Biography

A short biography of Ant's musical career, from the early days at Charterhouse up to the present time.  

Just a few of the key events of any given year are mentioned here - Ant has done so much over the years that it would be almost impossible to document it all.

1951

23rd December Ant born in South London

1963

Formation of first band The Spiders with Rivers Job at St Edmunds School, Hindhead

1965

April Ant attends Charterhouse School
May Formation by Ant of Anon with Richard Macphail, Rivers Job, Rob Tyrrell & Mike Rutherford
Ant writes first song "Patricia" - later to become Genesis song "In Hiding"
16th December Anon make first appearance at Charterhouse concert playing three Rolling Stones songs
 

1966

Spring Further Anon concerts
Summer Performance by Anon at Charterhouse Charity Beat Concert with The Garden Wall & The Climax
Summer Demo recording by Anon of "Pennsylvania Flickhouse" (written by Ant) at Tony Pike Sound in Putney
December Last Anon concert as three piece

1967

April Recording of song demos by Ant with Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks & Peter Gabriel
1st August Signing of publishing contract with Jonathan King
August First Genesis recording (not released) with Chris Stewart on drums
Autumn Further song writing and recording of demos
December Recording of The Silent Sun
 

1968

2nd February  Release of The Silent Sun
10th May Release of A Winter's Tale singles (Press reviews)
Chris Stewart leaves Genesis; replaced by John Silver
Summer Further song writing & recording of demos for first album
August Recording of From Genesis To Revelation at Regent Sound Studios
 

1969

March Release of From Genesis To Revelation
Summer John Silver leaves group; replaced by John Mayhew
Summer Genesis start writing and rehearsals at friend's houses during the summer
20th August Demo recording at Regent Sound Studios
September First Genesis gig played at home of Mrs Balme (friend of Peter Gabriel's mother)
October Genesis move to cottage owned by Richard Macphail's parents to concentrate on writing
Genesis play first gigs at Universities and Colleges

1970

Further Genesis gigs, including support slots for Deep Purple, Fairport Convention & Atomic Rooster
22nd February Recording of session for BBC Night Ride programme
April Band signed to Tony Stratton-Smith's Charisma records
June Recording of Trespass at Trident Studios with producer John Anthony
July Ant experiences increasing stage-fright and decides to leave the band
July - August Ant writes and records first solo demos after leaving the band including material eventually released on The Geese And The Ghost 
 

1971

Ant undertakes piano lessons and starts studying music

Writing and recording of demos with Harry Williamson

Further writing of new material

1972

June

First soundtrack work for student film

Summer

Recording of demos for Mike Rutherford (some tracks included on Archive Collection Volume One)

First experimental recording made (original version of Field of Eternity)

1973

Summer

Recording of demo version of Take This Heart (singers include Phil Collins)

Summer

Demo recording of Silver Song with Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins

August

Demo recordings with David Thomas & Ronnie Gunn (including Master of Time and The Beggar & The Thief)

November

Recording of Silver Song and Only Your Love in one-day session with Mike & Phil at Island Studios

November

Recording of Take This Heart by Charterhouse Choral Society in Charterhouse chapel

Winter

Work with Mike Rutherford on completing material for The Geese And The Ghost

1974

Recording of other new material (some released on Private Parts & Pieces album)
Summer Ant engineers demo recordings by Peter Gabriel & Martin Hall
July Further demo recordings with David Thomas and Ronnie Gunn
October Start of sessions for The Geese And The Ghost

1975

April Release of Take This Heart on Beyond An Empty Dream album
April / May First demo recording of Tarka with Harry Wiliamson
July Completion of sessions for The Geese And The Ghost at Tom Newman's studio
October Demo recording of Gypsy Suite with Harry Williamson

1976

Spring Ant plays piano on Peter Gabriel solo demos (recorded at Trident Studios)
Summer Recording by Ant of tracks later released on Private Parts & Pieces album
June Recording of material for proposed release of Macbeth interspersed with music
Autumn First Library Music projects recorded
 

