John was born in Birmingham in 1947. Always wanting to play percussion, John bought his very first drum from a classmate. Born with the debilitating childhood disease Polio, John joined the local Boys Brigade, but being unable to march, yet alone stand for very long, did not stop John from becoming a drummer, even going on to playing the drum with his brigade at the Edinburgh Tattoo, plus being presented with a Duke of Edinburgh award for his talent.

At the age of 14 John took a small Saturday job at a local Birmingham music shop, Woodrufffs, where he bought his first set of drums paying for them with some of his wages each week. Whether it was from the noise or simply that Johns parents did not want him going into the music profession, but John ended up practising his drums at a very understanding neighbours house.

A year or so later and his first chance at playing with a band came when Johnny and the Alpines were playing a gig in Bournville, so John hopped onto his Lambretta together with his drums and played his first performance. As John says most of his mates had mirrors and lights adorning their scooters whereas he had the Drums and cymbals on his, zipping round Brum in the early 60's.

Playing at clubs like The Cedars,

Ma Reagans, and the Plaza.Life was

hectic, John was busy playing in a

variety of different bands across

Birmingham sometimes performing

up to 3 gigs a night.

Above: John (pictured right) with Steve Winwood and Penny Lane

His real start came when he joined a band backing Billy Fury, after that he was signed on by a London management agency and worked with amongst others Joe Brown and the Brothers, Marty Wild, Denny Laine & The Diplomats and El Riot and the Rebels replacing their regular drummer on a 9 week tour of Germany. El Riot split around that time, the band disagreeing about the German tour, some of the band members left and formed The Krewcats.

Above: John on the Himalaya

Though the music scene during this era was fluid, with many musicians switching between different bands, and groups continually reforming, it is this that helped to make this early period so dynamic.

From then on John worked his way through most the sixties on the gruelling Mecca Circuit working the length and breadth of the UK from London to Manchester, Sheffield to Liverpool. Some weekends were spent rocking with various bands such as Danny King and the Royals, Carl Wayne & The Vikings, Raymond Froggit, Mal Ford Sensation, to name just a few at both the Tyburn House Hotel in Erdington and the Severn Manor Hotel in Stourport, then well know Sunday venues for many West Midlands bands.

It was during this period that John also wrote song lyrics. Seeing the song forming in his minds eye he also worked with the musicians on the songs arrangements to create some unique sounds. Though because of contractual restrictions he is unable to discuss this in more detail.

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