I have been interested in sound and music for as long as I can remember and during my school years worked in the local music shop, played in various bands, worked for hospital radio and undertook courses in basic and advanced sound recording and sampling theory. One of my electronic compositions made 'Tape of The Month' in Music Technology magazine. My university degree is in Computer Engineering and for my project I designed a simple computer based Digital Noise Reduction System as well as writing a paper on 'The Digitally Integrated Recording Studio'. This is the concept of a studio where once the audio signal has been converted into a digital signal, it never leaves the digital domain until it is played on the listeners Compact Disc or other digital reproduction system at home. All routing of the signal, dynamic effects, mixing and mastering is performed in the digital domain with no loss of audio quality and no need for noise reduction.
In August 1994, I helped start a small independent recording company and based on my paper 'The Digitally Integrated Recording Studio', I designed the studio building to facilitate this concept and the studio was one of the first computer based digital studios in the county of Hampshire.
During my time at the studio, I recorded many styles of music and spoken word, and recorded two albums specifically for Last Unicorn Records. A track from the album 'A Road Less Travelled', which I and a partner composed, was used in May 1997 for a British Telecom television advert. As well as recording and producing the albums I co-ordinated the sleeve design and Compact Disc production.
As part of my role in seeking new methods of distribution for Last Unicorn's music, I pioneered the concept of using Virtual Reality to sell music over the Internet and I coordinated the design of Last Unicorn's VRS (Virtual Reality Record Store) as well as helping design the company's corporate web site. I also project managed the final development and production of David Gosnell's 'WaveCraft', the first PC-based modular synthesiser software. This has since been used as a teaching aid for audio synthesis techniques.
In March 1996 I decided to leave Last Unicorn to broaden my knowledge in 3D graphics and enrolled on a 3D modelling course at Cricklade College, Andover. During this time, I sought employment at several different multimedia companies.
In July 1996 I was employed by Superscape VR Plc as a Sound Designer and I recorded and produced the sound effect and music library for the company's product range. I then went on to produce the bitmap texture library using a combination of digital/analogue camera, scanner and various software tools. Using skills I had acquired at Last Unicorn, I helped design the company's new corporate World Wide Web site and progressed to becoming the a designer for Superscape's 3D web site (Virtual World Wide Web).
During my employment at Superscape I worked on several pioneering web-based 3D interactive worlds including a virtual Millennium Dome for the ill-fated New Millennium Experience Company and a 3D multi-user web site for NTT. I also became involved in the user testing for the LEGO Creator CD-ROM and the concept design of LEGO Creator II.
In October 1997 I worked for a supplementary three hours per week at Farnborough College of Technology teaching Music Business and Sound Recording. I enjoyed the teaching and in September 1998 started working half-time for Superscape and half-time at the college. Although this division of my time seemed a good idea I found that I could not focus 100% on either vocation. In October 1999 I started full-time at the college as a lecturer in Music Technology. I completed a Certificate in Further and Higher Education over two years and also spent time developing web-based teaching and learning materials.
I have a relationship with God. I can tell you in all honesty, with all that I am, that this relationship is the most important thing in my life. It is more important than my wife Lucy and is certainly more important than my house, my job or the church that I attend. My relationship with God is something I can never lose and something that can never be taken away from me. It shapes who I am, the way that I live my life and it permeates every aspect of day-to-day living. It is as real as you are, more satisfying than anything this world can provide and has given me more than I could ever dream. What's more, it is free. Like all lasting friendships, it is built on love, commitment and trust, and it has endured good times as well as bad.
My earliest memories of spirituality were saying bedtime prayers and running up and down the aisles in a United Reformed Church in Doncaster, Yorkshire. My family moved to Marlow, Buckinghamshire when I was six years old and we started attending Marlow parish church overlooking the river Thames. My memories of this church were less than inspiring. It felt cold, both physically and spiritually. The minister seemed to glare at the congregation from his pulpit and we sang unintelligable hymns even though I quite enjoyed singing. The congregation seemed to consist mostly of old women wearing furry hats. The Sunday school tried to help but it wasn't long before I was kicked out for being too much for the helpers to handle. Slowly but surely we stopped attending and attendance was completely severed when we moved up the road to High Wycombe.
I considered myself a Christian throughout my secondary school attendance until at the age of 16 my mother encouraged me to be confirmed. As far as I knew, being confimed meant that I would be able to drink the communion wine when we went to church at Easter or Christmas. Seeing as everybody else could do it I thought I should too. I approached my R.E. teacher at school. His name was Geoff Woolmore and he seemed like a solid bloke. He suggested I attend confirmation classes and be conformed at his church. I started attending St.Barnabus in High Wycombe and also confirmation classes with the vicar Rev. David Roberts. The church was nothing like anything I had attended before. People were open and friendly and they actually sang lively songs to God. I enjoyed a church service for the first time in my life. The confirmation classes were interesting and within six months I was confirmed by the Bishop. By this time I had a firm belief in God and had experienced Him, however, I hadn't made a real commitment to Him in my heart. I continued attending St.Barnabus during my A-Level studies although I found girls, drinking and partying more interesting.
During 1990 and 1991 I took a year out to travel around Australia, New Zealand and the west coast of the U.S.A. Alone in the Australian outback I made a commitment to follow Jesus and I have never looked back since that day. You can read about my experiences in my book Travel by Trust. On returning from my travels I attended university in High Wycombe and started attending St.Andrews Church under the inspiring leadership of John Hughes, Dave McDougal and Robin Lapwood. I joined the Christian Union at university and made some lifelong friends, one of whom would become my future wife. Lucy was in a Christian band called Cross Reference and their keyboard player was leaving. I jumped at the chance and joined the group. We practiced, prayed and ministered to each other every week and at weekends played our music at small venues around the south of England. The band was based at St.Johns Church, Hartley Wintney, Hampshire. The group disbanded in 1994. I started work in a Christian-based recording studio near Hartley Wintney and started attending St.John's church. The lead singer, Warner Pidgeon became my prayer partner and in 1998 we recorded a CD of some of our songs called Sanctuary. On 31st December 1995 I married Lucy at St.John's Church. During our first year of marriage we attended Farnham Vineyard Church and then we bought a house in Hartley Wintney. We have continued attending St.Johns to this present day.