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The first band I ever went to see was the Beach Boys, at the Palace Theatre in Manchester. It was around the time of my 16th birthday in November 1970. I'd been a fan of the group since I first heard them - I remember thinking I Get Around was the greatest record I had ever heard. Nine years after that concert I visited California for the first time and realised immediately that my childhood affinity for the Beach Boys was a signal that, due to some cosmic mix-up, I had been delivered incorrectly, being born in damp and gloomy Manchester, England instead of warm and sunny Los Angeles.

A few years ago I read Heroes and Villains, the biography of the Beach Boys written by Steven Gaines. I was enthralled to read the dramatic background to the group's success, little of which I was aware of at the time - probably because the British magazines I read were far more concerned with chronicling every last detail of the lives of the Beatles. With my interest in the Beach Boys rekindled, I discovered the excellent Heroes and Villains web site and was fascinated to discover the lyrics to Surf's Up. Sadly the site is not there any more. I’ll look for some more.

About four months after I first saw the Beach Boys in concert, I saw the acoustic "folk" group Magna Carta at Manchester's Free Trade Hall. Their music was to set me off playing my own acoustic guitar and singing in folk clubs. When I started writing my own songs, I'm sure the work of their songwriter, Chris Simpson, was a great influence. Magna Carta also have a web site dedicated to them. Nelson Silva runs it from Portugal and it's full of up-to-date information about Chris and his wife Linda who now make up the band.

This page will get updated to include some more likes and influences - The Eagles, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, World Party - at a later date. For now I must just get my site back on line!

Who’s this - 1?

An early appearance on stage at Poynton Folk Club

Who’s this - 2?

Whatever happened to Dave, Martin, Terry, Graham and Alan - otherwise known as Room for Humans - the Widnes boys who travelled to Acton to seek fame and fortune?