A Lifelong Love of Music
I’ve always had the music bug. From the age of three, it was clear to my parents I needed to start piano lessons—I was trying to play Shostakovich and Schubert on the piano. My father had put headphones onto my mother’s tummy and played music to me in the womb. These pieces of music have stayed with me for the rest of my life.
Early Choral Experience
At a very young age, I joined St. George’s Church Choir, which would set me up to apply for a position as a chorister at Chichester Cathedral. I passed the audition and received a scholarship, the first funded by the Royal Sussex Regiment. While a chorister, I learned to play the French horn as well as continuing my piano learning.
Finding My Musical Inspiration
I found this extremely frustrating! I spent most of my lunchtimes hidden away in the music department secretly learning to play Al Stewart songs. I had an early obsession with him from about 5 years old. Alongside Al Stewart, I was listening to Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons Project, The Beatles, Bread, Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony, and Schubert’s Piano Sonata in B-flat.
Challenges with Traditional Lessons
My lessons were extremely frustrating. I wasn’t inspired by anything I was playing. I would hide the music I wanted to play under the music I was supposed to be playing and get told off regularly.
A Belief in Inspired Learning
Cue my absolute passionate belief that students should really, thoroughly enjoy and be inspired by the material they are learning. I don’t believe there is any room for boredom or uninspired motivation. Music is tough but should be enjoyable.
Falling in Love with Classical Music
Shortly before my voice broke and I had to leave the choir, I got the bug for the music we were singing: Palestrina, Schubert, Mozart, Britten, and more. We were singing with orchestras like the Royal Philharmonic, the BBC Concert Orchestra, and recording CDs regularly, appearing on radio and television. When my voice broke, I was devastated. I was 11/12 years old and had just fallen in love with what I was doing.
A Difficult Transition
Cue a difficult time with my voice not working very well and the world changing for me. I was lucky enough to be given lessons with Mrs. Lacy—a singing and piano teacher and eventual friend. She taught me to sing with my male voice. We did a bit of piano, but I chose the pieces. This was a new world.
A New Start at Bishop Luffa
I moved to Bishop Luffa School, where I firmly put my roots down in the music department. Mr. Thomas, the music teacher there, gave me free rein to do what I wanted musically. Music had become freedom to me. I didn’t socialize much; I was in the music department at break times, recording on a primitive setup, playing piano for girls to sing along to, and writing music.
Discovering Theater and Performing Arts
It was at Luffa that I discovered theater. I began acting in plays with the sixth formers, writing music for some out-of-school productions, the most memorable being Murder in the Cathedral, staged in the cathedral.
Joining My First Band
Around age 14, I joined my first band in Bognor. I would put my piano and bass amp on a trolley and once a week pull it all across town, take two trains, and get to practice.
Television and Festival Performances
Not long after, we were invited to appear on Channel 4’s Wise Up TV program, where we won the series as the best band, judged by John Peel! This got us a spot on the local rock festival, Rocks on the Prom. We played—we were terrible, but it was such a good experience. The music bug was bigger than ever.
First Pub Gigs
Around this age, I did my first pub gig. I had taught myself to play the guitar, and pretending to be 18, I started playing in bars around the local area. I cut my teeth doing this for years, eventually starting to bring a piano with me and play with other musicians.
Studying Music and Theater Arts
I eventually made it to college, where I studied theater arts and music recording. At college, I joined a band with friends, and we formed a very popular function band known as Staxx. We played for years together, performing at many weddings, parties, and clubs. I still play with the drummer, Paul, to this day.
A Career in Mental Health and Education
At 18, I started working in a private care home in Felpham. This was a life-changing experience for me. For many years, I worked in mental health, eventually combining it with education as I began working in colleges as a teaching assistant. I had a wide range of students with every disability imaginable. I worked in drama and music departments, as well as in bricklaying, groundworks, English, and maths, as well as doing personal care for students with severe difficulties. My students covered the whole spectrum.
Developing My Queen Tribute Band
At the same time, I was still playing, and it began to take over everything. I joined a pre-established Queen tribute called Rhapsody, and after a few personnel changes, we began to evolve closer to the band I have today. This was a huge learning curve, as we started touring countries like India, and I began to learn a whole new side of stagecraft.
The Formation of UK Queen
Eventually, to cut a long story short, the band became my band, UK Queen. We truly took it to the next level and began playing all over the world, supporting and being supported by many well-known acts.
The Impact of COVID-19
Then COVID hit. We were booked for some of the largest venues in Europe, and it felt like overnight, the whole world imploded. As musicians, we were told to retrain and forget the arts by the same people who had music at their weddings and funerals. This was a difficult time for all of us. Some didn’t make it.
Building My Dream Studio
I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to build a studio on a very close friend’s property in a beautiful place. It was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. It took me two years of building and tears to be able to press record for the first time. I built it myself and am very happy with it.
Creating a Space for Creativity
This is where I work from now, and I created everything I’ve always wanted from a studio. No one can hear you making those really important mistakes; recordings are unhindered by outside noise, and the room is set up for a perfect creative workflow. I’m in there every day, and it will never be finished!
Current Projects and Touring
I continue to tour with my Queen band. As I write, we are about to head to Finland for a show, and I’m looking forward to finally releasing my debut album, which I should call A Long Time Coming. This summer alone, we’ve shared the stage with Sam Ryder, Marty Pellow, Toploader, Razorlight, The Artful Dodger, and more. We’ve played in Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, The Netherlands, and more.
Passing on My Passion for Music
Now my son is having piano lessons, and I’m jealous—he’s loving them! The teaching world has completely changed from what I knew as a child. I realize with everything I’ve done, I have so much experience and advice to give. Every pupil and client I’ve worked with has required a completely unique approach to learning. I can put these skills together and provide a completely unique, dynamic, fun, and rewarding learning experience. I’ve had to teach myself how to engage with a room of a few people to stirring up an audience of twenty thousand plus.
Skills and Knowledge to Share
I’ve had to learn to record myself, write and learn pieces, build sets, and fight self-doubt and fear. I’ve had to learn how to manage fellow musicians, not only their abilities but their emotional well-being too. I’ve had to learn how to arrange and record to a professional standard, set up and tune PA systems, sell tickets, and run social media.
Looking Forward to Helping Others
I look forward to passing these skills on and saving some people some time by helping them avoid the mistakes I’ve made along the way.
