I started playing guitar when I was around 11 or 12 years old. I saved up all my money and bought a Red Squier Stratocaster. It was tough going at first (and people taking the mickey, saying I was Hank Marvin because my guitar was red, didn't help), I didn't have an amplifier so I made a 1/4" jack to 1/8" jack converter and plugged my guitar into my dad's HiFi separates deck. That's right kids - it sounded terrible.
Ever since I got the basics of playing, from teaching myself, I've been involved in writing songs, playing in bands and recording my attempts as I went along. Over time I got a bit more proficient at both playing, singing and writing songs (I learnt to reject what I knew was rubbish) and here I am today. I've played music for years, with some childhood friends, in a band currently called Last Call, formed a mildly successful folk rock quartet while at Southampton university called Mister Franklin (now the Sways) and have always written and recorded my own stuff under the name Dopant. Gareth and I started playing together in a covers band for fun but soon got together and formed The Likely Lads to write and record songs for the SongFight online songwriting competition, we soon asked John to join us to play drums (because he's amazing) and Sell Crazy was born. I play primarly Fender guitars - an olympic white Japanese Jazzmaster reissue and a Black '72 Telecaster Deluxe. In Sell Crazy I mainly play bass guitar and sing backing vocals. I play a Squier Jazz Bass through a Torque PA System which I purchased a while back - until I buy a bass amp. I'm primarily a bass player and guitarist, but I also lend my hand to drums when necessary and a little piano. Well the piano is full size, not little, I just can't play much on it.
Music is one of the single most important things in my life, I love buying and listening to music of all sorts - anything with passion and heart is guaranteed to win me over. Add a bit of songwriting craft and some well executed harmonies and I'll be your fan for life. As far as making music I write what I know, catchy songs that make me happy, or sad as the case may be. I love being involved in anything interesting so technology and new styles are always fascinating to me.
The photography on this page was taken by Ros Bell (ros.bell at gmail dot com).