I first got into music after listening to The Beatles song ‘She Loves You’, I watched all the old people dancing to it, they must have been at least 20. At the tender age of six I joined my first band with my pals Neil Hutton and Roland Cook, we were ‘The Diamonds’, and we got nowhere. The first single I bought was a guitar instrumental by The Surfaris called Point Panic in 1965. I started to listen to heavier music when my brother Pete brought Disraeli Gears by Cream into the house and the guitar playing of Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce’s bass playing fascinated me. My first go on a real guitar was when Pete was learning to play guitar at the local youth club and he brought one home, I was about 10 at the time. My first guitar was a Shaftesbury Les Paul Copy in black with a white trim, which I got when I was about 14 although my first serious guitar was a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, in cherry sunburst, which I bought in 1974. I formed a band called Frontier with Neil Hutton, Ray Sheavills, Bob Smith and Phil Morrell out of TT Blue, we mostly played the clubs, the band had various guises after I left, including Tony Liddle on vocals.   After that, I played in various club bands before leaving the band world in 1982 for career in alcohol consumption, telly watching and work, although I always kept the guitar under the bed just in case.

In 1985, a lad came to the door and asked for help with his band, he was a young drummer called Simon King, one of the now famous ‘hairy bikers’. We used to practice in his garage until his Mam ‘Mrs King’ evicted us for making a din. In 1986 I retired once again to concentrate on family life, mortgages and gas bills, trying to grow up in the process, if you know me, it didn’t really work, did it?

In 1996, Phil Morrell and Pete Owens invited me to bring my guitar up to the Beamish Mary for the Friday night jam, I went to the place feeling very nervous, but enjoyed every second of it. These were special nights for me and I thank Phil, Pete, and Colin for getting me back into playing again. I always loved to hear Phil play Hendrix and Stevie Ray and had a great night when Billy Robinson showed us all how to play bass, thanks to Paul Kelly for triggering that one.

Through my old Frontier drummer Bob Smith I was introduced to John, Clive and Kelvin where we had some great jamming nights in the Lifeboat Station in Sunderland, playing the odd charity gig and generally having a good time. It’s always a pleasure to see Speedway John and the gang to catch up on what’s happening.

I then answered an advert in the paper for a band wanting a lead guitarist, met Simon Whitmore who was playing rhythm guitar, got the job but unfortunately the band folded after a few gigs. I still kept in touch with Simon who eventually changed over to bass.

I answered an advertisement for a band looking for a guitarist, auditioned and was successful. We became ‘Relik’ playing rock music in pubs, clubs and charity events. We played classic covers by bands like UFO, Deep Purple etc. I was sacked when the band wanted to move onto another level, the singers’ brother replaced me and they folded 8 months later.

I was contacted by Simon who said there was a girl singer called Jo James looking to set up a band would I be interested in playing guitar......... the rest is in the history section.

Best music memories

1971. Deep Purple, City Hall Newcastle. Mesmerised by guitar and stage presence of Richie Blackmore who to this day still commands my deepest respect

1971. Led Zeppelin, Locarno Ballroom Sunderland. Remember sitting on floor waiting for them to come on – they sneaked on and broke straight into the ‘Immigrant song’ total shock.

1975. Led Zeppelin – Earls Court. London. Was there for three nights, but Sunday night was four and a half hours of class music.

1976. AC/DC – Reading festival. Angus Young on top of the PA stack playing his opening riffs.

1977. Rainbow – Hammersmith Odeon London. Blackmore at his best

1977. Rainbow – Newcastle City Hall. Front Row, great show, and I got bits of the smashed guitar.

1978. Bob Dylan – Earls Court. London. What a show. Bob with a fantastic band.

I’ve got loads of other great memories of watching bands over the years, come to one of our gigs for a chat, you never know, we might have been to the same gig!!