British music journalist, author and musician. A regular contributor to 'The Wire' and 'MOJO' music magazines.

In 1996 he began the task of writing a biography of the life & works of Don Van Vliet, shelving the results in dissatisfaction in 1998 and beginning again (vowing not to cut his hair until it was complete). His book Captain Beefheart, The Biography was published in 2000 to much acclaim. He has continued to add to its content, also attending the 2002 symposium of Beefheart work at the Knitting Factory in New York with Fast 'N' Bulbous.