Primarily a bassist and acoustic guitarist, my musical activities began in the early 1980s, playing in a variety of bands encompassing rock, folk, jazz and blues (while often supplying artwork in the process).
In 1991 I formed my own band, Cleopatra’s Needle (providing posters and illustrations along the way) and between 1994 and 1996 I was involved with the rock band Arena (performing on their debut album, released in 1995).
After Cleopatra’s Needle folded in the autumn of 1998, I decided to concentrate on a solo project which was planned as the next step in realising my aim of combining music and the visual arts; (which I had already touched upon when providing slide shows of my paintings for various music events and concerts in the early 1990s).
The result was Inner Landscapes, a solo-performed experimental album, recorded in the spring and summer of 1999.
Consisting of various instrumental moods, the album was intended to provide backing music for my exhibition openings and private views, (affording listeners the same experience as viewers of my paintings) as well as music in its own right.
As such, it was premiered at the Artistic License Gallery, London in July 2000.
It has featured in every subsequent solo exhibition opening, and is available on CD.
In November of 2009 I returned to the stage after a long absence with my solo debut, A Sense of Space, featuring the first performance of the Inner Landscapes material (alongside newer pieces) accompanied by projections of my paintings and photographs – the latest stage of my continuing interest in fusing music and visuals.
Musical Activities