After a year or so I got the urge to play again so I put an ad in the paper and it was answered by my good friend Paul Squires of Bradford, who was guitarist with a club band called Soft Touch. I enjoyed my time with them, they are a great bunch of people and are still going strong, but the club routine of bingo, raffles, numbers boards etc - and an audience that doesn`t give a toss - got right on my tits and I was looking for a way out when I was thrown a lifeline by my old mate Alan Selway. He was returning to England to take up a twelve month teaching contract and he needed a band to keep him sane whilst he was here. We didn`t have much time to rehearse, it had to be a three piece band that could learn quickly so I brought in Chris Audsley (ex Soft Touch) on guitar and in a matter of weeks Tres Hombres were up and running. We confused people  by adding my son Adam to the line up on rhythm guitar making us a four piece with a three piece name. It was short lived but great fun!Alan duly returned to kiwi land and i was hijacked by the hooligans from Dr Blue who asked me to dep for a couple of nights and I`m still there.  I still don`t know if i`ve got the job ,maybe they`ll let me know one day...

I`ve never quite hit the heights but its been a great journey and long may it continue. Many years ago an old muso once told me "We don`t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing, so I`ll try to keep going as long as is possible."
 

Worst Band?
Can` t say which was my worst band - don t think i`ve been in a really bad one but I have auditioned for some really naff ones .There was one called Best Ale (clever anagram) who were a Beatles cover band, they were truly awful.
 
Best Band? Got to be Dr Blue. Have I got the job?
 
Bands you`ve been in? - Neon, Velvet Blue, Featherpluckers, Mysty Gyn,  Carousel, National Average, Tales of Woe, Black Orchid, Titas Aduxas, Vine, Pointblank, Carousel, Boulevard, Unit 4 plus 2, The Casuals, Hermans Hermits, The Ivy League, Stress Managers, Pass the Buck, Spider Jive, Tres Hombres, Soft Touch, Dr Blue and ZZ Eliminator.(Once again sorry to any bands I have missed- I`m sure there are some)
 
Which X factor judge would you hit first?  Neither, I`d put a bomb under the lot of them.
 
Must Have Piece of kit? - Stool seat.
 
Worst experience? - There are so many! A punch up in Chesterfield, a night in Fishguard, an even worse night in Port Talbot (sorry people of Wales) and a barn complete with sheep in the highlands of Scotland.
 
Best Musical Experience? - Last summer at Nostell Priory supporting Slade, On the beach in Spain, By the pool at a private villa while an orgy was going on inside. (Not great money but the benefits were good.)
 
Hobbies? - Collecting toe nail clippings, making stylish lamps out of bottles, counting sand.
 
Best Body part to lose?  - I`ve got a sticky out lug so that could go .Got no tonsils or appendix they`ve already gone and I like all my other bits.
 
GEAR:  Drums: a 20 year old Pearl kit, 7 piece. 10, 12, 13, 14 inch toms, 16 inch floor tom, 16 inch steel  snare, 22 inch bass drum, 16 and 18 inch Paiste 2002 crash cymbals,14 inch Paiste 2002 Hi Hats.
 Background: Martin by Allan McKenzie