Date & place of birth:
September 23 1952; Coventry, UK.

Profession:
Director of Hand Held Audio. I'm a sound engineer who's become a businessman!

What was your first professional job?
I was a production scheduler at Heinz in Hayes, Middlesex. It didn't take long before I realised that the combination of baked beans and wearing a suit was not for me. So I went back to college for a while, then got a job in Libya with an oil exploration seismic crew, and that gave me my first experience with microphones. We'd bury microphones in the desert to measure seismic vibrations. When I returned, I just happened to be in a pub in Notting Hill and ran into John 'Skin' Godenzi who was then the FOH engineer for Michael Chapman, but was soon to tour with Lou Reed. He asked me if I could set up a drum kit and a whole new world suddenly opened up for me. I then met the guys from the PA company, Ground Control, and was introduced to sound engineering. It all evolved from there.

How did Hand Held Audio happen?
Nick Bruce-Smith and I started it in 1987. We were touring with the Thompson Twins in the States and it was clear that it was their last tour. The person who had the idea for Hand Held was Eddie Richardson, their FOH engineer. He suggested that we buy the band's radio mics and form a rental operation. Eddie dropped out and Steve Sunderland at Audiolease came in, and we ran out of there as Radiolease for a few years, until we became Hand Held Audio in 1990.

Who or what provided your biggest inspiration?
I think just listening to music in general and being part of that late '60s/early '70s period, and observing what the music of that era was doing for young people. Robin Mayhew, who ran Ground Control and was Bowie's FOH engineer on the Ziggy Stardust tour, was a great teacher. He taught me how to think about sound, and deal with musicians and artists.

What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?
Definitely the Golden Jubilee concerts at Buckingham Palace [2002]. They had such a high profile, and there was so much wireless in use, with specs changing right up to the last minute. Yeah, that was a big one! Staying on top of RF licensing legislation and its various issues continues to be a major achievement, too!

Is there anything about the RF licensing laws that you'd like to change?
Ofcom are shortly to introduce changes to the licensing structure that the whole industry has grave concerns about. In particular, there is the possibility that at large events, users of radio systems will have to bid for frequencies. We will be keeping a close eye on this and other developments that may not be in production interests."

What were the last additions to your record/CD collection?
The Strokes, The Coral, and I occasionally replace worn out vinyl with a CD.

How do you chill out away from the job?
I like to hang out with friends, go to parties and the movies, and I'm also into photography.

The last live show you attended as a paying punter?
The Soft Boys, about 18 months ago at the Electric Ballroom.

If you met the teenage Mick Shepherd what advice would you give him?
I'd advise him not to support Coventry City FC. The ramifications of that decision have been colossal.