I come from a big family and there was always a lot of music in our house. I had 3 older brothers who all played guitar. My father used to pick out tunes on the piano and harmonica, and I had an older brother and sister who both played piano. Aged ten I'd had piano lessons, so I had a basic grasp of music by the time I was 15, which was when I took up playing acoustic guitar.

I borrowed my brother’s battered guitar and sat down with a book of chords and The Beatles Complete. I painstakingly worked through the easier ones, then later thanks to lots of help and encouragement from my brother, I got in to finger picking and ragtime. Eventually my father bought me a guitar for £40. An Antoria, and I still have it, though it doesn’t get played much! My fingernails are really short for playing bass now anyway.

And for the anorak's... seen a pic like this anywhere before?

My first pub gig was when I was 18 playing in the school folk club. We used to play things by Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel. I don’t know why I didn’t try electric guitar or consider joining a band when I left school, but I didn’t. Other than Suzi Quatro I don’t really recall any female musicians - and she’s definitely not the reason I took up bass!

I remember a joke on the back of a box of matches (I used to smoke in those days) where a boy tells his dad he either wants to be a nuclear physicist or a rock star. Well what’s funny about that? .......... I still don’t know………… I went off to study physics and the guitar only came out after a few drinks or a good night out. I probably would have had a lot more fun trying to be a rock star!

Years later and now married, Pete suggested I try playing bass. I didn’t fancy it at all, but when one of his friends was selling one for £40, I agreed to give it a go. It was a terrible bass - really head heavy and extremely rough to look at, but it gave me enough of a taste to realize I really enjoyed it.

I really must thank my brother Paul here for all his encouragement. It was his acoustic I borrowed and he set me on the path to playing bass too – teaching me those blues riffs.

In fact here I am having my very first attempt at a blues riff under the guidance of my brothers with that first bass. I'm even using a plectrum - aaagh!

Paul also saved my life and probably that of all my family, when I managed to set fire to my bed when I was about 8, but that's another story! Thanks Paul!

I bought a Hohner headless bass, and joined an all girl band in Liverpool . We never got off the ground as we did too much chatting and not enough practice. We used to practice in an old sweet factory that smelt delicious.

Pete and I then formed The Sliders with Matt and Dean. This came to a close in June 2004 when pressure from work and other commitments affected our opportunities to gig.

We joined forces with Nige and Jason after chatting to Nige and realizing maybe he’d like to do something new too. We’d seen Nige and Jason in Tash and Lemon Wedge many times …. So Riptide was conceived! - though of course it took a while to settle on a name!

Our set list is still evolving and we all enjoy putting in new songs and testing the boundaries.