1977

bulletRelease of Ant's first solo album The Geese & The Ghost
bulletAnt undertakes promo tour of radio stations for album in USA
bulletRecording of contribution to Intergalactic Touring Band album (on "Reaching Out") whilst in USA
bulletWriting and recording of Wise After The Event

1978

bulletRecording of demo version of Gypsy Suite (with Harry Williamson)
bulletRecording of Tarka with National Philharmonic Orchestra
bulletRelease of 2nd solo album Wise After The Event
bulletUK radio promo for album includes session at Radio Clyde
bulletCompilation of first Private Parts & Pieces album from recordings made between 1972-76
bulletWriting and recording of Sides

1979

bulletRelease of 3rd & 4th solo albums (Sides & Private Parts & Pieces)
bulletPromo tour for Sides album in USA
bulletRecording sessions for Mike Rutherford's Smallcreep's Day at Abba's Polar Studios, Stockholm
bulletFurther Library Music projects written and recorded

1980

bulletRelease of 5th solo album Private Parts & Pieces II: Back To The Pavilion
bulletWriting and recording for 1984 album
bulletVarious other music written & recorded including the Arboretum Suite
bulletAnt composes music for ATV series Rule Britannia

1981

bulletRelease of 6th solo album 1984 (first album of new contract outside of US with RCA)
bulletWriting and recording of Antiques album with Quique Berro Garcia
bulletAnt moves home from Send Barns to London.  Set-up of new recording studio.
bulletWriting with Andy Latimer for next Camel album.

1982

bulletRecording of Camel album The Single Factor at Abbey Road Studios
bulletRelease of 7th solo album Private Parts & Pieces III: Antiques
bulletRecording and co-production with Nick Battle of Iva Twydell's album Duel
bulletWriting and initial recording with Richard Scott of material for Invisible Men album
bulletCompletion of Invisible Men at Atmosphere Studios

1983

bulletWriting & demo recording of more songs in collaboration with Richard Scott and Nick Battle
bulletFurther Library Music projects
bulletWriting of musical "Alice" with Richard Scott
bulletRelease of Invisible Men album in USA

1984

bulletRelease of Invisible Men on Street Tunes label in UK
bullet"Alice" staged at Leeds Playhouse
bulletRelease of 9th solo album Private Parts & Pieces IV: A Catch At The Tables
bulletFurther audio-visual project work, including music for Panasonic UK promo film and Channel 4 play "CQ"
bulletWriting & demo recording of song material with Roy Hill
bulletRecording of next Private Parts & Pieces album

1985

bulletTV projects including music for Channel 4 play "Tropical Moon Over Dorking"
bulletRelease of compilation album Harvest of the Heart drawn from first 4 Private Parts & Pieces albums
bulletRelease of 10th solo album Private Parts & Pieces V: Twelve
bulletRecording of next Private Parts & Pieces album

1986

bulletAudio-visual projects recorded, including music for TV adverts and promo film for The Design Council.
bulletSpontaneous recording session with Quique Berro Garcia
bulletRelease of 11th solo album Private Parts & Pieces VI: Ivory Moon
bulletTV projects include music for Channel 4 play "God's Chosen Car Park"

1987

bulletRecording for next Private Parts & Pieces album
bulletRecording & production of Denis Quinn's album Open Secret
bulletRelease of 12th solo album Private Parts & Pieces VII: Slow Waves, Soft Stars
bulletPromo for album includes TV appearance on VH1 "New Visions" show
bulletWork with Harry Williamson on completion of Tarka album

1988

bulletStart of work on Slow Dance album (original working title "Project 2")
bulletRelease of Tarka album 

1989

bulletRecording of strings for Slow Dance album at CBS Studios
bulletRecording & production of Denis Quinn's album Mystic Heart
bulletFirst music for Anglia TV Survival programme for Land of Dragons
bulletCompilation and release of first Missing Links album Finger Painting

1990

bulletNew recording contract with Virgin Records
bulletRelease of 15th solo album Slow Dance
bulletRe-mastering of back catalogue with Simon Heyworth
bulletFirst CD re-issues of back catalogue including The Geese & The Ghost
bulletRadio promo tour in UK for Slow Dance & CD re-issues

