Garreth Hicklin

Garreth Hicklin was born in ascot, Berkshire in 1981, where he was quickly introduced into the world of music.

At the age of three, he could be found sitting in his pushchair playing air drums whilst watching his father's band playing along the south coast of England.

By the time he was four, he had been introduced to the piano - he would sit for hours playing Bach's symphony No 9, well, in his mind anyway! It didn't take long before he was interested in playing his dad's Hammond! This is where the real music started. Two keyboards and bass pedals!

Not long after, his parents bought his first guitar for Christmas - an Encore belly back semi acoustic. He started to single out friends for music now. He had found a new love, and was not too far from playing many tunes.

At ten years old, and with some trepidation, he played his first gig with his dad's band Tasty, in a workingmen's club in Feltham. It was a small club, but it was Wembley Stadium to him. The first set began with trembling knees, but by the time the third song came around he realised, this was a great way to spend his time - entertaining people!

Whilst playing at the weekends in his father's band, his music teacher asked him to put a band together for his school show - something that would be very entertaining. He formed a Blues Brothers Tribute with some friends he played with in the school orchestra and from his music class. The show was a great success.

1996 and Gareth gets his first drum kit! What an experience. As a self-taught musician he took very quickly to drumming. He also introduced himself to the world of recording in the new studio at school. Writing songs and recording them, he realised his was missing the bass parts. True to form, Gareth borrowed a bass from a friend and before long yet another instrument was added to his musical arsenal.

In 1998 Gareth left school to start work in the real world. It was fantastic! Working as a carpenter during the week and spending all his money on more music equipment at the weekends. Soon he had his own studio at home. Word got around and he started to record bands, for a small fee of course!

Session and dep work began. He had calls to fill slots for bands missing a musician. He obliged, playing with local bands like Jukebox, Timeshare, Runabout, The Business, and Long Dog. Gareth impressed Long Dog and before long they asked him to play a short tour in the south of Spain. Smiling from ear to ear, he leaped at the chance.

In 2001 Garreth recorded his first album with Neil McCullough. They travelled to Clochy, Northern Ireland to record "Just 2". The second album "Again" also recorded in Clochy shortly followed this.

After returning from Ireland, the phone never stopped ringing and now he has worked with top bands such as Nostalgia, Night Shift, The Business, Monkey Shock, California, The Replays, The Occasions, Midnight Soul Band, Emanon, Blue Touch, Off The Record, Stroke The Toad and many more.

He has also worked with solo artists, Neil McCullough, Phil Harrison, Marcus Lillington, Mark Porch, Adam Miles, and Rachell Joy Heath, playing music ranging from blues to rock, funk to soul.

His influences come from The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, John Mayer, Vince Gill, Phil Collins, Pink Floyd, the Doobie Brothers and Jeff Beck. His mum and dad have led him on to play guitar, piano, bass drums, mandolin, clarinet, and sax.

Garreth has a warm voice with a great range particularly suited to the delivery of the Eagles' cannon.

We are glad to have him aboard!