Autobiography From my very earliest recollections, I have always been involved in music and sound. In my pre-school years, I used to dash to the radio every time a favourite tune was aired and turn up the volume dial.
When I eventually found what were making the sounds I liked so much, via TV shows like 6 O'clock Rock and Bandstand, I knew I'd found my instrument: the electric guitar. It was not until when the family moved to Albury, that I got serious. I was given an acoustic guitar but I did find it hard as I am left-handed and the guitar was strung normally. After a few lessons, I graduated to a Guyatone electric and a small amp. Within a few months, I was playing at my high-school dances and the local army barracks with a very talented player called Jock Farley.
We recorded some tunes at the local radio station and they were broadcast many times. One of them was the beautiful, Marie Elena which Jock handled wonderfully.
From all of this exposure I acquired an understanding of pop, rock and jazz styles, plus basic melodic and harmonic concepts. Stage fright was never a problem -- I loved entertaining people. In addition, I was exposed to show music via my parents, such soundtracks, as "South Pacific" and "The King and I" particularly impressed me, because of the colourful orchestrations and clever melodies. One thing I will always remember is going to the movies with my parents to see Sparticus: the opening credits music sent chills down my spine.
Years later I learnt that Alex North, one of Hollywood's most respected composers, wrote the score. This fascination with movie music continues to this day. Around the same time, I saw on TV a movie called the Uninvited. This has a beautiful love theme - "Stella by Starlight" -- which is one of the jazz staples for improvisation.
