Music

Academic | Performer | Musician | Public Speaker | War Veteran

Music has been a big part of my life since the early days—falling in love with Deep Purple, going to gigs, and more recently, proudly ranking in the top 10% of Spotify listeners in a single year.

It all began in 1998 when I wrote my first song, Forbidden, using a poem as its foundation. Poetry has always inspired my songwriting—it gives each piece an emotional root before the chords even come into play.

When I picked up the guitar, I quickly realised how many great songs are built around just three chords. Years later, wanting to share my music more publicly, I took a few singing lessons to prepare for Open Mic nights. I soon discovered that singing is as much about confidence and technique as it is about voice.

I first stepped into a studio in 2002, recording several tracks with my friend Chris Reeves. In 2005, I recorded again—this time with the band Just Enough Rope. I’ve played at local Open Mic nights, at parties where there just happened to be a spare guitar, and even in a bar in the middle of the Nevada desert. That performance—broadcasted live on the local community radio—left me wondering how I did. In the words of Henry McCullough, former Wings guitarist, on the track Money off the album Dark Side of the Moon: “I don’t know, I was really drunk at the time.”

Here’s a snapshot of some of those early recordings: