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Meet Stephen, the groups musical director!

Stephen is one of the tallest in the group, standing at 6 foot 3 in his socks but 6 foot 8 in his stockings, heels and wig during panto season.

 

He started playing guitar as a 15 year old and quickly became mediocre, but when his brother bought him a ukulele, as a joke, something wonderful happened and the guitars loss was definitely our gain!

 

He has amassed quite a lot of ukuleles over time but mainly plays the baritone Uke in the band which mirrors the chord structure of that silly old guitar that nearly undid him in his youth.

As musical director Stephen spends hours writing up the songs for the band and he is especially fond of someone pointing out a glaring error in the arrangement, sending him back to correct his inadequacies with only the nearest hint of a tear in his eye!

 

As in all groups there are musical differences on occasion and on one dark and stormy night Stephen produced a song that he thought might work. After one run through he realised what a mistake he had made, Naomi’s face said it all. Such errors are now known as “Shania” moments!

Stephen teaches geography at secondary school in whatever time is left after ukulele duties and has done for the last 24 years. He states confidently that he can shade in most maps and can find his way round an ox- bow lake and a chalk escarpment, though very few of his students can say the same.

His highlights of his time in the band include playing at Leeds arena, supporting Jake Shimabukuro, playing with and supporting our great friends Hope & Social, meeting K.T. Tunstall and working with the wonderful Dr Shakamoto’s team!