When did you start playing? What was your first instrument?
When I was about 8, my mum's Hoffner acoustic - the neck was so warped the action was over an inch high. Almost impossible to play, but I just assumed that's what guitars were like.
What were the first songs you learned?
I played along to Hendrix and Zeppelin records and worked out my own (bad) versions of them.
Did you take lessons and for how long? What was your teacher like?
I've taken a lot of lessons - at 16 I started getting serious about classical guitar, then soon after flamenco guitar. I spent 2 years in Spain studying with a lot of people.
When was your first performance? What gear did you have?
Would have been school performance evenings - can't remember what guitar.
When did you start or join your first band? What did you play? How long did it last?
I joined two bands about 10 years ago - both fairly inactive now. One I played bass in, all Russian gypsy music. They wanted me to play bass Balalaika, but when I saw the instrument I said maybe not - I was only a guitarist pretending to be a bass player for fun, that thing would have taken up more time than I had. The other band was mostly latin jazz - I'm not a great jazz player but have always dabbled.
How have your gear preferences changed over time? What is your favorite gear now?
I use to play steel string acoustic and electric a lot more, now I mostly play flamenco and classical instruments.
How much gear do you own? How much have you sold? What are you hoping to own in the future?
I have 3 classical guitars, 3 flamenco guitars, 2 bases, 1 electric, for gigs I use an AER amp, a couple of JBL speakers if I need more volume, a Neumann km184 mic, and a miniflex 3 mic for places the Neumann is unsuitable.
How have your influences and playing style changed over time?
Now I play mostly classical and flamenco, with bits of other stuff.
What were your best / worst performances like?
Best performance - probably Adelaide International Guitar Festival last year. I had the budget to hire the backing musos I wanted and the house sound system was great.
Worst - when I do weddings work I often have to put together solo guitar arrangements of songs the couple like for the bridal entrance. Usually This is good fun, but once I had to do a Savage Garden song, so I had to listen to it over and over to get a good arrangement going - I'm still suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Have you ever had any studio experience? Where at?
I've done 2 of my own albums at a friend's home studio, a TV advert for a new housing estate at a professional studio, and some work for LTP publishing's guitar tuition books.
Do you still play? If you don't why did you stop?
Playing is my whole income (has been for 20 years), so absolutely yes.
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