I found out about Spectre by total random chance. I was fresh out of school that year and had initially gone to work in an Asian consumer electrical shop called SS Audio Video that sold TVs, computer games, HiFi and other stuff. Being young and knowing absolutely nothing about the outside world, my mum told me I was entitled to Bank Holidays off and so I went back the following day and told them this 'fact' I had learnt. They immediately told me I was fired and not to come back.

So my next stop via the agency was Spectre Sound. I went via bus on a rainy afternoon and it seemed to take forever and I had no idea where Bingley even was. I think I was interviewed by John Furniss, and despite my lack of experience I think he liked my youthful honesty, enthusiasm and probably because I cost barely anything to employ. I only lasted about a month, because at that point in late 1988 they only sold guitar related gear and all my knowledge and experience was with keyboards. So again they quietly asked me to leave.

However Spectre were now on my radar and I later retured in September 1990 to buy my first ever pro bit of kit, a Kawai K1r rackmount synth which I still have, use and love. This led me to impressing other musicians, who then took me under their wing and I have never looked back since. I also took up the guitar in Novemeber 1991 and became very proficient at that, and later returned to Spectre to trade in my first Laney Linebacker PL100 I think, for a Marshall JCM2555 and JCM900 Lead 1960A 4x12 cabinet. Other things I bought from Spectre were a Yamaha SY55 keyboard (still have it); Roland SC33 GM synth module for sequencing and rehearsal backing duties. Also a nice Rolls MIDI Buddy floor pedal controller, to change patches on my Marshall JMP-1 + 8008 amp + Yamaha FX900 rack setup.

Spectre Sound was also the place I first heard of the legendary album by Dream Theater called Images And Words. My friend and I both rushed out to go and buy it, and from there my love of Progressive Metal began; I have what the band later became though.

On a negative note, I took my first guitar there for a complete setup and each time I got it back, they had not adjusted anything properly if at all. So I became angry and fed up, and decided to buy a book and learn to do it for myself. After a lot of careful, painstaking adjustment over a few days I managed to get the intonation, action, truss rod, nut and Floyd Rose set up to perfection. I once took it around to Niall McDonough's house and asked his opinion, and he thought I had done a very thorough and excellent job. I actually took over from him in the Keighley club covers band Premieré in late 1995, although I think he was just filling in for another guitarist at the time. I was not a good fit for that band being a total Metal head, and playing horrible shit like Wet Wet Wet was like slashing my own throat! If you excuse the bad pun, it was soul destroying...

Anyway I am sad to see it disappear from Bingley high sreet, and I expect there is some bloody takeaway in its place, or worse....a tattoo parlour! :-o