Neil started playing piano at an early age, since his mother had studied and taught piano. He also spent a couple of less fruitful years learning the cello in a style which could have been categorised as avant garde, given the variety of noises being produced.

He became a self-taught guitar player through his teens, and in the 80s did some solo spots as a singer/guitarist. He was invited to join a band in Edinburgh in the mid-80s playing bass, which became a blues trio/quartet Engine No. 9.

Following a move down south, he played in the Streatham Sidewinders, a blues outfit based in Reading, initially playing bass and then switching to keyboards, and playing a variety of support spots to better known bands, and appearing in a few blues festivals. This was followed by a spell in The Great White Sharks, playing guitar in a more jump blues style.

Following a move back north and a 10 year hiatus, he joined an Edinburgh band The Previous Convictions, playing a mix of blues and 80s new wave, playing guitar. With some personnel changes, the band morphed into an Americana band and renamed itself Flagstaff, and played on the Edinburgh Fringe a couple of times – Neil adding the harmonica to the list of instruments he can nearly play.

Neil has now joined the Aberlady Moonshine Orchestra, returning to and enjoying playing bass again.