1991

bulletWriting & recording of theme music for "Horse Trials" TV show with Mike Rutherford
bulletRelease of the rest of Ant's back catalogue on CD
bulletFurther TV projects including second Survival programme "Tiwai Island of the Apes"
bulletRecording & production of Asha (Denis Quinn) album Amadora
bulletWriting and recording for next Private Parts & Pieces album

1992

bulletStart of Ant's official fan club magazine "The Pavilion"
bulletThird Survival programme "Wild Voices, Quiet Waters"
bulletRelease of Private Parts & Pieces VIII: New England
bulletFurther Library Music projects including work with Joji Hirota

1993

bulletExtensive TV work including Lifeboat & Sail The World programmes
bulletCompilation of material for second Missing Links album
bulletRecording of Echoes Living Room Concert 

1994

bulletRelease of Sail The World and Missing Links 2: The Sky Road
bulletWriting & recording new music with Quique Berro Garcia
bulletFurther Library Music projects

1995

bulletNew association with Voiceprint Records
bulletRelease of Gypsy Suite CD
bulletRelease of Living Room Concert CD - initially with limited edition lyric book
bulletRecording sessions with Guillermo Cazenave
bulletWriting & recording of original music with Roger Patterson for BBC Radio play Barabbas The Witness
bulletRelease of Anthology compilation CD to promote Voiceprint re-issues of back catalogue CDs
bulletAnt re-discovers various old tapes in his attic, including 1969 demos with Mike Rutherford

1996

bulletTV work with Joji Hirota for Survival programme Creatures of the Magic Water
bulletWriting & recording for new Private Parts & Pieces album
bulletRelease of David Thomas & Ronnie Gunn's Giants Dance CD featuring Ant on several tracks
bulletRelease of Private Parts & Pieces IX: Dragonfly Dreams
bulletRelease of The Meadows of Englewood, a collaboration with Guillermo Cazenave

1997

bulletPromo for Meadows of Englewood album in Spain, including radio & TV appearances
bulletRelease of Virgin Records Survival - The Music of Nature compilation including tracks by Ant & Joji Hirota
bulletRelease of Missing Links Volume Three: Time & Tide, a collaboration with Joji Hirota
bulletCompilation of Archive Collection, including rare & unreleased recordings from the early days

1998

bulletRelease of Live Radio Sessions CD
bulletRelease of Archive Collection Volume One to mark 6th anniversary of "The Pavilion"
bulletGenesis reunion photo shoot at Heathrow Airport
bulletRelease of Genesis Archive 1967-1975 4 CD set
bulletGenesis reunion dinner 

1999

bulletFurther TV work for Survival
bulletNew Library Music projects
bulletRecording of track for Various Artists charity album The Sky Goes All The Way Home
bulletRelease of Private Parts & Pieces X: Soirée

2000

bulletAnt's first BBC TV music commission for Midway: Island of Life
bulletTV work with Joji Hirota for Jurassic Shark programme
bulletWriting & recording of music with Roger Patterson for BBC Radio 4 drama production
bulletFurther Library Music projects

2001

bullet

Further TV soundtrack work for Survival programmes Bears of the Russian Front and Dungeons & Dragons.

bullet

Launch of Ant's Official Website (10,000 hits and rising in the first 8 months)

bullet

Voiceprint re-issue The Sky Road

bullet

Ant starts writing of new guitar-based material and plans are made for new releases....

2002

bulletAnt continues work on material for the next Private Parts & Pieces album
bulletPlans for official release of Ant's 1978 Radio Clyde session announced by Voiceprint
bulletAnt makes guest appearance on Mike Rutherford's This Is Your Life show for BBC Television
bulletSome orchestral tracks written by Ant for Library projects released on Natural Trust music compilations

2003

bullet

Radio Clyde and Soundscapes CDs released

bullet

Work on compiling Archive Collection Volume 2 continues

bullet

Ant completes further Library Music projects for Atmosphere Music

 2004

bulletArchive Collection Volume 2 released (Ant's first double album)
bulletRecording of material for next Private Parts & Pieces album

 2005

......to be continued!

horizontal rule

Back Home