I started off playing guitar in indie bands in my teens, and after finishing art school I moved to Bristol and spent most of my 20's in the back of a van, gigging or in a rehearsal studio.

 

When I was 25, the band I was playing in got signed and had the chance to make a proper record. We persuaded our label to help us turn our practise space into a studio and being the default 'sound guy' in the band I wound up sorting most of it out. In fact I was already quite interested in recording by then, having been a 'first generation Pro Tools' guy, so I was like a kid in sweet shop really.

 

The band ran it's course, but the studio remained and from 2003 - 2016 Toybox Studios in Bristol went on to be a very successful, full analogue, indie recording studio. It became my home from home and taught me almost everything I know today, mainly thanks to all the talented artists and producers who came through the door. I got to engineer records for people like PJ Harvey and M. Ward, and eventually got asked to produce Perfume Genius and Gruff Rhys.

I continued to play in various bands and write songs with great singers whenever I could. I can play guitar and bass pretty well. I also moonlight on drums, keyboards, percussion and backing vocals.

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In 2016, Toybox succumbed to the inevitable march of gentrification, but I have my own place now which I'm calling The Playpen... and no one can stop me!