Biography

Dave has been playing the guitar (badly!) since he was a teenager and his early ventures into the music business were as a roady for a number of bands. As he became more proficient on guitar, he took on rhythm guitar work in a variety of outfits, with a wide range of different styles, mostly doing covers. Playing in pubs, clubs and the university circuit was fine but music agents like to use their signings to raise as much money as possible. The agent insisted that the group work under a different name in addition to the work they enjoyed. What this meant in reality was working 4 or five nights a week in Northern working-mens clubs doing covers of largely much older material. It didn't take long before Dave had had enough and he left the performing world for what he believed was the last time and decided that a day job was probably a better option that the road.

Living in a flat in North Lincolnshire, he taught beginners guitar and it wasn't long before other local musicians found out about him and wanted to collaborate. As a result he also played in several guitar based duos in the Midlands and North of England. However, the joy of performing covers fairly soon left him again.

From the beginning, Dave's ambition was to write music rather than just play other people's material. And he continued to write material whilst at the flat, converting an old cloak cupboard into a tiny, makeshift, recording booth. Eventually, he managed to buy a dillapidated cottage that he spent several years renovating, learning building skills from anyone who would take the time to show him how to do jobs. Whilst there, he installed a 60 ips Ampex recorder in an upstairs bedroom (which required removing an upstairs window to get the thing in) but, despite this effort, it never recorded anything usable. He also bought a Logan string synth, which only ever found much use producing bass. An injury and other responsibilities took Dave back to studying for his first degree.

A few years later, he drove past a remote farmhouse which was empty and owned by the local estate. He approached the land-agent and asked if he could rent the property. He got a three year lease, sold his cottage, and this gave him the opportunity to create his first proper (analogue) studio space where he and other musicians were able to spend time developing their craft.

Dave completed his first degree in psychology, moving once again, to work in various human resources roles across the UK, before continuing his post-graduate psychology training. Subsequently, he trained as a counsellor, and completed a doctorate (Ph.D) at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire, where he also worked for a short time as a senior research fellow in the college of aeronautics. While there, he trained for his private pilot's licence with one of the companies based on the site.

After several years, another serious bout of ill-health caused Dave to leave employment. He was also permanently grounded from flying because of the health issue,which was a huge blow for him at the time. He had loved flying but it was also an incredibly expensive hobby and so grounding him was probably a blessing in disguise. Once Dave's health began to improve, he quickly decided he needed something to occupy him beyond gardening. He set-up his first company producing computer & video-based training for pharmaceutical organisations.

Dave has been CEO of a number of companies, initially those producing training and computer- interactive materials. Subsequently, he produced film for the aviation & nuclear sectors, as well as other commercial organisations. He had trained as an editor in the days of video-tape and quickly took to producing material on computer. These ventures paid the mortgage and kept him fully occupied but there was always something missing that he couldn't quite put his finger on. It is ironic that during this time, Dave never thought of writing music for the films he produced, instead using other composers for the material. However, producing the soundtracks involved mixing the film-sound, voice-over, foley and music and he thus became proficient at editing in a digital audio workstation.

He moved, yet again. This time to Cornwall on the South West tip of England, near the sea. He spent a couple of years embracing the beautiful scenery & history of the place as well as renovating the new property.

One day, he pondered how some of his old material might be bettered using the new technologies now available - and the rest, as they say, is history.

After recording & producing a few of his older songs, Dave began to write again.

He is now writing and producing music five days a week in his own studio.