I started playing guitar around the age of 16 after being inspired by my brother playing a few Oasis songs over the summer holidays. Having played a variety of instruments in primary school I threw myself into teaching myself the basics.

After a few years of making loud noises in his bedroom I became absorbed with the instrument and as such decided to enrol on a Performing Musician course at Blackburn College. Whilst on the course I took my Rockschool Grades 3 and 5 and going from strength to strength I finished the course with a special award for achievement and decided to try and make a career out of music. I enrolled at the prestigious Guitar Institute in London and moved down there after the summer.

Having been in London for only a few weeks I was asked to join an already established band called Taming The Insane. I drew on the knowledge I gained having been taught by some of the best teachers in Europe at the Guitar Institute and proceeded to build on the band's reputation, achieving impressive results in a short space of time; getting the band's demo played in one of London's hottest rock clubs, going on a mini-tour of the UK and negotiating a contract with a professional management company. During this time I also started teaching privately from my home in London, teaching players of all abilities in a range of styles.

Having had a successful time in London. I chose to move back to Preston and formalize all my years of experience by taking my Rockschool Grade 8 and ABRSM Grade 5 Theory. Having taken myself through the Rockschool exam and receiving tuition from a local teacher for the theory, I achieved distinctions in both.

I am currently in the process of trying to find a drummer to complete the line-up for a new band drawing on influences from the Hard Rock, Funk and Blues genres and am also writing and recording an album of Experimental Guitar Based Metal with a local musician and friend from one of my former bands. As well as this I am currently rehearsing with the singer from my band to perform a series of gigs and functions as a 2 piece acoustic covers band.

Si's Qualifications Include:

• Rockschool Grade 8 Performance - Distinction
• ABRSM Grade 5 Theory of Music - Distinction
• Rockschool Grades 3 & 5 - Merits
• ICMP - Formerly "The Guitar Institute" London, Level 1 & 2 Diplomas
• Blackburn College Performing Musicians Course Level 3 Diploma
• Blackburn College Advanced Certificate in Popular Music Practice
• Cardinal Newman College Music Tech AS Level