Mike - Funky Monkey
Mike has been playing bass for more decades than he cares to remember, or at least to admit, and has almost got it right. Has played in a variety of bands of all styles, from big band to heavy rock, and also occasionally appears playing guitar in an acoustic duo.
Mike originally started as a guitarist, playing rhythm guitar with a Glenn Miller tribute band at school (he's not as old as that makes him sound, Glenn Miller had been dead for about three decades by then) but when he and a number of others started a band at university, they had too many guitarists and not enough bassists, so he switched to bass. There was a bit of a hiatus after that, but when he moved to Tamworth, he got involved with bands again.
Since then, he has played with:
- BHX - heavy rock originals
- Night Music - club covers
- Caprice - rock originals
- Caprice II - more rock originals
- Cuddly Spiders - rock originals and covers
- Ruffian on the Stairs - soul originals
- Torn in Two - rock originals
- Nightshade - heavy rock originals
- Naked Touch - rock originals - appeared on Telethon '90
- Bleeding Hearts - folk rock originals
- Call Me Dan - acoustic duo, mainly covers
- The Symptoms - classic rock covers
- New Corona Band - ceilidh
- Breakaway - club covers
- Second Time Round - acoustic duo (playing guitar)
- Licksntrix - classic rock covers
- The Lightning - classic rock and power pop covers - played in Munich in 2011, 2012, and 2013
- Different Glory - rock originals
- Spiral Six - classic and modern rock covers
- Gasfoodlodging - Americana/Indie originals
- Distant Earth - prog rock covers
- Space Monkey - this lot
Currently, as well as Space Monkey, he plays with Gasfoodlodging (second CD released in May 2019).
Mike generally plays a Sei Original headless fretless 5-string bass through a Smooth Hound wireless system, Zoom multieffects pedal, Tecamp Puma 900 amp, and Barefaced Big Baby 2 speaker.
When not playing, Mike likes his motorcycles and has a vast collection of Triumphs. He also has his own web page. He has appeared on television a few times; with Naked Touch in Telethon '90, and assisting the SMIDSY team to magnificent defeat in Robot Wars and Techno Games.

Adopting best Rock God pose
Demonstrating useful post-gig escape skills