I was born in Handsworth Birmingham on 2nd of April 1955 to parents Tom and Sheila who were both teachers. I became interested in music at a very early age. It was Elvis Presleys record ,One night with you that did it for me. I must have heard it around age 5. It started a  musical fascicnation that I still have to this day. I  have to listen to music each and every day for at least 3 or four hours or I just dont feel right. I am also a complete musical trivia freak. Pop Quiz every morning on Radio 2 with Ken Bruce. Yes I know, sad but true. Also my weekly history lesson every Saturday Morning with Brian Mathews at 8,  and Sounds of The 60,s. Totally unmissable for me.

In the mid 60s I did a lot of acting with my fathers traveling band of actors who were called The Pied Pipers. One very famous member of this troup was none other Martin Shaw {The Professionals and Judge Deed]. My father was his drama teacher and was very much involved with helping him start his acting career. It was a very interesting time for me as I would be on tour in London in the summer hols with all these much older people for a fortnight.. I also ended up at The Birmingham repertory theatre playing the little boy in The Good Woman of Setzuan with none other than Julie Christie.

I had been forced to take piano lessons from age 8 and attained a grade 3. I also taught myself to play the guitar and a bit of banjo around age 10. Ended up playing in my dads folk group The Threshers. By the time I was 14 I had my own folk group with my mate Dave Key.
The problem for me was that I loved acting and music and nothing else. At school I was a total academic failure in all other subjects, much to my fathers dismay. I left school at 17 with 1 o level in English and 4 cses and did al l sorts of jobs over the next 8 years. From labourer to shipping clerk I did it all. I was also playing bass guitar in my mate Micky Hewkins band. Matok. Around age 18 I remember realizing that whatever I did, I wanted to be on stage. I also had to make a living. The easiest option at that time was to become a dj. So hey presto. I started my career as an entertainer albeit semi pro at the time. Not long after that I moved to Swansea to follow up a full time job offer. Quickly got involved with local music scene. Was working as a roadie for Slash Fender and the Barracudas whose biggest claim to fame was supporting Shaking Stevens at Swansea University. Also ended up as a roadie for my great friend and dj mentor Plastic Sam. I worked for Sam for around four years, [including the amazing fun years we had at the Fabulous Nutz club in The Mumbles. The live band nights were brilliant.] He had one of the most innovative road shows around at that time in the west wales area. Sam also introduced me to the west coast music scene which is probably the sort of sound I still love the most.

In February 1980 I had the opportunity to go fully pro as a dj. My first full time gig was at the old Greens restaurant in St Helens road. I had worked there before covering for Sam but this was a four night a week gig in my own right. Various gigs ensued at Cj,s Bay restaurant where I ended up staying for 11 years. Initially owned by the famous Jubbly and later to this day by Roger. It was while working at cjs that Jubbly christened me with my old stage name Deaf Aid Dick. I still love music to be LOUD.

In 1982 I also got the resident dj gig at The Pier Hotel in Mumbles working for Jim and Edna Harvey. 10 of the best years in my life ensued. Jim was a bloody great bloke to work for. We used to have some cracking rows about music, politics ,the lot. He would always say ' now get in there and buy us a drink you deaf git ; at the end of a good earbashing. I also ended up with a very interesting part time job supplying stagecrews to Swansea City Council. I met and worked on shows by Slade,Wham,Gary Moore,Roy Wood [of Wizzard and ELO fame. Check pic above] Haircut 100,Squeeze,Lenny Henry,Stevie Wonder,Budgie,Ian Gillan,Iron Maiden,The Cure and dozens more.

In 1991 I joined and became a fully paid up member of The Monster Raving Loony Party. I was actually Sutchys political agent for the Neath by election. Politics is hilarious when you get the chance to see it from the other side. I became the Secretary of State for Wales for TMRLP. Lord Sutch came down to Swansea and officially declared my local pub as the welsh office. TV Press the lot. Couldn't have been madder. I ended up on  BBC TV Manchester with him advocating Passports for Dogs. Never did we think it would actually become a reality within 15 years.
In mid 1992 I got bored. I had been working as a dj for 10 years at the pier and cjs. I gave up both jobs to see what would happen. I got some new gigs and plodded on until April 1995 when I went on holiday to Lanzarote.

