1970-76

Move to the big school – Fairham Comprehensive –

Music entered my life in a big way in 1971-72. My friend, Howard Mills, played the clarinet and I loved the sound. Started on clarinet, a school instrument – later Dad bought me a B&H 8-10 which was a really nice instrument, unfortunately sold it a few years later to buy bass equipment. Later did a spell on baritone sax and eventually started playing the bassoon (aged approx 14). Also took up the guitar at some stage to learn music harmony closely followed by bass guitar after a visit to the inaugural meeting of the Nottingham Youth Jazz Orchestra where I had the opportunity to play a Fender Jazz bass. Took to it like a duck to water and never looked back – became the bass player at NYJO and my musical activities accelerated rapidly from there on.

Teachers at Fairham:-

Mr Thom                           Head                Strange individual
Mr Peter Price                 Music               Head of Music (Nickname Pinhead) lasting influence
Mr Mick Panter                Music               Big influence, ran South Notts Music School
Mr Nick Thorpe                Music               OK
Mr Stevens                       Art                    Excellent artist and very good cellist
Mr Richard Warren          English            My first housemaster – great guy, big influence
Mr Byrnes                         Maths               Big man
Mr Naylor                          RE                    Very dodgy man!!
Mr Stay                                                       My second housemaster – very reasonable chap
Mr Mills                             History              Great teacher – very relaxed
Mr Fletcher                       Geography       OK

Classmates & Friends

Howard Mills              Musician, Clarinet, excellent player
George Timms          Sax & guitar
Richard Button           Mad redhead, moved south, football crazy
Kevin Gannon            Pianist, big fellow but good chap
David Gibson             Sax player and wicked table tennis player

Started attending South Notts Music School I think in 1973, first on clarinet, then moved to baritone sax and finally bassoon. SNMS met on a Wednesday evening at Mandella Girls Grammer school but soon moved to Clarendon College as too many students and moved to a Saturday morning. Some excellent friendships cultivated here and many happy hours spent making music.