Just in case you're interested...

BORN: in Watford just post-war, but grew up in Derbyshire from the age of 2.

EARLY ARTISTIC INTERESTS: drawing, writing and above all music. Given a ukulele at age 4, I slept with it. Took up guitar at 10, electric guitar at 16. Immediately invited to join a band (in those days, a "beat group"). Filled exercise books ("donated" by school) with poems, stories, drawings and song lyrics – mostly in the nonsense genre a la Edward Lear, Lewis Carroll, Spike Milligan etc.

WORK: after A-Levels I started working as a British Rail management trainee. Digs in London, then Manchester. Continued music, art and writing for fun. Liked London and Manchester, didn’t like the job. Stuck it for a couple of years, then, rather than doing what the well-meaning elders around me wanted me to do, I left to do what I wanted to do...

ART COLLEGE: 1-year pre-dip at Derby Art College then 3 years at Nottingham studying furniture design, where I met Derek Pearce. He’s been a good friend and colleague ever since. We became...

ROARING JELLY: duo (briefly) then trio. Semi-pro while gaining teaching qualification and teaching art for a few years, then turning pro in 1981, 16 years total. (For more see Roaring Jelly section under Music.)

OTHER BANDS: after Jelly, spent 12 years in another long-lived band, R. Cajun & The Zydeco Brothers, enjoying the best years of the European Cajun boom (late 80s/early 90s) which we played some part in creating. Played for and with Paul McCartney, supported Van Morrison and Debbie Harry. Also, Zydeco Hot Rods, Back Seat Jivers and recently The Omega 3 (see The Omega 3 section under Music). Worked with daughter Alice, singer of jazz, blues and standards, writing and recording songs, helping her find musicians and gigs.

NOW: musician, guitar/ukulele teacher, occasional freelance writer, happily living in Surrey. Recently joined a film and TV agency as an extra – first job completed February 2010. Watch out for the Disney-Pixar blockbuster John Carter of Mars!

CH, 2010