1982 - Have some more piano lesson with Aerona James - amazingly brilliant organist/pianist, jazzer and friend's mum! Teaches me some fundamentals of jazz.

October 1983 join Dawnswyr Gwerin Aelwyd Felinfach. (Felinfach Welsh Folk Dancers). Insist on learning music and more music and eventually become a form of MD for the group. Play for dancers at eisteddfods and festivals such as Gwyl Ifan, twmpathau (barndances), local fairs/carnivals etc…

March 1984 - meet Alun Wyn Dafis accordionist and keyboardist with Penderyn. Influences me with allsorts of Celtic bands. Silly Wizard, Hwntws etc etc.

August 1984 - make new friends at Aberaeron Carnival. Huw Price and Flo.

June 1985 - Meet mad Irish guitarist and singer Raymond Fahy and Chris the Greek

July 1985 - Attend first ever Gwyl y Cnapan in Drefach Felindre  -  same day as Live Aid!

August 1985 - Play for Dawnswyr Caernarfon in Interceltic Festival in Lorient. Vow never to play for Dancers again. Meet Dave and Bronwen Petersen and form band to 'save a night' during the festival. On return, call Raymond Fahy and complete the Ffillym line up. Play at International Blacksmiths Convention in Ironbridge Museum.

Sept 1985 Leave Home. Having won a scholarship, move to Swansea to go to college and study Computer Sciences. Go to Swansea Folk Club meet the usual folkie crowd. Meet Danu, another mad singer guitarist.

Now gigging with Ffillym most weekends.

Jan 1986 Form the Constitution Hillbillies with Danu, then joined by Andy and Frank… Play all sorts of mad music at breakneck speed! Cajun Psychobilly Bluegrass Celtic etc. End up gigging 5-6 nights a week. Perform at Glastonbury, Neath, Pontardawe and numerous clubs, festivals and events throughout the country. Meet Danny KilBride and his brothers, Pat Smith and Mick Tems

August 1986 - Busking in Brecon Market when Bill James (Aberaeron) throws 50p at me! Meet with a Scots piper called Jim who's visiting in Brecon. Have a jam session in the gym - my first with highland pipes! (The first of many.) Meet Henry Sears and After Hours at Pontardawe. Learn Irish fiddle technique and keep studying it!

September 1986 - Leave the Hillbillies, exhausted and despondent! Keep myself to myself and go a bit insane for a few months. Travel in Ireland and some places in Europe.

January 1987 - Join Cromlech for 8 months. Develop a load of fiddle skills that I never had time to!

September 1987 - Go back to college to do a teaching thing… meet Paul Hopkins who teaches me some neat tunes!