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Biography

As far back as I can remember I have always had a huge interest in music. I started playing the guitar at the tender age of 10 and always aspired to be as good a guitarist as my idols. All through school I practised relentlessly and eventually put together a band with a few friends.After leaving school I got some gigs in the local pubs.It was perfect for making a little extra cash. At that point I just didn’t imagine that musiccould be my main career. As time went on I began writing my own songs this made me so much more passionate about music and performing. The next band I formed, along with my brother Andy, was ‘The Answer’. We started writing songs and recording demos that we sent to as many record companies as possible. It was then I realised I desperately wanted my music to be heard. Nothing really came of ‘The Answer’ at that point. We kept on writing and never gave up.After two years in 'The Answer', we had wrote stronger material than before and had a burning desire to gain ourselves a recording deal. I knew if I stayed in Middlesbrough it was unlikely to happen. In summer 2000 myself and the other band members headed south to London, this was when "Journey South" was born. Success still didn’t come easy and we spent months living in a static caravan chasing the dream. All through the summer we practised hard, but things weren't working musically with the other members. We had to change the line-up. It was a very difficult thing to do as we had all become very close friends. There was only me, Andy and the Bass player left as the original line-up. We auditioned for a new drummer. We sold the caravan and moved nearer to London and threw ourselves into relentless rehearsing for our first live showcase. We invited press and talent scouts from every record company we could think of. This was an exciting time for us all.The night of the showcase arrived and we rocked the place.We gained some great positive feedback from the industry but nothing as concrete as a deal.We tried for another year until we decided enough was enough. My brother and I returned home disheartened but with an undeterred belief that we still had what it takes, it just wasn't our time yet.When we returned home in 2002 I started playing the pub circuits again. Alongside Andy, I started a business performing at weddings to make a living and to pay off debts. I got a day job again and settled back into the laid back life of living in Middlesbrough. However this was all to change in 2005 when we auditioned for the X Factor. We sailed through the auditions to boot camp and then onto the live shows. It was finally happening for Journey South. The live shows were an amazing experience. Every Saturday we gave it absolutely everything we had. The buzz from the studio audience was electrifying as was the thought of millions of people watching you at home.Although we didn't win the show we still secured a record deal with Simon Cowell's Label and released our debut album on Mother's Day 2006. The album went straight to number one and went on to sell over half a million copies.After the success of our first album we immediately started writing for album two which were all original songs, it was always important to Andy and I that we gained recognition as songwriters.We travelled to Stockholm in Sweden and wrote with some great songwriters such as Jorgen Eloffson, Chris Braide and Carl Falk for our second album. In the autumn of 2006 we embarked on a 39 date UK tour we played some beautiful theatres and such places as Hammersmith Apollo in London. It was a dream come true to headline such a prestigious venue. Our second album ‘Home’ was released in October 2007. I am immensely proud of it as it's all our own work and I feel it captured Journey Souths sound perfectly. The following year we began another tour to promote our new album "Home". After a successful acoustic tour and another number one selling album in South Africa, I am currently writing for a fourth album. Alongside this Journey South are preparing for an arena tour in South Africa. At the moment I am working alongside Cleveland School of Music and the Princes Trust offering guitar tuition and music workshops with a difference. Alongside the guitar tuition I also offer guidance and professional advice that comes from years of experience working within the music industry. I can help people to achieve thier dreams no matter how big those dreams may be.

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