Louis (de Bernières) and I go back a ways (we come from the same town). We even started rehearsing for a duo a few years back, but with him Down East and me Up North it proved impractical in the ned. He's a very handy musician, very knowledgeable about many genres of music (he's president of the British Banjo Mandolin Guitar Federation) and he plays a huge number of instruments - including some very unusual ones - to a very reasonable standard. He also restores instruments (and old cars etc), and is the worst sufferer of MIAS (Musical Instrument Acquisition Syndrome) I know.

His books are quite good too ;-)

Tom