Michael has been involved in Art and Music from early childhood; he has courted both disciplines throughout his adult life. He began playing the electric guitar in 1979 drawn through an interest in 1960's popular music, particularly Elvis and The Beatles; early on he began composing his own music. He studied at an art college in Nottingham in 1984 where he met and first worked with David Longdon. He began to incorporate sound design and music into his art studies influenced by the work of Brian Eno. Formal music theory studies followed in 1988 tutored by Fred T. Baker gaining an ABRSM Grade VIII certificate followed by an Amus LCM music theory diploma. He went on to work in a Nottingham recording studio for Dave Williams as the resident engineer and session performer for five years. A growing interest in computer music led him onto studying for a BSc(hons) degree in Software Engineering, Mathematics and Music (first class) at Derby University in 1993 and later an MA in Contemporary Composition (distinction) at Salford University in 1998. He also became interested in teaching as a more formal career and after gaining a PGCE at Trent University in 2000 began lecturing in Composition, Perfomance and Recording Technology in local FE colleges and eventually on the BA(hons) Popular Music with Music Technology programme at the University of Derby. Michael met up with David Longdon again as a fellow teacher in 2003 and has been a member of The Magic Club since, performing, recording and mastering material from the album 'Wild River'. Michael lives in Derby and composes electronic music for personal gratification using a variety of synthesisers and samplers along with guitar work primarily influenced by the music of Robert Fripp .