THE STORY (The short version)

“Let’s cut to the chase… I used to think I was born in the wrong place and time, but I’m over it. The old German provinces of Eastern France provided enough of a social landscape for me to thrive. I formed my first band in 1967 with some of the gear left over from the previous generation of local rockers - we felt like stars.  It took five long years before we secured a hold on the regional circuit and became a common feature of the local papers and radio stations, but the work was worth it. After my army time (see "writings" section), I relocated to London to join Stallion - a busy pub circuit band at the time - before forming 2nd Sign with Stallion’s bass player, Andy Dunlop, who was also co-writing with Terry Dempsey (David Cassidy’s Daydreamer). We then joined forces with Ivan Couts and his pal Jeff Beck to work on a BBC production tentatively named Turn of the Century, but before completion, I moved to New York City. It was mid 1978, and I'm not totally sure what made me do it... I eventually performed in a number of bands, opening for the Ramones, Carmine Appice, etc... We played the parks and the clubs, but I was after a better and saner gig. I met with Ian Hunter in 1980 with the intention of replacing Mick Ronson, who was leaving the band for health reasons, but Ronno decided to stay after all… Good times were had in the Big Apple, but I longed for something different, which I found in San Francisco. What didn't change on the other hand were the many acts and gigs, inclusive of one album with seminal band Fillmore House, ample studio time as both sideman and producer, as well as promotional work that took me momentarilly back to Europe. Eventually, tired of the rat race, I moved north to the city of Eureka, where I now dedicate my time to recording, authoring fiction novels, and last but not least, the Zen practice of guitar building.

May 26, 2021

THE MUSIC

I have recorded over a dozen solo albums and performed on many with others. Check the discography page for details.