Life Stuff:
Born England 1960, to Australia 1964, to PNG 1966, to Melbourne 1973, to Tasmania 2019.
Married to Claire Heywood 1995
Eltham High School
Trumpet with Cal Martin
Self-taught Guitar and Saxophone
Honours Linguistics at Latrobe Uni
PG Composition at VCA
Impro study with Brian Brown, Al Wunder
Also: Painter and award winning muralist, Actor, Street Performer/Juggler
No Kids, Dog, Cat, IQ 157 and good at cryptic crosswords, and an advocate for life-long learning.
Music Stuff:
First paid gig 1976 for an art show opening.
Early bands – The Distractions, and Earl Fabb
My teacher said that in music, you are either playing the survival game, or the immortality game.
True, of course, but the reality is that you switch between the two. We are all human and have to
pay the rent and put food on the table just like everyone else. The other thing about music is that
there is part of it that is beyond being human and is really a connection to the great intangible
vibration of the universe.
Looking back, the highlights in no particular order.
The band Packing Death pushed the envelope of “what is music?” and how it is played.
The Melbourne Improvisers” Association – We started something back in the 80s that filled a void
and it is still going.
Early 90s Alt Rock/Grunge scene. In Melbourne it was a vibrant and exciting time and I’m glad I
had a small part to play in it.
The Art of the saxophone – exploring the polyphonic and multiphonic possibilities of the
instrument, which got me courted by the elite art world for a while.
The Legless Lizards – combining multi-cultural musical influences with environmental
conservation, visual art and community development.
The Lutruwita Art Orchestra – the current Tasmanian adventure with a diverse bunch of people
and an equally diverse repertoire.
In the 80s I spent a lot of time busking in the street. Along with practicing in public, and having
many adventures, I learnt how to play to people, and to respect what they say to you. People will
tell you if its any good or not.
Thousands of gigs at festivals, sporting events, country shows, pubs and clubs, art galleries,
parties, corporate junkets, etc…