Louis, and bass player Mick, often collaborating with Mick on his songs.
Nightfall was a 50/50 band of originals/covers, performing in pubs and clubs in the greater Sydney area, and inland NSW. We had our big break in 1987, when we were invited to be a House/Support band at the Caringbah Inn, supporting regulars Divinyls, Boom Crash Opera and Spy V's Spy. Unfortunately, we split up two days before we were due to start.
After Nightfall, the bass player and myself formed a duo called TouchWood. We played in pubs and clubs in the local Riverwood area, using the Roland TR8080 drum machine and did very well for about 5 years. Then I hung up my Strat, covered my Marshall, boxed my pedals, and did other things till late 2010 when I took it up again. A year later I transitioned to ukulele as my main instrument.
About 2014, I formed HighTide, a 7 piece ukulele rock band with bass, drums keys and ukuleles. I played lead electric uke through a guitar rig, at ukulele specific functions. It was fun performing such songs as Smoke on the Water and Road House Blues et al on uke, on full distortion through an Vox AC30 !
I disbanded HighTide about 2017, after joining The Ruins as a bass player. Ruins is an Ulladulla based rock band performing originals and covers.
Moved to Merimbula in 2018. I continue to play bass in Ruins, and here in Merimbula I've formed a duet/trio called Loose Change (bass, keys and guitar) playing locally.
I also teach Ukulele and Guitar through U3A."
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