Hey! Here's some background
I am a Scotsman living on the Isle of Wight. I worked most of my life in the field of RADAR, I am now officially retired, but now run my own music and internet blogging business.
BACKGROUND
After graduating with a Maths degree, I moved from Edinburgh to Leicester to work on RADAR research with Marconi. Five years later, I moved to the Isle of Wight to work with Plessey and have been here ever since.
I did have a five year break during my working career and ran my own computer software business writing utility programs for the home computer market.
I've always been interested in playing sport, and playing music.
CASTLEHOLD BAND
Until I started my music business, I had been involed in a modern style church bands.
Up until I moved to the Isle of Wight, I played at home for my own entertainment and to enhance my prayer times. In the 80s, I was roped into a new initiative at Castlehold Baptist Church playing acoustic guitar for the new youth band. In the 90s, due to people moving on, I ended up running the band and organising youth events. This culminated in us being asked to play at two major church events to see in the new Millenium. One was leading the music in the town square to bring in the New Millenium, and the other was to lead a united Christian street march prior to the major celebration being held. Both were done on a flat bed lorry. Unfortunately every thing came crashing to a halt, when I had a major mental break down related to my first marriage breakup. However in 2012, although I was still recovering I was asked to take on the role of music director at the same Church. I did that for 5 years and took it from a very small cast to a pool of 25 musicians with 5 worship leaders when I left in 2018. I got remmarried to my lovely wife Sue that same year, but we left the church because of what we considered to be discrimination by the minister against divorced people and discrimination in his marriage councelling. We joined the local Methodist Church, but I left after a few years because of what I considered to be gay discrimination by the Superintendent. I then worshiped at the local Church of England which had a pragmatic view on the LGBTQ issue. I did try and get involved in music, and it was possibly my fault, but I didn't really feel welcome in either churches, so in 2022 I started my own music business on line, to reach out to the masses.
TRIATHLON DAYS
Around the age of 40, I got into triathlon. My crowning glory was becoming the Isle of Wight vets champion. At that time I also ran three IOW marathons, the notorious 7 hills IOW mountain bike challenge and the Sandown to Shanklin pier to pier swim. (more details and some pics in "Achievements" section.
I have been married twice and have 4 children from my first marriage. I was divorced in 2002 and am now married to Sue, who is a great inspiration to me. She is our quality control manager and ensures that the site is legible and easy to follow.
Regarding my family history, my father is English and was brought up in London. My mother's father came from the Shetland Islands and his ancestry can be traced to Robert the Bruce and even further back, to the Vikings.