First record I bought…
The first record I bought was the album Finger Paintings by American acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh. Although I was a violinist throughout school, I’d always longed to play the guitar and the unique arrangements of his guitar music on this record – playing chords and melody simultaneously – really inspired me. I got my first guitar and listened to each part of this LP time and time again, learning to play the arrangements by ear.
First gig…
I initially grew up going to orchestral concerts. In the later part of the 1970s I went to my first gig to see Chic in Sheffield.
First song I performed…
It was a song I had written as a teenager, with my brother, called ‘I Find Myself in Trouble’. We performed it as a vocal duet, with me playing the guitar, at Sheffield City Hall for our school’s Speech Day!
One song I wish I wrote…
The song ‘Beautiful’ by Carole King. It expresses a lot of my musical and lyrical feelings.
One song I wish was never made…
I like a disparate range of music – although some more than others! However, there isn’t a song I would wish was never made, as I think that all music means different things to different people.
I first fell in love with music when…
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t in love with music – it has always been (and always will be) an integral part of who I am.
One song that I can’t get out of my head at the minute…
‘Make it Bun Dem’ by Skrillex and Damian Marley.
Rafiki Jazz play Yellow Arch Studios on 7 November. Tickets and more info available here.