I got offered three jobs  here  while I was on holiday , just by chit chatting  in the bars, the usual hello what do you do stuff. Before the holiday was over I knew I was coming back. I had always fancied working abroad and realized that if I didn't do it then, I never would.
The move was the best I ever made in my life. They say everyone has somewhere for them in the world, well Lanzarote was certainly made for me.
My good friend Miguel  from The Fiddlers Green in Los Pocillos picked me up from the airport and his Mum Rosa looked after me for the first three weeks.

I was working 7 nights a week in no time at all . The Old Wishing Well,The Hard Rock, Amadeus, Junction 43. I was everywhere. Then in the October I went to Junction 43 on my night off and sang a song on Karaoke. Much to my surprise I was offered a job as a karaoke presenter instantly by Sheila. Good friends John and Angie lent me the dosh to buy the kit and next minute there I was doing karaoke 5 nights a week. Pete Scott gave me heaps of advice and encouragement at this particular point in time for which I shall be ever grateful. Loads of work followed over the next 6 years at venues all over the island. Meanwhile In 96 I heard a rumour that you could buy airspace on the local radio station. This interested me greatly as I had always wanted to do radio since I worked briefly on Swansea Sound in 1985. My friend Stuart Freeman had taken me under his wing as a roving reporter on his lunchtime show, but then he moved on and I didn't have a foot in the door any longer.

Anyway the rumour was true so I bought a show from 3 till 5 in the afternoon Mon till Fri. Met loads and loads of people and had even more fun. It was through this venture that I befriended Jules and the late Eric Corrie and Anthony Harrison. We all worked on Radio Litoral 93.3. Then one day we arrived at the studio and they had changed the lock. No explanation no nothing, so that was that.

In June 1999 I received a message that the owner of the Colegio Hispano Brittanico in Lanzarote, Roger Deign wanted to have a chat with me about radio. I duly arranged an appointment to see him and went along to the meeting that was to change my life dramatically. He told me that he had enjoyed listening to my old show on Radio Litoral and asked if I thought we should have a full time British station in Lanzarote. Yes of course I replied. Well go and set one up and give me the bill s he says. Ok I said. I remember leaving and thinking what has my big mouth got me into now.

I spent the next year researching what when how and why. Where to buy the kit, getting quotes, reading books on radio production, etc etc. The most amazing learning curve of my life ensued. We got on air with a test broadcast and then went live in April 2002 with UK Away FM. I distinctly remember spending each and every day at Gary Newton,s Earthshaker Music Studio's recording jingles and adverts, what a laugh we had over the many months. I bowed out in July 2004 as radio management tends to totally take over your life, and as I was quite happy with mine I wanted it back.

Working with radio I did however get the chance to discover the wonderful world of computers, which up till that point in time had totally passed me by.

Being able to combine karaoke and disco on a lap top has enabled me to provide entertainment at a level I could not have dreamed about before. The amount of Music and Karaoke I can now take to a gig is STAGGERING.
I  have now worked for the past four years on the wedding circuit here in Lanzarote providing disco, vocal and karaoke shows.
It is the most brilliant fun work I have ever had. If ever you get invited to an Irish wedding make sure you go whatever happens, as I can assure you that you will have one of the best days of your life.

I am now very happily married to my dear wife Wendy  [see the photos in the gallery]  who is my lover, wine drinking partner and my best friend. We have a daughter Kendal a.k.a Tinky. Wendy also has children Daneeka and Kelby. I also have a son Joshua and daughters Linzi,Vicky and Rebecca

If you are reading this and have never been to Lanzarote trust me you wont regret giving it a try. Its fantastic.
If you are reading this and actually considering moving here and buying a property, have a look here .

DK