Biog | Michael was born in Lancashire 1974 and was brought up listening to his parents' eclectic record collection. He began playing guitar at a very early age and started having lessons at the age of 10 learning classical guitar with a local music teacher. Around the age of 13 he started electric guitar lessons and began playing in the school folk band Pendlekraft. It was here that he got his first taste of performing and decided to form his own band, The Treesurgeons, with members of Pendlekraft and school friends. The group played around Lancashire with a set comprising of their own songs and a mixture of Hendrix, Clapton, Fleetwood Mac and Beatles covers. After gaining an A grade in his GCSE music, Michael decided to study music at A level and moved to Nelson & Colne college. Here, he continued to develop his musical knowledge and began Jazz Guitar lessons under Gary Boyle. He also joined the bands Child In Time and Dr. Strangelove with fellow students and toured in Austria with the college big band. |
| On completing his A levels, he moved to Salford to study for his degree in Popular Music and Recording. Here he was taught by another great guitar tutor, Mark Lea. He also formed the band Kuda Bux with fellow students comprising of guitar, bass drums, keyboards, vocals and a three piece horn section playing a mixture of rock, funk, reggae, ska and punk. Along with fellow Kuda Bux members Richard Knowles and Bruce Hunnisett, Michael joined the soul band Pick Up The Pieces. Michael played all over the country with both these bands and Kuda Bux received the Best Unsigned Band award at the "In The City" event from the Manchester Evening News. The band split in 2001 to pursue different projects. Shortly after, Michael again joined forces with Bruce to form the Saxophone/Guitar jazz duo Hunnisett and Haworth and released the album 'British Summertime'. |
| Michael moved to the Rossendale Valley in December 2000 and decided to
take up guitar teaching full time in January 2002. At the same time,
he began teaching guitar at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School. Michael
continued to play with local bands and joined the band Superfly. The
band gigged regularly around the UK playing a mixture of 60s, 70s and 80s
soul funk hits. Michael decided to leave the band in December 2003 to
concentrate on his teaching but still plays in local bands and can be
regularly found at jam nights. At present, Michael teaches in schools
and also has around 40 private students. Michael's varied music tastes and background means he can teach a wide variety of styles including Rock, Blues, Jazz, Folk, Indie, Classical and bass guitar. He has also helped a number of his pupils gain exceptionally good marks for their graded guitar exams. Michael still enjoys learning as well as teaching and is currently studying the Indian Tabla and Sitar as well as the Banjo and Mandolin. He is also currently working on his solo album, 'In The Meantime' and co-writing and producing material for other bands.
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